Unearthed Arcana Pot Pourri

[Chris Durham]

I'm going to be starting a game featuring a variety of alternative rules from Unearthed Arcana and I was wondering what people's experience has been using these in their games. Has anybody mixed these rules together? What were the consequences? any caveats?

• Bell Curve (3d6) rolls
• Generic Classes (Warrior, Expert, Spellcaster)
• Prestige Character Classes (Bard, Ranger, Paladin)
• Racial Paragon Classes

I'm also toying with the idea of using action points, which I know might take away from the "grittiness" of Bell Curves and Generic Classes, but might make play more interesting.

Can anyone suggest any other alternative or variant rules that might fit with these?

 

[mikebr99]

I'm going to be starting a game featuring a variety of alternative rules from Unearthed Arcana and I was wondering what people's experience has been using these in their games. Has anybody mixed these rules together? What were the consequences? any caveats?

• Bell Curve (3d6) rolls
• Generic Classes (Warrior, Expert, Spellcaster)
• Prestige Character Classes (Bard, Ranger, Paladin)
• Racial Paragon Classes

I'm also toying with the idea of using action points, which I know might take away from the "grittiness" of Bell Curves and Generic Classes, but might make play more interesting.

Can anyone suggest any other alternative or variant rules that might fit with these?

I am looking forward to trying the Defence Bonus and Armor as DR used together... as we had a similar system in AD&D.


Mike

 

[Chris Durham]

That's a good thought. I like the defense bonus for swashbuckling type characters (I previously let a player use something similar from AEG's Swashbuckling Adventures), but don't feel very justified using it with armor. The armor as DR seems to take away some of the flavor of D&D to me, but using these together might be interesting.

 

[Magistus71]

• Bell Curve (3d6) rolls
• Generic Classes (Warrior, Expert, Spellcaster)
• Prestige Character Classes (Bard, Ranger, Paladin)
• Racial Paragon Classes

My Roomate has been playing with the idea of using the Generic classes in a new game.

 

[Piratecat]

Chris, I strongly recommend you try 2d10 instead of 3d6 for the bell curve rolls. It changes the bell curve, but I think it provides more fun than the 3d6 method.

I like racial paragon classes and action points.

 

[hong]

The frenzy variant of rage gets a lot of love in my game. Possibly too much love.

 

[The Souljourner]

3d6 instead of d20 drastically changes the most basic mechanic of the game. I really don't like it. It takes a huge amount of randomness out of the game, and makes it hugely unlikely that anything extremely good or bad will happen. That's boring. And what about everything that gives bonuses to those d20 rolls? All of a sudden +3 to hit isn't a flat +15%, it could be as much as +40% or as little as +9%.

2d10 might be ok. It's more random than 3d6, and allows for an almost full spread of numbers. I still wouldn't recommend it, but it might be interesting for a one-off.

-The Souljourner

 

[Chris Durham]

3d6 instead of d20 drastically changes the most basic mechanic of the game. I really don't like it. It takes a huge amount of randomness out of the game

Does it really? Or does it just apply a greater degree of realism to the randomness? I think that most of the actions a person takes throughout the day (real life or fantasy) are accomplished with a fair amount of consistency. What's average for me and what's average for you might be different, which is reflected in our skills, BAB, etc., but I can generally perform a task with a standard level of confidence that it will be performed accurately. This is effectually taking 10, and I might remove the take 10 rule as most bell curve rolls will tend towards 10.5.

and makes it hugely unlikely that anything extremely good or bad will happen.

That's why I'm considering the use of action points. Now I realize that doesn't increase the likelihood that anything extremely bad will happen, but I'm not overly concerned about that; my players are adept enough at making bad things happen for themselves without the help of the dice. I think that the addage "you make your own luck" applies here.

 

[iceifur]

You may find that the Expert generic class has a little less "oomph" than the other two. Since the special abilities chosen as feats, and the Warrior gets the most bonus feats (which, IIRC, are not limited to a specific list), AND the player gets to choose their own class skills and good save, the only benefits to playing an Expert are 1 more good save, a few more class skills, and 4 extra skill points per level. YMMV, though.

-B-