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View Full Version : Real World -> 3.5/4.0 build [Requests]



Reltzik
2010-03-20, 10:26 AM
There are basicly two views of high-level characters.

The first is that they're ordinary humans (or elves, dwarves, etc), maybe slightly tougher, but overall just very skilled, experienced, and well-equipped. In 3.5, this view kind of fell flat when you discovered how much better you survived a fall while helpless. 5d6 damage (falling 5 stories) is huge at 1st level, but run of the mill at 10th. It holds up a bit better in 4.0, or so I understand it, but still has its shortcomings.

The second is that they've moved into the realm of the superhuman (superelf, etc). These are guys (and gals) that could not only survive a direct hit by a balista bolt, but shrug it off, charge the balista, slaughter its crew in six seconds of power-attack cleaving, and sunder the balista itself for good measure.

I bring this up because of a campaign idea I'm currently playing around with. I'm embracing the second view -- high level characters are superpowered, and this is the result of unquantifiable Blessings of the Gods upon heroes and villains. Then I'm sending the borderline paragon PCs plane-hopping to track down a BBEG uber war criminal. The majority of the campaign will take place on the bizare, inexplicable world to which the BBEG has fled: modern day Earth. As a final catch, OUR world does not benefit from the blessings of the gods. All natives are level 1 NPC classes. (MAYBE level 2 for the most highly trained people.)

In short, I want to see the fighter wading through machine gun fire like it's a cloud of gnats and carving through a main battle tank's armor like it's butter to his hot, magical, adamantite greatsword, and then making a +20 intimidate check against the rest of the army (with significant circumstance modifier) for good measure.

This raises the question: How to stat the tank? And for that matter, the machine gun, the harrier jet, a standard soldier in full battle dress, ordinary police, nuclear blasts, etc?

Anyone care to give these a shot?

(I have yet to decide whether to run this as a 3.5 and 4.0. My understanding is that 4.0 is much more balanced at higher levels, but I'm also much less familiar with it.)

DaTedinator
2010-03-20, 11:27 AM
If you do go 3.5, d20 modern's got it all statted up for you, easy as that. Plus it's already got an easy way for you to use blessings of the gods; in d20 modern, you need to save against massive damage if you take more damage than your Constitution score.

Just have that rule hold for native earthlings, and the 50 rule for those from standard D&D.

Zexion
2010-03-20, 12:51 PM
Only your Constitution score? That's pathetic! Humans are weaklings.

imp_fireball
2010-03-20, 04:12 PM
Only your Constitution score? That's pathetic! Humans are weaklings.

Considering all you need is a teaspoon to pluck out the eye of a world leader resulting in shock trauma, massive blood loss, and death, yes. Yes.

Corporate M
2010-03-20, 04:26 PM
It's not so much weakness as it is more of a multiple HP system.

Eyes just happen to have like... 1 friggin HP... I've been watching videos and stuff lately about martial arts out of boredom and that's basically how they view people. Like Fallout 3 when you have turnbased attack and their limbs glow green with percentiles.

Actually it's less HP and more like a "damage threshold". Say, the legs have a threshold of about... I don't know, ten. Maybe a little higher if you do squats all day and eat your vegetables...

It would be an interesting concept to execute ingame. If your players can deal with randomly going from fine to "crap! I need a wheelchair!"

Then there's always the "pain" mechanism. I think pain would actually be closer to sanity in how it functions. Some people have a high tolerance for pain, some don't. Too much pain can have hazardous effects such as disabling you or even passing out.

I like this idea, (even though I just thought it up lol!) so here'd be an example...


Handgun: (What most people would call a "Glock" even though that's a specific brand...)
Damage: 3d6
Pain: 0/1d6+2 (Will save based. Most people don't even notice they're shot.. But it hurts like hell if it hits the right spot)
Attack Bonus: +2 if atleast 30ft away. -5 if adjacement. (First rule of gunmanship: Don't melee with it!)