- Firearms rather than bows/crossbows
- Light or no armour
- Low reliance on magic items
I'll deal with the other issues later, but first here's the armour thing.
In my opinion, the best way to encourage PCs to not use armour is to provide them with an alternative. Fortunately, Star Wars and Wheel of Time have shown the way in this regard, providing the mechanic of class-based AC bonuses. These do not stack with armour, which is suitable for what we want.
The two d20 games listed provide three defense bonus progressions:
Poor: Bonus = 2 + (1/3 * level)
Average: Bonus = 2 + 6/5 + (2/5 * level)
Good: Bonus = 2 + 2 + (1/2 * level)
The initial 2 in each progression is a one-time bonus to all characters at 1st level. If a character later multiclasses, his total defense bonus is actually gained by totalling the values for each class, then subtracting 2 for each class beyond the first. NPC classes don't get this initial +2 boost, and in fact all share the Poor progression.
As with BAB and saving throw progressions, fractions are always rounded down.
The second part of the equation requires the assignment of progressions to the classes. In this matter, we are concerned with providing progressions that 'look right', and also that preserve game balance. I'm assuming here that the existing classes are pretty well balanced, and so I'm not looking to unbalance them here, merely replace the reliance on armour with an alternative.
What this means, in real terms, is that classes that usually use armour extensively should gain the Good progression, while those that don't use armour much should have the Poor progression. This applies even when this leads to odd results, as it does with the Monk.
So, typical armour usage is as follows:
Barbarian: Medium
Bard: Tough choice. Use Medium armour and lose spellcasting, or use no armour to cast spells? Average to Light.
Cleric: Heavy
Druid: Medium (hide armour usually)
Fighter: Heavy
Monk: None
Paladin: Heavy
Psion: None
Psychic Warrior: Heavy
Ranger: Another tough choice. Use Medium with a two-handed weapon, or Light with ambidexterity? Average to Light.
Rogue: Light
Sorcerer: None
Wizard: None
Note that these are broad characterisations. There's nothing stopping a Fighter from using no armour, except that it's a sub-optimal choice.
Anyway, it would seem that the best assignment is to give classes that use no armour the Poor progression, classes that use Light or Medium armour the Average progression (this deals with the tough choices of the Bard and Ranger - either choice will fall in here), and the classes that use Heavy armour the Good progression.
I'd additionally recommend removing all armour feats heavier than Light from the classes. So, Monks, Wizards, Sorcerers and Psions will still start with no armour proficiencies, and all other classes will be proficient only in Light armour. If they want better protection, they must buy the feats. (Allow Medium Armour Proficiency and Heavy Armour Proficiency as Fighter bonus feats.) Additionally, characters who were previously proficient with shields lose proficiency with all shields other than bucklers.
So, the classes break down as follows:
Poor: Monk, Psion, Sorcerer, Wizard
Average: Barbarian, Bard, Druid, Ranger, Rogue
Good: Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Psychic Warrior
However: it seems rather odd that the Monk has to suffer the Poor progression. Therefore, I would strongly consider moving them out of this position, and instead giving them the Good progression. This is countered, however, by removing the Monk's Wisdom bonus to armour class and his existing class-based AC. This will typically slightly improve the Monk's AC (although perhaps not at low levels), and removes one of the ability scores upon which the class is dependent.
(You could make the same case as regards the Rogue, but as this class has nothing to trade for a better progression, it's stuck where it is.)
Next, I'll probably tackle firearms.
Archived comment by Mort:
ReplyDeleteYou might want to have a look at the d20 system used in Mutants & Masterminds for use in you Swashbuckling system. They have a character creation based upon a point buy system, which lets you buy things like attack and defense bonuses (up to a certain limit, optionally) as well as stats and skills. This allows for a more varied set of characters within a set level. No longer will everyone at level one have either +1 or 0 in BAB, and you get a bigger set of skills (using the optional houserule of 1 power point = 3 skill points) I think it would fit a swashbuckling game to have a bit more skills than you get in your average D&D game. M&M uses a damage save system, where you roll a save when you take damage, and if you fail you check the difference between your result and the DC to see how big a wound you take, which could also be a neat thing in swashbuckling, as it is fast and dirty. Alternatively there is optional rules for hitpoints if that floats your boat.
I've got a copy of M&M incase you want to have a look at it.
Archived comment by me:
ReplyDeleteI don't have Mutants and Masterminds, and wasn't planning on picking it up (superheroes aren't really my thing). Additionally, I quite like the simplicity of purely level-based systems, as you know.
That said, I'm not averse to getting more ideas, and it's entirely possible that it'll blow me away. So, I'll certainly take a look, thanks.
Archived comment by me:
ReplyDeleteOf course, there are better systems for doing swashbuckling in the first place. Adventure! does it without a stretch (you'd need to import the weapons from Mage: Sorcerer's Crusade). Or, you could just use Mage: Sorcerer's Crusade. I haven't looked at Seven Seas (I think that's what it's called). There are others.
So, the question that must be raised: why use D&D at all?
It's a good question, and one for which I don't have a good answer. I'll go for this one: 'cos I want to. Also, it's been on my mind since I read the Dragon article on the same topic, and thought I could do better. Hence, swashbuckling in D&D.
Archived comment by Mort:
ReplyDeleteYeah some systems are basically made with swashbuckling in mind. I just reconed you wanted to try using d20, hence my comment about M&M.
Then again, from what I've read so far I think you are on the right path with your ideas. Class based defensive bonuses is probably the most important issue, also
you might want to look at having a larger set of skills, warriors for example should probably be able to tumble in swashbuckling.
And ... uh... you need some kind acrobatics skill or something, you know, to use when you swing from the rigging onto the enemy ship.
Archived comment by me:
ReplyDeleteYour comment about warriors needing the tumbling skill is a very good point. I hadn't thought of that.
I'm not sure you need an acrobatics skill, though. I'm not convinced there's anything you can't do with jump, tumble and balance at present. I'll give that some thought, though.