d20 settings: Favorites and suggestions.

[Tesla_pasta]

SO I just discovered the srd for d20 modern, and I've come to appreciate the system. I also really like how it's simplicity and generality make it the perfect starting point for home-brew systems based around your favorite tv shows/games/genres. for example, I have seen several horror settings, Naruto rules, Mass effect rules, firefly setting, and more.

My question is thus: what is your favorite setting? what do you add to d20 modern when you play? in what universe do you set your campaigns? what is the most fun?

[Bayonet Priest]

I fiddled with a bit of D20 Mass Effect homebrew for a little while but it never went anywhere. I still think it's a good setting for a D20 game though.


I also had a crazy idea earlier today. What about a Planet of the Apes based D20 game? So like you have Gorillas, Chimps, Orangutans, and Humans. And it's a post apocalyptic world with ruins to uncover and various Ape kingdoms and Human tribes and stuff. I don't know how deep you could go with it but it tweaks my imagination to think about.

[Wookie-ranger]

What is the Link for the srd?

I have played only 2 sessions in Modern. I had to move, so that was that. that was many years ago, and since then no one in my area wants to play that...


I have seen a few Star Trek D20 adaptions before, but they are all very different from standard d20 (or 3.5/PF what i play the most).
i would like to see a strait forward conversion of the 3.5 (Modern) rules to the Star Trek setting.
if anyone knows any good one, from experience or not, let me know.

[Wookie-ranger]

What is the Link for the srd?

I have played only 2 sessions in Modern. I had to move, so that was that. that was many years ago, and since then no one in my area wants to play that...


I have seen a few Star Trek D20 adaptions before, but they are all very different from standard d20 (or 3.5/PF what i play the most).
i would like to see a strait forward conversion of the 3.5 (Modern) rules to the Star Trek setting.
if anyone knows any good one, from experience or not, let me know.

[Agent 451]

Dawning Star and Eclipse Phase are neat furturistic settings. Darwin's World and Gamma World come to mind if you are looking at a more apocalyptic style game. There's also Dark Matter, although I've only seen it and thought "looks cool!" I haven't had the chance to really look at that last on in depth.

edit: Eclipse Phase isn't d20 though, it uses a d100 system. Neat atmosphere nonetheless. And free. (http://eclipsephase.com/)

[Callos_DeTerran]

What is the Link for the srd?

I have played only 2 sessions in Modern. I had to move, so that was that. that was many years ago, and since then no one in my area wants to play that...


I have seen a few Star Trek D20 adaptions before, but they are all very different from standard d20 (or 3.5/PF what i play the most).
i would like to see a strait forward conversion of the 3.5 (Modern) rules to the Star Trek setting.
if anyone knows any good one, from experience or not, let me know.

Here you go. (http://www.d20resources.com/)

Personally, d20 modern is my very favorite rule-set, despite how little I get to play/run it. Of the WotC settings, my favorites are Shadow Hunters, Bug Hunt, the one from d20 Cyberpunk, Dark*Matter, the Rip Van Winkle one in the back of d20 Apocalypse, and Pulp Heroes. Don't know why, but those ones really resonate with me. If you go into 3rd party, the list expands immensely.

What do I add...in general, the only thing I constantly add to my games once I got it, are the Blood & Fists rules. Are they essential for d20 modern melee combat? No, but like Tome of Battle, it makes melee a whole lot more fun and gives you choices round to round of what you want to do. Without the FX it fits in nearly every setting, with FX, it fits into every setting with a little work. I highly recommend it. As for universe...eh...that's more difficult. I tend to make my own or go 'our world, but change this'. Sometime I've thought about doing like a...spy game and whanot, but I like to add little touches of the supernatural or horror. I also have a love-hate relationship with Naruto d20 and I've tried to run Gantz d20 on here a couple times which has no official rules, just what I home-brewed into it. I've also gotten Macho Women With Guns, but haven't gotten a chance to play it sadly. It looks hilarious, but it's not really suited for PbP (could be wrong though!) and my IRL group don't want to try it.

As for what's the most fun...in my experience, go over the top. d20 modern isn't built for realistic modern play, it's built for cinematic modern play. Car-chases, gun-fights, explosions, and all that. Play up the action and even go over-the-top if you want, but you don't need to. That's worked best in my experience.