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D20 Modern Toontown?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
MechaPilot
Apr 10, 2009 0:18:56 After leafing through some of my old paperwork, I happened upon a log-forgotten treasure; my unfinished Modern houseruled suppliment... D20 Toontown. Taking the time to reread what I had done, it set me to wondering, has anyone else considered or tried implementing a campaign world where toons and people live together (after the fashion of Who Framed Roger Rabbit)?
#2
skipsandwich
Apr 10, 2009 21:35:05 I can't say the thought ever crossed my mind, but I can't for the life of me see why not, as that's a fantanstic idea!
#3
MechaPilot
Apr 10, 2009 21:39:16
I can't say the thought ever crossed my mind, but I can't for the life of me see why not, as that's a fantanstic idea!

Well thank you. I am surprised myself that I hadn't heard of it before. Not to be all self-deprecating, but I don't think I was being massively original when I had that thought. As a matter of fact, it probably occurred to me just after viewing the aforementioned film.
#4
penchant
Apr 11, 2009 9:49:45 There have been toon RPGs in the past. Though I've never played them.

The normal way that D20 goes about things just won't fit for the abilities of a Warner Bros. Cartoon. My recommendation would be to use a power pool where you have a set number of points or dice that can be used on a variety of things. Then you can amass a repertoire of skills (bought with skill points or feats?) that can be powered by said pool.

Then you have the basic nature of the toon. The physical nature is pretty simple, they all have the 3.5 regeneration mechanic where all damage is nonlethal unless you use their nemesis material, in this case "The Dip" which was really just an effective paint thinner. The thing about the ability scores is that they can't all be average. They have to play to extremes. A smart character is going to be physically weak (most of the time) and a big strong character has to be dumb as an ox.

The hard part is defining the toon psyche. Its all a form of madness.
#5
MechaPilot
Apr 12, 2009 20:20:26
There have been toon RPGs in the past. Though I've never played them.

The normal way that D20 goes about things just won't fit for the abilities of a Warner Bros. Cartoon. My recommendation would be to use a power pool where you have a set number of points or dice that can be used on a variety of things. Then you can amass a repertoire of skills (bought with skill points or feats?) that can be powered by said pool.

Then you have the basic nature of the toon. The physical nature is pretty simple, they all have the 3.5 regeneration mechanic where all damage is nonlethal unless you use their nemesis material, in this case "The Dip" which was really just an effective paint thinner. The thing about the ability scores is that they can't all be average. They have to play to extremes. A smart character is going to be physically weak (most of the time) and a big strong character has to be dumb as an ox.

The hard part is defining the toon psyche. Its all a form of madness.

Actually the toon psyche is the easy part.

:D
#6
penchant
Apr 12, 2009 21:35:36 to be quite serious (its hard in such a thread), the toons are very much tied in with morality and their karmic role. Just like in wrestling, they win or lose based upon the fact that they are either the "face" or the "heel." Bugs bunny nearly always won in the cartoons, but sometimes he lost when he got just a little too cruel and turned "heel." Perhaps you should look at the Xcrawl system and their take on fame and mojo pools. Its a little underdeveloped, but there are good ideas there. Its also a system that is based on playing to an audience, and toons are nothing without an audience.
#7
MechaPilot
Apr 12, 2009 22:24:54 Your advice is certainly appreciated, but I do believe a toon campaign can be done in the confines of either the modern, saga, or 4e rulesets. Certainly a bit of tinkering must be done. However I don't think it would be that difficult. And please recall that this is not a "toons only" campaign I'm speaking of. As in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, both toons and people will coexist together.
#8
penchant
Apr 13, 2009 1:11:12
Your advice is certainly appreciated, but I do believe a toon campaign can be done in the confines of either the modern, saga, or 4e rulesets. Certainly a bit of tinkering must be done. However I don't think it would be that difficult. And please recall that this is not a "toons only" campaign I'm speaking of. As in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, both toons and people will coexist together.

I agree wholeheartedly. I was just suggesting that some new mechanics were necessary. X-Crawl is a D20 campaign setting for D&D 3.0, but it was written for the modern day. It involves competitive Dungeon Crawling for a TV audience, sort of like the old Smash TV video game (dating myself here). I mentioned it because aside from the standard combat mechanics you also had to play up to your role, that of Heel (badguy) or Face (goodguy) and being true to either empowered both your fame and your mojo pool (a power pool that aided the party).

My suggestion is that a toon would be either a heel (Elmer Fudd or Bluto) or a face (Bugs Bunny or Popeye) and their actions toward that standard would empower their toon abilities.

However, certain actions would debilitate them and empty their pool. Things like intentionally killing someone, killing a joke or failing to complete the "Shave and a Haircut" gag would do so.

They can use points from the pool to activate abilities. Personally I would build it like Modern Psionics with the point pool, powers and FX, instead of having the points just regenerate daily you can have them regenerate according to thier tooniness. This both empowers the characters and encourages in-character behavior.

As to the fact that normally built PCs and Toon PC's/NPCs would react together, one primary dynamic has to be in place. The fact that people can't kill toons and that toons choose not to kill people. The movie itself was based upon the idea that this balance was broken, which is what made it interesting.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 MechaPilot Apr 10, 2009 0:18:56	After leafing through some of my old paperwork, I happened upon a log-forgotten treasure; my unfinished Modern houseruled suppliment... D20 Toontown. Taking the time to reread what I had done, it set me to wondering, has anyone else considered or tried implementing a campaign world where toons and people live together (after the fashion of Who Framed Roger Rabbit)?
#2 skipsandwich Apr 10, 2009 21:35:05	I can't say the thought ever crossed my mind, but I can't for the life of me see why not, as that's a fantanstic idea!
#3 MechaPilot Apr 10, 2009 21:39:16	I can't say the thought ever crossed my mind, but I can't for the life of me see why not, as that's a fantanstic idea! Well thank you. I am surprised myself that I hadn't heard of it before. Not to be all self-deprecating, but I don't think I was being massively original when I had that thought. As a matter of fact, it probably occurred to me just after viewing the aforementioned film.
#4 penchant Apr 11, 2009 9:49:45	There have been toon RPGs in the past. Though I've never played them. The normal way that D20 goes about things just won't fit for the abilities of a Warner Bros. Cartoon. My recommendation would be to use a power pool where you have a set number of points or dice that can be used on a variety of things. Then you can amass a repertoire of skills (bought with skill points or feats?) that can be powered by said pool. Then you have the basic nature of the toon. The physical nature is pretty simple, they all have the 3.5 regeneration mechanic where all damage is nonlethal unless you use their nemesis material, in this case "The Dip" which was really just an effective paint thinner. The thing about the ability scores is that they can't all be average. They have to play to extremes. A smart character is going to be physically weak (most of the time) and a big strong character has to be dumb as an ox. The hard part is defining the toon psyche. Its all a form of madness.
#5 MechaPilot Apr 12, 2009 20:20:26	There have been toon RPGs in the past. Though I've never played them. The normal way that D20 goes about things just won't fit for the abilities of a Warner Bros. Cartoon. My recommendation would be to use a power pool where you have a set number of points or dice that can be used on a variety of things. Then you can amass a repertoire of skills (bought with skill points or feats?) that can be powered by said pool. Then you have the basic nature of the toon. The physical nature is pretty simple, they all have the 3.5 regeneration mechanic where all damage is nonlethal unless you use their nemesis material, in this case "The Dip" which was really just an effective paint thinner. The thing about the ability scores is that they can't all be average. They have to play to extremes. A smart character is going to be physically weak (most of the time) and a big strong character has to be dumb as an ox. The hard part is defining the toon psyche. Its all a form of madness. Actually the toon psyche is the easy part. :D
#6 penchant Apr 12, 2009 21:35:36	to be quite serious (its hard in such a thread), the toons are very much tied in with morality and their karmic role. Just like in wrestling, they win or lose based upon the fact that they are either the "face" or the "heel." Bugs bunny nearly always won in the cartoons, but sometimes he lost when he got just a little too cruel and turned "heel." Perhaps you should look at the Xcrawl system and their take on fame and mojo pools. Its a little underdeveloped, but there are good ideas there. Its also a system that is based on playing to an audience, and toons are nothing without an audience.
#7 MechaPilot Apr 12, 2009 22:24:54	Your advice is certainly appreciated, but I do believe a toon campaign can be done in the confines of either the modern, saga, or 4e rulesets. Certainly a bit of tinkering must be done. However I don't think it would be that difficult. And please recall that this is not a "toons only" campaign I'm speaking of. As in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, both toons and people will coexist together.
#8 penchant Apr 13, 2009 1:11:12	Your advice is certainly appreciated, but I do believe a toon campaign can be done in the confines of either the modern, saga, or 4e rulesets. Certainly a bit of tinkering must be done. However I don't think it would be that difficult. And please recall that this is not a "toons only" campaign I'm speaking of. As in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, both toons and people will coexist together. I agree wholeheartedly. I was just suggesting that some new mechanics were necessary. X-Crawl is a D20 campaign setting for D&D 3.0, but it was written for the modern day. It involves competitive Dungeon Crawling for a TV audience, sort of like the old Smash TV video game (dating myself here). I mentioned it because aside from the standard combat mechanics you also had to play up to your role, that of Heel (badguy) or Face (goodguy) and being true to either empowered both your fame and your mojo pool (a power pool that aided the party). My suggestion is that a toon would be either a heel (Elmer Fudd or Bluto) or a face (Bugs Bunny or Popeye) and their actions toward that standard would empower their toon abilities. However, certain actions would debilitate them and empty their pool. Things like intentionally killing someone, killing a joke or failing to complete the "Shave and a Haircut" gag would do so. They can use points from the pool to activate abilities. Personally I would build it like Modern Psionics with the point pool, powers and FX, instead of having the points just regenerate daily you can have them regenerate according to thier tooniness. This both empowers the characters and encourages in-character behavior. As to the fact that normally built PCs and Toon PC's/NPCs would react together, one primary dynamic has to be in place. The fact that people can't kill toons and that toons choose not to kill people. The movie itself was based upon the idea that this balance was broken, which is what made it interesting.