True20 without the Adept?
- Thread starter Committed Hero
- Start date
HeapThaumaturgist
First Post
I actually have a True20-type setup laying about.
Thus-far, my problem has been that the Adept's power-base feels like it was created for a fantasy game. Which, of course, it was. There's a little more power there than what I've done in SFX Skills, which has POTENTIAL for greater power, but I've been trying pretty hard to keep it down.
I'm trying to bring those in line with one another. The True20 Companion, if it offers a rebalanced set of classes or guidelines for creating new classes, might restart the project.
--fje
Thus-far, my problem has been that the Adept's power-base feels like it was created for a fantasy game. Which, of course, it was. There's a little more power there than what I've done in SFX Skills, which has POTENTIAL for greater power, but I've been trying pretty hard to keep it down.
I'm trying to bring those in line with one another. The True20 Companion, if it offers a rebalanced set of classes or guidelines for creating new classes, might restart the project.
--fje
ValhallaGH
Explorer
According to this, it will have role creation guidelines.
I actually like the lack of flavor attached to most of the powers because it allows me, as a player and a GM, to decide what flavor they powers have for my character or in my setting. Sometimes they are flashy, D&D style magic, other times they are subtle psychic powers, while others they are cybernetic grafts, or even a universal energy field generated by all lifeforms that binds the universe together (
).
I would say that no more than 80% of the core adept powers come from fantasy sources. And that no more than 30% are inappropriate for other genres. However, about 15-20% of the powers are inappropriate for the usual fantasy campaign.HeapThaumaturgist said:
I actually like the lack of flavor attached to most of the powers because it allows me, as a player and a GM, to decide what flavor they powers have for my character or in my setting. Sometimes they are flashy, D&D style magic, other times they are subtle psychic powers, while others they are cybernetic grafts, or even a universal energy field generated by all lifeforms that binds the universe together (
).
HeapThaumaturgist
First Post
There's something to be said for universality.
However, there's a floating event horizon in there where it goes from "flexible" to "uninteresting". Savage Worlds goes in for this general sort of "it booms, so it's a boom, you can use any trappings you want" thing really heavily.
Which, for some games, is GREAT. But I've found that for some genres, in general, and settings, in particular, the fiddly bits and flavor text play alot into the enjoyment of the game.
--fje
However, there's a floating event horizon in there where it goes from "flexible" to "uninteresting". Savage Worlds goes in for this general sort of "it booms, so it's a boom, you can use any trappings you want" thing really heavily.
Which, for some games, is GREAT. But I've found that for some genres, in general, and settings, in particular, the fiddly bits and flavor text play alot into the enjoyment of the game.
--fje
HeapThaumaturgist said:
You could always graft a bit of Bood & Vigilance in there (or is it Mythic Earth ...) where the number of Adept levels you allow in toto essentially set the "FX level" of the campaign. That is, allow Adept level, but only, say, 5 at most. Then just run through the power list, disallow anything you think is too fantasy-ish -- maybe five minutes work -- and boom boom there you go.
It's not quite a skill-based system -- for which just use GR's Psychic's Handbook and a feat allowing, say X number of FX skills = spellcasting attribute modifier and again, there you go.
That said, having run just a few True20 sessions, you can get by without the Adept in a campaign no worries. Powers in True20 are nice, but don't swing things horribly.
DeBracy
First Post
During this summer I thought some about using for True20 for primarily historical settings and I had a hard time figuring out what to do with the adept. At this time I was reading Samuel Shellabarger's Prince of Foxes (quite a classic I've come to understand, hadn't heard of it when I picked it up - just saw the Swiss mercenary with the huge beard on the spine of the book and figured it just had to be good ). It served me the obvious solution in a most pious form; a saint! Or at least a possible saint. For some reason it just hadn't struck me to use the Adept in such an unspectacular way. Kind of like having a modern day psychic or something like that; sure, they might be something special. Or maybe it's just a coincidence? Hmm........
I'm sure just using Warrior and Expert would work fine but there just something better about choosing from 3 rather than 2. A small feeling of luxury.
). It served me the obvious solution in a most pious form; a saint! Or at least a possible saint. For some reason it just hadn't struck me to use the Adept in such an unspectacular way. Kind of like having a modern day psychic or something like that; sure, they might be something special. Or maybe it's just a coincidence? Hmm........ I'm sure just using Warrior and Expert would work fine but there just something better about choosing from 3 rather than 2. A small feeling of luxury.
Committed Hero
Adventurer
The borrowed time setting doesn't have any sample Adept characters, and the special powers seem usable by all PCs. Has anyone tried this setting?
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