Hit points/ prior Service (A dilettante's solutions)

[DrSkull]

As an amateur tinkerer, I whipped up my own version of D20 Traveller as a lark back at about Christmas time. I thought the two things that had to be changed about d20 to make it feel more like Traveller was the obscene piling up of hit points and allowing for prior-service to be included in character generation.

What I did was to change hit points to a base equal to Constitution, and added only 1 hitpoint per level for most classes except for Army and Marines who got 2 hit points on odd numbered levels and 1 on even numbered levels. I think people like getting more hit points when they go up levels (one of the appeals of a level based system is the striving after the level-rewards), but a die per level is just gross.

I translated the CT prior expereince tables to d20 terms and made it so that 1 term got you 1 level, with a chance each term to dice for a bonus level (like Special Duty in MT).
(Of course I added Social Status ads a 7th ability score too).



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Dave "Dr. Skull" Nelson

 

[AllenS]

DrSkull, any chance I could get a look at your d20 Traveller? My addy is Allensh@yahoo.com; I'm always interested in home-brew stuff like that, and I might be able to whet some appetites for the "real thing" when it hits the stores.

Allen

 

[kzin]

Dr Skull:

have you looked at the Star Wars rules?

You might find some interest in the Vitality points vs Wound Points system (I posted a summary of it in the Character Creation thread).

 

[RazerD]

I'd like a copy, too Dr. Skull (sent to RazeD@aol.com).

I played a game a friend made up. His had a really cool way of doing HPs. Take your Constitution score (Endurance, Stamina... whatever the system uses) and roll 1 die per point. His was D6 based, but I'd prefer it being racial. Thin/easily breakable races might get a D6. Average ones get a D8. Durable races get a D10. The HPs never go up.

In real life we are as healthy as we are. Illness and exercise might alter our current health (HPs), but we don't 'go up' at any time (well, once we reach adulthood).

Just an idea.

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Hollywood: More than just a city, it's a state of mind!

 

[aramis]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DrSkull:
As an amateur tinkerer, I whipped up my own version of D20 Traveller as a lark back at about Christmas time. I thought the two things that had to be changed about d20 to make it feel more like Traveller was the obscene piling up of hit points and allowing for prior-service to be included in character generation.

What I did was to change hit points to a base equal to Constitution, and added only 1 hitpoint per level for most classes except for Army and Marines who got 2 hit points on odd numbered levels and 1 on even numbered levels. I think people like getting more hit points when they go up levels (one of the appeals of a level based system is the striving after the level-rewards), but a die per level is just gross.

I translated the CT prior expereince tables to d20 terms and made it so that 1 term got you 1 level, with a chance each term to dice for a bonus level (like Special Duty in MT).
(Of course I added Social Status ads a 7th ability score too).
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I hat to "Me Too", but I'd love to see it Dave!

aramis@gci.net


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-aramis
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Smith & Wesson:
The Original Point and Click interface!

 

[kzin]

Add me to the list

( user@domain.org ... no, really )

 

[AllenS]

Dave,

Thanks for letting me see your d20 rules for Traveller. It really whets my appetite fit the official version

I decided to make a few alterations in the material for my own use. I did reinstate the concept of Hit Dice but also am using the Vitality Points/Wound Points system from Star Wars. Considering that characters can lose CON points to aging, a good critical hit can put a character down fast, so I don't feel the increase in Vitality Points is a bad thing, myself. I also gave the classes the INT bonus on skill points past first level. I would suggest, if you haven't thought of this already, that you follow the Star Wars line in ignoring the need to "balance" classes for multiclass characters. There are a few other things I'm changing and/or wondering about, but I can e-mail you directly about that.

My first character created with these rules came out to be a 3rd level Merchant, 3rd level Scout. He has good skills but not spectacular. (I observed the total levels +3 limit for skill ranks). He served 1 term in the Merchants after Merchant Academy, and 2.5 in the Scouts (blew a Survival check<g> ).
Your character creation system really captures the feel of CT character creation while still allowing for choice of skills and the like; assuming the design team for T20 are thinking along the same lines, this will put a lot of fun back into making Traveller characters

Excellent work!

Allen

 

[hunter]

What we are considering currently is a tad deadlier than the Star Wars Vitality/Wound concept, but are somewhat similar.

The average character of any level can (not always) go down from one bullet (1d12) with enough damage, no matter what their total hit points, without a critical. Add multiple hits from a single burst and T20 becomes very dangerous. And I don't recommend being in the range of an FGMP (14d10)....

The nice part is, if you don't want it that deadly, you can ignore the rule.

Hunter

 

[The Shoveller]

For those of us who may want that more heroic feel to a game, would it be possible for you guys to include suggested optional rules on this topic?

I know one doesn't need to have somthing in black and white to make alterations for one's own campaign, but it's always easier to gather agreement from a table full of players if an optional rule is printed in the rulebook. It carries an aura of afficial endorsement that way, and it also standardizes gameplay between different groups.

 

[hunter]

Actually yes we can, and it will be explained that way. We are toying with the idea of basically giving a couple of options such as the system we have, the Vitality/Wounds system and the Hit Points system.

Let the GM pick how deadly or how 'heroic' they want to run their game.

I only worry that having more than one option will be confusing if we do that.

For those curious, the damage system is something we have been debating endlessly. As an old CT player myself, I am used to (and like) the rather deadly CT system. BUT...the idea is to introduce the d20 crowd to Traveller not to CT. From a marketing prospective (and yes we have to consider those) it makes sense to keep T20 as close to the traditional d20 System as possible for easy of adoption.

So how do you reconcile earning more and more 'hit points' with the true deadly nature of combat? You design an option that make sense of having a good shot have a reasonable chance of taking down the average person, regardless of the actual hit point total.

This keeps the core system identical to d20, but adds the deadly flavor that many original Traveller fans like.

There are few that will withstand being hit by multiple rounds from a gauss rifle, without a LOT of luck.

Hunter

 

[The Shoveller]

Hunter: "Actually yes we can, and it will be explained that way. We are toying with the idea of basically giving a couple of options such as the system we have, the Vitality/Wounds system and the Hit Points system.
Let the GM pick how deadly or how 'heroic' they want to run their game."

Outstanding. Giving people choices is always a good policy.

Hunter: "I only worry that having more than one option will be confusing if we do that.

I'm not sure how you are planning on structuring the core rulebook, but one possibility you could consider is placing the Canon system in the front of the book where character development is usually located and place any optional systems in the part of the gamemaster section that pertains to GM tips for character development. That would make it clear that the optional rules both aren't a standard choice and also that it would be a matter of GM discression.

Hunter: "There are few that will withstand being hit by multiple rounds from a gauss rifle, without a LOT of luck.

I think most people will understand that a system with firearms will be a lot more deadly. When I think of optional rules for making it have a more heroic feel, I'm not really thinking about preventing gauss rifle hit on a battlefield from being deadly. I'm more thinking that PC shouldn't get killed by "Average Thug #12" in a barroom brawl with a Saturday Night Special unless they earn said priviledge through stupid gameplay.

 

[AllenS]

I am glad to hear that there will be options regarding how to handle hit points and damage; options are good

I agree that the "main" system should be in the main text, and any optional ones should be in the
GM section.

DrSkull: One thing that I noticed was not addressed in your conversion was psionics. I am thinking of taking a stab at that when I get a free moment, and I will send you the results.

What will the official system have to offer for psionics? I would suggest a Psionic class which characters can multiclass into, with rules governing psionic testing. Maybe this would be a Prestige Class?

Allen

 

[DrSkull]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by AllenS:


DrSkull: One thing that I noticed was not addressed in your conversion was psionics. I am thinking of taking a stab at that when I get a free moment, and I will send you the results.

Allen<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I never really got into Psionics,(in my campaigns only the dirty rotten Zho's ever used them) so it was a low priority during my deranged scriblings. I was figuring on just using CT or T4 psionics unchanged somehow, or just avoiding the whole business.



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Dave "Dr. Skull" Nelson

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Well, now I see why the venerated DrSkull has been absent from Eric Noah's boards - he's been hanging out over here at d20 Traveller! Good to see a familiar soul over here, Doc!

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"Illegitimis non carborundum." - General Joseph Stilwell

 

[DrSkull]

Greetings Colonel,

By any chance was your alias a Traveller character?



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Dave "Dr. Skull" Nelson

 

[ColonelHardisson]

DrSkull -

Well, yes and no. The name and specific character of ColonelHardisson came about long after my Traveller-playing days, but he is a natural outgrowth and direct descendant of the sfrpg (particularly Traveller) characters I played. I'll post his stats here using the d20 Star Wars rules.

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"Illegitimis non carborundum." - General Joseph Stilwell

 

[AllenS]

Here are the stats for the character I created using DrSkull's d20 rules for Traveller. I'm hoping it won't take much to revise him for use with the official rules

Name: Scott MacKinnon Age: 36
Race: Human
Class: Merchant 3/Scout 3

STR 10, DEX 14, CON 11, INT 16, WIS 12, CHA 13.

Soc: 9 (working class)

VP: 28 WP:11 (using the system from Star Wars).

Defense: 12 (no armor)

Init: +2 Speed: 10m

Base Attack Value: +4 Melee: +4 Ranged: +6

Skills: Bluff +7, Carousing +7, Communications + 12, Electronics +9, Engineering +9, Gunnery: Turret +12,
Pilot: Starship +8 (don't know if I needed to specify or not), Profession (Trader) +7,
Recon +10, Sense Motive +7, Ship's Boat +8,
Survey +9

Feats: Proficiency with Basic Weapons, Basic Armor, Shipboard Weapons and Laser Carbine;
Archaic Missle Weapons; Blade Combat; Jack of All Trades.

Benefits: cr 20,000, SSAP x 2 (or, alternately, a Scout Ship on detatched duty).

Brief History: Attended Merchant Academy, graduated. Served 1 term in the Merchants, promoted to 3rd Officer (o2), no reenlistment. Joined IISS, served 2 terms, received 1 combat ribbon. 3rd term cut short by injury.

Comments: I made a few tweaks here and there, like the VP/WP system from Star Wars, and folding the Broker and Trader skills into the Profession skill, since it seemed a bit redundant to me. I really felt that creating this character was a lot of fun, a lot like the old CT days, as was seeing his service history have an effect on his abilities by making him go up levels, thus increasing his skill points and so on.

Allen

 

[AllenS]

Oops

I forgot to include his saving throws

oh well...

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Here is ColonelHardisson, a hero in the pulp style:

Colonel Buck Hardisson

Male Human

Str 15, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 17. Height 6' 2", weight 190 pounds

Soldier8/Starfighter Ace2/Officer6

Size:M

Vitality points 120 Wound Points: 17 Saves: Fortitude +11, Reflex +10, Will +9

Initiative +7; Speed 30'ft.; Armor Class 13

Attacks = +13/+8/+3 melee, +13/+8/+3 ranged

Special Abilities:Starfighter Defense(add class defense to starfghters defense, ace lvl=4/2), Familiarity+1 (one starfighter, operated for at least 3 months can be familiar, and get bonus to pilot and repair), Leadership (diplomacy vs 10+# of allies, cha bonus to theirskill check, 1 min or 1 task.), Requisition Supplies (levelxcha modx1000in supplies, total at one time, lost gear counts against total), Tactics (attack action, one ally gets competence bonus to att, or dodge bonus to ac or reflex, bonus equal to int bonus, lasts d4+cha bonusor full around action, all allies but lasts cha bonus only)

Alignment: Lawful Good (note: alignment is only part of D&D; I use it here as a reference point for the Colonel's personality)

Skills: Search +2, Spot +5, Pilot +24, Craft(Mechanics) +6, Demolitions +11, Intimidate +11, Knowledge(Bureaucracy) +5, Knowledge(Cultures) +4, Knowledge(Galactic Politics) +4, Knowledge(Galactic History) +4, Profession(Spacehand) +3, Profession(Mechanic) +6, Sense Motive +13, Diplomacy +12, Knowledge(War) +11, Knowledge(Spacer Lore) +6,

Feats: Weapongroup Blaster pistol, Weapongroup Simple, Weapongroup Blaster rifle, Weapongroup Heavy weapons, Weapongroup Vibro, Light Armor, Medium Armor, Heroic Surge, Heavy Armor, Improved Initiative, Dodge, Mobility, Starship Operation (starfighter), Starship Dodge (starfighter), Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Starship Operation (capitol ship), Starship Operation (space transport), Spacer

Hopefully, I didn't make too many glaring mistakes.

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"Illegitimis non carborundum." - General Joseph Stilwell

 

[Urklore]

Hey Dave,
Could I get a copy of what you have down
so far for you own works on d20 traveller?