Forbidden Kingdoms
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| Forbidden Kingdoms | |
|---|---|
 Forbidden Kingdoms Master Codex cover |
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| Designer(s) | R. Hyrum Savage & Dave Webb |
| Publisher(s) | OtherWorld Creations |
| Publication date | 2001 (Forbidden Kingdoms), 2006 (Forbidden Kingdoms: Modern) |
| Genre(s) | alternate history, alternate reality, fantasy, horror, pulp, speculation |
| System | d20 System, d20 Modern, Dungeons & Dragons variant |
Forbidden Kingdoms refers to two sets of rules, Forbidden Kingdoms (Forbidden Kingdoms), and Forbidden Kingdoms: Modern (FK: Modern), by R. Hyrum Savage and Dave Webb, published by OtherWorld Creations, the publishers of the new edition of Chill (role-playing game). Both sets of rules can be considered a meta setting for Dungeons & Dragons, or d20 Modern, respectively. The setting of Forbidden Kingdoms is an alternate history Earth, with the given timeline being from 1889-1939.
Contents |
[edit] System
- Defense: This is determined a lot like AC in other d20 games in Forbidden Kingdoms, except that armor (other than from shields) lowers defense. As in other d20 system games, each class also has a Defense Bonus. In FK: Modern, it follows d20 Modern's Defense rules.
- Shields: The shield's AC bonus in Forbidden Kingdoms is added to the character's Defense score.
[edit] Forbidden Kingdoms
Forbidden Kingdoms presents 16 character classes: 8 basic, and 8 prestige. While the Mystic is presented as two "flavors", the Martial Mystic and the Psychic actually have more differences than common ground. Thus, it can be argued that there are 9 basic classes presented.
- Armor: In Forbidden Kingdoms, armor lowers a character's Defense score according to the armor's weight category. The Armor Class bonus of the armor is instead added to a character's Protection score.
- Hero Points: Hero Points can be spent for a number of reasons, and act as a "natural 20" on any d20 roll. They are earned by character level, and do not accrue, although unspent Hero Points are traded in for experience points when a character earns a new level. Some class abilities can also supplement Hero Points.
- Protection: Only used in Forbidden Kingdoms, this is the amount of damage resisted by the highest values of a character's natural armor and armor worn. There are conditional rules regarding the type of armor and protection. Protection stacks with damage reduction for reducing damage from physical attacks.
[edit] Magic
Both Arcane and Divine magic exist in the world of Forbidden Kingdoms, but are limited (as in d20 Modern), and are skill-based.
[edit] Ritual Magic
Ritual Magic comes in three versions:
- Augmented Ritual Casting
- Combined Ritual Casting
- True Rituals
[edit] Weird Science
The shortest chapter in Forbidden Kingdoms, Weird Science gives the mechanics for the life's blood of the mad scientist: inventions that flaunt, alter, or defy the laws of science. It also covers repairing and improving existing technology, as well as creating new devices that do fit with the known laws of science.
[edit] Firearms
Fobidden Kingdoms presents a whole chapter on creating firearms for the d20 System. As part of this, these weapons gain a few new modifiers:
- Accuracy: Usually +2, this is applied directly to the attack roll. May be adjusted up or down by Recoil or other modifiers.
- Penetration: This is a statistic for firearms in Forbidden Kingdoms. Penetration is the amount of Protection a firearm ignores in determining damage.
- Rate of Fire: Methods of firing available to the firearm in question, ranging from Single-Triple Fire and 3 round - 50 round bursts.
- Recoil: The amount of "kick" a firearm gives when fired, it mostly affects rate of fire when more than one shot is used, although a heavy recoil (4 or more) reduces Accuracy.
The Firearms chapter also includes rules for Showdowns.
[edit] Martial Arts
Martial Arts in Forbidden Kingdoms depend on a system of maneuvers or "mini-feats". Gaining maneuvers is based - mostly - on a character's rank in the Technique skill. In order to start training in Martial Arts in Forbidden Kingdoms, a character must first have the Initiation into the Way feat.
[edit] Psionics
The psionics system in Forbidden Kingdoms is made entirely of skills and feats. It also introduces advanced skills, which are more specific uses of basic psionic skills. Psionic skills are either passive or active uses of psionics. Psionic Feats have three categories: Psionic, Metapsionic, and Psionic Martial Arts.
[edit] FK: Modern
FK: Modern presents the 8 basic classes from Forbidden Kingdoms as advanced classes, and forgoes the Psychic. The prestige classes are not included in FK: Modern, for that, you'll need both core books.
FK: Modern is only available in PDF format.
[edit] Forbidden Kingdoms product line
- Forbidden Kingdoms
- Paris: The Spectral City
- Forbidden Kingdoms: Modern
[edit] References
- Savage, R.H. & Webb, D. Forbidden Kingdoms (OtherWorld Creations, 2001).
- Webb, D. & Savage, R.H. Paris: The Spectral City (OtherWorld Creations, 2003).
- Savage, R.H. & Webb, D. Forbidden Kingdoms: Modern (OtherWorld Creations, 2006).
