Play test results

Doc Fishbone's picture
Doc Fishbone
November 7, 2007 - 6:15pm
Ok so I got started, and will try to post faithfully on our findings. I would like to first state that I am in no way implying that the way my group here in Indiana is doing this is the only way or that I am trying to write offical rules. I am merely letting everyone know what I am doing as a ref in a single game.

That being said if what we do is something that the project wants to adopt I will be happy to write it up as offical content, and promise to blush and feel flattered accordingly.

Characters, I could and possibly will, write volumes on this.....Races as far as selection, is so far not an issue, I am allowing for the races presented in Bill Logan's "Star Frontiersman"(if you haven't read this yet you need to!!!) lots of interest but no takers on them just yet. I am using what little of d20 modern/future is available, and the D&D expanded Psionics book for Mentalists. I have ordered all of the d20 books Amazon had, and expedited the shipping, hopefully all will be here by this weekend. I have trimmed the feats list and added a couple racial ones centering on things like Yazarian gliding and Dralasite stretchy stuff. Some of the D&D feats work great as is, i.e. rage feats for Barbarians, just change it to Yazarian. Dralasites recieve great fortitude for free.

Ability scores

Dralasites +2 to Str/-2 to Dex
Humans no change
Vrusk -2 to Str/+2 to Dex
Yazarians -2 to Str/+2 to Dex/-2 to Con/+2 to Int......the jury is still out on whether Int bonus will change to Wis or dropped all together.

Racial Feats

Dralasites Great Fortitude
Humans One Bonus Feat
Vrusk Lightning Reflexes
Yazarians Rage as Barbarian

As you can see Yazarians may need trimmed a bit.

If anyone has any input please let me know and I will try to post more soon......

Love and Kisses

Doc
Mess with the fish....you get the bone!!!
Comments:

Anonymous's picture
Corjay (not verified)
November 7, 2007 - 7:07pm
Feel free to add anything to the documents that hasn't already been added. We can test it as we go. If there are any challenges, we can change the information accordingly. it's not like we have anything standard at this time.

Doc Fishbone's picture
Doc Fishbone
November 11, 2007 - 6:19pm
Ok so I am working....working...working. I did finally get my copies of d20 future and D20 future tech. lots of info, and all of the core races of SF already converted....nice. Being the d20 geek that I am, I will be using those rules as they stand and concentrate on specifics,  I will update as I need them and post here. I realize for some of the board disscussions and from the chat, that d20 is not the most popular method of playing SF.......That being said, I am completely p*ssed off that the name star frontiers receives virtually no mention in the text......I would love to rally the members to get that changed, wether that means petitioning WoTC, or putting together our on open content supplement, doesn't matter to me, but lets get the name back out there!!!!...Next post, "Assault Scout"
Mess with the fish....you get the bone!!!

Anonymous's picture
Corjay (not verified)
November 12, 2007 - 11:17pm
I look forward to it. :)

Doc Fishbone's picture
Doc Fishbone
November 15, 2007 - 5:30pm
ok so I fibbed "assault scout" d20 style isn't finished. fractalmama and I have been working on character development and tentatively we are blending the following d20 sources:
d20 modern, and future
the 3.5D&D expanded psionics handbook
the revised star wars core rules for d20

The first major problem we are dealing with is damage. I think we are going to try taking the vitality piont concept from star wars, and the massive damage threshold from d20 modern. Play should work like this
Massive damage
a character with a 12 constitution score (which is called STA for game purposes) has a massive damage threshold of 12 meaning that taking 12 points from any one attack can mean a fortitude saving throw....failure of the save results in dropping to -1 HP. feats can be taken to increase this number or a character can spend points on it as per the d20 rules....ie 1 point to an abillity score every 4 levels.

Vitality points
a character gets a number of these every level based on character class, and con/sta modifier. these points represent the character's ability to roll with damage. it doesn't mean when you are hit with a blaster shot and take VP damage that you soaked up the damage it means you narrowly avoided it, and as this goes on you start to lose vitality. I also want to use this to represent non lethal damage.

Hit Points will function normally as per d20 modern.

we have tentatively adopted some prestige classes here is a list we have so far,
dog fighter d20 future
engineer "
explorer
noble(rich guy or girl) star wars d20
helix warrior d20 modern
space monkey d20 future
infiltrator d20 modern
field scientist d20 modern
scoundrel d20 star wars
techie d20 modern
investigator d20 modern
tracer d20 future
field medic d20 modern
soldier d20 modern
martial artist d20 modern
gunslinger d20 modern

all of these will need tweaks, to give them the SF flavor. We are going to stick to the d20 base classes for now....fast hero, strong hero...etc for ease of play. One of the major arguements I have heard about d20 was characters getting too powerful too fast vs traditional SF....I thnk the use of vitality points and the massive damage rules may even the playing field. I also don't like the D&D reliance on armor for protection.....Han Solo only had a vest....and Chewie needed some pants so Sci Fi is usually light on the body armor....it exists, but not as a fashion statement, and lets face it I want a character with designer space threads, that being said I am going to use d20 modern's and Star Wars d20's defense point rules...it gives a character a heroic chance to aviod damage without all the chaffing chain mails involves.

we will see how this goes on sunday. the next issue is converting the zeb's guide races.....give me time!!
Doc and Fractalmama

Mess with the fish....you get the bone!!!

Anonymous's picture
Corjay (not verified)
November 15, 2007 - 5:52pm
Sounds great. Don't forget that Screens and suites are used in Star Frontiers, so are effectively similar to armor. You have Albedo suits and screens, skein suits, inertia screen and many other types of defenses.

Are those SW prestige classes taken from the SE version?

Doc Fishbone's picture
Doc Fishbone
November 15, 2007 - 7:06pm
I am using the Star Wars core rules book revised published by WoTC in 2002....I am not sure what SE is...I haven't played SW since it was d6 and published by WEG. I am using the book for reference so if I get something screwed up please let me know.

On screens and suits/armor, d20 modern/future accounts for those, and I will too, I am just very pleased with the idea that I can have characters that don't have to use them...so far so good but again if something doesn't make sense let me know...and btw thanks for the suggestions....keep them coming!
Doc & Frac
Mess with the fish....you get the bone!!!

Doc Fishbone's picture
Doc Fishbone
November 16, 2007 - 10:02am
After lengthy discussion, we have decided to only use Humans for the first iteration of this play test. Frac & I are a little concerned with getting this off the ground and translating races maybe tough, too tough to get across to some of the folks while switching to  (for now) a piecemeal game system. We will in game play intro many races in the first couple sessions. I will allow characters to switch later to get my beloved Humma in the game. I want to keep it simple and ease into more complex issues, like Yazarian clan structure, as we get basic rule questions ironed out.

D&F
Mess with the fish....you get the bone!!!

CleanCutRogue's picture
CleanCutRogue
November 23, 2007 - 10:29pm
Doc Fishbone wrote:
After lengthy discussion, we have decided to only use Humans for the first iteration of this play test. Frac & I are a little concerned with getting this off the ground and translating races maybe tough, too tough to get across to some of the folks while switching to (for now) a piecemeal game system. We will in game play intro many races in the first couple sessions. I will allow characters to switch later to get my beloved Humma in the game. I want to keep it simple and ease into more complex issues, like Yazarian clan structure, as we get basic rule questions ironed out.

D&F
That's wise - but make sure to have these races as NPCs in your games!!  They're an important part of SF.
3. We wear sungoggles during the day. Not because the sun affects our vision, but when you're cool like us the sun shines all the time.

-top 11 reasons to be a Yazirian, ShadowShack