Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 dreamclown Dec 15, 2009 2:48:23	I'm attempting (or rather i am going to attempt this when I have the time) to organize a d20 system based off of  Magic: the Gathering. This will be a massive project starting with all known planes and their timelines, all know planeswalkers, and a large amount of cards converted into spells that work with a d20 system. I have a few ideas about how to work planeswalkers and the mana system however I am open to suggestions. I would greatly appreciate any assistance, suggestions, or ideas. I will post my complete workings once I'm finished, however do not expect this anytime soon. This is a very daunting task that is low on my list of priorities.
#2 SirGog Dec 24, 2009 4:00:37	Been thinking of something similar. Here's what I had in mind. Note, some of this contradicts standard d20 rules - in that case, things written here take priority. 1) Players are all capable of spellcasting.  Most will summon significant numbers of creatures (using magic) in battles. 2) Magic effects that affect only creatures (example: Terminate) can target only a summoned creature, not a player, not an NPC. So Wrath of God slays all summoned creatures within its area of effect, but leaves its caster unharmed. 3) Summoned creatres are not permanent. They are conjured by magic, disappear after ten minutes, and conjuring (say) a Shivan Dragon then slaying it does not kill a real dragon in Shiv. Slain creatures do remain around as corpses, however, for the full ten minutes. We know that there are plenty of mages looking for those corpses for various spells. 4) Instead of classes, players gain one feat per level. This can be used to customize a character as a 'warrior mage' (someone that invests a lot of feats in abilities that focus on combat), or they could instead push spellcasting (which will correspond to a larger 'hand size'), or resilience (more HP/saves). This will require you to design (and balance) some feats that players can take multiple times. 5) Players start at level 1 with 2 points of mana (distributed as they choose amongst the five colours). Each round on their initiative count, they can cast any number of spells from their 'hand' using this available mana. At levels 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 and 19 they gain a new mana point of a color of their choice. (Note that this mana isn't automatically replentished each turn, see Meditation) 6) Players have an initial 'hand size' of 3 which can be increased through spending feats and have a library of ten (unique) spells. Like in typical Magic, they start each battle by shuffling their library then drawing their maximum hand size (they might get to draw more cards in the fight too, see below). At higher levels, libraries increase in size - I'd start by letting players add two extra cards per level (a large library has its advantages in long battles). 7) As well as casting spells, players can take additional actions in combat: a) Melee/Ranged attack: Standard d20 rules, enhanced by combat feats. Players (perhaps requiring particular combat feats) are able to expend mana to improve their attacks, for instance expending red mana would add damage, white mana makes the attack more accurate, blue makes it more able to penetrate concealment, etc. Whilst basic abilities such as these may not require feats, more potent abilities (such as expending [mana]1wg[/mana] to make your attack as though wielding a Behemoth Sledge might. b) Meditate: This full-round action replentishes all your used mana, and allows you to 'draw a card'. If you haven't got any left, you are too mentally fatigued to cast additional spells but can still meditate for the mana. c) Expend mana for defense - This free action lets you spend white mana to reduce incoming hit damage, blue mana to gain concealment, red mana for a shield which deals fire damage to anything that hits you in melee, etc. Again, some abilities here may require feats. d) Order summoned creatures to attack or defend 8) Spells from the Magic card game should be carefully, and individually, converted to this Magic d20 system. Some cards in Magic are better than others - this should not be reflected here. So for example, you might decide upon the following six burn spells: Shock OR Lightning Bolt: Costs R, deals 1d6 + caster level damage (max 1d6+5) to any target (summoned creature, NPC or other player). Incinerate: Costs 1R, deals 2d6 + caster level damage (max 2d6+5) to any target. Unless prevented, this damage cannot be healed by any means for one hour. Char: Cost 2R. This conjures a chaotic bolt of flame, dealing 3d6 + caster level damage (max 3d6+10) to any target and also deals 2d6 damage to you. Flame Javelin: Cost RRR. This spell deals 3d6 + caster level damage (max 3d6+10) to one target. Pyroclasm: Cost 1R. This spell deals 2d6 + caster level (max 2d6+5) to all summoned creatures within 100 ft. In the card game, Lightning Bolt is (except in extraordinarily convoluted circumstances) just straight-up better than Shock. Here, this is not the case - both do the same thing. Of course, some spells may not convert well (example: Final Fortune) - those ones should be excluded from an RPG. 9) After five minutes of rest, characters may 'shuffle' their spells that have been used or exiled into their 'library'. 10) Summoned creatures getting +X/+X translates as follows: The creature gets +5 to Strength for each +1 power. It gets +15 temporary hp for each +1 toughness (these last as long as the +x/+x effect does). Players cannot get these bonuses. 11) Players should be able to withstand several hits from low-level summoned creatures, even at first level. Conversion of creatures will be quite the task, something I might start doing sometime - if I can be bothered. Of course, given that players cannot summon a 6 mana creature until level 13, I'd have no problem with a (say) Shivan Dragon being able to tear a level 3 player character apart in next to no time.