Death Gate Cycle

[Deastorm]

I'm interested in running a Death Gate Cycle themed game, with the D20 system as it's baseline. I've spent a few days trying to devise a system to represent patryn and sartyn magic, but it's a bit clunky. Does anyone know if such a system already exists? I've had no luck finding anything. Or, conversely, have any ideas for it? I'm thinking a talent tree type fiasco, but open to other ideas.

[hamlet]

I would not use D20 of any sort for Death's Gate. It'll just lead to heartache.

Instead, I'd really recommend the new Arduin Eternal system. It has built in rune magic casting classes. Rune Weavers (Patryns) and Rune Signers (Sartan) and it has a very open ended and creative rune magic system that gives you a huge amount of freedom.

It is built for the world of Khaas, but not terribly difficult to strip out those references, or just rename them.

[Triaxx]

Arcane/Divine casting is sufficient difference for the two. One ends up with mostly vocal components, the other mostly somatic.

As above though, using a rune based system already developed works pretty well.

Unless you completely eliminate airships though, you're going to have to find some rules for them.

[hamlet]

Unless you completely eliminate airships though, you're going to have to find some rules for them.

Easily done in AE. Absurdly so actually.

[PId6]

Unless you completely eliminate airships though, you're going to have to find some rules for them.
There's airships in both Eberron and Faerun. I'm sure it's in ECS and/or MoE, but I'm not so sure about Faerun books.

[Deastorm]

Arcane/Divine casting is sufficient difference for the two. One ends up with mostly vocal components, the other mostly somatic.



D20 arcane and divine magic are totally unrelated to the patryn and sartan rune magic. You're either confusing them with something else, or need to reread the books.

Hamlet, I'll have to look into the system you mentioned. Are they very reflective of the (admittedly loosely defined) system used in the Death Gate Cycle?

[hamlet]

Hamlet, I'll have to look into the system you mentioned. Are they very reflective of the (admittedly loosely defined) system used in the Death Gate Cycle?

From what I recall of the apendicces in the back of those novels, yes, the Arduin rune magic (Eldarin if you're curious) can reflect them. You'd need to do a bit of jiggering and flavoring to get it there, but it'll work out. They even have rules for rune tatoos as well, so that's a plus.

There are also rules that can be readily used to represent the Cathedral of the Albedo and the Elf Soul Magic: potential, spirits, and demi-urges.

Not to mention rules for tech, non-rune spell casting, the mixing of magic and tech, and crafting/forging rules.

When you get down to brass tacks here, the AE system can literally do anything. It's virtually a universal system that just defaults to Arduin. The problem is that you need to bring a lot of creativity and a lot of DM customization ahead of time to get out of it what you want. I recommend it.

However, you will probably want to see if you can look at a copy on the FLGS shelf first to see if you like it. The book is just a bit pricey if you're not sure. Or, there's some preview stuff over on Emperor's Choice Miniatures website and the www.arduin.com foruma that'll give you a feel for it. Definately good stuff.

[JohnnyCancer]

Off topic but the thread title led me to believe this was going to be about creating mechanics for the "Death Gate Array," from Battle Angel: Last Order.