Should there be a d20 *generic* corebook?

[Turanil]

At the risk of repeating myself, what you are describing is GRIM TALES.

There are several threads around ENworld discussing the product, here's one:
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=88794

And a link to our website:
http://www.badaxegames.com/html/products/grim_tales/index.html


Wulf

I am sold on Grim Tales*, I am gonna buy it at the same time I buy d20 Future.

(* It's the first time I notice how close Grim Tales sounds like Grimm Tales... Mmmmh... )

 

[The_Universe]

Just so wulf doesn't have to continue to pimp his own book, I'll add my voice to the crowd that's said Grim Tales is pretty close to what you're looking for. Very much a genre-less toolbox that can be more easily applied to a variety of settings, even moreso than the core D20 modern rules, and especially the basic D20 system.

With that in mind, I'll also add my voice to the list of people saying that while you COULD do a lot with generic rulesets, it's not going to do D&D better than D&D, nor will it do Gamma World better than Gamma World...(actually, I take that back. It may do Gamma World better than Gamma World....)

At least take a look at Grim Tales. It's set up to be low magic, but there are rules within that can really make it fit ANY game type.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Just so wulf doesn't have to continue to pimp his own book

not that there's anything wrong with that...

, I'll add my voice to the crowd that's said Grim Tales is pretty close to what you're looking for. Very much a genre-less toolbox that can be more easily applied to a variety of settings, even moreso than the core D20 modern rules, and especially the basic D20 system.

I ran a banner ad here on ENworld for a while that said, "All the best rules, all in one book." I maintain that claim...

While you could buy a separate book for every genre you want to run (Horror, Cyberpunk, etc.)-- and while I certainly recommend such a purchase as a setting supplement to Grim Tales is worthwhile-- I like the fact that you could sit down with the very basic rules templates provided in Grim Tales and just go.

Grim Tales is an amalgam of the D&D SRD and the d20 Modern SRD, with supporting material from some excellent d20 sources, further catalyzed by my own approach to stripped-down, simple, crunchy game design.

Wulf

 

[Turanil]

I'll add my voice to the crowd that's said Grim Tales is pretty close to what you're looking for. Very much a genre-less toolbox that can be more easily applied to a variety of settings, even moreso than the core D20 modern rules, and especially the basic D20 system.

So, if I understand well, I could use Grim Tales for a campagn about Hansel and Grethel ? (You know, that setting by Grimm's Fairy Tales!)

Sorry, the pun was too tempting... (it seemed that nobody noticed it in my precedent post. And okay, it has nothing to do with the discussion at hand...)

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Wulf, the copy arrived. Review will be up Tuesday.

Missed this...

Sweeeeeeeeeeeet. I look forward to it!


Wulf

 

[scourger]

Does Grim Tales present itself as a generic system?

Can I play a comedy game with mutant rabbits wielding psionics and laser blasters?

I can whole-heartedly recommend Omega World from the Polyhedron side of Dungeon #94 if you want this kind of game (or a more serious Gamma World d20 done right!).

 

[Breakdaddy]

What you're looking for is GRIM TALES.

Wulf is right, Grim Tales is an exceptional "generic" D20 toolkit with a variety of campaign/genre options.

 

[dead]

Doesn't this exist already in the way of the SRD? And with the Modern SRD either out or out soon, you have what you need.

I'm not sure because I haven't looked at the SRD but isn't the SRD just all the stuff in the D&D 3.5 corebooks? And, wouldn't the stuff in the Modern SRD just be all the stuff in the d20 Modern book?

If so, then no, this doesn't provide a solution. Both of these are not *generic*. A GM would have to go in and tweak them a lot to make them suit his unique game.

I'm looking for a generic d20 that will conceivably work for a wide range of genres -- from primitive to modern -- without having to create new rules all the time.

 

[teitan]

I never said that Spycraft and Mutants & Masterminds would have to use this new generic d20 system. Nor would this d20 generic system replace the "primary" D&D PHB, DMG, MM. It would just be there as an *alternative* for GMs who don't want to play around with the core D&D rules. They want to start their unique campaign straight away with a set of rules that will conceivably work without tweaking them and without hunting down lots of other d20 products for reference.

I didn't say you did now did I? I used them as examples of why D20 shouldn't have a generic version because most gamers would not buy them. Remember the outcry because M&M wasn't compatible with D&D?

What you describe is D20 modern buy the way...

Jason

 

[rgard]

I like the idea! You would have to make the classes more flexible--defined by players choices. I read that there is a variant for those rules (undefined classes) in Unearthed Arcana. The book would then just need to present a sort of master list for skills & feats--the DM would have to choose the ones that apply to the game. Combat really can stay the same, but options like how hit points and armor work can be felxible, too.

Yes, the generic (undefined classes) are very cool. You have an Expert, Warrior and Spellcaster. Each has a basic frame and you pick what will be your class skills. You also get to pick which will be your good and bad saves.

The Expert is most like the Rogue class.

I can see how you could adapt those to a generic system.

Side note. I'm as thrilled with this incarnation of Unearthed Arcana as I was with the 1E version. They done good.