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Corporate M
2010-06-03, 02:19 PM
Yes, I know this actually exists. But what I'm thinking the problem is with the "offical d20 version" is it's class based. Since when was Super Mario class based?

I was playing Super Mario Bros Wii and found myself attracted even more then usual to the idea of "powerups" instead of "levels". Getting through a level without items was possible, just not practical at all. All the same, it shouldn't be a simple matter of is your level high enough, but using your items to the most effective capabilities. Giving penguin suit to a total newbie would do no good, but even just a basic mushroom could do wonders for a pro...

So thats what I'm thinking a mario campaign should look like. It shouldn't use levels, but instead, just be stat and item based. (This is 3rd edition based)


Strength=Melee, no. of items you can hold in your inventory equal to score.
Dexterity=Ranged, Armor Class bonus
Constitution=HP equal to score, Fortitude save bonus
Intelligence=Skillpoints equal to score, No. of feats equal to score halved. (Rounded down)
Wisdom=Reflex save bonus, damage reduction equal to modifier (you'll need it)
Charisma=Will save bonus, Bonus lives equal to modifier.



Items:
Items can be magic weapons, (+4 vorpal sword?! hellz yeah!) mundane weapons, (troll DM gives you a lightmace) or "spells" that come in the form of "powerups". (With caster level, DCs, and number of uses differing)

Items can be self balancing in that the +4 vorpal sword may only be capable of being used twice whilest lightmace can be used fifty times. Obviously because of your low health, you'll need good items. So it's not encouraged to try and balance mundane with lots more uses.

As well, items have levels. They have levels instead of you, so you have to choose more carefully your front stat.

Because of your low HP, damage reduction is universal and easily accessible as a stat. As well, damage reduction can stack. But only when it's relevant to that type. Say your magic spear gives you damage reduction 3 fire, and you already have damage reduction 4. So you have DR fire=7, DR everything else=4. Basically resistance and DR become indistinguishable.

Unlike before, in mario bros d20, all forms of damage should come with a saving throw to halve the damage. Only the most powerful weapons/powerups should lack save to halve/no attack roll requirements.

Obviously there should be limitations to how much stuff you can carry. In this "videogame space" you have such a limit. Any passive abilities only function when they're equipped. So in your inventory, a magic spear has no use. But while you're using it, it gives you +10HP or something.


Beause attack rolls are going to be much lower too now, it's advised that monster encounters have their threat levels reduced by a good half in saving throws, HP, and AC. My all time favorite monster the bodak, under this system would have an AC of 10. His DR should ONLY apply to cold/iron, and he has 29HP. Like it or not, this is about PC level stat wise. And his bodak gaze is God-tier because save or dies just couldn't be more powerful in this game.


Bonus Lives:
Another powerup option is a bonus lives. Lives don't recover like HP, but are definitely welcome anytime. Sometimes a weapon's special ability will be granting you a bonus life when you add it to your inventory but otherwise is just a mundane piece of crap.




People might think this is a bit too arbitary. But thats kind of the point. A mario based rpg should be more freeform with DMs rewarding with item cards rather then strictly level based systems of power... This sortof system also encourages teamwork as noone can really control how powerful they are, merely try and use the power they have to improve their situation... It works great in a mario setting, but really could apply to any game.

Sometimes you gotta' give players a break however. Like weapon based feats should apply to entire weapon groups like martial, simple, exotic, and "magic". That way those feats are actually worth taking, and sense this isn't a level based system, you can't plan ahead to make your perfect build.