RE: (TFT) TFT d20: The Heresy Continues... D&D magic

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

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tft-owner@brainiac.com [mailto:tft-owner@brainiac.com]On Behalf Of
> Matt Fraser

> As one of the players in Rick's campaign, I think "hate" is too
> strong of a
> word.  I'm not big on the d20, but I am going to wait till the end of the
> experiment before I make my final judgement.  I think most of our problem
> with it amounts to "don't fix what ain't broke."

I agree with this sentiment, but of course I believe that something *is*
broken -- and rather badly broken at that. A fundamental disagreement on
this point would naturally lead to a disagreement as to whether a new
mechanic is desirable.

I think that some understanding of my motivations might help you guys. This
is not a spurious "aw, let's just try it out and see" concept. In general, I
do not "tinker" with rules. I make changes to solve perceived problems (the
d20 mechanic or the various gun combat mechanics for instance) or to make
the game more personally enjoyable (the polyhedral damage chart -- I like
polyhedrals; the D&D magic system conversions). But I do not intentionally
implement changes for change's sake.

The d20 mechanic is the culmination of 22 years of frustration with TFT. My
perception is that TFT loses a great deal of flavor once the characters
reach 38+ points. The characters get to where they can do most things most
of the time, combat becomes boring as everyone hits most of the time, etc.
Yes, I acknowledge that a creative and energetic GM can often account for
this (I have done so myself for years), but I wonder how much better the
game would be if the GM could spend that energy directly on the scenario and
not trying to cover up dubious mechanics? The d20 seemed the most elegant
and simple solution (and I've coinsidered dozens over the years) and it has
the virtue that it largely solves the problems I identified. Of course, the
Law of Unintended Consequences will doubtlessly raise its head and I'm sure
that there are tradeoffs. And of course, a particular player may find that
it is harder (or easier) to create his ideal character with the d20
mechanic. One of my players was disgruntled when he realized that adj DX 11
just isn't as good as it used to be. But a DX 8 human tank was thrilled when
he realized he could hit much more often than previously... So my question
in evaluating any mechanic is "do the benefits outweigh the costs?"

I look forward to your analysis.

--Ty
=====
Post to the entire list by writing to tft@brainiac.com.
Unsubscribe by mailing to majordomo@brainiac.com with the message body
"unsubscribe tft"