Converting Magic the Gathering cards into 3.5 D&D [Archive] - Wizards Community

Converting Magic the Gathering cards into 3.5 D&D [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Yade
10-17-04, 12:20 PM Has anyone else experimented with this. I play MTG casually but have a pretty extensive collection and like some of the nuances of the game. I have converted spells, enchantments and monsters into 3.5 and wanted to know if anyone else has done this.

I wonder why WOTC has not thought of doing this. There are lots of possibilities here and more importantly they could arrange it into small packages based upon the sets and storyline.
Dartanel
10-17-04, 12:57 PM Because, somewhere in the development cycle of 3.0, they made a promise to never combine MtG and DnD.
Escef
10-17-04, 01:05 PM WotC has thought of this. Lots of people have. I recall a customer survey a few years back (2000? 2001?) asking if the respondent would be interested in a MtG D&D setting. My answer then is the same is my answer now, I don't think D&D could capture enough of Magic's feel to do it any justice. It would require D&D's magic system to be reworked from the ground up.

While I'm sure it can be done, I doubt WotC would sink the resources into something that would have so little interest in the gaming community. There were a lot of people that thought Magic was going to put D&D under back in the TSR days. There are some who still hold similar prejudices. I don't think it would get D&D players to play Magic if they didn't already, nor do I think it would get Magic players to try D&D if they didn't play already. It would target a small amount of WotC's customer base that played both and was actually willing to spend the money. I'm sure they'd make a profit on it, but they could make more doing other projects, so I don't see it coming.

Not to mention the fact that the planes of Phyrexia, Mirrodin, and Kamigawa would each merit a setting book of their own, never mind Dominaria. Too much work for too little reward, at least from the company's standpoint. (Wouldn't surprise me if the boys in R&D had some preliminary stuff worked up anyway.)
Seeker95
10-17-04, 03:03 PM Get thee back into the depths of Gehenna and the fires of Tarterus, thou blasphemous beast!
:fight!:

The only Magic I want in my D&D is that which Magic stole from D&D. :D
Yade
10-17-04, 03:33 PM I don't want to create a campaign setting like Forgotten Realms out of it. I am simply talking about a supplement where the spells creatures and echantments / artifacts are adapted. because D&D is the primary system some things would have to change with the MTG cards in order for it to work.

For Example:

Blaze: In D&D we could convert this to mean that X= for each spell slot sacrificed the Blaze does 1dg extra damage to a single target to a max of 10d6. It would be almost identidal to a fireball except it would not have an area effect. So blaze is a more controllable spell in that you dont have to have a feat to control the amount of damage done, but on the down side you have to sac additional spell slots to do damage at all. (5th level spell slot would = 5dg extra damage)

Armadillo Cloak: This funny outfit bestows a +2 to attack and damage on the wearer and they gain life equal to the amount of physical damage done. This effect is void if the wearer is already at full health.

Disenchant: You destroy a basic enchantment. The enchantment affected would be 1/5 your level and would get normal SR and a save. So a level 5 cleric could cast this spell and zap a +1 magic item into uselessness. A level 20 cleric could disenchant a +5 item. The DMG provides sufficient information to indicate what each type of enchantment is worth in bonuses.

Counterspell: You are able to counter a spell by disrupting the magic without having to make a spellcreaft check or have the countered spell previously memorized. There is already a counterspell ability but it is so convoluted it is hardly ever used, this spell would duplicate the ability magically.

Corrupt: For every spell level you sacrifice you draw 1d4 life out of your target and gain it yourself. If at full health the latter part is negated.

There is room for adjustment in all of these but it should be clear that it can be done without RUINING either game. With careful discussion it could be done. I did not list any of the creatures because those should be the easiest and most obvious conversions. First strike might be greater improved initiative, Trample might be a trip or sunder or charge attack.

The possibilities are great and I think people would be interested.
Ghostwind
10-17-04, 03:48 PM There was an article in an older issue of the electronic magazine d20zine! that presented a generic way to import M:tG to D&D. It's called Collectible Card Game d20 and can be found in the March 2003 (http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=784&) issue.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Yade 10-17-04, 12:20 PM	Has anyone else experimented with this. I play MTG casually but have a pretty extensive collection and like some of the nuances of the game. I have converted spells, enchantments and monsters into 3.5 and wanted to know if anyone else has done this. I wonder why WOTC has not thought of doing this. There are lots of possibilities here and more importantly they could arrange it into small packages based upon the sets and storyline.
Dartanel 10-17-04, 12:57 PM	Because, somewhere in the development cycle of 3.0, they made a promise to never combine MtG and DnD.
Escef 10-17-04, 01:05 PM	WotC has thought of this. Lots of people have. I recall a customer survey a few years back (2000? 2001?) asking if the respondent would be interested in a MtG D&D setting. My answer then is the same is my answer now, I don't think D&D could capture enough of Magic's feel to do it any justice. It would require D&D's magic system to be reworked from the ground up. While I'm sure it can be done, I doubt WotC would sink the resources into something that would have so little interest in the gaming community. There were a lot of people that thought Magic was going to put D&D under back in the TSR days. There are some who still hold similar prejudices. I don't think it would get D&D players to play Magic if they didn't already, nor do I think it would get Magic players to try D&D if they didn't play already. It would target a small amount of WotC's customer base that played both and was actually willing to spend the money. I'm sure they'd make a profit on it, but they could make more doing other projects, so I don't see it coming. Not to mention the fact that the planes of Phyrexia, Mirrodin, and Kamigawa would each merit a setting book of their own, never mind Dominaria. Too much work for too little reward, at least from the company's standpoint. (Wouldn't surprise me if the boys in R&D had some preliminary stuff worked up anyway.)
Seeker95 10-17-04, 03:03 PM	Get thee back into the depths of Gehenna and the fires of Tarterus, thou blasphemous beast! :fight!: The only Magic I want in my D&D is that which Magic stole from D&D. :D
Yade 10-17-04, 03:33 PM	I don't want to create a campaign setting like Forgotten Realms out of it. I am simply talking about a supplement where the spells creatures and echantments / artifacts are adapted. because D&D is the primary system some things would have to change with the MTG cards in order for it to work. For Example: Blaze: In D&D we could convert this to mean that X= for each spell slot sacrificed the Blaze does 1dg extra damage to a single target to a max of 10d6. It would be almost identidal to a fireball except it would not have an area effect. So blaze is a more controllable spell in that you dont have to have a feat to control the amount of damage done, but on the down side you have to sac additional spell slots to do damage at all. (5th level spell slot would = 5dg extra damage) Armadillo Cloak: This funny outfit bestows a +2 to attack and damage on the wearer and they gain life equal to the amount of physical damage done. This effect is void if the wearer is already at full health. Disenchant: You destroy a basic enchantment. The enchantment affected would be 1/5 your level and would get normal SR and a save. So a level 5 cleric could cast this spell and zap a +1 magic item into uselessness. A level 20 cleric could disenchant a +5 item. The DMG provides sufficient information to indicate what each type of enchantment is worth in bonuses. Counterspell: You are able to counter a spell by disrupting the magic without having to make a spellcreaft check or have the countered spell previously memorized. There is already a counterspell ability but it is so convoluted it is hardly ever used, this spell would duplicate the ability magically. Corrupt: For every spell level you sacrifice you draw 1d4 life out of your target and gain it yourself. If at full health the latter part is negated. There is room for adjustment in all of these but it should be clear that it can be done without RUINING either game. With careful discussion it could be done. I did not list any of the creatures because those should be the easiest and most obvious conversions. First strike might be greater improved initiative, Trample might be a trip or sunder or charge attack. The possibilities are great and I think people would be interested.
Ghostwind 10-17-04, 03:48 PM	There was an article in an older issue of the electronic magazine d20zine! that presented a generic way to import M:tG to D&D. It's called Collectible Card Game d20 and can be found in the March 2003 (http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=784&) issue.