Comparing LW to other D20 games

[taylor]

Being an RPG newbie, can anyone give me a comparison between LW, Conan and D&D3.5? From what I can gather, the latter is similar to a pen and paper diablo, where PC's get ungodly powerful and magic and magic items are fairly common. Conan seems to me to be the opposite end, where living is the point, not collecting items or gold. Even the biggest guys can get taken down by a stray arrow or blade.

Where does LW fit into this scale? I own the book, but am simply not experienced enough to know. For example, it seems that magic items are (thankfully) rare in LW, but the PCs seem to fairly easily rail the vast majority of NPCs. And higher level PCs can shrug off a bor musket shot in the chest. If one of my players just wants to be a warrior, he's not really going to have much of a chance in hell against the other guys, is he?

Or am I totally wrong?

 

[Eternalknight]

Saying that D&D 3.5 is like Diablo isn't really accurate; it all depends on the Games Master. If the Games Master likes handing out oodles of magic items, then yes, it is like Diablo; if you are like me, and keep magic items relatively uncommon, and play concentrates more on a sotry than on killing monsters, then its nothing like Diablo.

I can't speak for Conan, but much of what any game is like depends on the likes and dislikes of the people playing in your group. The classes in Lone Wolf are actually more powerful than the base classes in D&D; the leveling system in just about any d20 system game is similar to Diablo (for that matter, any system that uses levels is the same, not just d20).

If your guy wants to be a Warrior in Lone Wolf, he will be weaker than a player who picks another class. This is intentional; in Lone Wolf, the main classes represent the 'heroes' (ie the players) who are a cut above the rest of the world - this is why they are heroes, after all.

 

[taylor]

If your guy wants to be a Warrior in Lone Wolf, he will be weaker than a player who picks another class. This is intentional; in Lone Wolf, the main classes represent the 'heroes' (ie the players) who are a cut above the rest of the world - this is why they are heroes, after all.

That's fair enough, but surely there is some scope in the LW RPG for warriors/soldiers/rangers/aventures etc to be on equal footing with the Sommlending Knight or Telchos or especially the buccaneer?

 

[Eternalknight]

In terms of playability you could always allow them to take standard D&D feats.

 

[taylor]

In your opinion, would you consider standard D&D fighter feats to be ok in the context of the world? I don't want a guy who can smack kai lords around like they are nothing.

Cheers mate!

 

[columbob]

That's fair enough, but surely there is some scope in the LW RPG for warriors/soldiers/rangers/aventures etc to be on equal footing with the Sommlending Knight or Telchos or especially the buccaneer?

Well, the Darklands will detail a few Drakkar classes I believe, and the Border Rangers class will feature in an upcoming issue of S&P, so you might have a few more fighter options to choose from or to adapt for your own.

 

[Anonymous]

LW is in between conan and dnd; not as sickeningly magic high as dnd, not as low magic as conan, but still inclines towards the low magic side of things.
Also, keep in mind the grivious damage effect in lone wolf; 50pts of damage from a single attack can instantly kill a char. Not as deadly as conans massive damage, but MUCH better than dnd.
The fact that the devs went for armor class instead of damage reduction like conan, increases the pc's power and survival potential. But it was to make the rules simpler.

 

[columbob]

Also, keep in mind the grivious damage effect in lone wolf; 50pts of damage from a single attack can instantly kill a char. Not as deadly as conans massive damage, but MUCH better than dnd.

I believe that was an optional rule in AD&D 2nd ed.

 

[Eternalknight]

And is also an option in 3.5 (under the name massive damage)

 

[Anonymous]

Oooops... Oh but wait, dnd has those crappy ressurection spells, not to mention wands of clw for 50gp...so dying is hardly an issue.
:wink:

 

[Anonymous]

If your guy wants to be a Warrior in Lone Wolf, he will be weaker than a player who picks another class. This is intentional; in Lone Wolf, the main classes represent the 'heroes' (ie the players) who are a cut above the rest of the world - this is why they are heroes, after all.

That's fair enough, but surely there is some scope in the LW RPG for warriors/soldiers/rangers/aventures etc to be on equal footing with the Sommlending Knight or Telchos or especially the buccaneer?

Below is a lvl 20 kai knight that I came up with. Would this guy be feasable to use in a lvl 20 warband, or is he simply too weak? I'm very new to character creation, this being my first, so be gentle! :lol:

Race: Human
Allegiance: Good
Age: 30
Gender: male
Height: 5’9
Weight: 85kg
Classes: Kai VIII, Sommlending Knight XII
Level: 20
Rank: Warmarn, Lord Knight

Str: 14
Dex: 18
Con: 14
Int: 12
Wis: 18
Cha: 12

Endurance (max/current): 150

Willpower (max/current): 44

Saving Throws (total = base + ability + misc + temp):
Fortitude: 15 = 8 + 2 + 5 (healing)
Reflex: 13 = 4 + 4 + 5 (hunting)
Will: 13 = 4 + 4 + 5 (mindshield)

Base Combat Skill: +12/+7/+2

Special Rules:
The Four Vows, Willpower, Focus, Born to the Sword,
Saddlemastery, Oathsworn, Never Falter, Force of Arms,
Never Surrender, Address the Troops.

Initiative Bonus: +6

Kai Disciplines:
Weaponmastery V
Hunting V
Mindshield V
Healing V
Sixth Sense IV
Camouflage III
Tracking II
Animal Kinship I

Codes of Knighthood:
Code of Virtue
Code of Might
Code of Honour
Code of Right

Armour Class (total = base + armour + shield + ability
+ misc + temp)
19 = 10 + 4 + 0 + 4 + 1 (weaponskill)

Armour Type: mail waistcoat (+4ac/25lbs)

Weapons (attack bonus/damage/crit/range/type/size)
1. Broadsword
= 3/1d10/19-20x2/-/broadsword/6lbs

2. Dagger
= 2/1d4/19-20x2/10ft/dagger/2lbs

Skills (total = rank + ability + misc)
Max: 18 /4
Perception – 20
Knowledge – War – 15
Stealth – 15
Sense Motive – 15
Knowledge – History – 10
Survival – 7
Ride – 7
Diplomacy – 7
Knowledge – Nature – 6
Knowledge – Religion – 5
Concentration – 5
Intimidate – 5
Heal – 4
Gather Information – 4
Athletics – 2
Climb - 2

Clothing:
Kai tunic & cloak

Backpack (2lbs): 18lbs
4 Meals/2lbs
Rope/10lbs
Lantern/1lb
Flint & Steel/--
Oil/1lb
Whetstone/1lb
Waterskin/1lb


Wealth: 30gc

Movement:
Load: 50lbs
Current speed: 30
Max Dexterity: +4
Check Penalty: -2

 

[taylor]

oops, that was me, I forgot to log in!

I like the general feel of the above guy, a gifted, but not kai level supernatural, ranger knight. However, I'm not sure I want a character who will get belted by pretty much every other character type every time.