MtG the RPG

[MtGtheRPGDM]

The reason for not just converting spells and creatures to standard 3.5e rules is simple, the sheer number of creatures and spells there are would take this project literally years to complete. And even then there would be no way to include every single spell and creature.

And yes there are some very powerful cards in MtG, but there are also some very powerful weapons in D&D. Just how a level 1 would not be running around with the Sword of Kas, or even a level 15. The spells available to the players is going to be based on many factors. Just like a wizard getting spell in D&D. If there is a card in particular that you are worried about (or even a group of them) please feel free to post them here and I can do my best to explain how the rules we have put in place should keep everything in check.

 

[MtGtheRPGDM]

I would also like to point out that the only major rule change that has been made from the 3.5 rules is how the combat round plays out. And to narrow that down even further the majority of the changes come only to spell casting. Melee combat, which is where most of the combat will still be played out because of the summoning of creatures plays out just like any other battle in 3.5. Making attack rolls, comparing it to AC, rolling damage on succesful hits. That is all still here and intact. Myself and my team are not out to re-invent to the wheel. What we are doing is trying to do is keep as much of the original D&D mechanics in place and replacing them ONLY when we felt it nessicary.

 

[kitcik]

So this is NOT going to be a whole new D20 system, since it will use 3.5 material... it will simply be an alternate version of 3.5. THAT makes me leery.

There are VERY powerful cards that are not Legendary, and many Legendary cards that have little to no power OR flavor. To base the availability of them simply based on them having the "Legendary" type, seems a bit... ignorant of both D&D and MtG.

In the end, since a "Planeswalker" could easily be made in D&D following the current rules... and almost every creature and spell in MtG could be easily (if slowly) converted into D&D, I really think any rules changes/bastardization of the 3.5 edition would ruin itself.
I would personally suggest simply doing those easy but time-consuming conversions and simply making a 3.5 edition book of extra content from MtG, assuming one knows well how to make monsters, spells, etc. for 3.5 edition.

I can't give you XP, but this is how I would see it working well. I am also very leery of the RPG as described. Seems like it can't decide whether it is "really" MTG or D&D.

 

[Rhun]

This sounds interesting, and I'll follow the thread. I wish I could lend some ideas, but I know almost nothing about MtG. Good luck, though!

 

[MtGtheRPGDM]

I want people who have played D&D to feel at home, and I want those poeple who have played magic to look at a spell and go "yeah, I know how that works! I understand what this spell does because iv played the card in MtG before!" There is a blurring of the lines between MtG and D&D, but it leans far far more D&D than MtG. As stated before I kept absolutley as many rules alone as I possibly could. In the beginning we were talking about doing stuff like this

Sorcery=Standard action
Instant=move action.

But as we got to the first play tests we found that things felt so sluggish and the classes didnt feel like they should. There was no different between a red mage and a green mage to us. And blue was totall under powered. Counterspells were totally useless unless the blue player went 1st, and even then after a few turns the blue mage was always over run as it often had no way to protect its creatures. It wasnt balanced. So we had to change the spell casting rules. And I would like to point out this isnt the 1st time that D&D's casting rules have had a rule variant. And with the execption of the way spells are cast you could take a character from my bookk and put it in any D&D 3.5 and they would fit like a glove.

 

[MtGtheRPGDM]

The 1st two actule pages of the book are finished. Here they are.

page4 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

page5 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Feedback always welcome.

 

[Pergentile]

Well, I will avoid posting critique on your page design.
There will be no graveyard?
Any and all of a players... "prepared spells" will be accessible to him, assuming he has the mana to cast them?
This brings into consideration how powerful combo's will work.
Even with you re-evaluating everything's "mana cost" (which is a bad idea IMO), there will still be powerful combinations with several "spells" that, on their own, are not powerful. One see's these combo's in the MtG championships. How will you add mitigating factors to this?

A few cards I am curious about:
Slivers (all of them, and their unmatched synergy)
Non-lands that generate mana.
Special lands like Cloudpost.
Cards that give/remove turns.
Cards that allow one to "Put things into play" without casting said things as spells (or paying their mana costs)
Cards that interact with the graveyard system.

 

[MtGtheRPGDM]

Well, I will avoid posting critique on your page design.
There will be no graveyard?
Any and all of a players... "prepared spells" will be accessible to him, assuming he has the mana to cast them?
This brings into consideration how powerful combo's will work.
Even with you re-evaluating everything's "mana cost" (which is a bad idea IMO), there will still be powerful combinations with several "spells" that, on their own, are not powerful. One see's these combo's in the MtG championships. How will you add mitigating factors to this?

A few cards I am curious about:
Slivers (all of them, and their unmatched synergy)
Non-lands that generate mana.
Special lands like Cloudpost.
Cards that give/remove turns.
Cards that allow one to "Put things into play" without casting said things as spells (or paying their mana costs)
Cards that interact with the graveyard system.

There will be a "graveyard" that in game terms will be called the "mana trail" its a echo of you will of all the spells the caster has used. This will allow such spells as antimate dead, spells with Flash Back and a few other key words to function properly.

Yes, a caster will have access to all prepared spells, but there will be a limitation on how many spells he can prepare.

One thing that you must remember about combos (especially those with creatures as part of the combo) it will be much easier to kill creatures off. One cannot simple cast a creature spell and not block with it as in regular magic. If a creature is on the battlefield it can much easier be dispatched.

Slivers are going to be powerful, but as with regular magic multicolor decks are going to be slow. Why? Lets say you are a red/black mage. During your mana phase you roll your D8 mana for the turn. You roll a 3. Since red is your primary you will only recieve 2 red mana and 1 black one. If you are a red/blue/black/green mage and you roll a 3 you will only get 1 red, 1 blue, and 1 black with no green. So while multi color mages will have access to more spells, their mana is going to be severly limited.

The Tap keyword has been changed to "exhaust" So say you are a green mage and you cast a llanowar elves. On your next turn you may exhaust him to give yourself 1 additonal mana (remember you may NEVER under ANY circumstances go above your maximum allowed mana)

Land cards as a whole are no longer used. Even non-basic, artifact and any other kind of land. They are NOT used.

If a card would allow you to take an additonal turn, like time walk you will take an additonal turn at the end of that turn (IE after everyone else has acted for the turn, if for some reason multiple players get an additonal turn then they will take the additonal turns based on initative) And conversely, if you were to loose your turn then that player will skip his or her NEXT turn.

I am not saying that it is impossible to break the system. but there are TONS of broken things in D&D, (pun pun anyone?) If you are LOOKING to break the system I am sure you can. But that isnt the point. People will be able to use combos, and that is fine if they do. Also remember this isnt just a duel application for two people to sit around and go at it, if you wanted to do that play a normal game of Magic. This is ment to be an RPG, with multiple players, a DM, and powerful monsters with their own counter abilites and tricks up their sleeve.

 

[kitcik]

Stasis

...

 

[MtGtheRPGDM]

Stasis is a simple spell to work into the game. Creatures will not become refreshed at the beginning of each turn, any mana spent since stasis has entered the battlefield will not be refreshed. If the cumaltive upkeep cannot be paid then send statis to the mana trail.

Stasis is actually a weaker spell since within a couple of turns the cumualtive upkeep could easily surpass your maximum mana, and players get a turn each turn regardless. So if you cast statsis, and then spend all your mana keeping it in play, the other mages could just walk over and smash you with any weapons they may have. Even with Kismet (the old Blue/White TurboStasis decks) Cant just stall and win, since the mages themselves can fight.