New World Noble/Merchant

A class with options for my M20 New World Game.

Noble/Merchant

Starting at first level the class receives 1d4hp, +1 Knowledge. Now the player has two choices of bonus to receive at first level.

Noble

+1 Knowledge

+ 1 Communication

+1 Melee or Ranged to hit

Special Ability: Gentry

Can ask favors of other Nobles. Looking for info, money, or items to loan. If the Noble being asked fails their MIND save. They will be compelled to assist the character. As to not would cause a loss of social standing.

Merchant

+2 Communications

+1 Knowledge or Ranged to hit

Special Ability: Friends

The Merchant makes friends across the land. 50% chance of locating a person that has info, or useful items for sale or to lend. This can only be used in a settlement (Hamlet, Village, Town, or City), cannot be used in the wilderness.

Then every level after first the characters receives +1d4 hp, +1 to melee, and ranged attack rolls, and +1 to all skills.

Then at levels 5, 10, 15, and etc. +1 to Knowledge, Communication, or Subterfuge.

New World Woodsman Class

A class with options for my M20 New World Game.

Woodsman

Starting at first level the class receives 1d8 hp, +2 Survival, and +1 to hit melee or ranged attack. Now the player has two choices of bonus to receive at first level.

Sharpshooter

+1 to hit, ranged.

Special Ability: Long Shot

Double range increments for all firearms

Axeman

+1 to hit, melee.

Special Ability: Moves silently and at 2x normal speed in wilderness terrain.

Then every level after first the characters receives +1d8 hp, +1 to melee, and ranged attack rolls, and +1 to all skills.

Then at levels 5, 10, 15, and etc. +1 to melee and ranged attack, and +1 to Survival.

New World Soldier Class

A class with options for my M20 New World Game.

Soldier

Starting at first level the class receives 1d8 hp, +1 to hit melee, ranged, and damage. Now the player has two choices of bonus to receive at first level.

Officer

+1 Communications

+1 Knowledge

+1 Melee

Special Ability: Command

When engaged in a group effort, be it combat or an activity (involving a skill check) Everyone under the characters command  (those who make a save vs MIND) receive +1 to the task at hand. (Does not include damage in combat. Only to hit)

Enlisted

+2 Physical

+1 Ranged

Special Ability: Rapid Reload

Reload times for firearms are halved for this character.

Then every level after first the character receives +1d8 hp, +1 to melee, and ranged attack rolls, and +1 to all skills.

Then at levels 5, 10, 15, and etc. +1 to attack melee, ranged, and damage.

An interesting thought

    I came across an interesting post on Against the Wicked City. I want to share a snippet of it,


The idea of resolving encounters through non-violent social interaction is hardly a new one. If you look at the very earliest D&D rulebooks and adventures, they presuppose a world filled with danger which can be navigated in three ways: via combat (kill the monsters), via logical problem-solving (work out a way to rob or evade or outmanoeuvre the monsters), or via diplomacy (persuade the monsters to leave you alone, and maybe even help you out or fight your enemies for you). WotC D&D has mostly been all about the combat, whereas OSR D&D is more likely to emphasise the problem-solving, as Arnold K's eloquent discussion of 'OSR-style challenges' demonstrates; but while you're more likely to find diplomatic elements built into OSR adventures than into, say, Pathfinder modules, they're usually not accorded any kind of central role. (Maze of the Blue Medusa may be an exception, as the best way through it really is just to walk very cautiously from room to room having very strange conversations with very strange people.) If your group prefers combat and/or problem-solving to diplomacy, then that's fine: those are totally legitimate preferences, and indeed almost certainly define the majority of participants in the hobby. But I've gamed with a number of players over the years who really enjoy things like befriending goblins by swapping make-up tips ('I hear mud-brown is in this season!'), flirting with princesses, developing weird love-hate frenemy relationships with local authority figures, adopting strange outcast kids as sidekicks, and generally using social interactions with NPCs as one of the main methods through which they interacted with the game world. And if that's a mode of play which your group enjoys and wants to encourage, then I think there's a lot to be gained from building it into the game at ground-level, creating a world which is built around relationships and thus amenable to relationship-based manipulation.


You can read the whole thing here. Lots of really cool stuff besides this as well. Wander about and give dudes blog a gander. You will be rewarded.

Where I went wrong

The New World

    I know where I went wrong, and put down writing this setting. Its the setting itself. Well not the setting per say, but the expanse. I was thinking about too much. English colonies, France, Spanish, and so on. Its too much all at once.

    So I was pondering this expanse while driving about earlier. Slim it down. Maybe start with just say the Massachusetts colony. Then I thought, no keep it simple stupid. Start with focusing on a village. Start with a colonial "Homlet" so to speak. A small base of operations and then branch out. Rumors and activities in the village, that lead to other areas outside. Think more like when developing an adventure area/hex. Not, I'm gonna write this setting book. It will all come together. Ever expanding till, boom full book like, fleshed out big ole map. 

M20 "New World" backgrounds

Backgrounds for my New World M20 game, They basically take the place of races. I think it works well all together.

Background

All characters receive a one time background bonus to a skill.

Civilized Native	+1 Communication
Uncivilized Native	+1 Survival
Upper Class Towns Folk	+1 Knowledge or Communication
Lower Class Towns Folk	+1 Communication or Subterfuge
Farmer	+1 Physical
Mariner	+1 Physical or Subterfuge

In addition to the background. The player should select where they are from to determine their native language.

The mind wanders

   

    So I haven't really had any real time to game as of late. Playing, running or writing. Summers here, fun stuff, and work have taken over a bit. But I've had a couple ideas rolling around in my head. Mainly focused on a mythical colonial america. Which caused me the other night to look over my notes/campaign bible for a Microlite 20 game I wrote a long time ago. Yes, another half written project. Before you say it, yes I have a lot of them. I'm a flighty bastard that way. I suppose I'm just ready for when inspiration strikes in a particular vein. I think its good to look at things with fresh eyes now and again. I'll probably drop some snips of it here in the following days.