What is unclear about Xcrawl?

In XCC, you're a superstar athlete taking your chances in a live-on-pay-per-view death sport. It’s a modern-day world with a fantasy twist, and the game is simple: the Dungeon Judge, or DJ, creates an artificial dungeon under controlled — but lethal — conditions. Can you survive?

Moderators: DJ LaBoss, finarvyn, Harley Stroh

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DJ LaBoss
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What is unclear about Xcrawl?

Post by DJ LaBoss »

Hey there,

I would be grateful for any questions/ comments/ feedback you folks have about the Xcrawl scenerio/ world in general. Any questions you or your players have? Things I could clarify, or just specific points that you would like to see illuminated?

I may not respond to every question/ issue here but I would love some feed back about things you would like clarified in later editions.

Thanks for any and all input!!

be well,

Brendan
Kid Ridiculous
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Post by Kid Ridiculous »

I do have a few questions.

Is ressurection magic legal? I know that when you die...YOU DIE!, but can you come back and compete in the next event?

What's is the NAE's stance on foreigners? I have a player who expressed interest in playing an Egyptian priest. Would this be legal, or would he be deemed a heretic and deported or killed?

What prestige classes are allowed? Are the ones from the DMG allowed, or just ones from Xcrawl books?

Are all necromancers barred from competing in The Games, or just members of the guild (aka, is the class completely barred from the game?)?
barcode
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Post by barcode »

I'd like to see some information on viability of the various D&D suplements in the XCrawl world.

For example, Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords introduces some classes and options that could really really overbalance things in the crawler's favor, as the martial adepts would essentially have their full complement of maneuvers refreshed with each room.

Another would be the additional races/subraces from the Races of XYZ books.

Thanks for asking :)
DQuartermane
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Post by DQuartermane »

Now it has been a while since I read the Xcrawl core but a little elaboration about the Cult Of The One God wouldn't be a bad idea. I need to think on this.
rattrap2474
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Post by rattrap2474 »

I agree with DJQ a source book on the Messianic Cult and their plans and mecanations would be cool. Although speaking as a christian minister I can see that it's got a risk to be treading a slipery slope if handled poorly. If I can be of any service, please feel free to ask. I am a minister for 6 years and a gamer for 24 years so I have a few ideas :)

Reverend Allan Hoffman
Ask not what 4th Ed can do for you, but what your check book can do for WOTC!
rattrap2474
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Post by rattrap2474 »

It mentions in the core books that the native americans are on the reservations but had been granted noble status (even if only in title) how do they rank in the over all system of nobles? How about compared to elves who also have noble title? And how are the native americans on race relations? And on worship? Do the follow the NAE pantheon or do the follow the old gods of their forefathers?

Reverend Allan Hoffman

This is the elite band who foil my every plan? I am deeply shamed. - Spike to the Scoobies
FlamingManofIron
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Post by FlamingManofIron »

Things I'd like to see in X-Crawl? Hmm.. Good question. Three things spring to mind:

1.) A political world map

2.) Information about the Pacific Islands. From what I recall, not much was mentioned how indonesia, the philipines, and the vast archipeligo of islands.

3.) Suggestions on how to include non standard core and prestige classes.
FlamingManofIron
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Post by FlamingManofIron »

Some more..

-Also, what I am not clear on is the status of Russia. This country straddling europe and Asia isn't mentioned, and it's not clear if it's because no one lives there, or it's part of the Chinese, Vietnemese, Persian or Roman Empires. What about Spain?
FlamingManofIron
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Re: What is unclear about Xcrawl?

Post by FlamingManofIron »

Also, what about greece? The balkans?

Also, what wasn't so clear was how teams are formed.
Xenophilos
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Re: What is unclear about Xcrawl?

Post by Xenophilos »

First, let me say that I really enjoy your world milieu and the "Rollerball" (old version, not the newer, lousy movie)/ "Running Man" / "corporate bread and circuses" flavour.

My edition has a number of mis-agreements and possible typos that create a bit of confusion. I'll mention a few examples: an exhaustive list would likely not be of much purpose, since you have a new revision coming out. Unless you are doing a lot of cutting and pasting. ;)

(1) Regarding Athletes and the "Favored Sport": the rules state that the Athlete receives a +2 bonus for the chosen sport. Then, much like a Ranger's Favored Enemy" the bonus goes up a total of 4 times by ATH20. If so, the bonus for the 1st sport would be +6 and the last one +2, rather than +5 to +1, I would think?

(2) The Athlete also entirely skipped the sections about the potential for Perform and/or Drive, as Class skills. It would seem reasonable that they might get both as class skills: Athletes more or less invented the Grandstanding and Mugging styles, historically.

(3) XCrawler Wizards and Sorcerers must start as members of the Mages' Guild. The backstory states that they have to go through a rigourous set of studies and examinations in those skills which the class rules later demand: Astronomy, Alchemy, Arcana and Spellcraft: a total of 12 Skill points worth. Note that it is stated that the exams must have been passed to "graduate from zero level spells" at all.

Now, at 1st level, using the usual PH number of skill points, a Human Wizard with INT18 (I guess they all have 18 nowadays) would get [2+4 + 1 (Human)] x 4 points, or 28 skill points. No problem. If the crawler is Multi-classed and takes WIZ as anything but the 1st class, he or she cannot have graduated and guilded, because there are at most 7 points available. It gets worse for Sorcerers, since they are much more likely to have high CHA rather than INT. A L1 Sorc would have very few skill points left for *anything* and a Sorc could not be started as the 2nd class. And non-Humans get 1 less (4 less at CL1).

The rules state that Bards are not regulated (only self-regulated), so I presume that trumps an earlier assertion that one *cannot* practise magic in the NAE without being in the Guild-- otherwise, they need the exams, too.

One could let the characters "retro-buy", though it is still a points sink. In my home campaign, I simply house-ruled all characters 50% more skill points to reflect the better education available to modern societies. Moreover, XCrawl itself seems to cry out for crawlers with a goodly amount of cross-training. Perhaps being more grenerous with skill points might be a good campaign variant rule.

Of course, I may have missed something entirely and you may have meant that not only the class skill designations were given to the casters, but the skill *levels* as well, and that they start with those for free. The simplest solution, but not one that seems to actually be implied in the rules.

What was the intent?

(4) Guilds book: Magical tattoos take [20 days - "CON bonus"], "minimum of 2 days". Wow, I want to play the guy/gal with a +18 CON *bonus*. My guess is that you meant 20- CON *score*? ;)

There are several others, but as I said, you'll doubtless be getting a lot of playtester feedback on that stuff. I presume that Goodman will have its editorial staff go over your galleys-- if not, I have rather a long experience of editing RPG scenarios from a lot of different authors, and, if you like, I could proof a draft for you (under NDA, of course-- I am very used to some rather draconian NDAs).
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