Point-Based d20

[LibraryOgre]

Does anyone know of an attempt to make d20 (either 3.x or PF) into a full point-based system, similar to Shadowrun or the like (i.e. spend points for race, how many attribute points you get, class abilities, etc.)? Any decent ones?

[eggs]

Dreamscarred Press released Complete Control, which was supposed to do something like this.

That doesn't really jibe with the reasons I use D&D, so I can't speak for it in practice, but most of their other publications are very good (whatever that's worth).

EDIT:
And on the off-chance you haven't already considered and declined the option, Mutants and Masterminds has a fantasy adaptation called "Warriors and Warlocks". The downside is that it's a superhero game at its heart, but the upsides are that it's designed with point-buy principles and it's about as flexible as a d20 game is going to get.

[ThiagoMartell]

BESM d20 tried and it sucked.

Mutants & Masterminds does it well enough.

[137beth]

At that point, you might as well just switch to a different system. GURPS is an excellent point-based system, and they have a series of supplements for making it into a dungeon crawl game.

[Tyndmyr]

Does anyone know of an attempt to make d20 (either 3.x or PF) into a full point-based system, similar to Shadowrun or the like (i.e. spend points for race, how many attribute points you get, class abilities, etc.)? Any decent ones?

Plenty have tried, and every single one has been pretty much skippable.

You're really better off just swapping systems instead of trying to make a point-based D&D.

[Ernir]

Sonofzeal (of these forums) is working on a points system for feats. At least that's something? :S

[The Dark Fiddler]

Pathfinder has that race book that has a point-buy method for designing races.

[ThiagoMartell]

Plenty have tried, and every single one has been pretty much skippable.

You're really better off just swapping systems instead of trying to make a point-based D&D.

The bunch os ENnie and Paper Fan awards M&M has won disagrees quite emphatically with you :smalltongue:

[Tyndmyr]

The bunch os ENnie and Paper Fan awards M&M has won disagrees quite emphatically with you :smalltongue:

Awards mean fairly little, in my estimation. For instance, Dresden Files RPG has received a ludicrous number of awards. It's not a bad system, but it's pretty obviously receiving a lot of popularity due to bleed-over from the books.

Mechanically, it's not actually all that unique.

[Prime32]

Go for Mutants & Masterminds, 2e or 3e. 3e is a little cleaner (and has an SRD), but a little further from standard d20 as well.


Pathfinder has that race book that has a point-buy method for designing races.And it fudged the costs so that the system would say that every race they'd written was equally powerful.


Awards mean fairly little, in my estimation. For instance, Dresden Files RPG has received a ludicrous number of awards. It's not a bad system, but it's pretty obviously receiving a lot of popularity due to bleed-over from the books.

Mechanically, it's not actually all that unique.It is, however, well presented and very entertaining to read. It encourages players not to skim the rules, because then they'll miss Harry's snarky comments on them.

[The Dark Fiddler]

The bunch os ENnie and Paper Fan awards M&M has won disagrees quite emphatically with you :smalltongue:

While I certainly love M&M as a system, no amount of awards will make it a good point-based D&D... because it's not a point-based D&D. Even if it can do medieval games sufficiently, and even if it is a d20 game, it's simply not D&D.

[kiryoku]

This has me curious anyone want to post some links to said point buy system games? I love to customize my characters so this sounds like something I want to get in on.

[prufock]

While I certainly love M&M as a system, no amount of awards will make it a good point-based D&D... because it's not a point-based D&D. Even if it can do medieval games sufficiently, and even if it is a d20 game, it's simply not D&D.

No point-buy system will be D&D, because D&D is not a point-buy system. M&M can model characters, items, and monsters. There are alternate rules for hit points, tactical combat, etc.

Is there anything you want in a D&D game that it can't do?

[LibraryOgre]

Thanks, folks. I kinda figured that no good option existed for it, but wanted to ask folks who would know.

[Agent 451]

You might want to check out Buy the Numbers (http://www.rpgnow.com/product/18175/Buy-the-Numbers?it=1) by S. T. Cooley publishing. I can't really verify how well it accomplishes its goal, but hey, it's $6.