Using D20 Source Material

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DoctorRomulus
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Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2016 10:37 am

Using D20 Source Material

Post by DoctorRomulus »

Hey All,

Doctor Romulus here,

I have A HUGE D20 collection that I'd like to use with BFRPG. I know there's the Monster Conversion here at the download section of this site. But I'm also interested in using NPC's, Magic items, Equipment, Weapons, Spells and such. I know I'm probably not the first person to attempt this so I'm just wondering how you all have fared in using D20 source material. Not to mention all the BECMI/ OD&D / AD&D stuff as well.

Please advise.
:) :) :)
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Metroknight
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Re: Using D20 Source Material

Post by Metroknight »

You can look around for converting material but the best way for me is to just gut all the mechanics and replace them with Basic Fantasy mechanics. Monsters just replace them with similar themed or the same monsters that are in the rules and fieldguide. Saves lots of headaches in the long run in my opinion. At the moment I'm converting the 4e Nentir Vale material over to BFRPG to run a game in it by just using the fluff material and changing what needs to be changed. Dragonborn is being changed to Bisren, Tieflings becoming another race, etc... Just change what you think will make your game run the way you want it to do.
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Clever_Munkey
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Re: Using D20 Source Material

Post by Clever_Munkey »

NPCs can be used as they are. If they have a class just follow the rules for that class in BFRPG.

Magic items can be used as they are because BFRPG doesn't worry about any time or level for them.

There are (generally) no prescribed bonuses for equipment in BFRPG , so converting won't help. That said the prescribed bonuses in D20 work well in BFRPG if you don't want to make it up yourself.

Alchemical items can largely be used as they are.

Weapons can be used as is except that the max damage die is 1d10 (this is not explicitly stated, but it is the pattern). Any special abilities like trip or disarm have to be adjudicated by the GM, because there is no system for combat maneuvers.

Spells are the hardest to convert. Most spells in the D20 core books have a version if not here then in another OSR game like Iron Falcon or OSRIC.

Everything is much more free form in BFRPG. But remember: Just because it's not in BFRPG doesn't mean you can't use it. If something gives a bonus to a specific D20 skill, then any time you would call for that skill you can give a bonus.

That said; don't get bogged down in numbers (coming from one of the bigger offenders). If they are trying to climb, and they say they use their rope just let them climb it. They paid for the rope, and were smart enough to use it.
Last edited by Clever_Munkey on Sun Jan 08, 2017 7:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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black1blade
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Re: Using D20 Source Material

Post by black1blade »

Keep in mind that magical items are a lot more common and powerful in d20 systems and that player characters are expected to much stronger with a very wide variety of skills. Converting monsters to bfrpg versions would help with this to an extent though I imagine.
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