D20 products with rule variations?

[Goken100]

I, like many DMs, have many house rules when I run a D&D campaign. What I'd like to know is whether anyone has produced a D20 product with rules that would be more to my liking, so that I wouldn't have to use so many house rules.

In particular, I have done away with hit points that continue to expand as characters increase in level; rather, characters increase in their defensive capabilities. I have a couple of other kooky rules, like a different system for tracking actions and time in battle, but the hit point thing is definitely the big one.

So does anyone know of any D20 products that I could look into that might fit the bill?

Even better, does anyone know of any resources that would describe all the D20 products available? (In particular, I need the resource to mention how the rules presented in those products differ from ordinary D&D.)


P.S. Just to head it off, I don't particularly like the Star Wars system either; it still uses an ever expanding ability to soak up damage rather than a way to learn to prevent damage.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Grim-n-Gritty comabt system does a fixed 'hp' with increasing attack/defense values... available here on Enworld

A couple other game systems, whose names I am forgetting do the same thing.

Regarding an index.. oi!

The best bet is to ask here, as you have, and see what the collective mind can pull up. Most of the regular posters here are compulsive acquirers of odd rule systems

 

[Mechnomancer]

Mutants & Masterminds has completely done away with hit points in favor of a damage save.

 

[Eltharon]

Game of thrones D20 doesnt do away with increasing HP, but severly limits the amount (A 20th level man at arms--fighter--only has 67 HP before con modifiers. Plus theres a Shock value that wont increase with level that triggers a fort save whenever damage is taken in excess of it. Faliure means one helpless characer. Nice art too.
Grim n' Gritty is very good. Absolutly no HP progression. Look around in the house rules (set the date posted filter back a bit)
There's probably a few lying around this forum as well. You can just look around.

 

[Nyaricus]

True20 is a rules light version of D&D, heavyily changed. No hitpoints at all, and you do stuff like roll to see if you have enough money to buy stuff; you don't even keep track of your cash!

Iron Heroes would likely give you some great ideas for feats and such. Plus there's those whatchamacallit Zones and getting rid of x/day mechanics via tokens, and even more.

ot sure what else is about...

 

[Aus_Snow]

In particular, I have done away with hit points that continue to expand as characters increase in level; rather, characters increase in their defensive capabilities.

Ken Hood's Grim n Gritty or Green Ronin's True20. Personally, I favour True20. It's a complete multi-genre system that was built from the ground up to do what it does, rather than an add-on to D&D, no matter how good (and GnG is well made, for all that).

a different system for tracking actions and time in battle

GURPS? Interlock? . . . (OK, they're not d20 ) Iron Heroes makes actions a lot more detailed in combat, and (to an extent) at other times too.

does anyone know of any resources that would describe all the D20 products available? (In particular, I need the resource to mention how the rules presented in those products differ from ordinary D&D.)

Not really. Check out reviews here, on RPGNet, RPGNow, and other places. Download preview PDFs. Talk to the designers, if possible. Ask specific questions here and/or elsewhere about
roducts or ideas that you've come across. That's honestly the best advice I can give there.


edit --- No doubt I've forgotten half a hundred. But there's always Unearthed Arcana (by WotC), of course. It contains a multitude of rules variants that are intended to assist in a variety of campaign styles. . . with limited success at times.

and there's more.. --- One I certainly missed is the Advanced Player's Guide (by Sword & Sorcery). I should've remembered that one, as I mentioned it in another post on ENworld only a day or so ago. It actually has rules variants covering everything you specified, and quite a bit more. Some of it might (OK, will) need tinkering with, but I still like the book more than most. Or perhaps many people simply haven't heard of it. Either way, I'd suggest checking it out, if you're interested in some very different approaches to D&D.

 

[Goken100]

humble thanks

I appreciate everyone's help with my question, that was exactly the information I was looking for. What a great community this is!

I like both Grim-n-Gritty and True20, each has advantages and disadvantages. From what I can tell, Mutants & Masterminds has the same damage system as True20. Perhaps one piggy backed off the other.

I also now have a few items like the Advanced Players Guide to add to my X-Mas list (which will need to be accidentally left where my wife can find it..).

Thanks everyone!

 

[Treebore]

Castles and Crusades at Troll Lords could also fit your bill. Probably just allow you to keep using your house rule in combination with its capped HD.
Plus C&C is a lot less "rulesy" than other systems.

 

[ValhallaGH]

From what I can tell, Mutants & Masterminds has the same damage system as True20. Perhaps one piggy backed off the other.

Green Ronin is behind both products, so it's likely.

You may want to check out the Conan RPG by Mongoose publishing. No more HD after level 10, though you still get an HP or two per level. Of course, if you prefer True20 already then I doubt you'll find Conan very appealing.

 

[Morrus]

In particular, I have done away with hit points that continue to expand as characters increase in level; rather, characters increase in their defensive capabilities. I have a couple of other kooky rules, like a different system for tracking actions and time in battle, but the hit point thing is definitely the big one.


P.S. Just to head it off, I don't particularly like the Star Wars system either; it still uses an ever expanding ability to soak up damage rather than a way to learn to prevent damage.

Just as a side note - hit points are not an expanding ability to soak up damage; they represent defensive capability, luck, experience, divine favour, fatigue and all number of other things.

When someone hits you with a greatsword, your 100 hit points don't mean that "he cleaves your head off, but you carry on fighting". They mean that "the blow which would have cleaved your head off is turned away". That final blow which puts you below 0 HP means that your luck has run out, you're too tired to defend yourself, you've run out of tricks, or what-have-you. When you fall off a 200-foot cliff and survive, it's not because you're as invulnerable as Superman, it's because you fell into a bush or you slowed your fall in a heroic way by grabbing vines or - well, the narrative/descriptive part is irrelevant to the mechanic: it can be for whatever reason you like.

For that reason, I've never sought to do away with hit points and add defensive measures instead. d20 is an abstract combat system, and hit points are an abstract measure of "how much more of this you can do before you die".