The Future of Freeport

[timemrick]

So far, one of my Freeport players has given me his two coppers about this debate:

You can tell him I'm chomping at the bit to see True20 in action
(still waiting for a group to run for or someone to run it) and would
buy a Freeport book in True20 if I was allowed to.

I can't really make any intelligent comments about the books because
I've seen a grand total of two pages of one supplement.

[MacBin]

2, maybe 4.

[starwars1138]

While I chimed in earlier, I too would love to see some good supplemental info on sailing, such as ship types, combat rules, boarding rules, and just good crunchy stuff on life at sea the the life of a Freeport Freebooter. Things like good piratey scams and schemes, classic pirate tricks of the trade (flying under a friendly nation's colors until it's too late for the prey to run etc...). The game definately screams for nautical combat stuff. Yarrr!

[timemrick]

While I chimed in earlier, I too would love to see some good supplemental info on sailing, such as ship types, combat rules, boarding rules, and just good crunchy stuff on life at sea the the life of a Freeport Freebooter. Things like good piratey scams and schemes, classic pirate tricks of the trade (flying under a friendly nation's colors until it's too late for the prey to run etc...). The game definately screams for nautical combat stuff. Yarrr!

IIRC, there's a sidebar in Black Sails that essentially says, "We didn't give you rules for running this big battle because there are several good systems already out there. Use the one you like best, or wing it." While I wouldn't mind seeing GR putting out naval combat rules for Freeport, it's an easily filled void.

For example, you could use the system presented in Skull & Bones (and while you're at it, borrow liberally from the rest of the book for general pirate-y flavor). The only real obstacle to using S&B's naval combat rules is the lack of cannon in Freeport. Depending on the world in which you've placed Freeport, that might not even be an issue.

[havard]

For example, you could use the system presented in Skull & Bones (and while you're at it, borrow liberally from the rest of the book for general pirate-y flavor). The only real obstacle to using S&B's naval combat rules is the lack of cannon in Freeport. Depending on the world in which you've placed Freeport, that might not even be an issue.

It still might be a good (and cheap) idea to include those rules in the 3.5 Freeport Sourcebook if it ever comes out. (?) I haven't gotten around to buying S&B yet, but it sounds good. For a 3.5 Secrets Update, I wouldn't mind seeing an extended time frame as Chris Pramas mentions (5 years for instance). I already own the 3.0 version and use that with 3.5, so an updated version would be more interesting if it had more new stuff and not just the rules updates. Races (Sea elves, Sea Dwarves etc), Classes (Mariner Ranger, Sea Druid?) etc could also be interesting.

I decided to include gunpowder and canons, even though my campaign is set in Mystara, just because I thought it would make the campaign more piratey. I still don't have any rules for canons though, and Im not sure if my own gun conversions (based on Secrets) are any good. Will be looking forward to seeing those!

Håvard

[Talwyn]

My option would definately be #2. I use FP in the Realms and have invested a lot of money in D&D stuff - and I wouldn't be too pleased if I couldn't those books with Freeport any more.

5. A sourcebook with information on running Freeport in different periods in its history (Great Raid/founding days; Milton Drac's reign; the new succession crisis; etc.--perhaps even a very brief section on Valossa's heyday).

Now this is just what I was about to suggest. I repeatedly thought about running a Freeport campaign in the Golden Age Of Piracy before the rise of the first Drac, so a sourcebook or a chapter on running Freeport campaigns in other eras would be very nice indeed.

Naval combat rules would be a give-away in my opinion. Not entirely necessary but still quite nice. I use the rules from Corsair, a PDF from Adamant Entertainment (the guys that wrote Skull & Bones). Basically it's the same system as presented in S&B, but it is independent from the Skull and Bones Setting and fits perfectly into standard D&D - and it brings the Legendary Vessel, one of the coolest inventions I ever came to stumble across.

As I use FP as a plugin-setting I'd see no use in an expansion of the world for my campaign. A short chapter could be easily ignored of course

Update the rules to 3.5, advance the timeline, publish the book as a 320-page full-color hardback and I will be the happiest buccaneer on this side of Hell's Triangle

[Napftor]

My vote is for #2 as well.

[zibeck]

One thing I'd like to see is the standard d20 city stats for Freeport.

[Juuso]

For example, you could use the system presented in Skull & Bones (and while you're at it, borrow liberally from the rest of the book for general pirate-y flavor). The only real obstacle to using S&B's naval combat rules is the lack of cannon in Freeport. Depending on the world in which you've placed Freeport, that might not even be an issue.

The naval system of S&B is taken from Seas of Blood, I think. Seas of Blood system mostly omits cannons (but they are there as an optional rule.) I have both books and I am going to use them bith too. Like I said, the rules are essentially the same but both books have some additional stuff which is absent from the other.

Using both books also gives me an opportunity to use the ship stats from the two books to present a theme of evolution in ship design and the appearance of guns in later stages. So cannons and more advanced ship designs will appear in my campaign.

I'll get me coat and let you get back to the subject...

[GMSkarka]

Naval combat rules would be a give-away in my opinion. Not entirely necessary but still quite nice. I use the rules from Corsair, a PDF from Adamant Entertainment (the guys that wrote Skull & Bones). Basically it's the same system as presented in S&B, but it is independent from the Skull and Bones Setting and fits perfectly into standard D&D - and it brings the Legendary Vessel, one of the coolest inventions I ever came to stumble across.

Thanks for the plug, Talwyn!

For folks who are interested: CORSAIR: The Definitive D20 Guide to Ships takes the ship rules that we did for SKULL & BONES, expands them with the advanced rules that appeared in our S&B support 'zine, BUCCANEERS & BOKOR, and additional material on using the rules in earlier or later time periods, as well as fantasy settings.

Plus, the whole thing is 100% Open Content, which means that if GR wanted to drop it wholesale into a new FREEPORT book, they'd be more than welcome. I for one, think that the Legendary Vessel rules make a perfect fit for Freeport.

[The_Livewire]

I'm for option 2.

as to world of freeport options, you might take a page from AEG's SG1 and include notes on how to include WoF products (and maybe other products) into the game

[Jason_Sunday]

Option 3!

[Nikchick]

...tree-hugging feminist-hippie-commie love-fest that is Blue Rose...

Nisarg

Needless and inflamatory editorializing. It's not at all necessary to the discussion, and while these are not the Blue Rose specific forums, I don't want to invite the sort of chaos and flamefesting that happened over there to merely move venues.

[Nikchick]

Jeez, nikchick, that wasn't "editorializing", that was hyperbolic sillyness.. Trust me, when I editorialize I put a little more effort into creating chaos than that.

It's all fun until someone loses an eye!

[timemrick]

...tree-hugging feminist-hippie-commie love-fest that is Blue Rose...

You may have meant that as a joke, Nisarg, but it's still deliberate button-pushing. Many people here are going to read that and think "Oh, god, it's HIM again" and tune you out, rather than pay attention to what you have to say. I've been trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, really I have. But I already regret ever mentioning this thread in the True20 forum. (I offer my profuse apologies to Nikchick.) Now, can we please get back to just talking about Freeport in this thread?

[Alazne]

I'd go for option 2, personally...and maybe with the option of using some of the Mythic Vista stuff for filling out the world?

[timemrick]

I'd go for option 2, personally...and maybe with the option of using some of the Mythic Vista stuff for filling out the world?

Mindshadows makes reference to Freeport, Death in Freeport Revised added a reciprocal plug, and Egyptian Adventures: Hamunaptra includes a "World of Freeport" sidebar (and a plug on the box itself). So, yes, I'd say that this sort of thing would definitely have a place in the new core Freeport book.

[havard]

I haven't had the chance to play the True20 system yet, but all I've heard about it suggests that I would enjoy it. Is there any way Freeport could be made compatible to both 3.5E and True20?

I think alot could be done to make Freeport more piratey. IMC I included the UA rules for Class based AC bonuses to avoid ending up with a party of plate mail wearing lugs of metal. More stuff optional rules to encourage a swashbuckling atmosphere would be welcome.

Also, class variants for making Rangers and Druids fit better in the setting would be cool. Perhaps even a Mariner class.

Equipment: How about a revised Equipment list containing only the sort of equipment and weaponry that should be available in a pirate campaign and not all of those things that work fine in a standard D&D campaign but dont really fit in Freeport. Obviously people play FP in many different ways, but encouraging the swashbuckling FP is what I think you should go for. People can always modify it as they see fit. And more gunpowder, canons and clockwork!

Hmmm...yeah...thats it

Håvard

[timemrick]

I haven't had the chance to play the True20 system yet, but all I've heard about it suggests that I would enjoy it. Is there any way Freeport could be made compatible to both 3.5E and True20?

The Blue Rose rulebook has an appendix for d20 conversions, so it's theoretically possible. True20 is, in large part, streamlined d20; the big divergences come in areas like the magic system.

I think alot could be done to make Freeport more piratey. IMC I included the UA rules for Class based AC bonuses to avoid ending up with a party of plate mail wearing lugs of metal. More stuff optional rules to encourage a swashbuckling atmosphere would be welcome.

Well, if they go with True20, Blue Rose already includes a class-based Defense bonus, which encourages the lighter-armored fighting styles you want. Green Ronin's Advanced Player's Guide offers a similar optional rule for standard d20 classes.

[havard]

The Blue Rose rulebook has an appendix for d20 conversions, so it's theoretically possible. True20 is, in large part, streamlined d20; the big divergences come in areas like the magic system.

How about making the True20 Freeport a separate product and making future Freeport products dual statted?

Well, if they go with True20, Blue Rose already includes a class-based Defense bonus, which encourages the lighter-armored fighting styles you want. Green Ronin's Advanced Player's Guide offers a similar optional rule for standard d20 classes.

Fair enough. I'm sure if True20 is the way they go then that will be fine. But if they stick with 3.5, I would love to see these rules like this offered as optional modifications to the rules for use with Freeport...

Anyone else?

Håvard

[timemrick]

How about making the True20 Freeport a separate product and making future Freeport products dual statted?

That would be a lot more work than just doing it one way, but I could see the demand for it if Freeport ends up going somewhere besides standard d20 v.3.5. At the very least, a more thorough conversion guide than the brief appendix in Blue Rose would be highly desirable.

I'll probably be experimenting with at least one True20 Freeport adventure whether GR goes that way or not.

[StumptownHooligeek]

I'm have yet to play in Freeport,yet I've been debating doing so.I'm getting the upcoming Thieve's world for sure.yet I'm trying to decide between Freeport,that Egypt game,Testament & S&B.I'd vote 4 # 2 or # 3 .L8r
Stumptown