Excellent Uses of Existing OGC

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I adore the racial levels popping up seemingly everywhere now. I believe those first came from AU, no? (Note to "Races of" writers: Include these for non-PHB races, please!)

 

[philreed]

I adore the racial levels popping up seemingly everywhere now. I believe those first came from AU, no? (Note to "Races of" writers: Include these for non-PHB races, please!)

AU was the first place I saw them. Are the products that are using racial levels including AU in their Section 15, though?

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I adore the racial levels popping up seemingly everywhere now. I believe those first came from AU, no? (Note to "Races of" writers: Include these for non-PHB races, please!)

I agree with this 100%. Racial levels are one of the best innovations to the class/race system in d20 that I've seen.

They're also the perfect way to handle "subraces" without making them mechanically seperate from the base race.

 

[Cam Banks]

I agree with this 100%. Racial levels are one of the best innovations to the class/race system in d20 that I've seen.

I would suggest that the racial levels of AU were at least partially inspired by the monster class levels of Savage Species, which they strongly resemble. AU did it better, though, and doesn't require the character to advance in all of the racial levels before taking any other classes.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[Psion]

I adore the racial levels popping up seemingly everywhere now. I believe those first came from AU, no?

In the form that is currently getting passed around, yes.

But the same concept appeared prior to that in Second World Sourcebook.

Wildwood and WoW RPG both use racial levels to good effect.

 

[Psion]

I would suggest that the racial levels of AU were at least partially inspired by the monster class levels of Savage Species, which they strongly resemble.

I dunno if you can make that case. They were both released in the same year, and I don't think that Savage Species was out early enough for it to have directly influenced AU.

 

[Cam Banks]

I dunno if you can make that case. They were both released in the same year, and I don't think that Savage Species was out early enough for it to have directly influenced AU.

Perhaps not, but then again - Monte was probably more in the know than Joe Random d20 Publisher.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[Psion]

Perhaps not, but then again - Monte was probably more in the know than Joe Random d20 Publisher.

True enough. I think Sean Reynolds was toying around with the idea before he left.

However, the issue was such a nail looking for a hammer, I am willing to beleive in parallel evolution.

 

[DMH]

What is the release date for AU? Genjitsu has a different method for racial levels in Shaping the Self (elder races have 5 levels, younger have 4 and the youngest have 3). It also has the coolest racial levels for humans; they are all about surviving long odds and tough environmental conditions. And it has the idea of level adjustments for very powerful powers like immunity to poison that duergar get (IOW no BAB or save adjustments for the level).

 

[buzz]

I know Grim Tales got mentioned already, but I certainly like that it took the Basic Class concept from d20M and ran with it. I'd love to see a FRPG that had PCs start with the Strong/Fast/Tough/Smart/Dedicated/Charismatic classes adn then moved into Advanced Classes for various professions, e.g., "Fighter", "Arcanist", "Thief", etc.

And does Kensin stealing the Damage Save from one of his games (M&M) to use in another (Blue Rose/True20) count?