Sword and Sorcery Saga v. 1.02 and NEW Adventure Conversion!

[deamonprince]

Thanks!

I haven't had a chance to read the PDF in-depth, but from a speed-read I like what I see. Thank you for taking the time and energy to adapt Saga Edition rules to Fantasy roleplaying. Nicely done!

 

[The_Gneech]

Looks very cool from what I've seen so far!

One question, though: at a glance, barbarians, horse lords and sea people all look to be rather screwed over on the stat mods, whereas high men and easterlings get a big edge. High men don't get many other benefits (common men actually look like a bit more attractive choice at first glance), but Easterlings look like they have a HUGE advantage over other characters - bennies for both martial and magical characters, favorable stat mods, a penalty to a stat that's less important in Saga than in any other d20 game, and bonuses to three very common skills?

Admittedly, Saga doesn't seem to have worried all that much about race balance, either, so perhaps it's a small enough issue to just skip over; I just wanted to ask where you were coming from with these stat mods.

Thanks!

re: ability mods, I used the standard model of "1 physical stat is worth 2 mental stats" (which is why half-orcs get -2 Int and Cha to pay for their +2 Str in D&D, for example).

I created the races primarily with setting flavor in mind, but also for each one to particularly shine when in their favored class. For example, if you look at the Aristocrat (Royalty) in the NPCs appendix, the High Man variant loses some of his combat ability (Melee Defense and Knowledge: Tactics) but becomes a super-focused statesman. Similarly, someone from the Sea People would probably not make that great a Scout, but is custom-made to be one heck of a Rogue.

In the case of the Easterling, there's not that much benefit for martial characters, really. Adding Martial Arts to their bonus feats doesn't give them an immediate benefit, and any really dedicated martial artist character is probably taking levels in Warrior anyway, which means the benefit is redundant anyhow. That combined with -2 Con is likely to make the Easterling actually a sub-standard choice for making a martial artist -- but might make a scholar interested in picking up a little hand-to-hand ability.

Of all the races, the one I'd say gets the shaft probably is the Horse Lord, because they are, if you'll excuse the expression, rather one-trick ponies. Without their riding and horsebow, they don't have much to go on. I might beef them up a little in future iterations, but I'm not sure how just yet.

My real worry at this point, is if maybe the favored class mechanic I came up with doesn't front-load characters too much. But I haven't figured out a good solution to that yet either.

-The Gneech

 

[Klaus]

Y'know, someone described "Eragon" as "Star Wars, but with magic swords and dragons instead of lightsabers and X-wings". It occurred to me that this would be a nice setting for a S&S Saga.

 

[The_Gneech]

Having only a passing familiarity with Eragon, I can't really say. But the ruleset is pretty flexible ... tweak a few rules about magic and add elves, dwarves and hobbits, it could easily do Lord of the Rings for instance.

-The Gneech

PS: I may just have to get some of those art packs for future releases!

 

[Acid_crash]

I am hoping that you'll add on the staple fantasy races and racial talents at some point.

 

[The_Gneech]

I am hoping that you'll add on the staple fantasy races and racial talents at some point.

Well, that would kinda negate the point. But I suppose I could write up a "high fantasy conversion" of my sword and sorcery conversion! I'm not sure at that point it wouldn't be easier just to stick with 4E.

-The Gneech

 

[FickleGM]

Well, after the shipwreck left the party on an uncharted jungle island, they (Sea People - Rogue & Scholar, Barbarians - Noble & Warrior, Easterlings - Rogue & Scout) dealt with giant buzzards (they drove them off), hunting lionesses (the party ran) and savage monkey-people (they defeated them). They then repaired the ship and took to sea before calling an end to the session.

I want to thank you, Gneech, for your Sword & Sorcery conversion. I had fun running the game and the players had a good time, as well. I think that I like it better than True20 (the verdict is still out, but between SWSE and the S&S conversion, I definitely feel that S&S SAGA may be more to my liking than True20).

While I like what I've seen from SWSE, sci-fi really isn't my first choice for genres, so I found this Sword & Sorcery conversion to be just what I needed. If nothing else, it will tide me over until D&D 4e comes out.

Well done, Gneech.

 

[Father of Dragons]

I think that I like it better than True20 (the verdict is still out, but between SWSE and the S&S conversion, I definitely feel that S&S SAGA may be more to my liking than True20).

That is, of course, true this week. You did choose that screen name for a reason.

 

[FickleGM]

That is, of course, true this week. You did choose that screen name for a reason.

Uh oh, they're on to me.

 

[The_Gneech]

Well, after the shipwreck left the party on an uncharted jungle island, they (Sea People - Rogue & Scholar, Barbarians - Noble & Warrior, Easterlings - Rogue & Scout) dealt with giant buzzards (they drove them off), hunting lionesses (the party ran) and savage monkey-people (they defeated them). They then repaired the ship and took to sea before calling an end to the session.

Sounds awesome!

I want to thank you, Gneech, for your Sword & Sorcery conversion. I had fun running the game and the players had a good time, as well. I think that I like it better than True20 (the verdict is still out, but between SWSE and the S&S conversion, I definitely feel that S&S SAGA may be more to my liking than True20).

While I like what I've seen from SWSE, sci-fi really isn't my first choice for genres, so I found this Sword & Sorcery conversion to be just what I needed. If nothing else, it will tide me over until D&D 4e comes out.

Well done, Gneech.

Pleased to be of service! Keep me posted about how it goes!

Also, feel free to post stats for those encounters here, they sound very cool.

-The Gneech