(Mongoose) Babylon 5 RPG - Full Details!

[Winterthorn]

Oh, we have been in contact with Rich - ever since I saw his posts on the Wizards forums. He has had some influence and input over the main rulebook, and we are currently discussing his writing of the Narn Regime. . .

That's good news. Glad to see he's on board with you folks!

Now about the Narns... I've always had a soft spot for G'Kar and his beleaguered compatriots--alas, they are always being beaten up by the Universe --I look forward to Rich's work regarding them!

-W,

 

[Darrin Drader]

Matt,

A few questions if you don't mind.

Can you give us any teasers about how the rules will differentiate between mechanical technology vs. biotechnology?

Will the Drakh be included in the core book?

Are you going to do interior floorplans for any of the ships?

Are you going to include stats and information for Babylon 4?

Is there going to be enough information about the rest of the B5 universe to be able to set the game off the station?

Did you get the rights to Crusade alone with the B5 license?

I am so looking forward to this.

 

[Sulimo]

3. We do indeed have rules for technomages, which will be appearing in the 2nd supplement to the game. However, these will be of the nature that allow players and GMs to try the class out and do technomage 'cool' stuff. A little later on, technomages will be getting their own full-blown sourcebook with more secrets and little details (as well as rules!) than you could ever hope to wish for!

Which reminds me, how far does the license go? in the above case I'd think that both Crusade and the 'Passing of the Technomages' novel trilogy would be invaluable.

 

[Mongoose_Matt]

A lot of questions this time! Let's see what I can reveal. . .

1. There is no connection between Mongoose and FFG, other than that we regard them as being one of the good guys in the industry.

2. If it is hard sci-fi you are looking for, it does not get any harder than Armageddon 2089. . .

3. The main rules concentrate on mechanical technology, though we have included glimpses of Vorlon craft and the Ikarrans. This is an area that will be greatly expanded on in the future.

4. There are no Drakh in the main rulebook, for reasons that will soon become obvious.

5. We will indeed do floorplans for various spacecraft, though it is an open question whether they will begin appearing in the main rulebook - this will come down to space alone. We want to make sure we get the actual station right without needing to compromise!

6. We will cover B4 in the fulness of time, but not in the main rulebook (how often are your players going to go there, after all?).

7. There will be enough information in the main rulebook to begin journeying away from B5, though we are leaving the kind of super detailing we have for the station in the main rulebook to the first set of supplements. At all times, we have decided to either do material properly, or delay it until we can. However, with our typical release schedule, you will not have long to wait for anything

8. We do indeed have Crusade, as well as the films, novels and pretty much anything else that has come out previosuly.

9. Nobody has asked this yet, but we will indeed have the recipe for the Jovian Sunspot in the main rulebook. Knock yourselves out while gaming

 

[Ranger REG]

A real silly idea IMO. To require the D&D PHB to play SF RPG. I thought it was really stupid with T20 too....

I believe what Mongoose_Matt meant, business student Sulimo, that it should not be limited to one Wizards' core game book.

Whether you have D&D Player's Handbook or Star Wars or d20 Modern, you can play Babylon 5 RPG.

IOW, it should be available to ALL d20 gamers, not just fans of d20 Modern. Think about it. Which is bigger pool of potential B5 consumers to tap, the general d20 pool (who owns at least any ONE of Wizards' core game books) or just the d20 Modern pool (current owners of d20 Modern; others must be forced to buy both d20 Modern and B5 RPG)?

If Mongoose Publishing wants to use rules from d20 Modern, he can use the Modern System Reference Document at his convenience, even reprint the relevant rules for those who do not have d20 Modern Core Rulebook.

* Sighs * I gotta stop thinking like a Centauri merchant.

 

[Stad]

IOW, it should be available to ALL d20 gamers, not just fans of d20 Modern. Think about it. Which is bigger pool of potential B5 consumers to tap, the general d20 pool (who owns at least any ONE of Wizards' core game books) or just the d20 Modern pool (current owners of d20 Modern; others must be forced to buy both d20 Modern and B5 RPG)?

If Mongoose Publishing wants to use rules from d20 Modern, he can use the Modern System Reference Document at his convenience, even reprint the relevant rules for those who do not have d20 Modern Core Rulebook.

You mean the B5 RPG SB will require another sourcebook to play?

 

[Tarek]

To Mongoose

A lot of the "historical" data for the Babylon 5 Wars game came from a bunch of people who sifted through all things B5 and tried to make them fit together in a logical way; they are credited in B5Wars products as the HRT or Historical Repair Team.

Have you thought about getting in touch with that group regarding the B5 RPG? Personally, I think that they have done some very good work in the past, with Wars of the Centauri Republic being a stellar example of the kind of background information that they can produce.

Tarek

 

[ColonelHardisson]

You mean the B5 RPG SB will require another sourcebook to play?

Yes, as with anything d20, it will require the use of the 3e Player's Handbook. This will likely be for no more than the rolling and assigning of stats, and for experience points needed to reach the next level. The whole impetus behind the d20 movement is that WotC lets anyone use the system, as long as they get to sell Player's Handbooks.

 

[BPIJonathan]

The legion of Top Secret Mongoose Playtesters, plus a few names I think B5 fans will respect, say we have not screwed the rules

Nope, the rules are not screwed up.

 

[Ranger REG]

The whole impetus behind the d20 movement is that WotC lets anyone use the system, as long as they get to sell Player's Handbooks.

Or any other Wizards' core rulebooks (Wheel of Time, Star Wars, Call of Cthulhu, d20 Modern).