Kentarou Miura's Berserk and D20

[Scorch]

Emboldened by the thread concerning Glen Cook's Black Company I have decided to throw this topic out there and see if there are any fans of Miura's comic, "Berserk", which is published in the Japanese manga volume "Young Animal". It also became a TV series which covers events up to volume 13 of the comic.

WizarDru, Valanthe, and I have followed the TV series then the comic for some time and love to discuss how the characters would be built in D20.

The comic, and the TV show based on it, has a following here in America since it was fan subtitled a few years back. Now it is coming out commercially here in America (the first two volumes are out on DVD/VHS).

For those of you not familiar with the series it follows the exploits of Gatsu (or Gutts, if you will), the Black Swordsman, on his quest for revenge against the God Hand, a mysterious group of five godlike beings who have been manipulating human destiny for the past 1000 years. It is set in a swords and sorcery type universe that parallels Europe during the Middle Ages.

For more information you can check out this fan run site:

http://www.skullknight.net/index2.htm

For those few of you who know this series here are some D20 questions that we like to throw around occasionally:

1) What kind of sword does Gatsu use during his days in the Band of the Hawk? A blunted great sword?

2) What kind of sword is the Dragon Slayer, the blade that Gatsu wields when starts his mission against the God Hand? What kind of feat progression would he need to wield it?

3) After the Black Sun Over Midland (those who watched the last two episodes of the TV series know what I am talking about) has Gatsu offically crossed over into Epic levels?

4) What is an Apostle (the humans turned demon followers of the God Hand)? A human with a fiendish template put on top of them? A demon with character levels?

5) What kind of character is Gatsu? A fighter/barbarian multiclass during his days with the Band of the Hawk? Perhaps a prestige class when he went Epic?

6) How about Caska, Griffith, Judeau, Corkus, etc. of the Band of the Hawk (before the Black Sun)?

7) How does magic work in the Berserk universe? It seems pretty low level until after the Black Sun Over Midland. Actual human practitioners of magic are beginning to show up.

8) What is the Skull Knight? An epic prestige class paladin? His mount has shown some pretty amazing abilities in the comic.

Berserk fans, please respond!

Scorch

 

[WizarDru]

1) What kind of sword does Gatsu use during his days in the Band of the Hawk? A blunted great sword?

Well, for a start, it's no mere great sword...it's a unique weapon. It may not seem as mighty as the DragonSlayer, but that's like pointing out that the Sherman tank is not as effective as the Tiger. To the poor sodding infantryman, it doesn't make much difference.

I'd prolly rule it a modified Keen blunt greatsword that requires an STR 16+ and an exotic weapon proficiency, has an improved Sunder ability and maybe something else.

2) What kind of sword is the Dragon Slayer, the blade that Gatsu wields when starts his mission against the God Hand? What kind of feat progression would he need to wield it?

I'd rate it a +3 unique weapon, prolly requiring a 20+ STR to wield, as well as an exotic weapon proficiency and Improved Exotic Weapon proficiency or something....it's just not a weapon meant to be wielded by normal humans. Some of it's bonuses? Large Crit range, I'd guess, coupled with Gats already considerable talents.

3) After the Black Sun Over Midland (those who watched the last two episodes of the TV series know what I am talking about) has Gatsu offically crossed over into Epic levels?

I'd make a strong case for it...or not soon after. Mind you, I'd also say he got level drained during the BSOM event, so go figure.

4) What is an Apostle (the humans turned demon followers of the God Hand)? A human with a fiendish template put on top of them? A demon with character levels?

Your guess is as good as mine, but if pressed to the wall, I'd say Demons with Epic character levels, or quasi-dieties as per the D&DG, with a Divine Level of 0 or 1. They're not insanely powerful, but they far beyond mortals, that's for sure.

hat kind of character is Gatsu? A fighter/barbarian multiclass during his days with the Band of the Hawk? Perhaps a prestige class when he went Epic?

Definitely Fighter, with maybe a couple levels of barbarian. Sure, he gets mad, but I don't really classify it as Raging...especially as he does it less and less as the series goes on. I would give him a pre-Epic Prestige Class, though...possibly Knight of the Hawk, or some such.

6) How about Caska, Griffith, Judeau, Corkus, etc. of the Band of the Hawk (before the Black Sun)?

Caska is a pure fighter, and Griffith probably is, with a level of Aristocrat or two towards the end. Judeau is a Ranger/Rogue combination (the KNIVES!) and Corkus is probably a rogue/fighter...or just a jerk. I might give the officers a level or two in a custom prestige class, as per previous answer.

7) How does magic work in the Berserk universe? It seems pretty low level until after the Black Sun Over Midland. Actual human practitioners of magic are beginning to show up.

There's an implication that it was always there, just hidden until something forced them out into the open. It's obvious that since the BSOM event, monsters have been appearing in large numbers. Given the other societies and creatures we've seen since then, it's obvious they were just lying low, or aren't even seen by the normal folks. Or weren't, anyhow.

8) What is the Skull Knight? An epic prestige class paladin? His mount has shown some pretty amazing abilities in the comic.

What is he? SCARY. Oh, you meant in d20 terms? I think he's an Epic Level Paladin, with a few levels in a custom prestige class 'Behelit-Eater'. He may be LG, but he's also Lawful Scary. Yikes.

 

[Tsyr]

1) What kind of sword does Gatsu use during his days in the Band of the Hawk? A blunted great sword?

Considering it seems to cut just fine, I would say It's not blunted.

 

[WizarDru]

Considering it seems to cut just fine, I would say It's not blunted.

Actually, they specifically discuss it in the manga that it IS blunt, but Gats is so durned strong that he can cut his way through. Mind you, when we say blunt, we're talking 'unsharpened', not has no edge entirely.

 

[Scorch]

Re: Re: Kentarou Miura's Berserk and D20

Your guess is as good as mine, but if pressed to the wall, I'd say Demons with Epic character levels, or quasi-dieties as per the D&DG, with a Divine Level of 0 or 1. They're not insanely powerful, but they far beyond mortals, that's for sure.

Hmm... I would not put them in the levels of dieties since normal people are able to hurt them in extreme circumstances. Perhaps a damage reduction. Remember that Gatsu and Griffith were able to do damage to Nosferatu Zodd early on in their mercenary career. Sure, Zodd shrugged it off, regenerated, and then beat the snot out of them, but still... Also, Gatsu was able to take down Wylde (only appears in the comic, not the TV show) mostly by himself.

Scorch

 

[WizarDru]

Re: Re: Re: Kentarou Miura's Berserk and D20

Hmm... I would not put them in the levels of dieties since normal people are able to hurt them in extreme circumstances. Perhaps a damage reduction. Remember that Gatsu and Griffith were able to do damage to Nosferatu Zodd early on in their mercenary career. Sure, Zodd shrugged it off, regenerated, and then beat the snot out of them, but still... Also, Gatsu was able to take down Wylde (only appears in the comic, not the TV show) mostly by himself.

Scorch

Oops. My bad. I read Apostles and thought 'Godhand'. Hence, we're talking two different things here: the Godhand and Apostles (i.e. Demons). I was referring to the Godhand, specifically. Apostles are just plain ol' monsters, many with a Shapechange ability. In fact, I think it'd probably be a series of monsters with a 'Apostle' Template added to it...the template granting an increase in hit dice, some resistance and the ability to shapechange back to their original human form, prior to the change brought on by the Behelit.

The Snake Baron, for example, would probably be a Yuan-Ti mutant, advanced, with several levels of fighter and the 'Apostle' Template. Somebody like Mozgus, on the other hand, would probably be a Cleric who first gains the Celestial template, and then turns into a Golem with the Apostle Template. He's a wacky one, he is. Zodd is an Epic Apostle, if anything.

And let's remember, even though Gats and Griffith managed to hurt Zodd, they didn't win, and Zodd was hardly down for the count, when all was said and done. They were as good as dead, save for the Behelit, and Zodd had already slaughtered going well on a entire company of soldiers by that point.

That Gats could fight Zodd to a standstill a few years later speaks more of Gats than it does of Zodd, I think.

 

[Scorch]

Griffith's New Army and the Kushan Special Forces

That's what I'm talkin' about! The God Hand would easily fit the role of DM Deus Ex Machina that only show up once in a blue moon (or Black Sun, in their case) to shift the plot. Every DM should be allowed at least one of those once a year.

How would one rate the apostles working for Griffith? We have covered ground with Zodd. Their names escape me at the moment but the four who stick out in my mind the most are the mounted knight with the lance (paladin or fighter with mounted combat skills?), the red headed giant with the shield mounted cannon (barbarian/fighter multiclass), the archer (Epic Deep Woods Sniper I am sure), and the masked martial artist (monk). They obviously drive home the point that being an Apostle does not make one evil but a lot of evil people become Apostles. Perhaps after a point one can branch off from the Apostle Template and become a different kind of Apostle?

I was really interested in the Kushan special forces led by that one Kushan Prince who has been harrying Gatsu for the past few volumes. He has assassin written all over him. As for his bodyguards: high level monks, definitely.

Scorch