Cludge
Classless, Levelless, Universal d20 Gaming Environment
by Owen K.C. Stephens
There's no avoiding the fact that d20 System games are everywhere. For players who enjoy the basic d20 System engine, with its strong class and level mechanics, this is great. There are enough sourcebooks that even if your favorite genre isn't covered, it can be put together from elements of other d20 System games. Quality varies wildly, but a number of well-written supplements and adventures exist, giving the discerning gamer extensive support for his d20 System campaigns. But for players who don't like the basic premises of the d20 System engine, the flood of material compatible with it can be annoying.
Two of the biggest complaints against d20 System games are that they're strongly tied to classes and levels, and can't easily be adapted to ignore these concepts. The main drawback of class/level game systems are that certain common character concepts cannot be easily made, and characters achieve power in large blocks that soon propel them to dizzying heights of power. They can also be very difficult to adapt to new genres. Even if there are elements of d20 System games you could combine into a new campaign setting, the feel of the game is limited to an epic heroic progression by tiered power levels. Players are also limited to character concepts supported by an existing class unless the GM is willing to write whole new classes for his setting, and try to ensure they're all balanced against each other . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: September 12, 2003
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