Please sell me on Grim Tales

[Turanil]

Thanks to you all, I have been able to learn about Grim Tales, and have ordered it on Amazon.com

Okay, you probably don't care about where I buy rpg stuff, but I tell to make my next question more comprehensible:

When I buy rpg stuff on amazon, I should better buy at least 3 products at the same time, because overall it reduces shipping costs (I live in Europe). I mean: 8$ if only one product bought, but 5$ (each) if 3 or 4 bought. So I generally wait until there is 3 or 4 things I want before ordering on amazon.

Now I ordered d20 Future and Grim Tales. So I need to order a third book. My next campaign will probably be a mix of sci-fi with more primitive places (Hence Grim Tales is really useful, as it allows "medieval" setting with d20 Modern rules). So, I'd like to have your comments and opinions about a real cool d20 modern - compatible book (I already have Menace Manual, don't want to buy a Weapons book, and won't buy Cyber OGL for it doesn't have a 30% discount on Amazon). Of course it must be a book available on amazon.com, but I can check myself if they have it. Side note: this needs not necessarily a d20 supplement; after all I bought Transhuman Space as a resource for my next d20 modern - future campaign, and it isn't d20.

Thanks

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

So, I'd like to have your comments and opinions about a real cool d20 modern - compatible book

It's hard to answer without knowing whether you plan to run your game using Grim Tales, with d20 Modern/Future to support it, or as d20 Modern, with Grim Tales to support it.

My first response was to say, "Ultramodern Firearms!" but I see you don't want a weapons book.

So here's a couple of other ideas:

Modern Player's Companion
There are a couple of feats/talents from MPC in Grim Tales.
http://www.greenronin.com/cgi-bin/product.cgi?prodid=1502

Nyambe
For the Primitive. I don't own Nyambe, but have heard many good things. It is d20 based, but even where the rules are not fully compatible with Modern, I imagine you'll find the setting worthwhile.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...104-9573642-8187968?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

 

[barsoomcore]

I'll pipe in on Nyambe. I remember when Chris Dolunt was providing much of the material that became that book online and it was AWESOME. Nyambe is one of the most original, well-thought out resources for d20 play I've seen. I like it as much as I like Oriental Adventures, and I like OA a LOT.

Tons of useful stuff, whether or not you run an African-inspired campaign or not. Way cool.

 

[Turanil]

Thanks for the info. Actually, I do have Nyambe; and I even have my name printed in it!

Before Nyambe was printed, I did speak with Chris Dolunt about his setting. In fact I was interested in it, because there is three novels which are among my prefered fantasy novels of all times: IMARO. The only problem unfortunately, is that I only did have the first three books, and have never been able to find the fourth on the Internet. Chris didn't know about these books, which I found odd since I believed he had created his setting to do an "Imaro" game. These Imaro books are almost impossible to find now (I speak for the 1-3 because 4 doesn't exists anymore), but I can tell you, they are SOOO GOOOOD! Basically it's about a black Conan, but much better written (unless it is much better translated, since I did read them in French), with stunning exotism, and a really terrific evil magic (the Mchawi) in comparison to which D&D necromancers seem loving vanilla guys. My only comment will be that to play Imaro, Grim Tales is certainly the way to go, not typical DnD. Though I don't intend to run an Imaro campaign anyway.

If you want to know, I am slowly preparing a campaign that will be similar to that Amethyst setting which link is in the signature. Only that I do not intend to use the author's rules and conversions, but rather full d20 modern and d20 future for Techas, and Grim Tales for echas (well, I will see better when I do get the book anyway). That's what I want to do: a savage world, with barbarians and knights, and horrors from beyond (and all magic is Lovecraftian like, not cool spells), but also here and there, the last people from a glorious technological past with mecha, laser-guns, etc. Nonetheless, all of this needs to be carefully prepared, but this is a pleasure in itself, and I have time to do this.

 

[Turanil]

Ah! I do have a question for Wulf:

Grim Tales has its own system of magic. Okay. But what about psionics? I mean: I will soon get my copy of the Psychic Handbook by Green Ronin; would its psychic class fit well and seemlessly along Grim Tales rules?

 

[BryonD]

Ah! I do have a question for Wulf:

Grim Tales has its own system of magic. Okay. But what about psionics? I mean: I will soon get my copy of the Psychic Handbook by Green Ronin; would its psychic class fit well and seemlessly along Grim Tales rules?

Ha!!!

I have both and think they were MADE for each other.
If you leave the actual psychic class out, the Psychic Handbook is as AWESOME low power psychic ability system. (more akin to modern perceptions of psi power than the D&D mental magic paradigm)

So, I would leave the class out and pick and choose the skills and feats that fit your campaign idea. Then any character can spend feats and cross-class skill points to be psychic. Or, let them be class skills. But this will significantly increase the power level of psychics. If you go that way a character can have roughly as much supernatural power as a D&D wizard. Obviously not a problem. But not really the prime goal of Grim Tales.

Anyway, once you get the book it will be easy for you to see how you can mix and match to achieve the goal you want. But whichever way you choose, I really think these books work awesome together.

 

[Gomez]

How easily would the Grim Tales magic system port into the Call of Cthulhu d20 magic system?

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

How easily would the Grim Tales magic system port into the Call of Cthulhu d20 magic system?

I own Coc d20 and could list the original CoC as inspiration for the gritty, "unpleasant to the caster" magic system in GT.

I would say, however, that if you are already playing Coc d20, just stick with the magic system you have there, where every spell already comes with its own "casting cost" in terms of Sanity or ability score loss.

Honestly, as long as you have CoC d20, I don't see any reason to tinker with it by adding Grim Tales to the mix for rules that are already supported in CoC.

You could, of course, use GT for support in other rules areas you find lacking in CoC d20: Vehicles, Cyberware (yes, even in a Victorian setting...), and perhaps Firearms (though CoC has a very nice, very extensive list of firearms already).


Wulf