d20 Cthulhu for "Low Magic" Fantasy

[mmadsen]

This sample spell struck me as perfect for Conan-esque pulp fantasy:

Clutch of Nyogtha
[Force]
Components: V, S
Cost: 2 Str (+1 Str/round) damage and 1d20 Sanity points
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One living creature
Duration: Concentration (see text)
Saving Throw: Will negates (see text)

You create a magic force that grips the subject's heart (or similar vital internal organ) and begins crushing it. The victim appears to be having a heart attack; he is paralyzed and takes 1d3 points of damage per round. Each round, you must concentrate and take another point of Strength damage to maintain the spell. In addition, a conscious victim gains a new saving throw each round to stop the spell. If the victim dies as a result of this spell, his chest ruptures and bursts, and his smoking heart appears in your hand.

 

[Aaron L]

Re: Re: d20 Cthulhu for "Low Magic" Fantasy

Asking for the blessing of the gods before you fight the orcish raiders drives you insane?

If you had been taught all your life that the gods were kindly old men who lived in the sky, and then when asking for their blessing, you feel black tendrils of miasmal eldritch evil seeping into your mind in response, and catch a fleeting glimpse of tentacled nether monstrosities giving their blessing to you, then yes, you go insane from asking the gods blessing before you fight the orcish raiders.

 

[Marius Delphus]

Speaking of Masque of the Red Death, are there any plans to release a Third Edition book?

Personally, I've been slavering over the thought of Victorian d20 ever since 3E was announced... 1890s Cthulhu really fascinated me, and I've got this "Steampunk/Gothic Greyhawk" setting idea I want to try out, but I don't have time to do anything but plagiarize heavily. Ravenloft d20 was a good start....

Anyway, I haven't heard of any plans to publish more MotRD (and I'm certainly not in a position where I'd hear any advance buzz). For now, the Living Death campaign's conversion documents are available free online:

http://www.livingdeath.org/

Also at the Living Death site is a bushel full of links to sites covering all manner of Victoriana.

 

[kenjib]

I figure to use Sanity in my games when I get the book. How many PC's wouldn't lose some the first time they fight undead or see a giant 10' spider!! I know that I would be running and my wife would probably just drop dead on the spot. I think it will be a great thing to add in for the horrific situations or first time encounters with things that make you blubber.

Of course you have to use the psychoanalysis skill too, you know.

Doctor: Regdar, tell me about your mother.
Regdar: Regdar has no mother. Regdar was an orphan.
Doctor: I see, then who was the most important female figure in your life, growing up.
Regdar: Bah! Regdar has no females in his life growing up, just Mialee now.
Doctor: So, Mialee is a mother figure to you now?
Regdar: Bah! Regdar needs no mother figure. Regdar only needs his sword and his scalemail.
Doctor: Well tell me about Mialee then.
Regdar: The doctor asks too many questions of Regdar. He's looking for trouble, thinks Regdar.

 

[Aaron L]

dang that was funny kenjib!

 

[SSS-Druid]

If you wanted to have spellcasters with some ability to cast a couple of spells before it got too awful (as with some of the sorcerers in the Conan stories), I would advise coming up with a system to grant spellcasters "phantom" Ability points that can be used to pay the cost for the debilitating parts of the spell.

Leave the Sanity cost. -_-

 

[hong]

Re: Re: Re: d20 Cthulhu for "Low Magic" Fantasy

If you had been taught all your life that the gods were kindly old men who lived in the sky, and then when asking for their blessing, you feel black tendrils of miasmal eldritch evil seeping into your mind in response, and catch a fleeting glimpse of tentacled nether monstrosities giving their blessing to you, then yes, you go insane from asking the gods blessing before you fight the orcish raiders.

This is also known as the "Scooby Doo" method of shoehorning a foreign mechanic into a ruleset.

 

[LostSoul]

Re: Re: Re: Re: d20 Cthulhu for "Low Magic" Fantasy

This is also known as the "Scooby Doo" method of shoehorning a foreign mechanic into a ruleset.

The same could be said about standard PHB magic in low-magic games.

 

[hong]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: d20 Cthulhu for "Low Magic" Fantasy

The same could be said about standard PHB magic in low-magic games.

Who said anything about using standard PHB magic in a low-magic game?

Come to think of it, what exactly do you mean by "standard PHB magic"?

 

[LostSoul]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: d20 Cthulhu for "Low Magic" Fantasy

Who said anything about using standard PHB magic in a low-magic game?

Come to think of it, what exactly do you mean by "standard PHB magic"?

I'm pointing out that, while CoC magic might not work in a standard D&D game, "standard PHB magic" doesn't work in all games, either. So "standard PHB magic" is "Scooby Doo-ed" into certain campaigns, just like CoC magic would be in certain others.

"Standard PHB magic" is the type of magic presented in the PHB. The Wizard class, Sorcerer, Cleric, Druid, Ranger, Paladin, and the magic that is associated with them. It doesn't fit all worlds (my own, for one).