Re: [DL] Martial Artists[Fred or anyone interested in d20 questions]

[Evil Robot Shane From Another Dimension <wishkah@redbrick.dcu.ie>]

On Fri, May 24, 2002 at 08:24:04AM -0400, Kevin L Stoner said:
> ...only pulled over to it because he didnt have to learn a new rules system

 The mind boggles.

> The only problem is he is interested in playing a martial artist, and
> there are no rules about martial artists in the DL sourcebook for D20.
> Any idea's on this from anyone is welcome because I would really like
> to know how I should handle this.

 Am I right in thinking that you got into Deadlands with the D20 version,
 and don't own any classic stuff at all?  If that's the case, I'd suggest
 getting your hands on a copy of The Great Maze.  It's got a whole bunch
 of good stuff, hardly anything rules-related (except for Martial Artists)
 and plenty of setting info, so it'd be beneficial anyway.  Anyway, on
 the assumption that you haven't read anything about how Martial Artists
 work in classic Deadlands, that should give you an idea of the style of
 them, which is the most important thing to consider when working on your
 conversion.

> Should I make him just use straight Monk rules?

 Folks who haven't "unlocked" Martial Artists can back away slowly now.
 :>)






 The style of Monks in D&D is fairly different from Martial Artists in
 Deadlands.  Stuff like the Wis bonus adding to AC doesn't really seem
 to fit with Deadlands Martial Artists, and some of the free feats are
 similar to Chi powers that would have to be bought in classic Deadlands
 - the arrow-catching thing is similar to Sieze the Pearl of Death, and
 the running-down-the-wall stuff isn't really directly equivelant to
 anything in Deadlands, but them sorta things don't come for free.
 And Martial Artists move at the same rate as anybody else, unlike Monks
 - although the power Monkey Goes to the Mountain can certainly change
 that, and is certainly cooler than merely having your movement rate
 go up by more than other classes.  :>)

 So whilst a Monk in Deadlands might be fine, he would not be a Martial
 Artist as we know them.  In the same way (but to a lesser extent) that
 you could put a Cleric in Deadlands, but he wouldn't be a Blessed.

> Or should I try converting some of the Chi powers? And if so how do I
> use them?  Should I use them like the other AB's in DLd20(ie spell points
> and what not)?

 In classic Deadlands, each Chi power has a Strain cost, and you have
 Strain equal to your something die type.  So, you pay the Strain (say,
 two of your eight points, for example) and make a Chi skill roll to
 try to activate the power.  If it comes off, groovy.  If not, tough.
 I don't know how Deadlands D20 works things, but I can't imagine the
 above being too hard to convert.  The problem will come with deciding
 on appropriate target numbers and effects and all that jazz.

> I am really curious how I should approach this in the most DL 
> type fashion. If I did decide to write up a new martial artist class 
> would anyone be interested in seeing it.

 I sure would, I'd love to see what you come up with!

 Wishkah

-- 
       -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
       | This is pointless and will only promote in-jokes and cliquism.|
       -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-