Other d20 games: What's worth stealing?

[Skywalker]

Social Feats from Fadings Suns d20. They do well to round of the combat orientation of existing feats.

 

[Horacio]

Could you steal it and fit it in alongside the standard D&D magic system, or would it only be useful as a replacement?

Would, for instance, a standard D&D wizard feel overshadowed compared to a Sov.Stone spellcaster, or vice versa?

J

They are... differents.

Maybe a SovStone spellcaster can swing more speels around (there are no limit... besides every spell cost him subdual damage) but the spells take time to materialize (several rounds usually, the more powerful, the more time is needed).

I think they can use along D&D magic, yes, with some tweaking but yes!

 

[Vuron]

In my experience everything is better with the five finger discount

 

[The Allamistako]

I'm considering using the way shield work in Fading Suns d20 for all armour in my D&D game, and adding the Pulp Heros defense bonus - those are the only d20 things i got at the moment.

-Alla

 

[chatdemon]

Here's the basics on the SovStone magic system, cut and pasted from a recent chatroom conv i had about it.

there are no spell levels or spells per day limits

instead, spells have whats called a Casting Threshhold

wizards generate 1d20+casting bonus points per round to apply to the CT of a spell

when you reach the CT, you cast the spell

The more powerful the spell, the higher the CT.

each round of casting, you have to make a fort save (dc8to12, rises by one each round) or take 1d4 subdual damage, not to mention concentration checks if someone is beating on you.

so a 1st level wzard could theoretically cast a spell like wish, but realistically it wouldnt happen, the CT would be around 300 (or higher, possibly around 5 or 6 hundred)

most '1st level' type spells have a CT between 20 and 40, taking anywhere from 1 to 4 or 5 rounds to cast, depending on your roll and you casting bonus

they dont include CTs for the PHB spells, but they do have a fairly detailed method for calculating the CT for new spells though, so I've started working out the CT's for the PHB and R&R spells

they have thier own set of spells based around a 5 elements type scheme; earth, air, fire, water, void

when you cast void spells (stuff like necromancy) the damage is real damage, not subdual


That's not very detailed, but I think it gives the basic idea. It's really a great deviation from the standard d20 system, IMO.

 

[Horacio]

That was a good summary of the system, a very good one.
And yes, it's a good derivation of the standard d20, a superb magic system...

 

[drnuncheon]

wizards generate 1d20+casting bonus points per round to apply to the CT of a spell

each round of casting, you have to make a fort save (dc8to12, rises by one each round) or take 1d4 subdual damage, not to mention concentration checks if someone is beating on you.

Interesting...so a multiclassed wizard might well be able to throw more spells than a single-classed one (more hp and higher Fort save), but he would probably need to take longer to do it. Hmm.

J

 

[kenjib]

Interesting...so a multiclassed wizard might well be able to throw more spells than a single-classed one (more hp and higher Fort save), but he would probably need to take longer to do it. Hmm.

J

...but taking longer to do it also increases the chance of taking damage, so it counters to some degree the higher hp and fort save.

 

[corndog]

...but taking longer to do it also increases the chance of taking damage, so it counters to some degree the higher hp and fort save.

And dont forget, there is a stacking +1 to the DC of the Fort Save each round you are casting, so having a low casting bonus and taking longer to cast means those last few saves before your spell is done are going up against some heavy DCs.

All in all I think it balances pretty well.

 

[EarthsShadow]

I also prefer the Sov Stone magic system, its awesome and give a good feel to how magic and the channeling of magic truly seems, and the game mechanic simulates it perfectly.

I also like some of the classes in Fading Suns d20, just modify some of the abilities, like the Star Wolf, rename it the Lone Wolf or something, and there you go, a great loner class who can kick some butt.