D&D 4E d20 Modern 4E - I want it!

There are little hard facts regarding a d20 Modern version of 4E. The last thing I remember is the report on the Open Gaming License for 4E that indicated that while the 4E D&D OGL will be more restrictive (enforcing the need of PHB), but later licenses - like for d20 Modern - would not.

So, that gives me a definite hope that there will be a 4E D20 Modern.

Personally, I hope we don't have to wait too long for it. I want it sooner than later (assuming off course that I am not negatively surprised by 4E - but maybe even then).

But I wonder - how will a d20 Modern 4E look? How could it look like?

4E emphasizes the "role" of a class.
d20 Modern for 4E had the six "ability score" classes (Strong, Fast, Tough, Smart, Dedicated and Charismatic Hero). They don't really fit into the role concept (and I think this showed as a weakness in the long run). Sure, you can find a role for each of these classes, but there seems to be little place for a Controller, and the Striker role seems to limited to Fast.

So, will we instead go an even more "generic" route of 4 classes - one for each role?

The implied setting and the PoL concept of 4E also beg the question how this will work in a modern enviromnent? The real world hardly fits the Points of Light concept. What alternate concepts exist to make the modern world a place suitable for adventuring?

What I see is a d20 Modern putting more emphasis on non-combat stuff. In the real world, killing monsters and taking their stuff isn't that appropriate. Things that seem more "sensible"
- "Shadowrun"-Style breaking and entering, but preferably without ending up gunning down half the guards Or Oceans Eleven style...
- Investigations (Call of Cthulhu, X-Files, Sherlock Holmes, Veronica Mars & CSI)
- can't think of more in the moment, but maybe the above are a bit to generic?

There also some combat options:
- Hunting monsters (Special Units 2 or Buffy/Angel)
- Military/Mercenary campaigns (Jagged Alliance-videogamey perhaps?)

And then, there is the concept of super heroes...

What I think would be good for the success of d20 Modern would be an interesting (even if only implied) setting. Maybe Dark*Matter again? I think that's one of the hardest parts to pull off, there are so many things that one can make of a "modern" setting, and it seems to invite a lot more homebrewing. An implied setting that is vague enough to allow a CoC/Special Unit2/Buffy/Veronica Mars/Oceans Elven/CSI all in the same game and evoking enough of each seems hard to do.
Maybe the 4E idea of "Tiers" can also be transposed here. "Heroic" becomes "Mundane" - people rarely notice any aliens or monsters around, but in the "Mystical" tier, we get there, and finally, in the "Superhero" tier (or theme?), we get things that can be as strange and supernatural as you want...

Hopefully they also take a hand from the Alternity PHB and make it so you can run anything from Modern Day to space opera right out of the first book.

Mustrum_Ridcully said:

There are little hard facts regarding a d20 Modern version of 4E. The last thing I remember is the report on the Open Gaming License for 4E that indicated that while the 4E D&D OGL will be more restrictive (enforcing the need of PHB), but later licenses - like for d20 Modern - would not.

Click to expand...

Surely there isn't much enthusiasm for such a product, though. Haven't the sales of d20 Modern been consistently slow and sluggish since its release?

I just hope that Core DnD characters are easier to drop into a d20 Modern setting without dumping class levels.

I would LOVE to run Cthulhu with Modern 4e.

I definitely am looking forward to 4E Modern, or whatever it is going to be called. Consider me another interested party.

I think it would be pretty interesting to see a four-class setup based on roles, and then later books can expand on the concept through power sources and the like.

Just have to wait until sometime in 2009, right?

With Regards,
Flynn

As long as they get rid of the nearly worthless Wealth Level system.

4th edition sounds closer to d20 Modern then 3.x DnD.

From a pure development standpoint (i.e. ignoring marketing concerns), I think WotC should have gone...

2007: new edition of d20 Modern
2008: new edition of Star Wars
2009: new edition of D&D

i.e. do the one with the smallest audience, and not much of an inherrent setting other than the real world first, then add sci-fi and fantastic elements in Star Wars, and then do D&D.

Man, I KNEW I should have saved the link to that post/blog by an WotC person mentioned as part of some answer that the 4E modern game would be (....and I forget).

I just thought that it was old news, so didn't really make a fuss about it..

But, I'm positive some WotC employee (I think it was a her) has said there will be a 4E modern game.

My view on 4e Modern includes embracing the current d20Modern SRD when addressing what is wrong. One reason for the SRD was to open up the rules, allow people to develop great stuff and then reincorporate that material. Well, there is great stuff out.

Anyway, I don't think the game needs a major overhaul. However, some things need to be addressed or can be improved.

1) Explanation of d20Modern Classes: add the explanation for d20 Modern classes from Modern Player Companion (Game Mechanics)
2) More occupations: look at Modern Player Companion (Game Mechanics)
3) new fx rules for magic and psionics ( I say look at ELements of Magic: Mythic Earth (EN Publishing) and Psychic's Handbook (Green Ronin)
4) new automatic weapon rules
5) add a Damage track (or replace hp with a True20 damage save).
6) replace negative hit points with the Unearthed Arcana Death and Dying rules.
7) Martial Arts: look at Blood and Fist (RPGObjects)
8) Chase mechanics: look at Hot Pursuit (Adamant)
9) Generes: look at the Blood and (x) series and other modern books from RPGObjects as well as both Thrilling Tales (Adamant) and Sidewinder: Recoiled