Talent Trees In D&D [Archive] - Wizards Community

Talent Trees In D&D [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
vaerdhdragonkin
07-16-07, 12:18 PM So I've been considering adding Talent Trees from d20 Modern to my D&D house rules. I've read them over, and am sufficiently impressed. The sheer number of talents lend themselves to tremendous customizability for ones character. I've already decided not to limit specific Trees to specific classes. I'm mulling a couple of things over, and would like some feed back from you all.

1. How often should characters gain talents? I'm considering sticking with the d20 Modern set-up, which is a talent every even-numbered level.
2. How to deal with class feature/talent overlap? Should things like DR stack? What about evasion? This one's got me a little befuddled.

I appreciate everybody's input.
SilvercatMoonpaw
07-16-07, 01:20 PM I've already decided not to limit specific Trees to specific classes.
Then there's less point to having as many classes. You just need three or four: warrior, skill-user, blaster mage, healer/buffer mage.

Uniqueness of talents is why there are classes.
(Please don't take this as my telling you have to do what I say. I'm just stating my opinion.)
058
07-16-07, 01:37 PM I'm unfamiliar with talents, so I don't know what they do, but classes have enough individuality (normally) that the abilities granted by having the class makes it worth it, regardless of how many additions you can make to your character.
SilvercatMoonpaw
07-16-07, 02:02 PM Talents are class abilities that can be chosen, like Alternate Class features. They are designed for people who feel that there should be more options for customizing the mechanics of a class presented to them.
vaerdhdragonkin
07-16-07, 02:23 PM I'm just stating my opinion.

Which is exactly what I'm looking for, opinions. Thanks for weighing in! :thumbsup:
Xeviat-DM
07-16-07, 02:29 PM The problem with this is that some character archetypes don't make sense to have bonus feats (barbarian), and need to be loaded with character abilities (talents); this doesn't end up working.

If you're up for simplifying the system, then you can get away with reducing the game to 4 classes and having talent trees. This will let players have great control of their characters, but the problem with it is that they end up having to be much higher level to get the nifty things they usually had in the old system (and some characters end up having unnecessary bonus feats).
SilvercatMoonpaw
07-16-07, 03:44 PM There are two sources you can look at if you want ideas:

First POSTMODERN: Fantastic Classes (http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=21792&). I haven't actually read it, but it says that it makes 10 level base classes for d20 modern out of the D&D core classes.

Second if you need ideas for equivalents to already existing class features there is always the SRD Unearthed Arcana Variant Section (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/variantClasses.htm).
unundindur
07-17-07, 08:04 AM The classes in my signature may provide some inspiration :)
Cheza
07-22-07, 09:30 AM Then there's less point to having as many classes. You just need three or four: warrior, skill-user, blaster mage, healer/buffer mage.

Uniqueness of talents is why there are classes.
(Please don't take this as my telling you have to do what I say. I'm just stating my opinion.)
You don't need any classes, because any class characteristic could be a talent-tree as well. "cross-classing" would be a "mixing talent trees".

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
vaerdhdragonkin 07-16-07, 12:18 PM	So I've been considering adding Talent Trees from d20 Modern to my D&D house rules. I've read them over, and am sufficiently impressed. The sheer number of talents lend themselves to tremendous customizability for ones character. I've already decided not to limit specific Trees to specific classes. I'm mulling a couple of things over, and would like some feed back from you all. 1. How often should characters gain talents? I'm considering sticking with the d20 Modern set-up, which is a talent every even-numbered level. 2. How to deal with class feature/talent overlap? Should things like DR stack? What about evasion? This one's got me a little befuddled. I appreciate everybody's input.
SilvercatMoonpaw 07-16-07, 01:20 PM	I've already decided not to limit specific Trees to specific classes. Then there's less point to having as many classes. You just need three or four: warrior, skill-user, blaster mage, healer/buffer mage. Uniqueness of talents is why there are classes. (Please don't take this as my telling you have to do what I say. I'm just stating my opinion.)
058 07-16-07, 01:37 PM	I'm unfamiliar with talents, so I don't know what they do, but classes have enough individuality (normally) that the abilities granted by having the class makes it worth it, regardless of how many additions you can make to your character.
SilvercatMoonpaw 07-16-07, 02:02 PM	Talents are class abilities that can be chosen, like Alternate Class features. They are designed for people who feel that there should be more options for customizing the mechanics of a class presented to them.
vaerdhdragonkin 07-16-07, 02:23 PM	I'm just stating my opinion. Which is exactly what I'm looking for, opinions. Thanks for weighing in! :thumbsup:
Xeviat-DM 07-16-07, 02:29 PM	The problem with this is that some character archetypes don't make sense to have bonus feats (barbarian), and need to be loaded with character abilities (talents); this doesn't end up working. If you're up for simplifying the system, then you can get away with reducing the game to 4 classes and having talent trees. This will let players have great control of their characters, but the problem with it is that they end up having to be much higher level to get the nifty things they usually had in the old system (and some characters end up having unnecessary bonus feats).
SilvercatMoonpaw 07-16-07, 03:44 PM	There are two sources you can look at if you want ideas: First POSTMODERN: Fantastic Classes (http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=21792&). I haven't actually read it, but it says that it makes 10 level base classes for d20 modern out of the D&D core classes. Second if you need ideas for equivalents to already existing class features there is always the SRD Unearthed Arcana Variant Section (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/variantClasses.htm).
unundindur 07-17-07, 08:04 AM	The classes in my signature may provide some inspiration :)
Cheza 07-22-07, 09:30 AM	Then there's less point to having as many classes. You just need three or four: warrior, skill-user, blaster mage, healer/buffer mage. Uniqueness of talents is why there are classes. (Please don't take this as my telling you have to do what I say. I'm just stating my opinion.) You don't need any classes, because any class characteristic could be a talent-tree as well. "cross-classing" would be a "mixing talent trees".