(TFT) old school D&D Dieties vs TFT standard characters

[David Michael Grouchy II <david_michael_grouchy_ii@hotmail.com>]

I consider TFT to be god level AD&D.  By way of example here is a randomly
selected figure from Deities and Demigods translated into TFT terms.  This
view may differ from other campaigns.  This is well, and as it should be, as
each GM is exploring a different world view acording to their own story.


 - AD&D version -

Tiera (Lemminkainen's Shield man)

ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVE: 12"
NO. OF ATTACKS 3/2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-10 (+1)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: standard
SIZE: m (5 1/2')
ALIGNMENT: Lawful good
CLERIC/DRUID: Nil
FIGHTER: 9TH LEVEL RANGER
MAGIC-USER/ILLUSIONIST: Nil
THEIF/ASSASIN: Nil
MONK/BARD: 5th level bard
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
  Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
S: 17(+1 +1)  I: 17  W: 17  D: 17  C: 18  CH: 17

     This fighter will always aid his master to the best of his ability.  He
uses a +3 spear that does 1-10 points of damage and glows when a lie is told
in its presence.

-Deities and Demigods, Finnish Mythos



- TFT version -

Tiera (Lemminkainen's Shield man)

ST: 17     Spear +3, detect enemies and light limited to lies
DX: 17     Stone flesh Leather (6)
IQ: 17     Polearms, Shield, Running, Tracking, Naturalist, Animal Handler,
Charisma, Bard



COMMENTS: out of all the random Dieties it could be I was hoping for a Thor,
or Isis, but the dice gave me this odd minor character.  Anyway.  Maybe it's a
better example as I haven't found a single case that can't be translated
easily, or at least with some creativity.

What I remember from the early days, back when there Was D&D, Traveller,
Metamorphosis Alpha, Tunnels & Trolls, and Finally TFT, the interpretation
above wouldn't have given anyone very much pause.  It would have seen ok.
Cause in those days the first talent system ever seen was Traveller, and it
took 4 years (game time) to get a single point.  Further people tended to see
their own character sheet as little more than permission to participate in the
great story.  That and a place to keep track of loot.  It was really all about
the loot back then.  That and bigger space ships.

What has happened since then is something I call "numbers creep."  Numbers
started getting bigger, and bigger.  Character sheets started getting more and
more detailed.  I don't have a problem with this, I still don't.  But I
maintain the position that less is more.

I had a few encounters with D&D purists who felt free to criticize my TFT
campaign on what they knew was "right."  I didn't want to disavow them of how
they felt about D&D, but neither did I feel it was correct to allow them to
subjugate TFT to their views.  To solve this I started telling players
that...

"Branya exists in Hyperspace" (the name of my campagin is Branya)
and
"It's the relm of the gods."
"Thor is a 32 pont starting character in my campaign."
Things like that.

So maybe I'm still on a crusade that is no longer relevant in any way what so
ever.  Thats for each person to decide for themselves.  But over the years, as
more and more expansions and game systems have come out I have pushed them
down to exist as minutia within my existing campaign.  It has worked well for
me for decades.



David Michael Grouchy II
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