Current Errata for True 20?

[jaerdaph]

So the lich in the Bestiary is described as possessing a touch attack:

A lich has a touch attack in can use once per round. A lich without natural weapons has a life draining touch attack that deals +4 damage to living creatures; a Will save (Difficulty 10 + 1/2 the lich's level rounded down + the lich's Charisma) halves the damage. The lich must make a successful finesse attack in order to use this ability.

Since there's no such thing as a touch attack in True20, I guess we're talking about something else here. What seems bizarre to me is that a touch attack is apparently represented as a finesse attack.

This doesn't make sense. A touch attack is supposed to be EASIER, not harder, since it doesn't require penetrating armor. Forcing someone with a touch attack to make a higher attack roll doesn't make sense.

I've been deconstructing the apparition template in the Bestiary for something I want to do, and several of that creature's traits rely on touch (Ability Damage, Ability Drain, Chill Touch, Corrupting Touch, and Drain Vitality). In the Revised Edition, both the Drain Vitality and Harm powers now mention standard action (melee) touch attacks. In the last updated Errata & Clarifications document compiled from this thread (dated 3/17/2008, which predates the release of the Revised Edition, but I believe was used in that revision), the following clarification is given:

Page 60: Clarification. Drain Vitality Power. You must succeed on an attack roll to use this power. You do not have to make a Finesse Attack (see page 103) to avoid your opponent’s armor; a normal attack roll will suffice. [This would be Page 61 in the Revised Edition. The clarification, however, didn't make it into the Revised Edition. Since it was in red text and thus a new addition to the errata released on 3/17/08, it’s possible it wasn’t in time for the Revised Edition editing.]

I mean, in a sense, all attacks in True20 are touch attacks. I think it would be better to say instead that a lich's draining touch attack ignores armor and cannot be Parried, although it can be Dodged. That's just my suggestion, but I think the reference to a touch attack is clearly an error that needs correcting.

This is exactly how I would handle it.

An official confirmation of the status of touch attacks in True20 would be very helpful.

Edit: Fixed the date of the last errata - it was in 2008, not 2007.

[ValhallaGH]

I mean, in a sense, all attacks in True20 are touch attacks. I think it would be better to say instead that a lich's draining touch attack ignores armor and cannot be Parried, although it can be Dodged. That's just my suggestion, but I think the reference to a touch attack is clearly an error that needs correcting.

This is exactly how I would handle it.

I would advise against it ignoring Parry. It makes the already weak Parry defense even more useless.

Ignoring armor may or may not be a bad idea, depending upon how deadly you want it to be.

As I said earlier, the simplest, and probably most useful solution, is to grant a +4 to the attack roll because the critter simply has to touch the foe. The attack can be avoided by a skillful defense, but it's a lot more difficult.
Armor applies if the attack deals damage. Unless the critter uses a finesse attack.

Again, not official, just some advice from one Narrator to another.

[jaerdaph]

As I said earlier, the simplest, and probably most useful solution, is to grant a +4 to the attack roll because the critter simply has to touch the foe. The attack can be avoided by a skillful defense, but it's a lot more difficult.
Armor applies if the attack deals damage. Unless the critter uses a finesse attack.

Again, not official, just some advice from one Narrator to another.

All things considered (especially the Finesse attack rules), that's probably a much better and simpler solution.

[trechriron]

Warriors Handbook -

ALL headings on the PDF are using the chapter headings from the Adepts Handbook.

Did that make it into the printing?

This is still a problem in the PDF so I am going to assume it's also in the printing.

Any idea when this can be fixed?

Have we updated the PDF online at least? Pretty please with True 20s on top?

[True20Chick]

Have we updated the PDF online at least? Pretty please with True 20s on top?

Which PDF? The Warrior's Handbook or the errata PDF?

[trechriron]

Have we updated the PDF online at least? Pretty please with True 20s on top?

Which PDF? The Warrior's Handbook or the errata PDF?

The Warriors Handbook PDF. Also was worried about the print copy. The chapter headings are from the Adept's Handbook. Was hoping for at least a PDF correction.

[jaerdaph]

I noticed something about the ability score entries for some races written up as 1st-Level Warriors in the Bestiary. According to the Core Rulebook, 1st level characters get to divide 6 points between the ability scores which each start at 0. The entries in the Bestiary for the Dwarf (p. 74), Elf (p. 82), Gnome (p. 104), Halfling (p. 110), and Human (p. 112), however don't have these extra six points added to their ability scores. In addition, the non human races don't appear to have their racial ability score adjustments added either. In short, the ability scores always total up to 0, not 6. Is this an error or is their another reason why it was done that way?

Also, about the Dark Elf on p. 84 of the Bestiary. In the Background Traits for Dark Elves, are the ability score adjustments in addition to or in place of the ability score adjustments given to regular Elves? Do the Bonus Feats and Favored Feats replace those listed for the regular Elf? I know the description says "in addition to high elf traits, except where noted", but nothing is noted.

Thanks!

[ValhallaGH]

In short, the ability scores always total up to 0, not 6. Is this an error or is their another reason why it was done that way?

Those characters are not heroic, therefore they do not get the heroic potential of 6 ability points. Instead, they get the ordinary 0 ability points.
Among other things, this helps keep the mooks from outshining the protagonists.

[jaerdaph]

In short, the ability scores always total up to 0, not 6. Is this an error or is their another reason why it was done that way?

Those characters are not heroic, therefore they do not get the heroic potential of 6 ability points. Instead, they get the ordinary 0 ability points.
Among other things, this helps keep the mooks from outshining the protagonists.

Thanks!

Okay, that makes sense now, and if you use the Bestiary Human Warrior as the base then the racial ability adjustments fall into place. Is there somewhere in the text that suggests this because I don't see it in the Minions section of the Core Rulebook? If not, I suggest adding it in.

I assume the templated creatures in the Bestiary like the Wraith (5th-Level Human Warrior + Apparition template) progress from the base Human Warrior minion as well. If so, do they gain all the level benefits as heroes as they progress, or are Ability Score increases (or anything else) ignored?

[ValhallaGH]

There are very few rules about setting ability scores for Narrator characters. This is to facilitate the Narrator's ability to create whatever he deems appropriate for the story and the player characters.

There are various roles provided to help the Narrator create fun opponents for the heroes, but nothing dictates how he sets ability scores. If appropriate, the Narrator can give himself 24 points to buy abilities, or use a pre-set array, or arbitrarily set them when needed; and the Narrator is the judge of what is appropriate.
The examples in the bestiary are built with 0 ability points to make them feel less capable and heroic than the Heroes (a.k.a. protagonists). They function well enough as built, fulfilling their role in the story. If they need to be more capable to fulfill their role then the Narrator is always free to make them more capable.

Further, there are no hard rules regarding which character is a Minion and which is not. It is left to Narrator discretion, and rightly so. There was an interesting thread about the topic four years back.


Good luck.

[jaerdaph]

Also, about the Dark Elf on p. 84 of the Bestiary. In the Background Traits for Dark Elves, are the ability score adjustments in addition to or in place of the ability score adjustments given to regular Elves? Do the Bonus Feats and Favored Feats replace those listed for the regular Elf? I know the description says "in addition to high elf traits, except where noted", but nothing is noted.

Deconstructing the Dark Elf from the Human and Elf in the Bestiary (and the rules for Backgrounds), it appears the Dark Elf does indeed get the ability score adjustments for the (High) Elf (+1 Dex, -Con) in addition to those for the Dark Elf (+1 Int, +1 Cha).

The Favored Feats section of the Dark Elf background, however, says "Choose one Supernatural Feat (dark elves treat this feat as if their total level was their adept level)." Since there are no 'supernatural feats', I believe this should be "Choose one supernatural power (dark elves treat their total levels as their adept level for this power." like it is in the (High) Elf background description (p. 83).

[trechriron]

Any idea when the Warriors Handbook will be fixed with the correct headings?

Hello? Green Ronin peeps? We still love you!! Don't let us languish over here in True 20 land!!!

[ciryon]

from GreeRonin.com
Errata
http://64.17.155.164/gr_files/true20errata.pdf

file created 11 Sep 05 by Even Sass

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[ciryon]

From France,

I have the True20 Revised Edition.

I have trouble with the Navigate Skill added to the Space Adventures chapter.

On page 187 it is written that a new skill called "Navigate" has been added to help navigate the outer reaches of space. But the description of the skill itself seems more concerned with surface navigation than space one

Navigate (Int)
You’re trained in finding directions and plotting courses from place
to place.
Check: Make a Navigate check when trying to find your way to a distant location without directions or other specific guidance. Generally, you do not need to make a check to find a local street or other common urban site, or follow an accurate map. You might make a check, however, to find your
way through a dense forest or a labyrinth of underground storm drains.

For movement over a great distance, make a Navigate check. The Difficulty depends on the length of the trip: Difficulty 20 for a few hours, 22 for a few days, 25 for up to a week, and 28 for more than one week. If you succeed, you follow the best reasonable course toward your goal, but it takes twice as long, since you lose time backtracking and correcting your course. If you fail by more than 5, you travel the expected time, but only get halfway to the destination at which point you become lost.

You can make a second Navigate check (Difficulty 20) to find the right path. If you succeed, you continue on to your destination; the total time for the trip is twice the normal time. If you fail, you lose the normal time for the trip before you can try again. You can keep trying until you succeed, losing the normal time for the trip each time.

When faced with multiple choices, such as a branch in a tunnel you can make a Navigate check (Difficulty 20) to intuit the right choice. If unsuccessful, you choose the wrong path, but at the next juncture, with a successful check, you realize your mistake and can correct it. You cannot use this function of Navigate to find a path to a site if you have no idea where the site is. The Narrator may choose to make the Navigate check in secret.

You can use Navigate to determine your location without the use of any high-tech equipment by checking the constellations or other natural landmarks. You must have a clear view of the night sky to make this check. The Difficulty is 15.
Time: A Navigate check is a full round action.
Special: You can take 10 when making a Navigate check. You can take 20 only when determining your location, not when traveling.

So where is the space travel navigation skill ?