True20 goes to the movies!

[True20Chick]

You make good points. Probably True20 Narrators should be a little careful not to assume that the greats are all 20th level and up. I hadn't really given that issue a lot of thought.

I learned the lesson myself only recently when a 6th level warrior was proving to be all but unhittable when surrounded by a gang of about six 3rd-4th level experts.

Sure, there are tactics in the book that would have helped the heroes, but we were ignorant of them at the time and weren't using them. In other iterations of d20, that 6th level character would have gone down pretty quickly.

[The Shadow]

Huh. My first impression from True20 was that level would be *less* important than it is in d20. But you and others have said for some time that that's an illusion.

[True20Chick]

Well, overall level isn't as important in True20 as it is in d20. The characters can start out fairly competent (compared to Ordinaries and mooks) and only get better from there. Lower level True20 characters can be ever so much more competent and heroic than even high level characters in other iterations of d20.

Level is still a factor, though, because of the number of feats and because the combat bonus adds directly to Defense. It was more the combat bonus than the feats that made the 6th level warrior difficult to hit. His Defense was just too high for the players to hit without some assistance.

Another thing to consider is not just the number of feats True20 characters get, but the lack of prerequisites. Skill Mastery, for example. That's based on a D&D roge class ability. They can't take it until 10th level. I have 4th level experts in my game that have it two and even three times. There are few skills that they can't take 10 on even in stressful situations. Combine that with maximum ranks, a good stat bonus, Talented, Skill Focus, etc., and even with taking 10 they easily surpass Difficulty 20. A few well-made characters with Skill Mastery, fighting mooks so they can take 10 on attacks as well, can practically make True20 "diceless roleplaying."

[ValhallaGH]

Inigo is the highest-level pure Warrior in the world. This is a guy who spits multiple bats on his sword in sheer darkness.

Bah, and Bah I say.

Bats have a defense of +6. Give Inigo Blind-Fight and a total attack roll of +6 and he can hit minion bats 100% of the time, in the dark, as long as he has Conviction to spend on the attack roll (see the super-awesome Blind-Fight feat for details).
He's probably around level 10 or 12, and a tenth or twelfth level warrior is an impressive beast.

True20 is wonderful for giving an epic feel to decidedly non-epic heroes. True20 heroes are cool at every level, something I've only seen repeated in a d20 system with Spycraft and Iron Heroes.

[The Shadow]

I'm definitely seeing a new side of True20 levelling here, that's for sure.

Now, *realistically*, hitting a second bat while you still have the corpse of the first one on your sword screwing up the balance is an impressive feat. Hitting *six* is ridiculous.

But you're right, game-mechanically it's not that unusual. And while the Narrator could of course give situational modifiers, a setting like The Princess Bride positively *demands* epic, cinematic treatment. Heroes should be doing that sort of thing all the time.

P.S. Just looked at the Blind-Fight feat, and my word, you're right, it *is* very awesome. I never noticed some of those details.

However, don't you mean he'd hit 50% of the time, not 100%?

[True20Chick]

And, given his display in the corridor where he killed four gards in just seconds, Inigo definitely has the Cleave and Great Cleave feats. Those are great for taking out multiple mooks in a single round.

[Flashpoint v2]

Holocaust Cloak
A holocaust cloat is a black, hooded robe that ignites when it comes into contact with open flame. While alight, it provides the wearer with the benefits of the Elemental Aura (Fire) power. It can be lit only once per day, and stays lit for 10 rounds (1 minute). Because of its legendary quality, the cloak also provides a +4 bonus on Intimidate checks while alight.

Your Holocaust Cloak doesnt seem to mention any of its inherent protective qualities. I may be simply confusing myself, but Fizzik was safe inside of the cloak because of how protective it is. Whatsmore, in the novel (of sorts) 'Buttercup's Baby', we learn Fezzik survives an arrow to the heart because the cloak is folded up inside his tunic.

[True20Chick]

One could assume that while worn it protects as well as leather armor, but if folded up, it protects as well as chain but they can't use its Elemental Aura power.

[True20Chick]

I'm definitely seeing a new side of True20 levelling here, that's for sure.

Yup! Batman wouldn't necessarily be that difficult to make. All you'd need to do to make up Batman is ensure that he has his "signature" skills and feats. The rest can be assumed from the Jack of All Trades feat, spending Conviction for heroic feats, and the expert core ability.

[True20Chick]

Dr. Henry Walden “Indiana” Jones, Jr. (Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981)
“Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?”

“Indiana” Jones is a dedicated archaeologist, adventurer, and world-traveler. Although he is an eminent professor of archaeology, he is far from the stereotype of a stuffy nebbish. He is ruggedly handsome, quick-witted, and capable of handling himself in nearly any situation. “Indiana” is a skilled brawler, but knows when to lower his fists and run.

Role: Human Exp10
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +0, Dex +2, Con +1, Int +3, Wis +1, Cha +2
Skills: Bluff 4 (+6), Climb 6 (+6), Diplomacy 4 (+6), Disable Device 7 (+10), Drive 3 (+5), Escape Artist 3 (+5), Gather Information 9 (+11), Jump 3 (+3), Knowledge (earth sciences, history, supernatural, theology and philosophy) 10 (+13), Language (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Swedish, Greek, Arabic, Turkish, Vietnamese, Swahili, Latin, Egyptian [Hieroglyphic], Hindi, Chinese, 12 other languages), Notice 9 (+10), Ride 3 (+5), Search 9 (+12), Sense Motive 5 (+7), Stealth 5 (+7), Survival 5 (+6), Swim 5 (+5)
Bonus Feats: Firearms Training
Favored Feats: Diehard, Tough
Feats: Attack Focus (Whip), Connected, Contacts, Diehard, Elusive Target, Exotic Weapon Training (Whip), Improved Defense, Improved Trip, Jack of All Trades, Run, Tough (2), Weapon Training
Combat: Attack +9 (+7 base, +2 Dex) (+10 with whip), Damage +0 (fist); +4 (pistol); +0 (whip); Defense Dodge/Parry +9/+7 (+7 base, +2Dex /+0 Str), Initiative +2
Saving Throws: Toughness +3 (+1 Con, +2 Tough), Fortitude +4 (+3 base, +1 Con), Reflex +9 (+7 base, +2 Dex), Will +4 (+3 base, +1 Wis)
Virtue: Dedication; Vice: Ophidiophobia (fear of snakes)

Creation Notes
Yes. Indy speaks 27 languges.

As you may have noticed, I like to give my experts Jack of All Trades. For the price of only one feat, all skills can be used untrained. When modeling a “man of the world” like Indy here, this feat is indispensable!

As with all “cult classic” favorites, the feats were the hardest part to decide upon. I’m still not entirely satisfied with the list of feats as it stands now, so they may change over time. The ones he almost certainly has are Connected, Contacts, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Whip), Firearms Training, Jack of All Trades, and Weapon Training. An argument could be made that he has Benefit (tenured professorship) as well, but since his adventures never take place on campus that really isn’t enough of a benefit to be worth a feat in this instance.

Naturally, he would probably be a few levels lower at the start of "Temple of Doom," since that took place a few years before "Raiders." Likewise, he'd be a few levels higher for "Last Crusade."

[iwatt]

I'm trying to think of a build for Jason Bourne. Warrior/Expert seems the best fit, but I'm wondering what Core ability to go with. He's incredibly tough when fighting (Determination), but he's also incredibly skillfull at so many things (Expertise).

ideas?

[The Shadow]

Wow, that's a LOT of languages! Have you considered swiping the "Linguist" feat from Caliphate Nights? I gave that to my own pulp anthropologize / adept. :)

By the way, there is no "Modern Egyptian" language. Most Egyptians speak Arabic. Do you mean Coptic? It's pretty much exclusively a liturgical language now, as I understand it.

[True20Chick]

I'm trying to think of a build for Jason Bourne. Warrior/Expert seems the best fit, but I'm wondering what Core ability to go with. He's incredibly tough when fighting (Determination), but he's also incredibly skillfull at so many things (Expertise).

ideas?

If you're trying to decide between Warrior or Expert based solely on the core ability, make him a warrior.

Even as a warrior, he can pick up Jack of All Trades as a Favored Feat. That opens the door to all skills being untrained.

Also, as can all heroic characters in True20, he can spend a point of Conviction to get Skill Training as a Heroic Feat (pg. 25). So, now not only can he use any skill in the book, he can burn a Conviction to get 4 skill ranks for 1 round in whatever skill he needs at the time.

Whether it was intended or not, this is sort of a work-around to give warriors and adepts something similar to the expert core ability. It's not as effective as the core ability, though. As a heroic feat the benefit only lasts for 1 round, as opposted to an entire scene with the expert core ability.

[True20Chick]

Wow, that's a LOT of languages! Have you considered swiping the "Linguist" feat from Caliphate Nights? I gave that to my own pulp anthropologize / adept.

I can't find that in the True20 book. Is this something in the CN setting book instead?

By the way, there is no "Modern Egyptian" language. Most Egyptians speak Arabic. Do you mean Coptic? It's pretty much exclusively a liturgical language now, as I understand it.

I was just trying to fill in the blanks. lol I'll fix it.

[The Shadow]

Yes, it's in the Caliphate Nights setting book. Here's the text (grabbed from the Shanghai Jockey Club story hour - I believe it was grabbed direct from the book):

Linguist (Expert)
Prerequisite: Speak 5 languages
You have a gift for languages. You suffer no penalty on interaction checks when the subject doesn’t speak the same language as you. You automatically understand dialects of any language you are trained in, though you must make a DC 10 Intelligence check to successfully communicate in the dialect. When you are confronted with an unknown language, make a DC 10 Intelligence check to understand the gist of what is said by one source; if you are trying to communicate in the unknown language, the DC is 15. If you can read and write 5 languages as well, this feat also applies to the written word. Note that you only learn the rough idea, not subtle nuances like hidden biases, poetry, or innuendo.

It's terrific for the classic egghead expert who can talk to anybody.