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Planescape in the Storyteller System

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Mon, 2005-06-27 20:47
#1
Big Fat Lemure
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Planescape in the Storyteller System

Hey, everyone. First time poster here. I've been into Planescape since I played Torment (still my favorite CRPG of all time), and it's still my favorite setting of them all.

Anyway, I haven't gotten to play Planescape games nearly as much as I would have liked, but one thing that always got me, was that Planescape seemed to have a sort of dynamic and feel that didn't fit into Dungeons and Dragons rules that well. Crazy, I know.

This perspective may have been tempered by Torment, my introduction to Planescape and the source of what I feel makes for alot of the best feeling of the game. That game basically takes classic DnD and totally turns it upside down. Floating skulls, succubi, and animate suits of armor, and that's just the PCs. It's weird, it doesn't follow the rules, yet it's just another day in the Cage. That's the feel that I always wanted for pnp Planescape, but just didn't work (at least at low levels which is what my group and I prefer to play at) with racial level adjustments, and specified PC races, and such.

So I thought, "Maybe there's another system that Planescape would work better with... what about White Wolf's Storyteller System." For those not familiar with Storyteller, it involves a simple, non-class based, 10-sider using system that allows for very flexible characters who's skills and development is completely in the hands of the players. It is also a much more deadly system, one that I think goes well with the setting.

What do the rest of you think? Potentially good idea? It would take alot of work and alot of pulling resources from different Storyteller sourcebooks, but I think it could turn out to be pretty good Laughing out loud

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Mon, 2005-06-27 22:04
#2
ripvanwormer
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Planescape in the Storyteller System

James O'Rance made a Planescape/Storyteller conversion many years ago.

Specifically, Mage: The Ascension.

Thu, 2005-06-30 02:11
(Reply to #2) #3
Plastic Sun
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Planescape in the Storyteller System

yeah...I remember that thing...it was an interesting idea, but unfortunately the two settings (believe it or not) actually dont mesh together all that well, the magic system of mage is just too...perceptual based to handle the comparitively rigid spells of D&D, if you dont want to stay int the WoD (World of Darkness, WW's main line) it actually gets alot easier, you could pretty easily mesh exalted with planescape, using many of the rules for magic and charms and such, though you'd need to overhaul the Mote system severely..aslo dude, if you've read as many storyteller books as I have, you start to realize that in actuality it is sort of class-based (espicially Werewolf and Hunter) not that that's a bad thing...

Sun, 2005-07-24 20:50
(Reply to #3) #4
moogle001
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Planescape in the Storyteller System

I've personally always seen Planescape as the middleground between standard D&D and White Wolf's Storytelling system. While it would require a good overhaul, I'd like to see Planescape applied through different systems such as GURPS or the Storyteller system. It's something I might try to get people to work on in the future, but who knows if anything will ever come from it.

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Sun, 2005-07-24 21:50
(Reply to #4) #5
Clueless
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Planescape in the Storyteller System

If we had enough conversions wanting to be hosted someplace - we'd certainly open a section for them if they desired. Eye-wink

Mon, 2005-07-25 04:56
(Reply to #5) #6
Almighty Watashi
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Planescape in the Storyteller System

Ah, the storyteller. I don't have as much time as i used to in the college days, but i'd love to learn it because of Changeling The Dreaming Smiling

As for planescape in storyteller, a baatezu campaign might be cool Smiling

Mon, 2005-08-01 09:30
(Reply to #6) #7
Thanatos Syl
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Planescape in the Storyteller System

Aren't there conversions of D&D to the Storyteller system already extant? Would it be converted to 3.5? or just 3e?

Tue, 2005-08-09 05:00
(Reply to #7) #8
Justin Anthony ...
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Planescape in the Storyteller System

'moogle001' wrote:
I've personally always seen Planescape as the middleground between standard D&D and White Wolf's Storytelling system. While it would require a good overhaul, I'd like to see Planescape applied through different systems such as GURPS or the Storyteller system. It's something I might try to get people to work on in the future, but who knows if anything will ever come from it.
There is a couple Planescape conversions all over the net in different places, including an amazing Sorcerer conversion, and my own (still in skeletal form) Heroquest conversion. I think someone else also adapted most of Planescape to fit into Shadow of Yesterday.

Thu, 2005-08-11 03:07
(Reply to #8) #9
Corwys
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Planescape in the Storyteller System

In my opinion, the Planescape setting is not the best for a Storyteller system conversion. Unfortunately, the WW system has some (in my opinion) very severe faults, when it comes to handling actions.
Although the idea of using the game engine of a horror RPG for Planescape is really great. I wonder if a Kult conversion would be possible...

Thu, 2005-08-11 03:16
(Reply to #9) #10
Justin Anthony ...
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Planescape in the Storyteller System

'Corwys' wrote:
I wonder if a Kult conversion would be possible...
You can convert anything to just about anything else, given the right amount of work and Rule Zero-ing. Granted, it might not look good afterwards.

I'm the type of person who focuses on the "Belief is power" aspect of Planescape, so I would never think of using a system that is not Heroquest, Sorcerer, Everway, Amber/Nobilis or Paladin.

I think systems like Storyteller/ing has just as much problems emulating the Planescape fluff as the various D&D systems out there.

Thu, 2005-08-11 09:21
(Reply to #10) #11
moogle001
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Planescape in the Storyteller System

'Justin Anthony Hamilton' wrote:
I think systems like Storyteller/ing has just as much problems emulating the Planescape fluff as the various D&D systems out there.

Mage the Ascension is very heavy on belief/fluff, which is partially why I think Planescape would work for the Storyteller system. It already puts the emphasis on social interaction and philosophy as opposed to combat.

Still, I'm curious what limitations you guys feel would be a problem. I'm not familar with HeroQuest, Paladin, etc.

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Sat, 2005-08-13 13:45
(Reply to #11) #12
Almighty Watashi
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Planescape in the Storyteller System

I think the weirdest thing would be aligments. It's what makes dnd different from most systems and the planes are built on aligments

I used to think aligments are stupid representation of someone's personality but after getting hooked on planescape, I think I can live with them Smiling

Sat, 2005-08-13 13:59
(Reply to #12) #13
Justin Anthony ...
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Planescape in the Storyteller System

'moogle001' wrote:
'Justin Anthony Hamilton' wrote:
I think systems like Storyteller/ing has just as much problems emulating the Planescape fluff as the various D&D systems out there.

Mage the Ascension is very heavy on belief/fluff, which is partially why I think Planescape would work for the Storyteller system. It already puts the emphasis on social interaction and philosophy as opposed to combat.

Still, I'm curious what limitations you guys feel would be a problem. I'm not familar with HeroQuest, Paladin, etc.

I know about Mage, but transversing over spheres into manifestations of belief copied in vein of the Planescape fluff may be a little akward.

Storyteller doesn't really put much more emphasis on social interaction than combat. Look at how many pages are gone over in the book about socializing with people on a mechanical standpoint, and then look at how much combat there is. The only exception to that is the social Disciplines in Vampire.

That's the problem with most conventional systems - combat is ran almost as an entirely seperate system from the rest of the game. I don't think that's very appropriate in a game where you can debate someone out of existence just as easily as you could shiv them in an alley.

Heroquest is a system written up by Robin D. Laws for Greg Stafford's Glorantha setting. It's published by Issaries, and supported by Steve Jackson Games. Heroquest is a system where everything is ran as a description on your character sheet. Being able to swing a sword provides just as much mechanical benefit as your intense hatred of an ideal. Everything - skills, statistics, emotions, beliefs, conditions, etc. - they are all part of your character and are as valid for use in conflict as anything else.

Heroquest would be my major pick for running Planescape, although Paka has definetely sold me on Sorcerer being a good game for it. Sorcerer is much more abstract, though.

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