I vaguely remember seeing a fantasy RPG that someone created using Traveller as a basis...does anyone have any idea what I'm talking about or did I just imagine it?
I remember one thread at some forum where a guy asked "who wants to see me make a Travellerbased fantasygame" or something similar. I believe the only thing "Traveller" about it was the covers and font, and the thread died soon if my memory serves me right.
There are rules for an ancient greece/roman type trading-setting, somebody will post a link I´m sure.
But I´m surprised nobody have made Dnd Traveller yet (at least I dont know about it).
Zozer Games has some good stuff, for pure fantasy check out these downloads (https://www.paulelliottbooks.com/low-tech-supplements.html) but also chdck out Mercator by the same author (Paul Elliott).
Of Realms Unbound is a six page 2018 release by Michael Brown. It is currently $1.50 on DriveTruRPG. He also has 2d6 Magic and 2d6 Martial Arts available.
There are actually a couple of fantasy Traveller rulesets floating around, and no you didn't imagine them.
The set I have the most experience with is
Adventurer and it is a good representation of what you're looking for.
Here is a link to
Adventurer (https://app.box.com/s/bha8gym72c), which contains the following:
- Characters & Conflicts
- Sorcery & Super-science
- Races. Realms, & Riches
The following is a fantasy Traveller Ruleset called
Wanderer and it is
definitely worth a look:
- Wanderer Book 1: Characters and Conflict (http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/attachment.php?attachmentid=269&d=1222629804)
- Wanderer Book 2: Wizardry and Demi-Humans (http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/attachment.php?attachmentid=267&d=1222223315)
- Wanderer Character Sheet (http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/attachment.php?attachmentid=270&d=1222629860)
- Wanderer Blank Map (http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/attachment.php?attachmentid=271&d=1222629911)
Our fellow member
Rob Conley, who normally does
Majestic Wilderness (https://batintheattic.blogspot.com/) stuff, made the following useful extras to either Fantasy 2d6 system:
- Sandbox Fantasy: Random Human Village Determination (https://batintheattic.blogspot.com/2009/06/sandbox-fantasy-random-human-village.html)
- Sandbox Fantasy: Random Elven Settlement Determination (https://batintheattic.blogspot.com/2010/04/sandbox-fantasy-random-elven-settlement.html)
Oh, and poke around his blog a bit. He occasionally touches on Traveller topics, which could be modified for Fantasy Games.
Another treatment on Wanderer can be found in this
CotI Thread (http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=20435&highlight=Fantasy).
Because these fantasy systems are 2d6 Traveller based games, I can't recommend enough supplementing
Rule68A (http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?p=242946#post242946) for task resolution. The Thread has discussion pertaining to the rule and how to nest use it. A Great Read.
Along the same lines, you can't go wrong giving Paul Elliott's
1970s 2D6 RETRO RULES (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/220791/1970s-2D6-RETRO-RULES?manufacturers_id=3743) a look-see too. While it pertains to Traveller and/or Cepheus Engine, both are 2d6 systems - and it's a FREE download.
Finally, speaking of Mr.Elliott, I need to Include Paul's
ZOZER Games' (https://www.paulelliottbooks.com/zozergames.html) other GREAT contributions to 2d6 Traveller based Fantasy-like Games.
- Fast Magic (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/241086/Fast-Magic?src=hottest_filtered) is the supplement I use for Magic systems because it is widely open to player's imaginations and very simple to implement into either Adventurer or Wanderer or tacked onto any of the following contributions made by Paul.
- Mercator (https://www.paulelliottbooks.com/uploads/3/4/3/3/3433372/mercator2.pdf) deals with the Roman Empire, Sailing, Economies, and Trade. Very Cool.
- Zenobia (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/259626/Zenobia?src=hottest_filtered) offers a simplified ... everything to 2d6 Fantasy Roleplaying in The Desert Kingdoms. Extremely well done and has a few outstanding supplements (https://www.paulelliottbooks.com/zenobia-rpg.html) worth checking out.
- 43 - Roleplaying in Roman Britain (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/100538/43AD--Roleplaying-in-Roman-Britain?src=hottest_filtered) and, to me, it's essential supplement: Warband (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/102639/Warband?src=hottest_filtered) Make for a great Dark Ages game that's fairly close to what the Pundit might call it: "Dark Ages Authentic" as it is pretty grim and is pretty hardcore.
Now the great thing about all that I have listed above is they are all largely comparable and/or compatible with one another; allowing you to cherry-pick the rules you like and modify the game to suit your idea of a 2d6 Traveller Based Fantasy Roleplaying Game - which is just a little bit of work, but
extremely satisfying.
Hope that all this helps!!!
Stellagama Publishing will be putting out "Sword of Cepheus", a 2D6 Sword and Sorcery rpg built on the Cepheus Engine. I actually think it's supposed to be on a "Christmas of 2019" schedule, so keep your eyes open.
Runequest MgT is alright, if you like D100.
Chaosiums Thieves World-supplement have stats for Traveller, including a Magic skill, but no explanation as how to use it (the magic skill).
I have some loose notes on using TSR´s Conan magic system, but the pc´s aren´t even close to that world, and we play like 2 or 3 times a year, so I´m not likely to need to elaborate them anytime soon.
I do have a Musketeer career (I suggested Lasereer or Blastereer, but everoyone thought it sounded stupid in swedish translation), but it´s not anything special ruleswise.
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/78450/Flynns-Guide-to-Magic-in-Traveller
Quote from: JMiskimen;1114617The following is a fantasy Traveller Ruleset called Wanderer and it is definitely worth a look:
- Wanderer Book 1: Characters and Conflict (http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/attachment.php?attachmentid=269&d=1222629804)
- Wanderer Book 2: Wizardry and Demi-Humans (http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/attachment.php?attachmentid=267&d=1222223315)
- Wanderer Character Sheet (http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/attachment.php?attachmentid=270&d=1222629860)
- Wanderer Blank Map (http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/attachment.php?attachmentid=271&d=1222629911)
Is Wanderer hosted anywhere else? When I try to log in to CotI it tells me I've been perma-banned for 'no reason was specified'... despite my having never posted there, just lurking.
I wrote a Traveller Fantasy RPG many years ago and ran it for a while, about 60 sessions of playtests. Fun, but frustrating in many ways. In retrospect, I was stupid for not publishing it, but the frustrating aspects kept me from being satisfied with it.
Here's my experience. It satisfied neither the Traveller or D&D fans, but the RuneQuest fans enjoyed it. The Traveller fans felt constrained by the lack of tech and the D&D fans were shocked by the lethality. But back then I believed that 50% of the playtesters liking the game "as is" wasn't good enough to publish. That was dumb.
Also, I based magic on Traveller's psionics which was a mixed bag. Most PCs choose to have a bit of magic (like RQ), but the magic is much less combat oriented and freeform-ish which was a contention point for some players, especially because some magic became exponentially powerful whereas skills did not. AKA, Enchantment-4 vs. Sword-4 vs. Courtly Arts-4 was never a good balance which peeved players craving balance.
But it was a lesson learned. Every system produces a certain play result which appeals to players seeking a certain playstyle. You will never please everyone.
Quote from: Spinachcat;1114844I wrote a Traveller Fantasy RPG many years ago and ran it for a while, about 60 sessions of playtests. Fun, but frustrating in many ways. In retrospect, I was stupid for not publishing it, but the frustrating aspects kept me from being satisfied with it.
Here's my experience. It satisfied neither the Traveller or D&D fans, but the RuneQuest fans enjoyed it. The Traveller fans felt constrained by the lack of tech and the D&D fans were shocked by the lethality. But back then I believed that 50% of the playtesters liking the game "as is" wasn't good enough to publish. That was dumb.
Also, I based magic on Traveller's psionics which was a mixed bag. Most PCs choose to have a bit of magic (like RQ), but the magic is much less combat oriented and freeform-ish which was a contention point for some players, especially because some magic became exponentially powerful whereas skills did not. AKA, Enchantment-4 vs. Sword-4 vs. Courtly Arts-4 was never a good balance which peeved players craving balance.
But it was a lesson learned. Every system produces a certain play result which appeals to players seeking a certain playstyle. You will never please everyone.
If you want pulpier, less deadly games, I firmly believe that any Fantasy Traveller should employ the Classic Traveller rules for untrained NPCs (-5 to-hit penalty) and endurance in melee. These tilt the odds strongly in the player's favor. I always find it odd that CT referees seem to forget these two rules exist.
Skill-0 is a big issue in Traveller that most new players don't understand and often new GMs forget that NPCs don't have that bonus. I tried to include Endurance in Melee, but it became too fiddly in actual play and mostly didn't matter. By the time a PC or NPC would suffer Melee END issues, they would have gotten hit and taking 2D or 3D damage was a much bigger issue.
Midway through my playtests, I made 7+ the base success for PCs and 8+ for NPCs & monsters and 9+ for mooks. That shifted the math significantly for PCs, but I was still dealing with the potency of magic vs. skills.
Quote from: Spinachcat;1114915Skill-0 is a big issue in Traveller that most new players don't understand and often new GMs forget that NPCs don't have that bonus.
In GAMERS, I dealt with this by making the first level of a skill +3 rather than +1. The default is 0, first level is +3; this is mathematically identical to -2/+1, but avoids the "oh I forgot" issue. The "specialty" skills - the hydra skills of science, crafting, etc - have no defaults, if you don't have them you can't do them.
A lot to go over now...thanks for all the replies.
Quote from: Brad;1114952A lot to go over now...thanks for all the replies.
WAIT: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/105341/Worlds-Apart--Free-Version?cPath=9084
Quote from: Spinachcat;1114844I wrote a Traveller Fantasy RPG many years ago and ran it for a while, about 60 sessions of playtests. Fun, but frustrating in many ways. In retrospect, I was stupid for not publishing it, but the frustrating aspects kept me from being satisfied with it.
How did you do magic?
Quote from: Aglondir;1115272How did you do magic?
Based it off Psionics from Classic Traveller. You would gain skill levels in general areas such as Elemental or Enchantment magic and it was mostly freeform, but your skill level was a power bracket. AKA, your damage dice was limited to your skill level. If you had Elemental-2, you could do amazing fire tricks on a 6+ with a max damage of 2D6. Like Psionics, magic used points that got drained from casting. I added reagents and rituals to make casting easier and cost less if you didn't just fast-cast the spell.
The links to Adventurer and Wanderer are both 404ing on my end. I'm necroing this thread to ask if anyone knows where I might find them? Drive Thru is no help.
Quote from: King Tyranno on October 05, 2024, 09:14:36 PMThe links to Adventurer and Wanderer are both 404ing on my end. I'm necroing this thread to ask if anyone knows where I might find them? Drive Thru is no help.
Useful "Fantasy Traveller" links:
Adventurer https://docgrognard.blogspot.com/
Worlds Aparthttps://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/105341/worlds-apart-free-version?cPath=9084
Sword of Cepheushttps://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/493396/the-sword-of-cepheus-2nd-edition
Flynn's Guide to Magic in Travellerhttps://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/78450/flynn-s-guide-to-magic-in-traveller
Ad far as I know,
Wanderer does not exist. Meaning, there is no product associated with the picture in the link below. There are threads on COTI about "Wanderer" type projects and campaigns, but they are not the object in the picture.
Check out this thread in the COTI forums:
https://www.travellerrpg.com/threads/traveller-fantasy-rpg.11081/page-10
Quote from: post 186Can anyone tell me who's actually responsible for this? (picture of Wanderer)
Quote from: post 188The guy who made it is one Dirk Remmecke, an online buddy of mine. There's a story behind this. He once owned a game store, and one fine day wanted to find out about the shelf-browsing habits of his customers. His theory: people don't look left and right. They only check out what they know already. So he did the Wanderer mock-up and for a couple of weeks left it right next to CT (IIRC). No one ever asked him about it.
Sword of Cepheus 2nd edition is now a thing after a successful kickstarter campaign.
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/493396/the-sword-of-cepheus-2nd-edition (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/493396/the-sword-of-cepheus-2nd-edition)
I think you might be looking for Sword of Cepheus.
Sword of Cepheus 2e is actually pretty good. I have run a game of 1e and it was a good sword and sorcery rule set. I probably liked Barbarians of Lemuria more but it was fun to run.