Crossovers
- Thread starter parmasson
- Start date
trader jim
SOC-14 1K
Well ill be darned, you got it! I did that little bit to bring up just this question. it is a good question also. can/should "crossovers" be used in TRAVELLER? I have come to realize that there are many suppliments/aids/adventures. Hundreds of realy Great maps out there in D&D land and a lot being up graded to D20 and T20?? Could/Should we use them?? why and why not??? how does one go about using them? How do you "convert" a character?? NPC?? Has any one out theregiven any thought to these questions??
AND last but not least.....could we all put our collective heads togather and come up with some solutions??? Could we form a group or committee
to do this project.
one last question....is there a mention of the word MAGIC ANYWHERE in Traveller Cannon???
AND last but not least.....could we all put our collective heads togather and come up with some solutions??? Could we form a group or committee
to do this project.
one last question....is there a mention of the word MAGIC ANYWHERE in Traveller Cannon???
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Technology as magic and psionics as magic spring to mind 
I would be happy to contribute to a Traveller’ crossover guide in any way that I could.
Has any one out theregiven any thought to these questions??
Yes
How do you "convert" a character??
To start with I would take your D20 Traveller character and while they are in the DnD universe upgrade their hit points and other stuff as if they were a DnD equivalent. My knowledge of T20 is limited but the point is that I would change the characters to fit the universe, not the other way around.
Don’t forget about alignment and the gods in the DnD universe. Could be interesting to have the ref keep a good/evil tally and let them know at the end of a few sessions what their alignment is.
What about physics in the DnD universe. Traveller is a bit more “real world” but DnD is really different. Many of the monsters in the universe are just not possible in the world as we know it.
My take was some handwave technology runs into trouble. I like to play with the medieval concept of the physical world. Geocentric, terrestrial objects moving in straight lines, crystal spheres, NO vacuum in the space between the planets and gravity all the way “up” to the sphere of fixed stars. So if you fall off a ship while making repairs then you will fall down until you hit the next crystal sphere and then SPLAT! For me the DnD universe is a pocket universe where special rules apply. High tech still works but in some odd ways. Nullgrav will not work because the type of gravity found in the TU is different from DnD gravity. Thruster plates work very well because they generate enormous amounts of impetus that moves the ship. When you shut off the thruster plates you will glide at that speed until you run out of impetus and then come to a stop. Plasma guns work, fusion guns do not, same with atomic weapons. Atoms are unbreakable in my DnD universe. Jump drives don’t work because jump space is specific to the Traveller universe.
is there a mention of the word MAGIC ANYWHERE in Traveller Cannon???
Not that that I know of but it might be universe specific like jump drives.
Has any one out theregiven any thought to these questions??
Yes
How do you "convert" a character??
To start with I would take your D20 Traveller character and while they are in the DnD universe upgrade their hit points and other stuff as if they were a DnD equivalent. My knowledge of T20 is limited but the point is that I would change the characters to fit the universe, not the other way around.
Don’t forget about alignment and the gods in the DnD universe. Could be interesting to have the ref keep a good/evil tally and let them know at the end of a few sessions what their alignment is.
What about physics in the DnD universe. Traveller is a bit more “real world” but DnD is really different. Many of the monsters in the universe are just not possible in the world as we know it.
My take was some handwave technology runs into trouble. I like to play with the medieval concept of the physical world. Geocentric, terrestrial objects moving in straight lines, crystal spheres, NO vacuum in the space between the planets and gravity all the way “up” to the sphere of fixed stars. So if you fall off a ship while making repairs then you will fall down until you hit the next crystal sphere and then SPLAT! For me the DnD universe is a pocket universe where special rules apply. High tech still works but in some odd ways. Nullgrav will not work because the type of gravity found in the TU is different from DnD gravity. Thruster plates work very well because they generate enormous amounts of impetus that moves the ship. When you shut off the thruster plates you will glide at that speed until you run out of impetus and then come to a stop. Plasma guns work, fusion guns do not, same with atomic weapons. Atoms are unbreakable in my DnD universe. Jump drives don’t work because jump space is specific to the Traveller universe.
is there a mention of the word MAGIC ANYWHERE in Traveller Cannon???
Not that that I know of but it might be universe specific like jump drives.
Shadowdancer
SOC-14 1K
Back in the '80s, the original Thieves World boxed set (from the fiction book anthologies) included conversions/rules/guidelines for using the setting in Traveller.
And a lot of the Harn material would work well for a low-tech Traveller world.
And a lot of the Harn material would work well for a low-tech Traveller world.
Traveller crossovers have an even older history than the "Thieves World" set. There's an old Dragon article about a Traveller party crashlanded on what turned out to be a D&D world. They apparently had a goodly supply of ammo.
The author/DM said something like "I knew there was trouble when they blew away a fully-grown blue dragon without getting scratched themselves."
I believe they met their comeuppance in the form of an EHP (Evil High Priest), and an extremely powerful wizard eventually sent them back to the Traveller universe.
- John
I believe they met their comeuppance in the form of an EHP (Evil High Priest), and an extremely powerful wizard eventually sent them back to the Traveller universe.
- John
trader jim
SOC-14 1K
Thieves World!! Yes, thats helps to make the "crossover" idea "Ligitement" ?????
Can anyone find that Dragon aritical/senerio??
it will also help.
also look at HUNTERS signature.....thats says a lot also.....after all he is the MIGHTY WIZARD!!!
Can anyone find that Dragon aritical/senerio??
it will also help.
also look at HUNTERS signature.....thats says a lot also.....after all he is the MIGHTY WIZARD!!!
Rossoneill
SOC-12
A long time ago i ran a Ct Campaign that had a 400 ton adventurers ship that visited the D&D world that has Greyhawk on it .
I think its Oerth (Not Sure Though )
They had an armoured ATV .
They landed near the Evil Necromancers Castle(They just thought it was a low tech fortification) and
were promptly attacked that evening by Said Evil Necromancer who did not like big metal buildings that appeared suddenly on his land.
They used heat seeking ram grenades and other heat seeking weapons as well as almost every weapon in CT (Typical Adventurers Armed to fight D Day By Themselves)to cream the attacking humans, but later on in the night they were attacked by beings with no IR signature and all the IR devices could not see them and the heat seeking munitions missed and ditto for the Automatic activating weapons.
The beings were Skeletons ,Wraiths,Spectres,Zombies,and the vampire that charmed the Marine in the powered armor who protected the Vampire from the party.
The Zombies took almost no damage from Fire arms .
The Spectres and Wraiths only took damage from lasers and the vampire only took temporary damage from all but Hvy Lasers .
In the morning the party used the ATV and
promptly fell in a pit dug with the dig spell and covered by an illusion .
He sent in his Red Dragon to roast the ATV.
The VRF Gauss Cannon on the ATV hurt the Dragon a lot and it flew away to lick its wounds .
Then the Necros Druid Follower used heat metal and fused the ATVs hatches and turret shut and immovable so the party members couldnt get out.
Then his incorporeal undead arrived and could walk through the ATVs walls and Attack .
It was an interesting and scary fight for the party.
They found using grenades and auto or fast firing laser weapons and auto fire of any kind inside a vehicle is a Very Bad Idea.(Lots of collateral damage)
Unfortunately for The Necro the sun came up and the powerful undead fled .
Then the crew that had been in the ship used the laser turrets to cut the Necros tower into little bitty pieces and then rescued the crew from the ATV
Then in broad daylight the party looted the remains of one Very Pissed off Necro's Castle .
This campaign went on for a while ,the way i described things worked so that even though we all were expert D&D players they did not guess it was D&d for a while .
They thought it was Very High Tech world Or VHTW combined With PSI Powers on a world that only appeared to be Low tech Feudal .
I had gotten the idea From a Miniature/RPG Game called Space Marines and some ideas from the Strategic Review (The predecessor of the Dragon )article on the Nazi Armoured column that somehow was transported to Oerth via a Summon Spell + wish .
I think at this time the Dragon article on the Traveller in D&D adventure wasn't out yet,But it is a good Traveller to D&D Conversion Idea as i remember .
For help on Sci Fi to D&D the AD&D Dungeon Masters guide has a good section near the back which includes conversion of boot hill to D&D which i had fun running too.
I remember Deputy sheriff Jim pulling his metal hatchet and killing the 5 orcs who thought he was dead meat (Metal hatchet= holstered six gun with Fast draw and Dead Shot skill + very high Dex)
And the fun he had when he was attacked by the archers and used his Winchester 76 Rifle from the ground which the archers thought was unfair as they died standing and loosing arrows .
Deputy Jim was in a campaign I played in 25 years or so ago .
Here are some of my conversions that i used .
Normal firearms are non magical arrows so no damage to Skeletons and 1/2 damage to Zombies,
Portable Laser weapons counted as +1 Magic for Spectres and Wraiths and Vampires .
Normal Explosive Ram Grenades counted as non magic
Incendiary Grenades of all types counted as Magical Fire and did X2 damage to Zombies and creatures vulnerable to fire .
The VRF Gauss Cannon counted as +1 Magic on all but Incorporeal Undead .
The Ships weapons Counted as +4 or +5 Magic AOE depending on the creature .
The crew basically started as 1st level and depending on what they did in game became either Fighter,Cleric,Mage,or Thief
As an example,
The ships medic became a 1st level cleric with no spell ability until he started investigating the Prayer books they found in the ruins .
The Army or Marine types were 1st level Fighters who got fighter abilities as they fought creatures and learned new methods of fighting .
The Character who got curious about the strange books on PSI powers (As he thought magic was )became a 1st Level Mage with no spells .
When they started they had basic 0 level saves versus spells
I never said when or if they gained levels .
I kept track of exp and level gains and powers and when it happened i would tell the cleric after weeks of study, you feel you can try the PSI Power of healing,to the mage you have learned the secret of the Psi Energy Bolt( Magic Missile)
To the fighter you have learned to swing your sword to hit more often .
The recon man you have learned how to move to lessen the chance of being heard or seen as you move.
Hope this helps a little on ideas for you
If not well i had fun rembering past Traveller games
Maybe some day i will tell the story of the 3 adventurers in powered armor with grav belts armed to the teeth with every weapon they could carry + a small mantowed grav cart for ammo and more weapons and the recon scout in light kevlar vest and carrying a 45 Auto only.(He was the only one to walk out and not be carried out feet first )
I think its Oerth (Not Sure Though )
They had an armoured ATV .
They landed near the Evil Necromancers Castle(They just thought it was a low tech fortification) and
were promptly attacked that evening by Said Evil Necromancer who did not like big metal buildings that appeared suddenly on his land.
They used heat seeking ram grenades and other heat seeking weapons as well as almost every weapon in CT (Typical Adventurers Armed to fight D Day By Themselves)to cream the attacking humans, but later on in the night they were attacked by beings with no IR signature and all the IR devices could not see them and the heat seeking munitions missed and ditto for the Automatic activating weapons.
The beings were Skeletons ,Wraiths,Spectres,Zombies,and the vampire that charmed the Marine in the powered armor who protected the Vampire from the party.
The Zombies took almost no damage from Fire arms .
The Spectres and Wraiths only took damage from lasers and the vampire only took temporary damage from all but Hvy Lasers .
In the morning the party used the ATV and
promptly fell in a pit dug with the dig spell and covered by an illusion .
He sent in his Red Dragon to roast the ATV.
The VRF Gauss Cannon on the ATV hurt the Dragon a lot and it flew away to lick its wounds .
Then the Necros Druid Follower used heat metal and fused the ATVs hatches and turret shut and immovable so the party members couldnt get out.
Then his incorporeal undead arrived and could walk through the ATVs walls and Attack .
It was an interesting and scary fight for the party.
They found using grenades and auto or fast firing laser weapons and auto fire of any kind inside a vehicle is a Very Bad Idea.(Lots of collateral damage)
Unfortunately for The Necro the sun came up and the powerful undead fled .
Then the crew that had been in the ship used the laser turrets to cut the Necros tower into little bitty pieces and then rescued the crew from the ATV
Then in broad daylight the party looted the remains of one Very Pissed off Necro's Castle .
This campaign went on for a while ,the way i described things worked so that even though we all were expert D&D players they did not guess it was D&d for a while .
They thought it was Very High Tech world Or VHTW combined With PSI Powers on a world that only appeared to be Low tech Feudal .
I had gotten the idea From a Miniature/RPG Game called Space Marines and some ideas from the Strategic Review (The predecessor of the Dragon )article on the Nazi Armoured column that somehow was transported to Oerth via a Summon Spell + wish .
I think at this time the Dragon article on the Traveller in D&D adventure wasn't out yet,But it is a good Traveller to D&D Conversion Idea as i remember .
For help on Sci Fi to D&D the AD&D Dungeon Masters guide has a good section near the back which includes conversion of boot hill to D&D which i had fun running too.
I remember Deputy sheriff Jim pulling his metal hatchet and killing the 5 orcs who thought he was dead meat (Metal hatchet= holstered six gun with Fast draw and Dead Shot skill + very high Dex)
And the fun he had when he was attacked by the archers and used his Winchester 76 Rifle from the ground which the archers thought was unfair as they died standing and loosing arrows .
Deputy Jim was in a campaign I played in 25 years or so ago .
Here are some of my conversions that i used .
Normal firearms are non magical arrows so no damage to Skeletons and 1/2 damage to Zombies,
Portable Laser weapons counted as +1 Magic for Spectres and Wraiths and Vampires .
Normal Explosive Ram Grenades counted as non magic
Incendiary Grenades of all types counted as Magical Fire and did X2 damage to Zombies and creatures vulnerable to fire .
The VRF Gauss Cannon counted as +1 Magic on all but Incorporeal Undead .
The Ships weapons Counted as +4 or +5 Magic AOE depending on the creature .
The crew basically started as 1st level and depending on what they did in game became either Fighter,Cleric,Mage,or Thief
As an example,
The ships medic became a 1st level cleric with no spell ability until he started investigating the Prayer books they found in the ruins .
The Army or Marine types were 1st level Fighters who got fighter abilities as they fought creatures and learned new methods of fighting .
The Character who got curious about the strange books on PSI powers (As he thought magic was )became a 1st Level Mage with no spells .
When they started they had basic 0 level saves versus spells
I never said when or if they gained levels .
I kept track of exp and level gains and powers and when it happened i would tell the cleric after weeks of study, you feel you can try the PSI Power of healing,to the mage you have learned the secret of the Psi Energy Bolt( Magic Missile)
To the fighter you have learned to swing your sword to hit more often .
The recon man you have learned how to move to lessen the chance of being heard or seen as you move.
Hope this helps a little on ideas for you
If not well i had fun rembering past Traveller games
Maybe some day i will tell the story of the 3 adventurers in powered armor with grav belts armed to the teeth with every weapon they could carry + a small mantowed grav cart for ammo and more weapons and the recon scout in light kevlar vest and carrying a 45 Auto only.(He was the only one to walk out and not be carried out feet first )
Rossthree,
You might be thinking of the classic "Sturmgeschutz & Sorcery", which was a retelling of a miniatures battle between a group of Tractics players on one side (the WWII Germans) and either Chainmail or the later D&D miniatures rules (I want to say it was called "Swords & Sorcery", but I'm not sure). The GM had kept both sides in the dark about the true nature of the encounter until gametime.
One great scene was a troll managing to climb into the troop compartment of one of the German halftracks, and one of the German troopers firing a Panzerfaust (one-shot anti-tank rocket) point-blank into the troll. Critical hit, and flaming chunks of troll-meat flying everywhere...
Oh, and wizard fireballs make pretty good AT weapons.
"Sturmgeschutz & Sorcery" was reprinted in "Best of the Dragon, Volume 1".
- John
You might be thinking of the classic "Sturmgeschutz & Sorcery", which was a retelling of a miniatures battle between a group of Tractics players on one side (the WWII Germans) and either Chainmail or the later D&D miniatures rules (I want to say it was called "Swords & Sorcery", but I'm not sure). The GM had kept both sides in the dark about the true nature of the encounter until gametime.
One great scene was a troll managing to climb into the troop compartment of one of the German halftracks, and one of the German troopers firing a Panzerfaust (one-shot anti-tank rocket) point-blank into the troll. Critical hit, and flaming chunks of troll-meat flying everywhere...
Oh, and wizard fireballs make pretty good AT weapons.
"Sturmgeschutz & Sorcery" was reprinted in "Best of the Dragon, Volume 1".
- John
Rossoneill
SOC-12
John you are right .
I was thinking of Sturmgeschutz & Sorcery .
Duh guess i am getting Senile .
I was thinking of Sturmgeschutz & Sorcery .
Duh guess i am getting Senile .
In one of the old LBB adventures (Research Station Gamma, if memory is right) or, maybe, it was LLB Library Data mentioned that Imperial Research Stations also study magic.
When I read that I remembered the ESP testing that Bill Murray was doing in Ghostbusters. At that time, I think Traveller was heavily influenced by Doc Strange's work.
Crossovers are a fabulous idea to ensure that your players do not get too complacient with the worlds they live in.
And, if they believe that a village of low tech peasants is something to scoff at...
Robin Laws & Gary Gygax suggested that peasants form a swarm and they would be a Level 25 character when acting a whole. Nobody can defeat an entire village/town. Ed Greenwood suggested that well there are no more scary moments in role playing when the referee announces when the Party is asleep, "You wake up, in the middle of the night and you got to the loo..." An audience piped in, two observations about most campaigns...most players do not like to cook and at some point they get hungry...not a good time to antagonize an entire settlement...
When I read that I remembered the ESP testing that Bill Murray was doing in Ghostbusters. At that time, I think Traveller was heavily influenced by Doc Strange's work.
Crossovers are a fabulous idea to ensure that your players do not get too complacient with the worlds they live in.
And, if they believe that a village of low tech peasants is something to scoff at...
Robin Laws & Gary Gygax suggested that peasants form a swarm and they would be a Level 25 character when acting a whole. Nobody can defeat an entire village/town. Ed Greenwood suggested that well there are no more scary moments in role playing when the referee announces when the Party is asleep, "You wake up, in the middle of the night and you got to the loo..." An audience piped in, two observations about most campaigns...most players do not like to cook and at some point they get hungry...not a good time to antagonize an entire settlement...
I once played the campaign where some characters who were fighting in Viet Nam on a Huey loaded with ammo got hit and fell through a hole in the space time continueum and landed in a middle Earth type world. They ruled the humans. When the ammo ran out they became first level characters in their new chosen career fields. They gained experience twice as fast as other characters in order to get up high enough to find a way to return to their own world.
Puting the rod of seven parts together opend a gate to a crossroads way point (Planetscape) which helped point them in the direction of home.
Puting the rod of seven parts together opend a gate to a crossroads way point (Planetscape) which helped point them in the direction of home.
