RE: (TFT) TFT d20: The Heresy Continues...

["Ty Beard" <tbeard@tyler.net>]

> From: tft-owner@brainiac.com [mailto:tft-owner@brainiac.com]On Behalf Of
> David Michael Grouchy II

> >After contaminating TFT with polyhedrals (using a d20 to
> >resolve attribute rolls instead of 3d6; my heretical weapon
> >chart incorporating all the polyhedrals except the d30
> >[which even I think is heretical]), I have decided to
> >continue my apostacy and replace the TFT magic system with
> >the D&D magic system.
> >
> ><Waits for the howls of outrage and indignation to subside.>
>
> Ty,
>   Have you lost your mind?  What in the world are you doing.  I have seen
> people write up some nice conversions of stuff from other games into TFT
> format, but this.  This is migrating TFT to the D&D 3rd Ed. format.

Well, I *did* describe myself as a heretic :-)

The only reason I used D&D 3rd is that I have an electronic version of all
the spells. AD&D 1st would be my first choice but I don't have the time to
type in new description. I have no desire to weigh the system down with all
the D&D 3rd colleges and subclasses. Clerics, Mages, Druids and (maybe)
Illusionists are good enough for me.

> >Before I get to the mechanics, let me at least identify the
> >reasons for my heresy:
> >
> >1. I think that the TFT magic system, though it is a wonderful
> >duelling system, stinks for an RPG.
>
>    I can only speak to the first point.  TFT is the best magic
> system ever
> written.  People I know who have left and come back years later have all
> said the same thing.  'TFT sure did have a good magic system.'

Really? As I said, I love it for duels, but I have always found it to be
substandard when compared with D&D's magic system. One uncontestable feature
of the TFT magic system is that it is internally consistent and cohesive,
which is a welcome consequence of its roots as a wargame with no GM. I will
probably keep the TFT illusions and images by the way.

>    I have recognized a big difference between D&D and TFT magic.
> The good
> aspect of each one in its own right.  I describe the advantage
> D&D has over
> TFT this way...
>    D&D magic is very juicy.  It has lots of atmosphere, mystique,
> chock full
> of legends and ancient lore.  Wearing a D&D wizard character is
> like wearing
> velvety robes with a sparkling gold hem.

Agreed. Despite its purpoted illogic (as though such a term can reasonably
be applied to an rof magic system), I consider it to have the most flavor of
any system (including the pretentious and annoying 1990s systems by White
Wolf for instance).

> TFT is very dry and mechanical.
> It spends more time telling how spells relate to each other than
> flavoring them.  Wearing a TFT wizard is like driving a well tuned sports
car.

I'd think that a Volvo family sedan would be a better metaphor -- effective,
safe and boring. The flash, and tempermental high performance sports car
seems more appropriate to the D&D agic system.

> But, see, I always figured the flavor and history of D&D could
> be ported
> to TFT.  It is a smooth running engine.  A machine that is fair to both
> players and monsters alike.  I never concieved that anyone would want to
> take it the other way.  Here's why.
>
>    D&D magic has far too many area affect spells.  Big huge burn
> up everyone type spells.  Spells that put them all into sleep.  Spells
that control
> eveyone below a certain level.

To a certain extent, I agree. Hence in my porting, I will introduce saving
throws where appropriate.

> In my TFT mentality this means that monsters get these spells too.  And
> that means they can put the whole party to sleep.  Or they can burn up a
> whole town with one spell.  This is the fundamental injustice of the D&D
> system.  Monsters get different saving throws for the same level.
>  They get
> different attack tables.  They even get different hit dice.  And to add
> insult to injury they don't equal access to the spells.  Why?

Because they're monsters, of course :-) If the monsters got equal powers,
their raw numbers and ravenous nature would carry all before them, and we
can't have that, can we?

As I stated earlier, my primary difficulty with TFT's magic system is the
short term nature of spells and imbalance with missile spells. While one
could re-work the TFT system, the effort would be prodigious. But using the
D&D spell system as a base, 90% of the work is already done (theoretically).

--Ty
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