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View Full Version : What's a good modern D20 game?



Roxxy
2015-10-12, 04:10 PM
I'm looking for an RPG system for modernish technology games that isn't D20 Modern or a Pathfinder derivative, though it does have to be D20. I would like good gun mechanics that don't use reflex saves for automatic fire, and I would like a class based system more similar to the base classes of 3.5/PF than the attribute classes and advanced classes of D20 Modern. I would not want a classless system. I need a game largely based around gunfights, preferably more cinematic than realistic.

gadren
2015-10-12, 07:59 PM
I'm looking for an RPG system for modernish technology games that isn't D20 Modern or a Pathfinder derivative, though it does have to be D20. I would like good gun mechanics that don't use reflex saves for automatic fire, and I would like a class based system more similar to the base classes of 3.5/PF than the attribute classes and advanced classes of D20 Modern. I would not want a classless system. I need a game largely based around gunfights, preferably more cinematic than realistic.

Spycraft or Spycraft 2.0
I know it is the "espionage" d20 game, but you can actually easily adapt either system for any modern action-movie-esque campaign. Spycraft Classic is a bit easier to learn in my opinion, Spycraft 2 has more options and gets more advanced. My main complaint about either system is that the contents and index are consistently terrible, making it hard to find that rule you are looking for.

DixieDevil
2015-10-13, 03:55 PM
So you want to play a D20 modern game that's not D20 Modern? :smallamused:

Closet_Skeleton
2015-10-13, 05:29 PM
Star Wars Saga Edition? Its basically d20 Modern 2nd edition with some of the smart bits of 4th ed D&D without throwing out so much of 3rd ed.

Only reason it doesn't use reflex saves for autofire is the lack of saving throws in general. Any autofire system that actually involved making extra attack rolls would be horribly misunderstanding both the concept of an attack roll and how automatic weapons actually work.

If you want a good combat system, you don't want d20, but as d20 combat systems go, Saga Edition is al-right.

Of course, you could just use d20 modern + homebrew, because d20 modern basically requires heavy amounts of homebrew to run anyway.

Solaris
2015-10-13, 07:01 PM
The d20 Star Wars game, if you take out the Force and replace the equipment, also has a pretty nice framework for more D&D-flavored high-tech combat. In particular, it has a method for weapons with high rates of fire granting extra attacks per round.

ideasmith
2015-10-14, 09:08 AM
Some other products worth considering are Traveler D20 (http://www.rpgnow.com/product/160094/D2001-Traveller20-Core-Rules-Set), Forbidden Kingdoms (http://www.rpgnow.com/product/2691/Forbidden-Kingdoms--Master-Codex-Babbage-Edition?manufacturers_id=97&it=1), and OGL Steampunk (http://www.rpgnow.com/product/2177/OGL-Steampunk?term=ogl+steampunk&it=1).

Delwugor
2015-10-14, 11:20 AM
Way back I replaced d20 Modern with True20 by Green Ronin, and was very happy with the results.

It's a rules medium system instead of rules heavy
Only uses a d20
Ability scores are the bonuses, +1, +2 etc.
Three Roles (expert, warrior, adept) but has options/suggestion on making classes
Uses Conditions instead of hit points
Very flexible for most genre
Very cinematic, though it can get deadly quickly
Power system isn't as well thought out as it could have been



The worst thing about the system is that Green Ronin doesn't really support it anymore. Which is a shame as altogether I found it to be a really solid generic system.

Anonymouswizard
2015-10-14, 11:58 AM
I'd suggest Mutants and Masterminds, but it's classless. Still, it shouldn't be hard to do a 'classed' version if you really wanted to (just make each class give a package of 15PP every PL, with a few extra PP for customisation).

Other than that, I can't really think of modern D20 systems, because d20 really isn't a good system for modern campaigns (because most aren't particularly combat focused). It shouldn't be hard to homebrew one though, start with the six stats and the rule of 'd20+modifiers versus difficulty' and go from there. Just write up a skill list, an equipment list, and some autofire rules, and then make classes with special abilities and bonuses.