D20 Modern beginner

[Jimp]

I'm a fan of D20 Modern and its various add-ons, especially Future. But, I don't know anybody else who plays.
Any D20 Modern/Future players have advice for a beginner?

[MellowMelon]

I play just as much d20 modern as I do D&D. That said the subtleties are differnet in each system.
In modern, it is important to have rounded heroes that could feasibly exist in the campaign world. (i.e. no serial killers) Tactically, keep in mind that cover is your best friend.
Are you planning on GMing or being a player? I find that GMing in Modern required less bookkeeping but more world building. Everything has to make sense. (i.e. underground compounds must have ventillation... and every building has at least one bathroom...)
If you have any more questions just ask!

[TheThan]

Yeah, I play D20 modern in fact I’m Dming a game right now.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15681

Aside from what’s already been said, grappling isn’t as easy (as one of my players discovered) as it is in dnd. Another odd thing is heroes can survive multiple gunshot wounds so you’re going to have to pretend it’s an action film, where the heroes all get shot in the shoulder or leg/arm, or other non-lethal body part.

What I like about d20 modern is all the potential it has for different types of game styles. For example one game could be a X-files type mystery game, then another game could be a Indiana Jones style adventure game, the possibilities are pretty much endless.

[Dhavaer]

I'm not good with general advice, but:


Ignore the names of most Advanced Classes. Soldier is just a weaponsmaster class, for example.
Don't feel you need an Advanced Class. They're good, but so are the base classes.
Remember that +3/4 BAB is pretty good in Modern.
Remember that the massive damage threshold is lower, so things like two-weapon fighting that give extra attacks are better than things that deal extra damage. 16 damage twice a round is often better than 40 damage once a round.
Ordinary people can still be high level, with quite good stats. An average desk jockey might be a 4th level character, and everyone has at least the Elite Array. So don't taunt SWAT teams.
Healing is difficult to come by without magic. 1d4 a day is all you're getting beyond magical healing, so 4 encounters per day is not recommended.
Yes, the Personality does get short duration, high DC Charm Person at will. Fear celebrities, they control your brain.
Being able to fight unarmed is definately a boon. Combat Martial Arts at level 3 (1 for Strong Heroes) is a good investment.
Stunguns are very powerful at low levels, and are only a simple weapon. Good for a non-combat character.
Fast Heroes are somewhat too good as a dip. Reducing their class defence by 1 or giving the Martial Artist defence +1 are common remedies.
Allegiances are not Alignments. If someone other than a fiend has Allegiance: Evil, there should be a very good reason for it.
For Urban Arcana, my setting of choice:

Drow LA was copy/pasted, it should be +1.
Half-Ogre LA is kind of low for what they get.
Power Crit isn't as good as it looks.
Mages and Technomages are people walking around with invisible, intangible, weightless rocket launchers once they get the fireball spell. Groups of low-level mooks should get Improved Damage Threshold if you don't want them to be killed by cleansing arcane fire.
Holy/Unholy Knights can get very confusing with Allegiances.