[Fading Suns] with standard D&D rules and classes...

[Cergorach]

The premise: The characters are on a 'regular' fantasy world and get a 'visit' from offworlders, when they leave they'll have unexpected passengers. The characters (or the players) of course don't know anything about being offworld, the point of the game is that neither the characters or the players will ever know that they are offworld.

The setting is Fading Suns, very low tech, and everything that is above low tech is handled by acolytes tending godly devices. I found that the players enjoy a lot of diplomacy and social roleplaying, i think that Fading Suns can accomodate that, include a bit of mystery and i'm set.

I'm looking for advice on running a game in Fading Suns and ideas on how to continue using the base D&D rules and classes with the Fading Suns D20 rules set. I want to change as little as possible (adding rules rather then changing them).

 

[Karl Green]

Well if you use the basic 3.5D&D classes, I suggest maybe picking up Dragonstar as it has a lot of High-tech stuff and how normal d&d interact with the world. I would not add everything from Dragonstar and need only add a parts of it.
OR you could grab Fading Suns D20 but it uses different classes BUT you could just use the equipment, feats and skills from it to add flavor.
I think you need to limit magic somewhat also, Fading Sun has a lot of minor psychic and 'clerical' like magic but nothing very powerful.

Good luck I really love Fading Suns (the setting not the rules so much)

 

[Cergorach]

I already got me some Fading Suns D20 goodness (Drivethrurpg is a lifesaver in that regard). As for magic, everyone of the characters is multiclassed, so now that they're 7th level there's a ceric4/wizard3, a ranger4/wizard3, a barbarian4/sorceror3, and a fighter4/rogue3. That's not going to change much in the near future, if they do 'strange' things in view of others, next thing they know they are called Warlock, or worse... ;-)
I might have some use for Dragonstar, but i don't really think so...

 

[Khairn]

IMHO your biggest challenge will be meshing Arcane & Divine magic (3.5) with Psychic & Theurgic magic (F-Suns).

The non-magical classes, skills and tech should not pose too much of a problem. Particularly as FS does a good job of creating RP constraints to the unrestrained use of technology.

The problem as I see it is that each of the magic systems works on different principles and more importantly their power scales, which could make a seamless merging of the 2, really tough. My first reccomendation would be to use the 3.5 magic as the default system, and use the arcane or divine spells for lvs in psychic or theurgist classes. This will minimize your workload and allow the players to understand the magic of their new reality without too much of a problem.

Now if you are looking for something a little bit more challenging, you could keep the 2 systems seperate, and RP the players as "powerful occultists" (from the FS view point) who have been dropped into the middle of the FS setting. This would make them very important peices on the FS political gameboard. It would certainly make them many friends and enemies right from the begining.

 

[Cergorach]

I think i'll keep the two 'magic' systems seperate (for now), the highest thing they can currently cast is a 2nd level spell, so that's not that scarry yet. I can also control what can and cannot be cast...

 

[0-hr]

I'm using the Fading Sun setting in my d20 Star Wars campaign. My approach has to use only Fading Suns setting and flavor text. My rules are purely d20 SW. I think that is a cleaner (and far easier) approach, and it would probably apply to D&D as well.

I'm using the non-d20 Fading Suns books (it's what I had on hand) though, so that probably makes a difference.

 

[Von Ether]

I'm using the Fading Sun setting in my d20 Star Wars campaign. My approach has to use only Fading Suns setting and flavor text. My rules are purely d20 SW. I think that is a cleaner (and far easier) approach, and it would probably apply to D&D as well.

I'm using the non-d20 Fading Suns books (it's what I had on hand) though, so that probably makes a difference.

(quick and easy version) If you REALLY want to change as little as possible, then make the d20 Fading Suns powers a twist on the Sorcerer class. Group the spells by a mental theme and even change the names of some spells (in front of your players) to add more flavor. Magic Missle becomes Mental Blast. Add in a divine spell or two.

If the FS "monks" in your game are NPCs only, even better, you can add a rule or two for some real milage, such as having these powers do only subdual (mental) damage and change up the SR of some critters to make the difference. No need to crack open anything beyond your core books.

(More in-depth solutions) Get secondary rules set that adds rules. I'd suggest Green Ronin's Psychic Handbook, though. The powers will be more in line with FS world and the book suggest several different ways to balance that power out, from burning pyschic points, subdual damage to Attribute scores depending the power level you need. The system can be used with core classes (Wild powers) or in a seperate class.

(Adding classes anyway) The shujena from Oriental Adventures provides Sorcerer class that take over for a lack of wizards and clerics.There is also the XPH.

 

[Von Ether]

As a quick side note, the d20 Future book has an AdC called the Purifier that would fit in FS universe. Sort of a "Paladin meets CoC" class.

 

[qstor]

Ki Ryn - how are you handling the magic? Just using the Force powers?

Mike