D&D Part Deux - Smarty McBarrelpants' D&D extravaganza

[Solid Snake]

Originally Posted by Sifright

Mixed party alignments don't usually work unless the evil guy isn't actively opposing the party otherwise the single evil dude tends to get ripped a new one. :<

This is precisely why I am not going to be a member of your party, and instead I will be that guy who wants to kill you.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

All evil characters get free hat of alignment

[Mr.Bookworm]

Smarty, quick question. Can I take Intuitive Attack from the BoED despite not being good? The feats has pretty much no reason to be Exalted.

[Ravashak]

I'm SO getting that hat of alignment =)

[Mr.Bookworm]

My tentative character sheet. Still working on it, and I need you to approve the Intuitive Attack thing.

Also, if this is going to be an EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVIL party I'll probably switch to LE and get that nifty hat of alignment, whatever the fuck that may be.

[Solid Snake]

Has anyone ever created, like, a Mass Effect D&D mod?

For some reason the only thing I think that could possibly make D&D even more awesome is playing it contextually in the best sci-fi universe out there.

EDIT:

Soldier = Fighter
Vanguard = Paladin
Adept = Sorcerer
Sentinel = Cleric
Engineer = Rogue
Infiltrator = Ranger

And Krogan, Quarian, Geth, Turian, Asari, Hanar >>>> the old cliche Dwarf / Elf / Halfling / Kobold shit.

EDIT 2:

I am now going to master D&D stuff just to create a Mass Effect variation of the system.
It will be awesome.
You can thank me after I've failed finals because I've spent too much time converting and balancing D&D into this monstrosity.

[Azisien]

I wrote up most of a Mass Effect conversion within d20 Modern, which is almost D&D. Modified 3E, anyway. I kind of lost steam when the lists of planets and other tedious crap rolled around.

Edit: Hey I found it! It was in a backup of a backup on my backup drive. :P

[tacticslion]

First, just to drop this in there, while I've no problem with a fairly-evil party, it's not my personal preference (despite my character's background). Primarily because I can't be any kind of reasonably evil character with any kind of reliability. Seriously, I just start getting a conscience and then it's like, "well, I am the incarnation of all evils, but that old woman really needs help, so here's some gold, and healing of all her diseases". As a neutral character, I can give into those impulses while still hangin' with evils, though, if that's fine with most people. ALSO are we thinking vaguely heroic-evil, or thoroughly reprehensible? The former allows us to focus our evil impulses against evil (see, it's "ok", if it's done to "bad guys"), but the latter... well... you know, I might as well go ahead and give into the chaotic evil that my nature entails. Sorry, I just suck at being evil! It's worth noting that the hat is tempting, however. Tempting me to EeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEeeeeEVIL...! Bast the lure of magical items! Blast it all to heck!

Second, Sundays are absolutely out for me - sorry, guys, I just can't do it(whiney self-indulgence why) (I teach Sunday School, attend a morning service, attend an evening service, and that only leaves a few hours in the afternoon with my wife, plus I wake up EARLY on Mondays). If you want, it's fine for you guys to choose that - I understand if that's best for everyone else, I'll just have to bow out. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are best for me, late afternoon/early evening. Feeling stupid (as I used to live in Lithuania* {it was over a decade ago, but still}), Britannia/Europe is six hours ahead of Eastern Seaboard USA (my time zone), right? In which case Wednesdays late afternoon (afternoon here, night in Europe) would be pretty good for me. I have a two hour drive home, but I could probably get here by about four-thirty (at earliest, more likely five or six, in honesty) which would put the Europe-guys around ten thirty or midnight. That work for some of y'all? No, of course not, I read TDK's post I just didn't use the gray thinky-thingie filling my head-space. Duh.

Originally Posted by TDK

Times which are good for me (Eastern Standard Time):
Saturdays and Sundays are good any time, so long as it is scheduled ahead of time. Monday and Wednesday night (6-8) I have a class, and other than that I have class during the day (until 3 or 4-ish). Tuesday, Thursday, Friday nights (and mon/wed after 8) I'm good to go up until like, midnight when I usually go to bed.

In my experience, sundays usually work best for online games. For obvious reasons. :P

So it looks like the best time, so far, between TDK and I is Tuesday around five to six (Eastern Time) is best? Does this work for other people?

Third, to run responses:

Originally Posted by Smarty McBarrelpants

The "psionic" SRD. By which I mean psionics are weirrrrrrrrd

Hey! They're not "weird", just different. Also, that SRD actually works for everything, but it's not as easily navigable for understanding psionics as the Expanded Psionics Handbook* (a misleading name, really, as it's actually the 3.5 Psionics Handbook).

Also, after having a convo with Smarty, Sif, could you PM me with your email? I want to send you a class you might like that I'm building with tentative permission from Smarty (pending his approval). If you have more of an idea for SCIENCE than that, let me know and I can work with you. You might be interested in searching out old Raumathar or Imaskari ruins in that case.

ALSO: Mr. Bookworm, as a warforged* (just to let you know, though, your sheet says "human", but your post said "warforged", so I was unsure), your character might want to come from Rasheman (and thus speak Rashemi as well as Common), as the ancient empire of Raumathar used to be there and said empire liked them some fire magic and "machines"/constructs* (many of which "still remain buried, undiscovered, but functional, waiting to be activated"). Alternatively, you could be from the plains of purple dust, the site of ancient Imaskar, who hated gods and were filled with "artificers" (confusingly, not the class) which built all sorts of weird things. As a final idea, you could be from the Vilhoun Reach (like me) and the ancient, psionic empire of Jhaamdath* (which would actually be pretty cool, though I don't know what you'd be doing from there, exactly). If you like any of these ideas, we can work together to flesh 'em out. My character history actually could explain how and why you were from Jhaamdath.

As for either of you meeting me, my character was, until recently, owned by a Thayan, and Thay sits smack dab in the middle of Rasheman and Unther (which is adjacent to the Plains of Purple Dust), and I was originally from the Vilhoun Reach. I didn't specify where my character was owned recently, so I can work with most things you might want to come up with (as an explanation for how we met and all).

That being said: Sif, MM, Overcast, and DarkDrgon - let's go! Let us know more about what you're thinking and your times! You too, Ravashak, if you're joining!

Originally Posted by Solid Snake

MASS EFFECTHas anyone ever created, like, a Mass Effect D&D mod?

For some reason the only thing I think that could possibly make D&D even more awesome is playing it contextually in the best sci-fi universe out there.

EDIT:

Soldier = Fighter
Vanguard = Paladin
Adept = Sorcerer
Sentinel = Cleric
Engineer = Rogue
Infiltrator = Ranger

And Krogan, Quarian, Geth, Turian, Asari, Hanar >>>> the old cliche Dwarf / Elf / Halfling / Kobold shit.

EDIT 2:

I am now going to master D&D stuff just to create a Mass Effect variation of the system.
It will be awesome.
You can thank me after I've failed finals because I've spent too much time converting and balancing D&D into this monstrosity.

Though I hate to recommend it for anything, I'd actually say 4E is better to render that particular game into life. It has cool-down times and everything. Also, if you're sure you want 3.5 Psionics work much better for most of what you'll be looking for than magic (things like the Adept act much more like psions than sorcerers, to my memory). Alternatively, just use the 3.X Star Wars stuff. I think that was a pretty good fit?* (if you were really, truly looking forward to this, I'm sorry if I burst your bubble - unless you're still totally behind this, in which case, good luck! ... and don't fail your exams! )

NEAR-ISNTA-EDIT: or we could both be ninja'd by Azisien (you in your conversion, me in my info). And yeah, Modern would be a pretty good fit too, I think (I don't know my Modern stuff too well).

<note: still tinkering with my character sheets to clarify>
Also, just to keep up with everything...
-we are an exclusively arcane/psionic/SCIENCE party of 7-to-10 so far-
RUNNING TALLY OF PEOPLE INTERESTED SO FAR:
*Sifright (obviously): engineer who brings SCIENCE to the world* (aka Dr. Insano) (probably rogue, possibly altered artificer, or factotum)
*TDK: Spellthief (a sneaky magical buddy!)
*Magic Marker: sorcerer (and a con-man!)
*DarkDrgon: bard ('cause they're awesome!)
*Overcast: wilder, metamind prestige (who uses T-K to the FACE)
*Me: Red Light, a Neutral Elan(-ish) psion (telepath), thrallherd prestige (who wields spellfire to provide healing for group while still using our current resources {my character sheet! Here's an alt character sheet with template!}) {unfortunate implicationsnote: the... implications of my character's name and persona have been pointed out to me by my wife. Oops. It was unintentional. But I'm not changing it now!}
*Mr. Bookworm: joined team psionic with Ritter, a Lawful Neutral human monk/psychic warrior [w/ "Tashalatora" feat]* (his ALT OTP was a kalashtar Monk/Soul Knife/Atavist)
*Ravashak: is "getting that hat of alignment"... sigh.
*BitVyper: should make something! ...unless he can't. In which case, sucks to be him(sorry BitVyper, we wish you were here)!
*Solid Snake:spoilers! (not really... maybe)might actually maybe be the main villain, perhaps, possibly! SPOILERS, NO, FO' REALZ!1!1!one!IS THE BIG BAD ALL ALONG!

[Solid Snake]

Originally Posted by Azisien

I wrote up most of a Mass Effect conversion within d20 Modern, which is almost D&D. Modified 3E, anyway. I kind of lost steam when the lists of planets and other tedious crap rolled around.

I cannot tell you how much more awesome a Mass Effect D&D game would sound compared to the usual Tolkienian fantasy staples, I mean I love Tolkien as much as anyone else, but Mass Effect would be bloody damn amazing and is such a more fully realized universe to toy around with.

Plus at least the racial elements are easy to quantify. Humans are just like humans in D&D: the most "balanced," the most "variable" and "individualistic," so they start with average stats all around that players can modify to fit their class, and they get a bonus to feats. Quarians are like Elves; weaker, more fragile, less HP, but incredible knowledge and a bonus to all things technical. Krogans are something akin to dwarves or half-orcs; massive HP, attack and defense bonuses, absolute tanks, but not very bright, penalties to Intellect and Wisdom and Charisma. They tend to be chaotic. Turians by contrast trend lawful, are not charismatic, have good intellect but lower wisdom, and tactical fighter types. Asari have great wisdom and charisma boosts, but lack HP, learn feats slowly, lower defense, and are suited for Adept builds. Salarians are somewhat akin to Quarians, learn feats and skills quickly, but generally do not hold their own in direct combat. IT CAN BE DONE.

EDIT: In other news there are way too many people in this game, you may want to think about breaking this off into two separate games or, better yet, having two separate factions dukin' it out in separate parties, because I can't imagine running a session with that many people all trying to contribute at once.

[Azisien]

Originally Posted by Solid Snake

I cannot tell you how much more awesome a Mass Effect D&D game would sound compared to the usual Tolkienian fantasy staples, I mean I love Tolkien as much as anyone else, but Mass Effect would be bloody damn amazing and is such a more fully realized universe to toy around with.

Plus at least the racial elements are easy to quantify. Humans are just like humans in D&D: the most "balanced," the most "variable" and "individualistic," so they start with average stats all around that players can modify to fit their class, and they get a bonus to feats. Quarians are like Elves; weaker, more fragile, less HP, but incredible knowledge and a bonus to all things technical. Krogans are something akin to dwarves or half-orcs; massive HP, attack and defense bonuses, absolute tanks, but not very bright, penalties to Intellect and Wisdom and Charisma. They tend to be chaotic. Turians by contrast trend lawful, are not charismatic, have good intellect but lower wisdom, and tactical fighter types. Asari have great wisdom and charisma boosts, but lack HP, learn feats slowly, lower defense, and are suited for Adept builds. Salarians are somewhat akin to Quarians, learn feats and skills quickly, but generally do not hold their own in direct combat. IT CAN BE DONE.

Go study.

I didn't actually get around to statting races, even. But there's 37 pages of Mass Effect pen and paper goodness that I should probably complete some day. You can have a look at it too if you want, though if you only have experience in 4E, I don't know how it'll look to you.