[PR] S.T. Cooley Publishing releases the OGL-Fantasy Lite Basic Player's Guide

[ghoti69]

Very nice

Do you include some basic guidelines on how to handle the changes to combat in a "Core" game. Reason I ask is I see this as a tool to get new players into an existing game, with seasoned players. I suppose I could say something along the lines of "Tonight, we've got a new member, so we're playing Fantasy Lite, thus no AOO, no BAB, etc". Or, could one incorporate a Fantasy Lite character into an existing gaming session without any impact on the other players...i.e. they have AOO, the new guy/gal doesn't. I think the second option would be good to generate interest. "Well, you see, I can do this because my character has this ability. As time goes on, you'll get things like that, too." "Oooooo...."

Also, you said it concentrates on levels 1-4. What kind of attention is given to integrating a new character into a higher-level group. It does happen.

 

[Henry]

Sigil, it sounds like you've created the "d20 Lite" that a lot of people were clamoring for when Castles & Crusades was announced. If so, I may be interested in picking up a copy! (In addition to Castles & Crusades, of course!)

 

[francisca]

The Sigil:

Just picked it up. I plan on posting a review on it over the weekend, or mid-week next week, if my weekend plans don't pan out.

A quick look left me with a favorable impression, FWIW.

 

[MEG Hal]

Those Bluffside adventures sound pretty sweet too, good thing MEG let you publish them, instead of not getting them published at all.
darklight

Sigil is a great writer and we have actually known him for years...so it was not an issue about the adventures more of a who can do it and when, Sigil said he could get it done and it was done, I am trying to find the original layout stuff of Bluffie so he can use that to give it that feel, I am excited about it...who am I kidiing d20 lite product sounds great also!!!!!

Keep it up Sigil, we are watching .

 

[The Sigil]

Do you include some basic guidelines on how to handle the changes to combat in a "Core" game. Reason I ask is I see this as a tool to get new players into an existing game, with seasoned players. I suppose I could say something along the lines of "Tonight, we've got a new member, so we're playing Fantasy Lite, thus no AOO, no BAB, etc". Or, could one incorporate a Fantasy Lite character into an existing gaming session without any impact on the other players...i.e. they have AOO, the new guy/gal doesn't. I think the second option would be good to generate interest. "Well, you see, I can do this because my character has this ability. As time goes on, you'll get things like that, too." "Oooooo...."

Also, you said it concentrates on levels 1-4. What kind of attention is given to integrating a new character into a higher-level group. It does happen.

I did try to include a few notes on some things to watch for in a "note" (I think that's what they're called) in the PDF as it opens up... basically, "here are seven changes for experienced players to be aware of when they hand it to the newbies" - but when you print the thing to give to the new player, it doesn't appear on the page itself (so they don't know that they're getting the "easy" version).

You can integrate the character into an existing session pretty easily... as I mentioned, the rules aren't really "different," it's just that there are less of them. The only adjustment I see you having to make for integrating a "Lite" player in a "regular" gaming session would be to disallow AoO's and Critical Hits for a session or two while he learns the basics of "d20 + Attack Bonus" and "Saving Throw DC" and "Skill Check DC." Then you can explain AoO's to him and add them back in. And while your character use abilities his doesn't have, as you so astutely noted, saying, "my character can do X because he has this additional option Y" gets him more interested in the "Core/Advanced" game.

Basically, this is the "Core" game with a lot fewer options and some of the more complex rules omitted so that someone can get a grasp on the game and things go faster. A "Lite" player in a "Core" game is kind of the equivalent of a player without a great tactical repertoire... his fighter can still close and whomp on the bad guys as well as any Core character; he just hasn't figured out the nuances of battle that make him truly effective yet.

The hope is that the Lite rules are very easy to learn and fairly easy to master. Then, when a player masters the foundation laid by the Lite rules and moves into the Core rules, it's not as big a plunge and hopefully he has a good solid foundation laid to build upon... because sometimes all the tactics in the world don't help and the solution is to close on the opponent and whomp on him.

But the concept from the beginning was very much that this is not an "end-all be-all" but rather a "stepping stone" product to help people eventually "graduate" if you will to the full set of the Core Rules.

--The Sigil

 

[The Sigil]

So, how did you handle feats? Did you just take away some of the more complex feats, as with the spells, to pare things down? Or have you made feats predetermined, taking away some of the decision-making for players?

And same questions for skills.

I took away the more complex Feats to pare things down. You'll find Feats like Weapon Focus and Lightning Reflexes because they're easy to adjudicate - any time you do X you get a bonus of Y. You won't find "Improved Two Weapon Fighting" because it's too complex to track all the penalties (is the character using a light weapon in his off-hand? Is he using Weapon Finesse, etc.)

For skills, you'll find that most of the skills stayed, but as I noted above, I took away Skill Ranks and just assumed people always "maxxed out" their skills - kind of like the 2e and 1e proficiency system, I guess. Some of the more esoteric uses for skills were cut (e.g., Tumbling to avoid AoOs). So skills look like "if you know the skill you get a bonus of 3 + level + Ability Mod" and that's it... each skill has a description of the kinds of things you use it for.

I did consider making skills simply work as "level + ability mod" and tell the GM to reduce all DCs by 3, but decided that was too complex when you tried to integrate a character into a regular game.

--The Sigil

 

[greywulf]

Good work

One immediate purchase later, and the printer friendly version is chugging out as a booklet (www.fineprint.com rules) as I type.

First impressions are good - I'm with you for the decisions to drop AoE, weapon sizes, VSM spell requirements, etc. It's what dzo has needed for a while - and at exactly the right price too.

I've only 2 gripes (so far ). First is layout. Feats and skills should really have been separated from the class details rather than appended to the fighter and rogue classes respectively. I see your logic, but think putting them there serves more to confuse than simplify.

Next, I'd have liked to see more in there. Ironic for a 'simplified' system, I know. A page of simple monsters (kobolds, orcs and the like), basic dungeon guide and a set of more fully worked archetypal characters and you'd have a single 'red book' for the d20 age - in other words, the essential download for all starting gamers.

Minor (and these are minor) comments aside, this is a great download and worth every single penny.

Well done!