Remove ads

Dungeons and Dragons Megathread

Reader mode
Chloe Sullivan said:
Sounds kinda like what they did for SAGA.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Only in that it requires a skill check. Saga Edition had per-encounter powers. (I think older and cruddier editions of d20 Star Wars had a "cast from hit points" system, but it proved unpopular.)

How magic works in Shadowrun is that whenever you cast or summon, you have to roll to resist stun damage. More powerful spell, more damage. If you cast something higher than your level, it becomes lethal damage instead.

The idea is that spellcasting is physically draining, and if you try something too powerful and blow your roll to resist, you might start bleeding from the nose and ears, or even outright die.
 
I liked Saga's per encounter power, a lot. It let combats feel hard if they dragged, but also meant Jedi weren't having to fret about always having the best spell and ensuring it got through someone's saves, or else they were lmiited the rest of the day.

I loved the system.

I haven't gotten a chance to play with the Fantasy Flight Force Power system, but it basically operates by either rolling force dice (with pips for light/dark side points available on a given turn) or committing force dice to keep a power active for an extended time (meaning you can't use other force powers, quasi concentration basically).

It's relevant because there is a mini-DnD setting for Star Wars Fantasy Flight, with "wizards", "clerics", and "paladins" on a world with strange creatures, ancient force artifacts, and even crashed spaceships that are seen as ancient magical fortresses. It's set on a backwater world that hasn't had contact with the wider galaxy.
 
Saga Edition is still my favorite D20 system. :cool:

And yeah, moving away from per-day powers was a good idea. Nothing kills the tension and narrative flow quite like having to stop mid-adventure and sleep for eight hours to get your spells and special abilities back before you continue.
 
Pathfinder 'Beyond the Vault of Souls' has an interesting ending- it's the second pathfinder product I know where the creation of a new god is a possibility.

Though as it's one made of powerful atheist souls put together by a cult that *thinks* they're piecing together bits of Aroden, the result is likely to be... unusual. And it's not a given, just one possibilities
 
Q99 said:
Pathfinder 'Beyond the Vault of Souls' has an interesting ending- it's the second pathfinder product I know where the creation of a new god is a possibility.

Though as it's one made of powerful atheist souls put together by a cult that *thinks* they're piecing together bits of Aroden, the result is likely to be... unusual. And it's not a given, just one possibilities
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I stole that Module to use as the Fourth AP book for Second DArkness, because my players' characters in character would never have done an undercover mission like the 4th book required.

I reflavored the cultists as Drow, and had the big plot point of the module be about trying to find a shortcut to power the runes that show up in book six to trigger another Earthfall.

then I encountered the crap that was the fifth book of the AP, and I was devestated that I hadn't skipped it instead.
 
The Imperator said:
I haven't gotten a chance to play with the Fantasy Flight Force Power system, but it basically operates by either rolling force dice (with pips for light/dark side points available on a given turn) or committing force dice to keep a power active for an extended time (meaning you can't use other force powers, quasi concentration basically).
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I have played with it. And it's an odd beast- at early levels of xp you have a significant failure chance (particularly light side players). Unless you start using the other alignment pips- which is not that risky in terms of alignment shift, but still something to watch if your playing a grayish type like Anakin. You still mainly want commits or Force powers that enhance other rolls (and thus are less effected by failure then action based powers).

Once you've gotten enough so to ramp up your force rating, you can generally trigger your base powers and then start layering effects- Force power upgrades generally don't amp the cost of the power to activate, and instead let's you use a pip for more.

High level is batshit- full Starkiller is an option with a stupid xp investment in Move.

Overall, I like the system, and it emulates the movies well (generally) but the early levels can be frustrating as hell if you don't realize starting level is Luke/Ezera starting point, not Jedi Padawan starting point. Also a certain level of system master to know to avoid direct roll combat powers off the start.

I've had loads of fun with it though.
 
The Imperator said:
I stole that Module to use as the Fourth AP book for Second DArkness, because my players' characters in character would never have done an undercover mission like the 4th book required.

I reflavored the cultists as Drow, and had the big plot point of the module be about trying to find a shortcut to power the runes that show up in book six to trigger another Earthfall.

then I encountered the crap that was the fifth book of the AP, and I was devestated that I hadn't skipped it instead.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
The fourth module of Second Darkness kind of leads straight into the fifth, so I'd think that swapping out one would force you to substantially alter the other.

(I ran my group through all of Second Darkness last year. Can I ask what you didn't like about the fifth module?)
 
The Narrator said:
The fourth module of Second Darkness kind of leads straight into the fifth, so I'd think that swapping out one would force you to substantially alter the other.

(I ran my group through all of Second Darkness last year. Can I ask what you didn't like about the fifth module?)
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Nah, worked out. Had the Drow relevant encounters still occur, jusr on another plane, so the players found out the info they needed. They ran through a portal in to escape and ended up in the Elf city to start book 5. Which I heavily rewroye because the Council's actions make no gosh darned sense.

Council tries to kill you at the beginning, then they are nothing but belligerent, jerks, or outright evil. Nothing about the way they were written inclined my players to not just kill them all and return to Kyovarin to report that the Council failed and that the elves should prepare for war.

They try to kill the Pcs IN THEIR SLEEP IIRC, that's a no no. That made my PCs instantly hate the Council more than Allevrah.
 
Last edited:
So the consensus is BtVoS > Second Darkness? This doesn't surprise me ^^

I also finished my read through of Reign of Winter- that one's pretty fun, but the final part could use some trimming, take out a few 'and this is in the Hut too' encounters.
 
The Narrator said:
Only one member of the Council was involved in that: the one that turns into a drow later anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
And none of the PCs know that. Why would they stand around and hang out with the Council for at least a night (minimum amount of time needed till the Spike must be recharged) and just trust that these assholes who are nothing but jerks weren't really part of the plot?

The whole subplot of being locked up was also dumb. The 5th part basically removed agency from the PCs, they were railroaded 100%, and I know most players hate feeling like they are in a box. At least the illusion of choice is needed for them to feel like they are playing characters rather than a choose your own adventure quest with limited paths. Heck, they were ready to charge the queen when she suggested they be locked up. They'd been nothing but helpful to the elves, but the elves kept appearing to not give a single shit about that.

Appearance is key here, the players had to work hard to figure out what was really going on, and I had to repeatedly alter events so they didn't decide to screw it and leave the ungrateful jerks to get bombed from orbit while they teleported to tian xia and did other stuff.
 
Last edited:
That's a problem that can occur- The adventure writer or DM has some great ideas about these cool background politics, and overlook that what actually reaches the PCs' line of sight is a lot more straightforward and uninteresting.
 
The Imperator said:
It's relevant because there is a mini-DnD setting for Star Wars Fantasy Flight, with "wizards", "clerics", and "paladins" on a world with strange creatures, ancient force artifacts, and even crashed spaceships that are seen as ancient magical fortresses. It's set on a backwater world that hasn't had contact with the wider galaxy.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Got a link? or at least a name?
 
Chloe Sullivan said:
Got a link? or at least a name?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
No, it's official. It's in the Nexus of power handbook. Examples include Paladins of the Adamite Tower, Astromancers who believe they need chalk circles/words in a dead language/fetishes to cast "spells", and priests who have the secret knowledge of mystical healing.

And rereading the planet lore now (Weik), it's not that contact hasn't occurred, it's that no one cares that planet contact has occurred. They stay cause adventure, wizards, trolls, and "magic".

It's such a tongue in cheek reference. Wizards are called out over having "smelly" clothes as lootable items. Paladins swords are old lightsaber. Etc.
 
Last edited:
[PF]
So we ganked a white dragon.
It was a smaller than we were led to believe -obviously better than the other way around!-

So the druid buffs his wolf to 'tactical nuclear woulfe' levels and sends it flying (yes) after him.
Dragon still has a million attacks so still has an advantage buuuuut. He wasn't flying, so got tripped.

I charge it. Power attack; got Furious Focus anyway so why the fuck not.
Hits, does a fair amount of damage.

"I'm gonna intimidate him."
-Oh, right you had that feat that allowed you to do so. You can try.
"That's a 47."
-... That's enough, the Dragon is looking at you as if you are some of the worse decisions it made.

Moments later the wizard accidentally the Dragon it with a fireball.

We might be going back to my paused campaign though. Means I actually have to stat up not!Kalameet :p
 
horngeek said:
I remember reading this one, and iirc that it stuck to Vancian spell casting was the big failing of the system.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Huh, sorry, I misremembered.

But yeah, vancian for WOT is a HUUUUUUUUUUGE mistake. Vancian for any magic not based on prep is a mistake.



EDIT: hmn, okay, so Loyal Paladin's Spear of Light says:

"When this veil is shaped, the user gains a weapon forged
from akashic energy and infused with the power of the upper
planes. Treat this weapon as a shortspear sized appropriately
for the wielder, except that it is a light weapon and the
damage dealt results directly from sanctified akashic energy
and is therefore not subject to being reduced by damage
reduction or energy resistance. Treat the base weapon size
as one category smaller if the target of an attack is good, or
one size category larger if they are evil; these size modifiers
stack with all other size changes or virtual size changes...


For each point of essence invested in this ability,
the spear deals an additional 1d6 damage; this bonus
damage is not affected by size increases or multiplied on a
critical hit."

Thing is, I have STR 6, for a -2 mod, so my base spear damage is 1d4-2.

IIRC, minimum damage is 1, right?

So do I roll 1d4-2 (Min 1) and then add 2d6 bonus damage for 2 essence invested?

Or do i roll 1d4+2d6-2 (Min 1).

I'm inclined towards the former, because the spear can crit, and the bonus damage is not multiplied on a crit. So I would think you have min 1 damage on the 1d4-2, otherwise, critting makes you deal *less* damage.
 
Last edited:
(Edition: 5e)

Can someone make a Clown class where instead of spells they have 'Tricks'? I know a bard is essentially a clown but I'm thinking more of something in between a bard and a rogue; a missing link of sorts that connects them.
 
Muhkat Lomorki said:
(Edition: 5e)

Can someone make a Clown class where instead of spells they have 'Tricks'? I know a bard is essentially a clown but I'm thinking more of something in between a bard and a rogue; a missing link of sorts that connects them.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Okay, what kind of mechanics are you thinking of for Tricks? Because I've been sitting on a desperate urge to implement Ambush Feats in 5e, which swap Sneak Attack dice for other effects. I've also been sitting on an idea for all-day spellcasting that does mana pools by way of dice.
 
Morphic Tide said:
Okay, what kind of mechanics are you thinking of for Tricks? Because I've been sitting on a desperate urge to implement Ambush Feats in 5e, which swap Sneak Attack dice for other effects. I've also been sitting on an idea for all-day spellcasting that does mana pools by way of dice.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I was initially thinking something like Ki, but then seeing your idea for swapping the Sneak Attack with other effects, I think that those effects could be "tricks", which range from things like tying someone's ankles together so they'll trip if they try to run to spraying someone's face with acid to conjuring bombs to distracting someone with juggling. What do you think?
 
Reader mode
You must login or register to reply here.
Remove ads
Back
Top