Midkemia d20

[JoeGKushner]

I

1-Lower hp or massive damage threshold. Even famous, experienced characters in the novels can get killed by a lucky shot, which isn't compatible with regular D&D.

Banshee

In my opinion, that's just the writing doing it's work. Most of the characters, like Jimmy the Hand, are not getting punked out. Pug gets burned into ash in one of the books and is still like, "Not dead yet!"

It's difficult to determine what makes good writing as opposed to good gaming.

 

[Banshee16]

In my opinion, that's just the writing doing it's work. Most of the characters, like Jimmy the Hand, are not getting punked out. Pug gets burned into ash in one of the books and is still like, "Not dead yet!"

It's difficult to determine what makes good writing as opposed to good gaming.

It's possible, but there really does seem to be more influence of exhaustion mechanics, and wounds. Characters get wounded, and they're no longer at full strength. Standard D&D lets you drop from 100 to 10 hp, and still be in peak fighting condition. Some of the variants, like True 20, have both exhaustion, and wound effects on performance, I think.

Still....you could be right. I do notice a difference though, between the spellcaster/immortals, and the regular fighters. Jimmy the Hand, Erik Darkmoor, etc. still need to be afraid of crossbows. I think the powerful characters like Pug and Thomas are more resistant, but I always interpreted this as resistance due to magic spells, etc.

Banshee

 

[buzz]

Still....you could be right. I do notice a difference though, between the spellcaster/immortals, and the regular fighters. Jimmy the Hand, Erik Darkmoor, etc. still need to be afraid of crossbows. I think the powerful characters like Pug and Thomas are more resistant, but I always interpreted this as resistance due to magic spells, etc.

Unless you're willing to either:

a) start getting into lots of minutiae about fatigue, wounds, bleeding, etc

or

2) go with a Narrativist design where the mechanics are story/conflict-based

it's probably simplest to go with hit points, as they get the job done, i.e., keep things cinematic while also letting you know when you're dead.

 

[Armistice]

If they weren't out of business, I'd suggest GOO. If they'd been approached they could have rocked this easily. If they can adapt AGOT (and they did), Midkemia would've been a snap. They've certainly got the best social aspect gaming ruleset of D20 out there. Again though, the magic ruleset was delayed for another supplement that we'll never see.

 

[rgard]

You and me both

I've got too much invested in the D20 system...both financially, and simply time. When will I have time to not only learn a new system, but train a group of players in the new system, and get them to play? I've got a life outside of gaming..

But Midkemia D20? I wouldn't even blink before buying.

Banshee

Hi Banshee,

This situation will probably stop me from graduating to 4e whenever they do it. If I can't use the boatload of minis (the cards in particular is use in lieu of hauling around 4 MMs), coupled with the stupid amount of money spent on 3.5e books, I seriously doubt I'll do more than browse the book at Borders.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Badabump.

Any news on this?

I just started rereading the original series, and realized how perfectly adapted it is to standard D&D (if you do a little hand wavign about Greater/Lesser path magicians -- I'd recommend Wizards/sorcerers as Greater, and Eberron artificers as Lesser and let it go at that). Of course, that stands to reason, since the books evolved out of an OD&D campaign.

 

[Relique du Madde]

If they weren't out of business, I'd suggest GOO. If they'd been approached they could have rocked this easily. If they can adapt AGOT (and they did), Midkemia would've been a snap. They've certainly got the best social aspect gaming ruleset of D20 out there. Again though, the magic ruleset was delayed for another supplement that we'll never see.

I've actually ran into some copies of GoO's Advanced d20 Magic. That system disappointed me since it only served as being the spells in the players handbook with a DC added ontop without any real set of guidelines about how to create new spells (althought creating magic items and converting existing spells was easy). With this said, I'd have to admit that I liked the rules GR created for True Sorcery more considering that it did what I wished Advanced d20 Magic would do.

However, if GoO and GR both collabrated together with Raymon Feist to make a ruleset for Midkemia, I'm pretty sure it would rock.

 

[takyris]

Depending on the time you're willing to put into it, I see Grim Tales as pretty easily handling a Midkemia d20 game. Tweak the magic a little by putting limits on who can take what spells, and you're largely good to go.

That said, everyone complaining that D&D magic is completely unsuitable for a Midkemia game should bear in mind that Midkemia was based on Feist's D&D game.

 

[jdrakeh]

That said, everyone complaining that D&D magic is completely unsuitable for a Midkemia game should bear in mind that Midkemia was based on Feist's D&D game.

Yes, though as has been noted several times by other people, many people use house rules when they play D&D. I think, given then disparity between how magic works in Feist's novels (and licensed PC games) it's safe to assume that his 'D&D' campaign was heavily houseruled.

 

[takyris]

Yes, though as has been noted several times by other people, many people use house rules when they play D&D. I think, given then disparity between how magic works in Feist's novels (and licensed PC games) it's safe to assume that his 'D&D' campaign was heavily houseruled.

Or, equally plausibly, that he played a relatively normal D&D game and then changed the way magic worked in the books because he didn't want to write about Vancian magic.

If I write a novel based on my normal-3rd-Edition campaign, it's sure as heck going to have some changes to the way that magic works. (And, you know, fewer beholders and mindflayers, because, you know, licensing.)