[HOE] d20 Rants

[Joey Fanning <wraith530@comcast.net>]

    Aah, i just picked up HOE d20 today.  I had told myself long ago that
I'd never buy a d20 system product*, but I said "Why not, it's only 25 bucks
and it's got conversion rules".  This book does do a nice job of compacting
everything you need to know about the wasted west into a handy paperback
200-page book, and seems to convert well-enough all the elements to d20.
    Standard gripes, mostly that I don't personally like the idea of Hit
Points, seems to me that a flesh-cutting strike's a flesh-cutting strike
regardless of experience.  One other one, though.  It alluded to the first
book for many of its character classes, especially junkers, which were
completely revamped in The Junkman Cometh.  It seemed too much to me like
DLd20's Mad Scientist.  I'd imagine for lost colony the classes were
designed for both classic and d20, so that shouldn't be a problem with LC.
Maybe in the future we can see some home-brewed classes and such?
    Anyways, in conclusion, HOE d20's a pretty good book, moreso if you
haven't played HOE before, and it sets a pretty good standard for LC.
    Err...a strange question for any staff members that may be reading
this...While I know you're not making and more HOE books, how about HOE/LC
combination books?  i could just make the cover purple and...
    To you players, that weren't nothin! But a question for you..a few of
you visited my site and the most popular thing on there were my cardstock
cowboys.  Is there anything else you'd like to see?

*To those rabid d20 fans out there, allow me to explain.  I worked at a
roleplaying warehouse a couple years ago, and had the poor timing to have to
work overtime through the d20 rush.  To the members of the company, hardcore
roleplayers, the incorporation of TSR into WOTC, a card-game company, was
appalling.  D20 material was dumped onto the shelves at a tremendous rate,
and the d20 system soon became a symbol of all that is corporate evil.  Not
to say that I refuse to play a d20 product.  For (insert deity here)'s sake,
I use Windows.  And for much the same reasons as I play D&D
3rd:near-universal compatibility, ease of use, and that near everyone uses
it.  That, and we got enough of those stand-up warrior promotions to put
different hats on all of 'em and play chess.