d20 Modern vs. True 20

Shepherd.Gunn said:

Ok, my wife and I are looking to run a post-apocalypse Sci-Fi RPG in the near future. After debating things a bit, we both looked at running it in d20 Modern. Then a friend of ours told us that we should instead look at running it in True 20. Unfortunately, while I know a bit about d20 Modern, I don't know anything about True 20. Before I decide to make an investment of buying an entirely new set of books, I wanted to hear which system works best.

So, what's the community's opinion: Which would work best for a Sci-Fi game, d20 Modern or True 20?

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While both will get the job done, each system has advantages and disadvantages. I'll just list out the relative advantages, and let you choose. (Note: I think True 20 will work better for you, but I'll let you decide for yourself.)
Both systems use abstract wealth rules (just about the same rules, too), so that's a non-issue when choosing systems. Also, both only have one core book, though there are a number of supplements for each.

True 20:

• Very simple character progressions.
• Heroic tenacity, high risk, and easily defeated minions are all part of the rules.
• No hit points, or easily predicted damage patterns, keeps combat exciting.
• Genre-neutral rules allow for intense customization and setting-appropriate adaptation.
• Relatively short skill list (about 40 skills, including all branches of knowledge and performance) allows for diversely capable characters.
• Even starting characters feel heroic (not invulnerable, just heroic).
• A random guy with a gun (or crossbow, or pointy stick) is always dangerous.
• Similar enough to other d20 systems to be easily and quickly picked up. (Does have tripping points.)
• Flexible, non-vancian power system.
• Conviction mechanics make every heroic character extremely heroic as long as they have Conviction.
• Mechanical benefits to role-playing a character.
• Custom Role mechanics available, though not needed for your type of game.
• Only ever uses a d20. Each player needs 1, the Narrator may need several if running groups of opponents (or roling "secretly" in the open).
• Default weapons are very generic.
• Armor resists damage, it does not increase defense.
• Good robot rules.
• Undead are very scary, especially undead casters.
• Still actively supported by the original publisher, as well as 3rd parties.

d20 Modern:

• Huge number of supporting products, including Sci-Fi Post Apocalypse resources.
• Hit points. Simple, predictable hit points.
• Very diverse and fine-grained skill system.
• Lots of different dice used.
• Very fine-grained weapon selections.
• Armor as Defense.
• Pre-defined classes and class progressions.
• Prestige classes (if you like that sort of thing).
• Vancian magic systems. Point-based psionics.
• Excellent 3rd party support.
• Mostly compatible with D&D 3.X, and enough so that players won't notice most of the differences.

My vote

I went with True20 because it is ssooo much more flexible than d20Modern. The Modern classes, even including the Future and other rule books, are pretty well defined and set. The classes in True20 are way more open than Modern for creating just about any character you can imagine in any kind of genre you can make. And as has been already mentioned, the tools available for designing and narrating are more in-depth and just plain more helpful in True20. One more thing to add: the weapon damages are a bit more in line with what they should be and have a better balance (I hate that word actually) between the futuristic ranged weapons and melee weapons.

I have found versatility and True20 is its name.

d20 Modern was a fine product back in the day but once True20 got played for awhile it became the universal d20 handbook. Which is not to say that it is the master of all genres but that it can handle most any genre with aplomb.

If you have both rules (d20 Modern has an SRD somewhere online) you can crib some of the elements of d20 Modern into True20 if you like. As I recall most of the stuff from d20 Future (Mecha, Robotics, Cyberware, and Mutations) is an easy port.