Swashbuckling

[Strider The Ranger]

Does anyone have/know about D&D 3e/d20 rules governing swashbuckling types of adventures? I, for one, would like to try them out because they look fun. In addition, one of my PCs was trying to do this, and as I had no other rules, I had to use the D&D rules. Needless to say, after rolling many many MANY rolls to perform one task, it got tiring real fast. In addition, it would never seem to work. One such task was leaping from a bridge, grabbing onto the rope handle, and swinging upwards to boot an orc in the eye. First thing required a jump check, then a reflex save to grab the rope, then a str/climb check to hold oneself upon the rope, then a dex check to swing upwards and finally an attack role against the defender who, in this instance, i considered flat footed (as he would be VERY confused as to what was going on). However, after the PC missed the reflex save, he plummeted to the ground below, taking some 40 damage in the process (may I point out that 40 damage is CONSIDERABLY more than one wants to take at 6th level...)

 

[Chronosome]

Just wing it, man! Assume your swashbucklers are taking 10
on jumping, let 'em grab the rope without a roll, forget the Dex
checks!! Let the story come first, and assume the best...

There'll still be challenges out there...just tint it through a
"swashbuckling" lens, and have your players make rolls only
when it REALLY counts... (Basically, anything Errol Flynn/pirate
movies just "assumed" were easy hero-tasks you should, too.)

Hope that helps...still waking up, here.

 

[Mortaneus]

Here's some simple rules to make the game a LOT more cinematic:

1. Escalating Combat: Everyone's base attack bonus and caster/manifester levels are limited to the number of the round of combat you're in. Meaning, during round one, everyone has +1, and casts as a first level caster. Second round, it goes to 2, third round to 3.....

Really good for forcing those protracted PC vs. Villain fights. What's even more fun is that it's good for suspense, because the players have no idea how powerful the enemy really is.

2. The 'Hey Guys Watch This' Rule: Once per session, a player can say "Hey guys, watch this!" and attempt a non-attack related action. Roll a d20, DC 15, no other modifiers. If they succeed, they succeed completely in what they wanted to do, and look really cool doing it. If they fail, they REALLY screwed up.

3. Overrun rule: When you want to throw unending hordes of minor enemies at the players, but still give them a chance for victory, use this one. It's simple. During the fight, if a weenie enemy takes enough damage to put them down, but not enough to put them at negative their original hp total, another identical enemy just like fallen one enters the fray from somewhere off camera.

4. Feng Shui Rule: Based on the roleplaying game by the same name. It's simple. If the player does something really cool during an attack, that has no other real effect except looking cool, they are considered to take 10s on the rolls to do that thing, despite being in combat. For instance, provided their skills are good enough, the player who wants to jump, grab a hanging rope, swing across the room, flip into the air, and come down upon the orc sword leading can do the jump. grab, swing, and flip with no rolls, because the effect is exactly the same as if the character charged across the room. As long as the end effects are the same, the player attacking the orc, don't force them to roll to make it look cool. In fact, if what they do is REALLY impressive, give them a +1 to hit. Call it a 'pinache bonus'.

5. Why Won't you Die??!!: Based on Inigo Montoya. At any time, characters may spend xp to heal themselves for a d8 of hp per 25 xp spent. Doing so leaves them stunned for one round, though.

 

[el Voz]

Do what chrono says. But before you do, make sure everyone including yourself is aware your ruling of mechanics may not be totally "by the book."

That whole sequence you described, guess the DC of the entire action, figure which attribute is most prevelant, than roll.

If he rolls low, assume he fails, and go into the glory of failure.
If he rolls high, detail the ease of his actions.
If he rolls in the middle, guess based on his level/experience if he would have still made/failed the roll. Than describe the struggle.

 

[D'karr]

Swashbuckling Adventures

Maybe we should write a sourcebook

The first couple of things are -

Are you running a Swashbuckling Campaign (SWC)?
Is the PC a Swashbuckler in that type of Campaign?
Is the PC a regular PC in any campaign?

The reason for the questions is that a SWC allows PCs to do really incredible things with ease. In a SWC the actions you mentioned would just have been a Tumble Check DC (10-15). The attack would have been a separate attack roll. In the case of a failure the PC would not have fallen down the chasm. He would have landed just short of the Orc losing his kick attack and maybe opening himself to an AoO.

A SWC assumes that all these incredible feats of acrobatics are nothing more than a routine occurrence to a "Swashbuckler".

No reflex save, dex check, double-secret probation roll needed. You just assume that he will successfully grab the rope, swing across the chasm and be able to attempt a kick on the orc.

It sure does simplify stuff a lot.

A regular PC (not a swashbuckler) would have difficulty comparing to a swashbuckler when it comes to cinematic style.

 

[jollyninja]

what I usually do is just give it a tumble dc and call that good enough, if the jump is difficult for the character i'll make him roll that too but in a swashbuckling campaign, any pc who doesn't get himself a ring of jumping and a cloak of arachnidia (making the jumping and gripping alot easyer) is insane. at least they should have boots of striding and springing. anyway, it's easy and quick to just pick the skill(s) that gets used the most and roll one or two skill checks.

 

[el Voz]

Do what chrono says. But before you do, make sure everyone including yourself is aware your ruling of mechanics may not be totally "by the book."

That whole sequence you described, guess the DC of the entire action, figure which attribute is most prevelant, than roll.

If he rolls low, assume he fails, and go into the glory of failure.
If he rolls high, detail the ease of his actions.
If he rolls in the middle, guess based on his level/experience if he would have still made/failed the roll. Than describe the struggle.

 

[barsoomcore]

I'm going to post "Swashbuckling cards" as a whole new thread. Check them out! Tons of fun!