d20 that should have been core

[Kichwas]

What in your opinion from the d20 works you've seen is so vital to the fantasy genre that it should have been a part of the core game?

Either in the format it was put out by a d20 publisher or in some more balanced method.

For me, it's two things:

The rituals systems in Relics and Rituals and Spellbound, with a possible note from Way of the Witch where they have rules for casting spells you don't yet know.

The second entry is a system for Herbalism, such as seen in Occult Lore. I know I've seen another one elsewhere as well, but it escapes me at the moment.

Rituals and Herbalism are for me core aspects of the genre, that seem missing from the base game.

I'm curious to see what things other people have found, if any, that feel core to the genre to them but got skipped by WotC in their core rules and primary suppliments.

 

[Nightfall]

I agree with the rituals part, not sure about herbalism (I missed this book), but I do think if you compare epic level spellcasting with true rituals, seems to me the latter is not only more "flavorful" but also far more fun to use. I mean come! Compare Vengeful Gaze of God with Ban of Mesos? In my opinion, no contest. Give me Ban of Mesos any time! (That and immortality! )

 

[Desdichado]

D&D isn't really standard fantasy, it's a genre unto itself. So stuff that really should be in a fantasy game shouldn't necessarily be in a D&D game just because tons of fantasy novels work that way.

I think D&D is fine the way it is. That said, I play d20 non-D&D fantasy anyway most of the time.

 

[DonaldRumsfeldsTofu]

You know what I think? Monster Manual SHOULDN'T be core. the DMG and the PHB are essentially the books that explain to you the standard rules, and all the other supplements provide you with bonus rules. You need the MM to play, but the various d20 products especially, as well a large portion of DMs are boxed in by the Monster Manual, and only use monsters from that book. The MM2 has some utterly excellent monsters, but no one ever uses it. I haven't seen a WotC adventure that uses the monsters from the MM2 or any of the other supplements. So essentially, the MM2 should be a core rulebook, or the MM should be larger.

Or I'm just rambling.

 

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

edit: original post erased.

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Nevermind - I misread the question.

I usually try to stay out of genre based discussions because the definitions always seem so normative that no one can really agree.

Ignoring my own advise above, I would probably agree with Joshua that D&D really has become its own genre - Almost all "fantasy" fiction I have ever read never had so MANY heros, SO much Magic, or such variety of monsters and evil guys...

I guess I'd say Psionics, beacuse they have been part of my D&D experience since 1981.

 

[tetsujin28]

I really haven't encountered any.

 

[ES2]

I'll agree that the MM shouldn't be CORE, but it is and that will never change.

As for what other companies have produced for d20 that is just fantasy that should be in the core, one should be psionics.

Another should be everything in the upcoming Unearthed Arcana book out next february.

And the optional rule in Book of Hallowed Might for its Alignment options. Those should be core.

 

[Tsyr]

I'll agree that the MM shouldn't be CORE, but it is and that will never change.

As for what other companies have produced for d20 that is just fantasy that should be in the core, one should be psionics.

Another should be everything in the upcoming Unearthed Arcana book out next february.

And the optional rule in Book of Hallowed Might for its Alignment options. Those should be core.

I thank whatever higher powers govern WotC every day that Psionics is *not* core, thank you very much.

And isn't it a little... um... early to say that everything in a book not out for a long time yet should be core?

I'll second the ritual magics and casting spells you don't know, and I would also like to see an option for doing something other than spellslots... Mana points, or fatigue based casting, or something.

 

[Aeolius]

A proper witch "core" class.

Rules governing three dimensional movement and combat in aerial, aquatic, and variable-gravity planes.

 

[Maggan]

d20 books that contaion rules that should make it into the core:

Dynasties&Demagogues
Cry Havoc
Book of the Righteous

Just take everything in these books and add it to the core. IMO, of course.

Cheers!

M.