PDAd20. . . your input wanted!

jdrakeh

Front Range Warlock
Okay, I'm designing (another) slimmed down d20 variant but, this time, I'm shootign squarely for Fantasy (as oppsoed to pure generica, as I did with Simple 20 and Core Elements). The key here is that I'm formatting this work in progress as a 3" x 4" PDF for viewing on PDAs. So, in your opinion, what is the bare minimum (in terms of game mechanics) that such a game must include?
 

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Off the top of my head:

Combat resolution (attack, defense, damage, optional manoeuvres)
Skill resolution (stat checks, resisted vs unresisted checked)
How spells work (attack, defense, damage, spell points)

You might have better luck using the three "basic" classes (spellcaster, expert, warrior) to start with. Different races are purely optional, and shouldn't have the countless abilities that D&D races do. Try and pare the list down to 1-3 key abilities; one/two stat adjustments, one/two skill adjustments, and one/three special abilities, perhaps.

I'd also suggest going the True20 route and express ability scores as modifiers only instead of the traditional D&D way.
 

Herobizkit said:
Off the top of my head:

Combat resolution (attack, defense, damage, optional manoeuvres)
Skill resolution (stat checks, resisted vs unresisted checked)
How spells work (attack, defense, damage, spell points)

Check.

You might have better luck using the three "basic" classes (spellcaster, expert, warrior) to start with. Different races are purely optional, and shouldn't have the countless abilities that D&D races do. Try and pare the list down to 1-3 key abilities; one/two stat adjustments, one/two skill adjustments, and one/three special abilities, perhaps.

I actually planned on going with one ability (Competence) rated as a normal and allowing players to pick the level-dependent abilities of any one existing d20 class per level, as well as three feats and first level and one feat per level thereafter, and skill ranks at first level equal to competence x 3, -- with additional skill ranks and feats being purchased via points of Competence (1:1 for skill ranks, 3:1 for feats). Kind of like TWERPS.

It will be a lot different than Standard d20 on a fundamental level but the power levels should shake out in the end and you should be able to use all of your existing d20 supplements, to boot.
 

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