Re: [DL] Starting a Game

[Allan Seyberth <darious@darious.com>]

At 12:41 PM 8/3/2002 -0700, you wrote:
 >I'm looking to start a Deadlands campaign in the fall
 >and would like some advice.

Use sunscreen.

 >So... what should I do? Run a game with the books that
 >I have? Get the updated rules and run that? Get the
 >d20 books and go that route?

<Shane>Buy Both</shane>

Well.  From a money standpoint, it probably makes slightly more sense to go 
the D20 route - assuming that you have already have the PHB and DMG books - 
you only need to pick up the DL D20 book.

The 2nd edition of the flagship rules took the material from the main 
rulebook and the Quick and the Dead books and rearranged it so that all of 
the player information (skills, combat, stats, public knowledge setting 
info, etc) is in the Player's Guide and all of the Marshal information 
(monsters, backlash tables, black magic, the real story behind the events 
in the Weird West, etc) is in the Marshal's Handbook.

So just picking up one of the 2nd ed. books is not going to help you a 
whole lot.  However, if you can find a copy of Quick and the Dead all you 
need is to get the list of changes between the editions (Pinnacle website, 
accumulted rulings website) and you'll have anything you need for DL flagship.

After the core books, the splatbooks are likely to be equal in cost.  While 
there is a lot more books out for the flagship system, the D20 books are 
getting caught up rapidly.

 >I have not actually run a Deadlands game but have
 >gamed extensively with xD&D, Palladium, Twilight 2000,
 >and Call of Cthulhu.

Given that you have experience with games other than DnD, I would 
personally recommend DL flagship.

 >My players will be relatively new to roleplay and will
 >not know the Deadlands system at all and will probably
 >have some knowledge of D&D 3E.

Okay.  Then we're back to D20.

 >Having gone through the rulebook, I think the use of
 >playing cards and poker chips is charming and adds
 >character to the game (still not sure how hexes work,
 >but I'll re-read the section). Don't know if d20
 >excludes these devices but it would be a shame if they
 >did.

D20 doesn't have them.  So back to DL flagship. . .


Glad I could provide a nice, simple and clear answer.

:)

-------------------
Allan Seyberth
darious@darious.com

All I ask is to prove that money can't make me happy.