Urban Arcana - opinions?

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My group is thinking about a change of pace/setting. So, is this a decent
game? Is it more or less a Shadowrun copy?

--
^v^v^Malachias Invictus^v^v^

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishment the scroll,
I am the Master of my fate:
I am the Captain of my soul.

from _Invictus_, by William Ernest Henley

 

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Malachias Invictus wrote:

> My group is thinking about a change of pace/setting. So, is this a decent
> game? Is it more or less a Shadowrun copy?
>

I found "Urban Arcana" equally a supplement as much as a setting.
There's so much wiggle room that you can throw out the setting and no
one would notice.

CH

 

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"Clawhound" <none@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:yUpVd.2738$Ny6.4878@mencken.net.nih.gov...
> Malachias Invictus wrote:
>
>> My group is thinking about a change of pace/setting. So, is this a
>> decent game? Is it more or less a Shadowrun copy?
>>
>
> I found "Urban Arcana" equally a supplement as much as a setting. There's
> so much wiggle room that you can throw out the setting and no one would
> notice.

I went ahead and picked it up. The spell levels look equal to those of D&D.
However, the character classes do not seem to be nearly as tough as their
D&D equivalents. I *was* hoping to be able to just dump D&D characters into
that setting, and vice versa, with a minimum of monkey business.

--
^v^v^Malachias Invictus^v^v^

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishment the scroll,
I am the Master of my fate:
I am the Captain of my soul.

from _Invictus_, by William Ernest Henley

 

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Malachias Invictus wrote:

> "Clawhound" <none@nowhere.com> wrote in message
> news:yUpVd.2738$Ny6.4878@mencken.net.nih.gov...
>
>>Malachias Invictus wrote:
>>
>>
>>>My group is thinking about a change of pace/setting. So, is this a
>>>decent game? Is it more or less a Shadowrun copy?
>>>
>>
>>I found "Urban Arcana" equally a supplement as much as a setting. There's
>>so much wiggle room that you can throw out the setting and no one would
>>notice.
>
>
> I went ahead and picked it up. The spell levels look equal to those of D&D.
> However, the character classes do not seem to be nearly as tough as their
> D&D equivalents. I *was* hoping to be able to just dump D&D characters into
> that setting, and vice versa, with a minimum of monkey business.
>

The classes are built on a much different philosophy. They really gutted
front-loading. Dipping doesn't get you much. Characters have more access
to technology, but are limited by a wealth model. They have action
points. This is enough different to monkey with any D20->D&D port.

You could port D20 Modern to a fantasy setting, but it's different
enough that you can't mix/match. A D20 Strength Hero is not a Fighter.
You would need ALL D20 Modern characters to make the fantasy port work.
You would wind up with a fun D20 style game, but it wouldn't be D&D.

CH

 

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"Clawhound" <none@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:3XEVd.2744$Ny6.4884@mencken.net.nih.gov...
> Malachias Invictus wrote:
>> "Clawhound" <none@nowhere.com> wrote in message
>> news:yUpVd.2738$Ny6.4878@mencken.net.nih.gov...
>>>Malachias Invictus wrote:

>>>>My group is thinking about a change of pace/setting. So, is this a
>>>>decent game? Is it more or less a Shadowrun copy?

>>>I found "Urban Arcana" equally a supplement as much as a setting. There's
>>>so much wiggle room that you can throw out the setting and no one would
>>>notice.

>> I went ahead and picked it up. The spell levels look equal to those of
>> D&D. However, the character classes do not seem to be nearly as tough as
>> their D&D equivalents. I *was* hoping to be able to just dump D&D
>> characters into that setting, and vice versa, with a minimum of monkey
>> business.

> The classes are built on a much different philosophy.

Indeed.

> They really gutted front-loading.

That could be considered a Good Thing...

> Dipping doesn't get you much.

It seems to get you what you *should* get out of it: diversity, rather than
raw power boosts *and* diversity.

> Characters have more access to technology, but are limited by a wealth
> model.

I have looked at this a bit, and it seems interesting.

> They have action points.

I believe they have those in Eberron, too. I had a variant in my campaign.
I will likely be switching to using them in the future.

> This is enough different to monkey with any D20->D&D port.

Indeed. I also like their allegiance system.

> You could port D20 Modern to a fantasy setting, but it's different enough
> that you can't mix/match. A D20 Strength Hero is not a Fighter.

Their saves are much lower, for one. I *do* think a Strength hero could
give a Fighter a run for his money; after all, he gets a feat every other
level, *and* a talent every other level. There is no one who can compete
with D&D primary spellcasters, though.

> You would need ALL D20 Modern characters to make the fantasy port work.
> You would wind up with a fun D20 style game, but it wouldn't be D&D.

Wheels in my head are turning. I wonder if I can find a reasonable point
where I can say "a D20 Modern character of level X is roughly equivalent in
power to a D&D character of level Y". I will have to get more familiar with
the system.

--
^v^v^Malachias Invictus^v^v^

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishment the scroll,
I am the Master of my fate:
I am the Captain of my soul.

from _Invictus_, by William Ernest Henley

 

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"Malachias Invictus" <capt_malachias@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:iKqdnS9ETN-vq7rfRVn-pA@comcast.com...

>> You could port D20 Modern to a fantasy setting, but it's different enough
>> that you can't mix/match. A D20 Strength Hero is not a Fighter.
>
> Their saves are much lower, for one. I *do* think a Strength hero could
> give a Fighter a run for his money; after all, he gets a feat every other
> level, *and* a talent every other level. There is no one who can compete
> with D&D primary spellcasters, though.
>
>> You would need ALL D20 Modern characters to make the fantasy port work.
>> You would wind up with a fun D20 style game, but it wouldn't be D&D.
>
> Wheels in my head are turning. I wonder if I can find a reasonable point
> where I can say "a D20 Modern character of level X is roughly equivalent
> in power to a D&D character of level Y". I will have to get more familiar
> with the system.

Up to about level 10 they're pretty close power wise. Most d20 Modern
characters will take an advanced class at 4th level where their saves and
hit die will improve (usually) so they aren't too far off from the D&D
classes. For example, a 10th level d20M character with 3 Strong Hero levels
and 7 Soldier or Street Warrior levels (or some combo of both) will be very
similar to a D&D 10th level Fighter as far as Hit Points, BAB, and Saves
goes. The d20Ms will just be a lot more restricted in what feats they can
choose from (it also might work out that they end up getting fewer but I'd
have to check on that). If the d20Ms keep their defense bonuses, action
points, perks from occupation, etc. I'd say they were about even with the
D&D classes.

At higher levels the d20M characters fall behind in power since most D&D
classes gain power exponentially, especially spell casters. I suppose a
quick and dirty fix would be to limit D&D characters to only 10 levels or so
in any given class and toss out most/all the prestige classes...


--

-smithdoerr

 

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Keith Davies wrote:

> Malachias Invictus <capt_malachias@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>>>This is enough different to monkey with any D20->D&D port.
>>
>>Indeed. I also like their allegiance system.
>
>
> Yep. I'm using that in place of alignments IMC.
>
> The Conan campaign book uses it mechanically, somewhat. For instance,
> if you have an allegiance to a god/church you can get certain benefits
> when dealing with others of a similar bent. I'm considering something
> similar for my game.
>
>
> Keith

I've come up with a few alignment systems over the years that are pretty
much allegiance systems. I'll have to see what those other folks did. In
general, I like most anything better than the current alignment system,
which confounds too many different ideas into one system, thus leading
to insanely long alignment arguments.

CH

 

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"smithdoerr" <askmeforname@hotmail.com> typed:

>At higher levels the d20M characters fall behind in power since most D&D
>classes gain power exponentially, especially spell casters. I suppose a
>quick and dirty fix would be to limit D&D characters to only 10 levels or so
>in any given class and toss out most/all the prestige classes...

This seems to be Hong's solution. 10 levels per class and ban
everything.

--
Jim or Sarah Davies, but probably Jim

D&D and Star Fleet Battles stuff on http://www.aaargh.org

 

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"Jim Davies" <jim@aaargh.NoBleedinSpam.org> wrote in message
news1vh21pjtfl44tqg6r78e2krbe18fg7o5s@4ax.com...
> "smithdoerr" <askmeforname@hotmail.com> typed:
>
>>At higher levels the d20M characters fall behind in power since most D&D
>>classes gain power exponentially, especially spell casters. I suppose a
>>quick and dirty fix would be to limit D&D characters to only 10 levels or
>>so
>>in any given class and toss out most/all the prestige classes...
>
> This seems to be Hong's solution. 10 levels per class and ban
> everything.

That's because he likes it quick and dirty.


--

-smithdoerr