True20

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True20

True20 Adventure Roleplaying
Designer Steve Kenson
Publisher Green Ronin Publishing
Publication date 2005
Genre(s) Universal, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror
System True20

True20 is an award winning[1] universal generic role-playing game designed by Steve Kenson and published by Green Ronin Publishing.

Contents

[edit] Settings

Although presented as a generic role-playing game, the original hardcover printing of the True20 Adventure Roleplaying book included four sample settings. These were chosen among publisher submitted setting with the winners announced in Dragon Magazine[2]:

  • "Caliphate Nights", a fantastic version of the golden age of Islam, circa 800 AD. A full-color stand-alone hardcover was released for the setting at Origins 2006.[3]
  • "Lux Aeternum", a swashbuckling space opera.
  • "Mecha vs. Kaiju", in which giant robots protect Japan from giant monsters.[4]
  • "Borrowed Time", a setting of Kung Fu action and gunplay against a backdrop of time-controlling conspiracies.


A follow up volume, True20 Worlds of Adventure includes five additional settings:

  • "Agents of Oblivion"
  • "Blood Throne"
  • "Land of the Crane", an Asian fantasy setting.
  • "Nevermore"
  • "Razor in the Apple", a horror setting in which kids face monsters lurking the neighborhood, inspired by films such as The Goonies.

[edit] System

Utilizing the Open Gaming License, True20 is derived from Wizards of the Coast's d20 System. Differences from the parent game include the following[5][6]:

  • There are only three character classes, referred to as roles: warrior, adept and expert.
  • A single 20-sided die is used for each roll.
  • Ability scores are given as simple modifiers (+1, +2, etc.) rather than as a statistic ranged from 3-18 (which in other systems would then be cross referenced against a table to convert them to simple modifiers).
  • There are no class-specific or restricted skills, thus characters of any role can have any skill.
  • New feats are available at each level.
  • Magic spells are treated as feats and do not have "levels".
  • Instead of hit points, characters simply experience "damage conditions" like that of Mutants & Masterminds.
  • Instead of experience points, characters automatically increase in level at the Narrator's discretion, usually after one or two adventures.

[edit] History

The True20 system was originally used in Green Ronin's award winning Blue Rose[7] (Blue Rose won the Gen Con ENWorld Roleplaying Silver Medal for Best Rules in 2005[8]) which itself was based on their multiple award winning Mutants & Masterminds RPG.[9] Later that year, Green Ronin released a PDF distillation of the Blue Rose rules, with an appendix of some modern-era rules, as a generic form of the game. This was followed by an expanded hardcover release in 2006.[10] A revised softcover rulebook, combining the rules section of the True20 Adventure Roleplaying book with the True20 Companion is slated to appear April 25, 2008. [11][12]

[edit] Licenses and Third Party Products

Since before its release, the True20 system has been open to users under the terms of the Open Gaming License[13]. To use the True20 logo though required a separate license and license fee purchased from Green Ronin. Several companies have taken advantage of this to produce their own True20 titles. [3][4][14][15]

On April 12, 2008, Chris Pramas of Green Ronin Publishing announced a new licensing agreement with third party publishers to produce True20 products. Details were posted on the company’s website[16] and forums[17] and met with praise from publishers, freelancers and players alike. [18]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ogre's Choice 2006. Ogre's Cave. Retrieved on 2008-04-11.
  2. ^ Strohm, Keith (Februrary 2006). "True20 Adventure Roleplaying: Worlds of Adventure". Dragon 30(9) (340): 19. Bellevut, WA: Pazio Publishing. ISSN 1062-2101. 
  3. ^ a b Paradigm Concepts News : d20 / True20 Archives. Paradigm Concepts. Retrieved on 2008-04-11.
  4. ^ a b Wright, John. Mecha vs Kaiju. Big Finger Games. Retrieved on 2008-04-11.
  5. ^ True20 Adventure Roleplaying. Green Ronin (2005-06-16). Retrieved on 2008-04-11.
  6. ^ Schneider, Wesley (December 2005). "First Watch: Natural 20". Dragon 30(7) (338): 20. Bellevut, WA: Pazio Publishing. ISSN 1062-2101. 
  7. ^ Gray, Tim (2005-07-11). REVIEW OF TRUE20 ADVENTURE ROLEPLAYING. RPGNet. Retrieved on 2008-04-11.
  8. ^ 2005 ENnie Awards Archives. ENWorld. Retrieved on 2008-04-11.
  9. ^ Grigsby, John (2006-09-20). True20 Adventure Roleplaying Review. d20 Magazine Rack. Retrieved on 2008-04-11.
  10. ^ Richeson, Christopher (2006-06-23). REVIEW OF TRUE20 ADVENTURE ROLEPLAYING (Review). RPGNet. Retrieved on 2008-04-12.
  11. ^ Message by Chris Pramas concerning 2008 True20 products
  12. ^ Amazon.com True 20 http://www.amazon.com/True20-Adventure-Roleplaying-Revised-Kenson/dp/193454714X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208016305&sr=1-4
  13. ^ Baichtal, John (2008-06-09). True20: D&D With a Twist. Review. Wired. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  14. ^ RPGNow.com – True20 titles. One Bookshelf. Retrieved on 2008-04-13.
  15. ^ Robertson, Megan (2007-07-20). RPG Resource – True 20 (Review/Analysis). RPG Resource. Retrieved on 2008-04-13.
  16. ^ Pramas, Chris (2008-04-12). Licensing True 20 (website). Green Ronin Publishing. Retrieved on 2008-04-12.
  17. ^ Pramas, Chris (2008-04-12). True 20 Licensing details (post). Green Ronin Publishing. Retrieved on 2008-04-12.
  18. ^ True20 Licensing Fee to Go Away (Announcement). RPG Net (2008-01-14). Retrieved on 2008-04-13.
  • Steve Kenson True20 Adventure Roleplaying (Green Ronin Publishing, 2006) ISBN 1-932442-57-X
  • Various Authors True20 Worlds of Adventure (Green Ronin Publishing, 2006) ISBN 1-932442-65-0


[edit] External links