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Pen & Paper Roleplaying Central => Pen and Paper Roleplaying Games (RPGs) Discussion => Topic started by: GeekyBugle on November 03, 2021, 01:57:40 PM

Title: Alternate chargen for a d20 based Pulp Game
Post by: GeekyBugle on November 03, 2021, 01:57:40 PM
What the tin says, I'm going OSR BUT...

I want to include optional alternate chargen options.

I've got the rolling ones done, from 3d6 choose where to 4d6 drop lowest choose where.

But I think a matrix (point) based one might also be good for people who would rather go that route.

So, without generating Doc Savage, what numbers for the matrix do you people think would be good for creating a Pulp character?

From 3 to 18, I had thought of: 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15. With the option to move 2 points max from one or two stats to one or two other stats.

Sounds good for a pulp character? Too OP? Not OP enough?

What numbers would you choose for the matrix?
Title: Re: Alternate chargen for a d20 based Pulp Game
Post by: rytrasmi on November 04, 2021, 12:56:47 PM
I like the matrix idea. How about different matrices to choose from? You could name them.

The all-around hero: 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15
The overly specialized: 3, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18
The average Joe: 11, 11, 11, 10, 10, 10
Mr. Extreme: 4, 4, 4, 17, 17, 17

I would have the average hit 63 or whatever the average roll is.

I would not allow for point movement. It's too fussy. If I were to choose a matrix, I would just want to be done with it.
Title: Re: Alternate chargen for a d20 based Pulp Game
Post by: GeekyBugle on November 04, 2021, 01:26:35 PM
Quote from: rytrasmi on November 04, 2021, 12:56:47 PM
I like the matrix idea. How about different matrices to choose from? You could name them.

The all-around hero: 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15
The overly specialized: 3, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18
The average Joe: 11, 11, 11, 10, 10, 10
Mr. Extreme: 4, 4, 4, 17, 17, 17

I would have the average hit 63 or whatever the average roll is.

I would not allow for point movement. It's too fussy. If I were to choose a matrix, I would just want to be done with it.

Point movement is a neccesity when you have only the one matrix.

I like your idea of 4 to choose from.

Might use that instead of the single one.
Title: Re: Alternate chargen for a d20 based Pulp Game
Post by: soundchaser on November 04, 2021, 01:29:23 PM
I'd buff the sum to 66, to be more "pulp" in feel, and I'd probably go with something akin to the d20Modern and the CoCd20 engine, with a sort of "attacker/defender" role to guide hit points to start and to scale, AC, and perhaps an attack and defense bonus.
Title: Re: Alternate chargen for a d20 based Pulp Game
Post by: GeekyBugle on November 04, 2021, 01:52:33 PM
Quote from: soundchaser on November 04, 2021, 01:29:23 PM
I'd buff the sum to 66, to be more "pulp" in feel, and I'd probably go with something akin to the d20Modern and the CoCd20 engine, with a sort of "attacker/defender" role to guide hit points to start and to scale, AC, and perhaps an attack and defense bonus.

BAB = Basic Attack Bonus, each class already has this built in.

Defense Bonus = 10+/- DEX +/- whatever armor you've got. Also already backed into the normal OSR classes.

Unless you're talking about something else?

Don't like d20Modern, don't know nor own any CoC.

My idea is to keep the basic game OSR with some personal tweaks and some alternate chargen so you can easily dial up/down the Pulpiness of your game.

The alternate chargen needs to be constrained by one thing only, it must not produce a Doc Savage kind of character. Because that's not where I'm going with it.
Title: Re: Alternate chargen for a d20 based Pulp Game
Post by: finarvyn on November 04, 2021, 05:29:13 PM
If you like Castles & Crusades (which checks the d20-style box) and want pulp with it, you might take a peek at Amazing Adventures. It's built on the C&C rules engine (which comes from the 3E SRD) but customizes to the pulp genre.

The core rules are pretty well designed and are complete as-is, but there are a couple of additional books worth a peek: "Amazing Adventures Companion" and "Manual of Monsters." TLG also has a bunch of modules for the game.

https://www.trolllord.com/tlgstore/#!/Amazing-Adventures/c/11639154

There is a 5E version of AA as well, if one is interested in 5E. :)
Title: Re: Alternate chargen for a d20 based Pulp Game
Post by: GeekyBugle on November 04, 2021, 05:51:58 PM
Quote from: finarvyn on November 04, 2021, 05:29:13 PM
If you like Castles & Crusades (which checks the d20-style box) and want pulp with it, you might take a peek at Amazing Adventures. It's built on the C&C rules engine (which comes from the 3E SRD) but customizes to the pulp genre.

The core rules are pretty well designed and are complete as-is, but there are a couple of additional books worth a peek: "Amazing Adventures Companion" and "Manual of Monsters." TLG also has a bunch of modules for the game.

https://www.trolllord.com/tlgstore/#!/Amazing-Adventures/c/11639154

There is a 5E version of AA as well, if one is interested in 5E. :)

Thanks, maybe I didn't said so, but I'm making a game, as in writing the book, but hey maybe AA has something worth stealing paying homage to.  ;D
Title: Re: Alternate chargen for a d20 based Pulp Game
Post by: Opaopajr on November 04, 2021, 08:03:54 PM
I like a Rolling Point-Buy. It keeps the ratio of Point-Buy competency while still retaining the element of surprise and speed from rolling. As example, take 5e's 27 points Point-Buy: Base Stat is 8, buy range is up to 15, difference is 7. So roll a d8-1 down the line (or up, or whatever) and ensure you spend all your points. Several low rolls forces the last few to be bought up high.  8)

As for an Array? Depends on what feel for Pulp you want. I might shoot for one poor, two mediocre, two solid, one excellent so as to emulate fiction more. I think of Raymond Chandler stories where CHA is lower, DEX & INT middle, STR & WIS high, and CON excellent (to take many beatings and smoke & drink so much).

Depends on which stat chart you use and where the negatives start. TSR had far more leeway for mediocre in stat spread, but you could also accomplish way more without the bonuses than WotC. How dependent on bonuses do you want PC competencies to be? How OK are you with hand-wavium of auto-successes? Answering that helps determine which Stat chart and Array range you find emulates your desired atmosphere better.
Title: Re: Alternate chargen for a d20 based Pulp Game
Post by: Melichor on November 04, 2021, 08:43:10 PM
Give them a pool of 24 d6s. They can pull out however many dice to roll (min of 3 dice) for each stat.
You can allow the total of the roll (max 18) or best 3 dice rolled for each stat.