What makes a game D20?

[Kae'Yoss]

Call of Cthulu d20 doesn't use classes, you only have the choice of attack option - medium BAB and one good save - or defense option - poor BAB and two good saves - and the rest is up to you. Also, d20 Modern has very basic base classes - one for each ability score - where the class doesn't give a fixed progression on class abilities, but instead a bonus feat list and talents, which can be chosen from two or more trees (so a D&D-like Barbarian, for example, would be a combo of fast hero - with talents like uncanny dodge - and tough hero - with damage reduction. Maybe a couple of strong heroes - for better BAB and improved melee power)

So I think you can create a class free d20 game. You should still use mechanics like save bonuses (the three normal ones) and base attack bonus, give the players a certain amount of "character points" (or whatever you call them) and let them buy several features: basic is 3 bad saves and a poor bab, 1d6 HP 2+int skill points, and, say, 5 class skills. Now everything that's better (medium or even good BAB, changing one or more saves to medium or even good, greater HD, more class skills, more skill points) will cost points, and then they can also buy additional features (say, the could have a char with 3 good saves and a strong BAB, but that would leave them with few skills, HD, and without extra's)

 

[Henry]

If you go by games like Mutants and Masterminds, and BESM d20, it would seem that the only thing you really need is the d20 roll + bonus > DC mechanic.

Note: Mutants and Masterminds is, to my knowledge, OGL, and does not use the d20 license.

Dcollins has the most explicit answer, pulled from Wizards' site directly. It would seem to me that if you pulled classes and levels entirely, you would have to add some means of advancement as a reference, meaning unless you were one heck of a wordsmith, you would have to release as OGL, rather than as d20.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Use of a dodecahedron to determine outcome of action...

What, do you know of any games that are based on the use of said dodecahedron to determine outcomes? D&D hardly uses the poor dodecahedron.

 

[Ranger REG]

So I think you can create a class free d20 game. You should still use mechanics like save bonuses (the three normal ones) and base attack bonus, give the players a certain amount of "character points" (or whatever you call them) and let them buy several features: basic is 3 bad saves and a poor bab, 1d6 HP 2+int skill points, and, say, 5 class skills. Now everything that's better (medium or even good BAB, changing one or more saves to medium or even good, greater HD, more class skills, more skill points) will cost points, and then they can also buy additional features (say, the could have a char with 3 good saves and a strong BAB, but that would leave them with few skills, HD, and without extra's)

You can do that, too. Just mention your game product do not have any class to select. What you should do is add more character level-dependent benefits, which sits to the right of the XP chart.

While it's a lot more freeform, a lot of newbies tend to ask "so how do I create ...?" In which case you must provide example templates, which act as classes for 1st level.