By John Grigsby, Staff Reviewer d20 Magazine Rack
Sizing Up the Target
BESM d20: Anime Role-Player’s Handbook is the long-awaited adaptation of Guardians of Order’s award-winning Big Eyes, Small Mouth. The deluxe limited edition is a 144-page full-color hardcover by Mark C. MacKinnon, with assistance from Matthew Keeley, Jeff Mackintosh, Alejandro Melchor, David L. Pulver, and Jesse Scoble. The dust-jacket art by Niko Geyer depicts a trio of fantasy anime characters (a wizard of some kind, a heavily-armored swordsman, and a crossbow wielder). Axel, Jason Chan, Lindsay Cibos, Niko Geyer, and Ben Overmyer contribute to the interior artwork. The deluxe limited edition of BESM d20 retails for $59.95. The hardcover edition is only $29.95, but lacks the foil-embossed cover with dust-jacket and the cloth bookmark. The cover-art is identical.
First Blood
I don’t consider myself a die-hard fan of anime. I mean, yeah, I’ve watched Record of Lodoss War and a few episodes of Cutey Honey, and I try to catch Yu-Gi-Oh every Saturday, but I’m not a regular patron of the genre. Thus, this is one of those books that I probably wouldn’t have purchased of my own volition. I’ve never even played the original Big Eyes, Small Mouth. (Yeah, yeah; my loss, I know). Still, I knew that it was out there, and in the back of my mind, I’ve often wondered what the fascination was. So naturally, when this one arrived in my post, I was intrigued.
BESM d20 opens with a brief introduction to anime, explaining the origins and genres. This is a great boon to anyone, like me, with only a passing interest in anime. Veterans likely won’t get much out of it, but for everyone else, it serves as a good primer. This is followed by the (almost obligatory) “What is a role-playing game?” section.
On the surface, BESM d20 will be familiar to anyone who has had experience with any other d20 game. It uses class and level, race, feats, skills, and hit points. Don’t grab those dice just yet, though! Here’s where things get just a little bit different.
Characters in BESM d20 are built on Character Points; the amount of Character Points a character has available is determined by character’s starting level. These points are then used to purchase the character’s Ability Scores, race, and Attributes. Disadvantages may be purchased to get more points.
Waitaminute! Does that mean that I have to “buy” a race? Well, yes and no. More specifically, it means that you must spend Character Points to purchase racial abilities. The stock races from Core Rulebook I are already broken down for you, so you can just pay the cost and drop it right into place, but you also have the option of creating a unique race based on the abilities you purchase. The default race in BESM d20 is, of course, human, which costs no points.
All of this begs the question, “What if I don’t like point-buy systems?” You’re in luck. The designers of BESM d20 have considered that and give you a few handy tips for generating characters the old-fashioned way. The game loses a little of the unique flavor this way and requires some tinkering, but it still works perfectly well.
BESM d20 introduces 15 new classes appropriate to the anime adventures. These are: adventurer, dynamic sorcerer, giant robot, gun bunny, hot rod, magical girl, martial artist, mecha pilot, ninja, pet monster trainer, samurai, sentai member, shapechanger, student, and tech genius. The classes are developed using a point-system just like the races are (but you can’t use your points to build a custom class; I suppose you could, with the GM’s permission, but that’s beyond the scope of the rules), so each is balanced in relation to the others.
Ah, but what if you want to use your standard D&D classes in an anime setting? Or how about some d20 Modern? Well, the good news is, it can be done. However, the core classes have undergone modification to bring them more into balance with the BESM d20 classes. In addition, the system utilized is fully explained, so that the GM can adapt any d20 System class to BESM d20. It should be noted that all of the classes are the 3.0 version, but Guardians of Order has hinted towards an update as a free download from their website.
In BESM d20, characters also purchase Attributes, representing exotic (and often unique) abilities like Elasticity or Pet Monster. Attributes differ from feats and class abilities in that they are purchased through Character Points and they have ranks. The higher a character’s rank with a particular Attribute, the more powerful that Attribute is. For example, consider two characters with the Aura of Command attribute; one at rank 1, the other at rank 4. The character with a rank of 1 can inspire a single person, while the character with a rank of 4 can inspire a medium team, between 11 and 50 people. Most Attributes are limited to rank 6 (a few go as high as 10), but with the GM’s permission, even these limitations can be surpassed.
Like any other d20 System character, characters in BESM d20 also gain skills and feats. These are not paid for through Character Points, but are instead gained in the same manner as outlined in Core Rulebook I. An interesting new element to the skill system, however, is the use of specializations. When a skill is purchased, the character may designate one specialization with the skill for free. Whenever the character makes a skill check dealing with the specialization, he gains a +1 bonus to the check.
Each skill is given several sample specializations, but it is possible to design others. For example, the specializations listed under Spot are Ambush, Movement, and Tailing. Some skills, such as Profession, require specializations. Each specialization is its own particular skill.
Characters also acquire feats in the usual manner (though feats can also be purchased through the use of Character Points, it seems; the rules are unclear on this point). However, the presence of Attributes makes many of the feats inherent to the d20 System far less useful (or even entirely useless), so the player should consider very carefully which feats he desires the character to have. Those feats that have been replaced are noted in a sidebar. On the plus side, BESM d20 adds about 20 or so new feats to the list, several of which may be adaptable to D&D or D20 Modern campaigns.
Defects are another new element unique to BESM d20. As the name implies, these are character flaws that may be applied either to the character (such as Blind Fury), or an Attribute (such as Unreliable Power). Those that are applied to the character usually make life more difficult in some manner (Blind Fury means that, when a specific condition is met to activate the defect, the character will attack any nearby person, friend or foe), while those applied to Attributes makes the Attribute tougher to utilize (Unreliable Power means that the character must make an ability check to activate the Attribute).
Certain other aspects of the game work slightly differently, as well. It is very difficult, for example, to kill a character in BESM d20. A character whose hit points are reduced below zero is merely unconscious. Not until the negative hit point total exceeds the character’s positive hit point total does death occur. Another significant change is that with each level gain, the character decides whether to apply their Base Attack Bonus gain (if any) for that level as a bonus to attacks (which is the default assumption) or to Armor Class (this decision may not be reversed later).
Furthermore, BESM d20 uses the optional Defense Roll variant rule from Core Rulebook II. Instead of assuming that an attack higher than the defender’s Armor Class hits, the defender gets to roll a d20 and add in all defensive variables to avoid the attack (by rolling higher than the attacker). This adds a level of unpredictability to combat. The way that armor works is more in line with the Star Wars d20 game system, in that it defends against damage, as opposed to adding to Armor Class.
Finally, every character has a number of energy points that represent, “the personal reserves and fortitude your character has at his or her disposal when carrying out difficult or spiritual tasks.” Normally, energy points are used to fuel certain Attributes, but they may also be used to temporarily increase ability scores or hit points. The GM may also permit energy points to be used for other things as well, but if your character ever runs out of energy points, he or she falls unconscious from sheer exhaustion.
Oh, wait, I forgot to mention Background Points! It’s pretty much universally accepted that GMs like for characters to have detailed backgrounds. We use them for plot hooks, maguffins, or just bathroom reading. BESM d20 is a game that actually rewards the players for coming up with a good background! The GM is encouraged to award 1-3 Background Points, depending on how extensive the background is, which can then be used to alter ability scores or Attributes!
Wealth seems to be much less of a concern in the anime universe, as there are no prices or DCs given for any of the weapons, armor, or other gear listed in the book. In fact, under the Personal Gear attribute, it specifically cites that characters do not to spend Character Points to acquire items that are legal, inexpensive, and mundane in the campaign setting. Since the Personal Gear attribute covers most common technology that is fairly expensive or hard to come by and the Item of Power attribute covers high-tech or magical items, what then, is the purpose of the Wealth attribute?
The weapons tables don’t exactly agree with those found in Core Rulebook I, but then, neither do a good many of the rules in BESM d20. Each weapon may have certain abilities or limitations, and firearms may be customized with certain goodies like silencers or speed loaders (minor items of Personal Gear that can be purchased through Character Points). BESM d20 also uses a very abstract system for weapon ranges, classifying a weapon as short range (30 feet), medium range (300 feet), or long range (one to five miles). Every weapon also lists the skill required to use it effectively. Armor is also a major or minor item of Personal Gear.
Vehicles may also be purchased through the use of Character Points (as a major item of Personal Gear), but also include a list price for the ‘stock’ model. Vehicles can be customized, but the cost is somewhat higher, requiring both a major or minor item of Personal Gear, plus rank in the appropriate Item of Power to fulfill the attribute granted by the super-technology.
The rules for breaking objects have changed slightly, to better represent the massive collateral damage that often occurs between powerful foes. Static objects (those that exist without working parts) have only an Armor Rating, which once exceeded, indicates that the object has been penetrated (though it maintains its structure) and whoever or whatever is behind it takes damage. Objects that suffer repeated damage, or suffer massive damage from a single attack, may be destroyed. Operational objects have both Armor Rating and hit points. For operational objects, the standard d20 System rules for damaging objects apply.
An interesting twist to the rules is the idea that using a melee weapon against an armored foe could result in weapon breakage. Items of Power (being a personal investment of the character’s Character Points), are much more difficult to break than ordinary objects. Because this is anime, it is also possible, though very difficult, to blow up entire moons and planets. These tend to have really good Armor Ratings, however, so it isn’t likely that your characters will be threatening whole worlds anytime soon. Still, it’s something to think about when the campaign begins to reach epic levels.
There are a several new combat options, including multiple attacks on a single attack roll, combined attacks, called shots, extra time spent aiming, and striking to wound or incapacitate. Aside from these options, combat works pretty much the same as in any other D20 System game, though characters can elect to lessen damage after the total damage caused is known, to avoid killing a foe, if desired. Optional rules include wound difficulty penalties, second wind, and shock value and critical injury. Mental combat works a little differently in BESM d20, with a character reduced to 0 hit points having their mind at the mercy of the opponent.
The final chapter in BESM d20 is all about creating campaigns and worlds. Here may be found advice to the GM on campaign design, genre, time period, and all the other essential elements of a good game. Though veteran GMs may consider this unnecessary, as someone only slightly familiar with anime, I found it almost as essential as the rest of the book. Several staples of anime are discussed here, elements that can really lend that “Japanimation” feel to your campaign.
Critical Hits
Kudos all around for the amount of Open Game Content included in BESM d20! Everything from this book that is Open Game Content can be found, free of charge, on the Guardians of Order website! Yes, that means that you can go to the site, get everything you need to play BESM d20, and never have to purchase the book. You’ll want to, of course, because without it you don’t get the fantastic artwork, the introduction to anime, or the chapter on campaign and adventure design, but you could enjoy this game without paying a single red cent.
Overall, I like this game. I like it so much that I’ve begun work on an anime campaign in which to use the rules. The possibilities that BESM d20 opens up are limitless, whether you want to run an anime-based campaign, or just add an anime feel to your existing campaign. This is one book that anime fans who are role-players don’t dare miss, and that the rest of us should seriously consider.
Now, did I mention that you’ll want to pick up this book for the artwork alone? Those of you who have read my review of the Star Wars Revised Core Rules may recall that I mentioned that it makes a great coffee-table book, that you set out for guests to read. Well, BESM d20 can sit right next to it. Not only is the layout nicely arranged, but the artwork is simply stunning.
Critical Misses
Feats are demonstrated as being obtained in the usual manner on the Level Dependent Benefits chart, but in the section under Feats, it is implied that feats cost 2 Character Points each. The same section, just one paragraph previously, also tells us to, “See the Player’s Handbook for the rules for acquiring feats.” While I assume this is an optional ruling, this could lead to some confusion as to whether or not feats are purchased, gained automatically, or both, and this should have been clarified.
The Background Points thing bites at me a little bit. Don’t get me wrong. I like for a character to have an extensive background, but this is almost like forcing a player to come up with a back story, and some players just don’t have the imagination (or the time) to do that. My wife is a fine example. She’s a good player, but she couldn’t come up with a background on the spur of the moment to save her life. Is it fair to penalize her because she lacks a talent for storytelling?
I’m still just not certain that I understand why anyone would take the Wealth attribute. It seems to be a waste of Character Points. Almost anything desired can be covered through Personal Gear or Item of Power, and wealth doesn’t seem to hold much meaning in the campaign anyway. Other than vehicles, no items or weapons are given prices of any sort, so it is my assumption that they can only be purchased by spending Character Points on the appropriate attribute. Thus, Wealth seems meaningless.
Now, let’s talk value for a moment. My copy is the limited edition, with the foil-embossed cover, the dust jacket, and the cloth bookmark. Lovely features all, but are they worth the $30 above and beyond the standard price? I don’t think so. Unless you’re looking for a collector’s piece to sit on your coffee table, I’d have to say that you should go ahead and buy the standard edition.
Coup de Grace
BESM d20 assumes a lot of changes from the standard d20 System game, but I think that most of the changes benefit the genre and make a BESM d20 campaign something fresh and exciting. Whether your players are hard-core anime fans, or they’re just getting jaded with exploring dark holes in the ground, BESM d20 might be just the thing to spark their interests and imaginations.
BESM d20 is very economical. For having only 144 pages, and being as thin as it is, it packs quite a bit of material. Top that off with an extensive index and a character sheet, and you’ve got a fine product that any role-player would be proud to own.
Its versatility makes this worth every penny for the standard edition, because quite a bit of what is in here can, with minimal adjustment, benefit other campaigns. BESM d20 pulls top marks in the originality and playability categories, as it is not only well put together, but also the first anime d20 game I’ve seen. I have to mark it down slightly in the d20 Compliance category, as it alters many of the standard d20 System rules, but I want to add that it does so to good effect. As previously noted, the Open Gaming Content is quite healthy, with only the graphic elements, storylines, non-mechanical bits being designated as intellectual property.
To see the graded evaluation of this product and to leave comments that the reviewer will respond to, go to The Critic's Corner at www.d20zines.com.
