Sunday, January 2, 2011

Fantasy RPG Mash-up

Crazy (likely bad idea) for Fantasy Role playing Fun. Pick a fantasy RPG and replace major rules components from different games and mash them together to make a fantasy campaign.

Let's take original D&D
Use the ability scores and generation method from The Fantasy Trip
Use Runequest battlemagic spells for PC-magic.
Use 7th Edition Tunnels and Trolls weapon statistics.
D20 D&D saving throws.

We'd have a little tweaking to do on our hands.

Those ability scores, easy to keep track of, PCs aren't going to have many modifiers. Maybe lump together a couple of the D&D scores functionality.

Runequest battle magic has lot's of spells but needs a POW stat/magic points. Do we make a new stat or use one of the three main characteristics? Let's use strength. Maybe spell casting classes get some bonus magic points equal to their level. No one has a big flash-bang combat spell. I'd go with STR as POW and bonus Magic Points equal to level for spell casting classes (STR + level, not each level)

Tunnels and Trolls weapons do a lot more damage then D&D weapons. Lot's of fights are going to be quick. Boost PC-type HP the same amount as their STR score, they are still goign to be soft and squishy just not as badly so without the boost. T&T weapons have ability score requirements. Don't meet one stat then -2 to hit and 1/2 damage with that weapon, don't have either you can't use the weapon. Except for weapon stats we are still using D&D combat rules.
Let's Throw in a parry rule, which the weapons of T&T sort of go along with. A parrier gets to subtract their damage roll for the foes damage roll, parrying gives up a chance to make an attack in a round.

D20 style saving throws aren't hard to lift and adapt. We've got classes and level already, just remap each save to one of the three ability scores.

There you go, an "original" set of rules for a fantasy rpg campaign.

8 comments:

  1. Having a look at the various sections of the different games, this would make a game I would like to play.

    How would you treat Monster hit points? Would you boost them too? If so, how? Randomly roll a Strength score for each one/type?

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  2. I don't think I'd be fair to all monsters. If the monster is worth giving a name I'd say give them a STR score and added HP of 3d6 for small and medium creatures, 4d6 and more for large creatures.

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  3. Sounds good. And what about Clerics? If you kept them what magic system would you use? Or would you just go with Fighting Man and Magic-User?

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  4. I'd say that depends if you want to go with TFT based talents along with the ability scores.

    or one could decide clerics keep the D&D style magic. With the option of learning battle magic also. It'd be sort of like the clerics having access to limited rune magic (to stretch the RQism as it relates to battle magic just a wee bit).

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  5. The TFT talent system is quite a big mechanic to bolt on, and vague too as far as Clerics are concerned. However the D&D magic system would overpower RQ Battle Magic. I guess a trimmed down talent system would do the job, but then we're talking a major rewrite of a sub-system rather than just bolting something on with minor changes. It'd be tempting just to drop the Cleric I think.

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  6. I just had a read of the Palladium RPG's Priest of Light class and I think it would make a good fit for a project like this.

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  7. JD, I loved this idea so much than I'm going to have a go at making a free OGL-based version of it:

    http://theresdungeonsdownunder.blogspot.com/2011/03/mash-up-roleplaying-game.html

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