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OpenD20
This system is designed to be a generic, stream-lined d20 variant. At inception, the major influences on design include the d20 system, RuneQuest, the Hero System and Ars Magica.
Goals include:
- Classless and Characteristic-less Character Creation - Increased importance of skills and derived 'attributes' from skills - A faster-to-run skills-based combat system - Development of a system for creating 'Powers' (think Hero system), so that individual settings may be fully customised.
- And most importantly, the fostering of a truely 'open' d20 system, a system developed via the Internet with settings designed for passion, not profit.
Some degree of compatibility with current d20 is desired, but may very well end up being impossible.
The inspiration for Open D20 is the frustration with so many almost-great-but systems available today. D20 is great because of its elegant simplicity, but the structure is not transparent enough. Runequest was great, if only it wasn't Italic textsoItalic text so realistic. The Hero System is great, if only it was much less complicated (and if only combat was smoother).
'If Only' all those wonderful house rules we all make up actually made a difference to the material published. Well, if there is an online d20 game, then we CAN make use of all those rules. We need to combine the flexibility of something like HERO with the elegant simplicity of d20 - we need Open D20.
Character Creation
1. Skill Groups and Attributes.
Almost every system uses Characteristics to help define/create a character (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma are the standard D20 characteristics). At the current time, OD20 is to be a characteristic-less system.
The main reasons for this are:
a) Characteristics are so broad as to be a hinderance in some character designs (a character might have ledendary balancing skills, but extremely poor hand-eye coordination. You have to go out of your way to design a character who has 'high' and 'low' dexterity)
b) Characteristics are so vague as to be confusing for some players (the 'mental' characteristics often overlap, particularly Cha and Wis. The name 'wisdom' often leads to disputes about intelligence checks).
Instead, OD20 uses a system of attributes derived from ranks in skills.
Skills are divided into the following groups:
Athletic Communication Knowledge Manipulation (physical manipulation) Perception Stealth
Combat Perks Powers (relating to the para-normal; e.g. use magic device)
A character can place a maximum of (4 + character level) ranks in any skill (this is one higher than the current D20 system). Whenever a character has 5 ranks in a skill, they receive a +1 synergy bonus to the attribute associated with that skill.
So, for example, taking five ranks in knowledge:arcana at first level will give a character a knowledge score of 1, +6 to knowledge:arcana roles and +1 to all other knowledge checks.
This is functionally very similar to a character with an Intelligence of 12 and 5 ranks in knowledge:arcana. Why change this from the current D20 system? Well, for one thing, 'knowledge' is much more well defined than intelligence. Academics are still arguing over exactly what 'intelligence' is, so it's not a very useful term to use in a game. Futhermore, many players have wizards running around with an Intelligence score of 18 or higher. But most of them can't accurately roleplay a genius - and most of them aren't trying. They just want their wizard to be able to cast spells as effectively as possible.
The solution to this problem is: instead of skills being dependent on characteristics, make attributes dependent on skills. This way, the game maintains elegant simplicity and becomes more focussed on the individual needs of the character.
| Athletics | Manipulation | Combat |
| Balance | Defense | |
| | Forgery | | | ||
| | Heal (+Know) | | Charge | ||
| | Open Locks | | Dodge (+Athl) | ||
| | Sleight (+Stealth) | | Escape (+Athl) | ||
| | <play instrument> | | Fast Draw | ||
| | Use Rope | | Heavy Weapons | ||
| | | | Grapple | ||
| | Perception | | Manoeuvre (Trip/Throw) | ||
| | Appraise (+Know) | | Mulitdexterity | ||
| | <Detect> | | Sunder | ||
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More to come!
