The bring back Birthright thread!

[Brisk-sg]

I would buy a good conversion of Birthright. It is by far my favorite setting. Like many of you I was not initially a fan of the domain rules. The Sierra Birthright Computer Game changed my mind on them though, as the domain aspects of that game were a blast and used the rules straight out of the book.

This discussion got me to take a look at the conversion I did a couple of years ago for birthright. I was not a big fan of what was available online for birthright at the time. Looking back at the rules I made I would probally do it a bit differently now that 3.5 is out. I used alot from the Epic Level Handbook (as it had just come out) for the high level Awnsheghlien. If anyone is not satisfied with the Birthright.net rules (not saying they are bad, as I have not looked at the current version), and interested in my take on a conversion, send me an e-mail at brisk-sg@comcast.net.

 

[Alzrius]

I believe that at the time the main sticking point was that WotC would have got to publish the core rulebook of the setting and then the d20 publisher would have got to publish any additional material, adventuers, accessories, etc. Obviously for most settings it is only the setting itself that sells in high volume, and BR never had the sales to make it worthwhile pursuing by anyone we had discussions with.

This is standard operating procedure for WotC ever since White Wolf did well on their re-release of Ravenloft. Realizing that old campaign settings can sell quite well, WotC decided that simply being paid a flat fee, or even a small percentage for use of their intellectual property wasn't enough, and set up their new paradigm. So far, only Sovereign Press has bit the bullet with the Dragonlance Campaign Setting.

In essence, WotC is saying that for anyone else to play in their unused sandbox, the third-party company must do all of the work on the best-seller of the line (the setting book), while WotC reaps virtually all of the sales of that product. I like WotC in most regards, but this is a tactic that I feel can only be called sleazy.

 

[Dirigible]

I just started rereading all my BR stuff, and remembered how utterly righteous it is. Everything fits together so well, significant parts of it are novel (most of the races, the magic system). A pity it contradicted itself in a few places, and the warcard system was crotch-pummelingly bad.

 

[aurance]

I felt the setting was quite good and flavory -

One gripe is that the domain/ruling system seemed too integrated into the bloodline bit. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there didn't seem to be any provision for non-blooded characters to rule anything. Or if they did, there was no mechanic support for it.

 

[Dirigible]

Aurance: For some semi-nebulous reason, the Unblooded simply cannot run or rule domains in Birthright. The explanation they give is that the Lan, infused with divine energy, rejects anyone not similarly endowed. Which fits for realm regents, source holders and maybe temple regents, but doesn't really explain why guilders and merchants can't be unblooded.

 

[Cergorach]

It's not going to happen though, not enough potential sales to make it worth while publishing. It was even discussed by the birthright.net development team, but WotC is very restrictive on any of their worlds/settings, and it wasn't worth pursuing for any of the d20 publishers we spoke too. I believe that at the time the main sticking point was that WotC would have got to publish the core rulebook of the setting and then the d20 publisher would have got to publish any additional material, adventuers, accessories, etc.

Andu, i highly doubt that you could go into any details in a public forum about BR lisencing, could you contact me privately through e-mail regarding this subject?
"Cergorach [at] TheHelix [dot] nl"

 

[Ranger REG]

and in answer to your second question, yes I would were one ever to be released. Birthright was one of my favourite settings.

Good. Now we need 99,999 confirmed buyers to go, assuming that WotC is going to do the publishing themselves.

Outsource it to a third party? We only need 49,999 more buyers.

 

[Neo]

bumpage

 

[Green Knight]

Actually there is another very easy way, admittedly not one that is widely used in today's D&D where the rule's lawyer is king. You simply balance the bloodline by making the blooded scions the object of attention of bloodhunters, awnsheghlien, etc. The higher the bloodline, the more attention. It's hard to run a kingdom when every would-be Gorgon keep's knocking at your door looking to challenge you to a duel and claim your bloodline.

Rule 1 to balancing anything is never use a roleplaying aspect to balance a mechanic aspect

Agreed. Your character's going to be facing bloodhunters and awnshweghlien ANYWAY, so what kind of a disadvantage is that? Nor would it be right to threaten PC's with an overwhelmingly powerful bad guy like the Gorgon. That'd be like throwing Lord Soth or Count Strahd Von Zarovich against a 1st-level party.

 

[aurance]

Aurance: For some semi-nebulous reason, the Unblooded simply cannot run or rule domains in Birthright. The explanation they give is that the Lan, infused with divine energy, rejects anyone not similarly endowed. Which fits for realm regents, source holders and maybe temple regents, but doesn't really explain why guilders and merchants can't be unblooded.

Yeah, this is pretty odd. So what happens if someone who isn't blooded becomes a ruler?

I would have liked a more generic rules package for domain governance, and make provisions for some advantages with bloodlines.