D&D 4E d20 Modern 4E - I want it!

[Plane Sailing]

An interesting subject!

First of all, tiers.

Would heroic, paragon and epic tiers make sense in a Modern 4e game? Heroic certainly, paragon probably, but I can't picture epic modern myself (unless that was superhero territory?)

Secondly, classes.

Would Modern 4e stick with the four attribute related base classes and then introduce heroic paths from 3rd level (replacing advanced classes) and paragon paths at 11th level (replacing prestige classes)?

Or is it perhaps more likely that they ditch them and go for generic modernist classes much like Spycraft?

Thirdly, power sources.

I could imagine a pretty rocking Modern 4e that focusses on Martial power source for everything. Then you could introduce optional power sources for different campaign types e.g.

• Psionic power source for psionic campaigns and some sci-fi campaigns
• Supernatural power source for supernatural campaigns (Urban Arcana to Buffy the vampire slayer)
• Nanotech power source for high-tech sci-fi
• Superpower power source for superhero games

I'm sure there are even more interesting possibilities that could appear here.

Cheers

 

[half-dragon dragon]

This I have to say would be one thing I'd look forward to. As one person said, I'd want it to cover more than just modern stuff though. Except I'd want it to be able to cover nearly everything. Something like True 20, but based off of what we're seeing for 4E. Hopefully it would be able to cover from fantasy to modern to sci-fi and would be flexible enough to cover how the DM wants to set things up.

I'm aware that D&D will cover the fantasy side of things, but I mostly would like to see a d20 Generic (hopefully with a better name) so that the DM or whoever could truly mix and match the style and game they wanted, for which I don't ever see any D&D edition being able to cover all types of fantasy, although 4E is looking very close.

P.S. I'm not putting 4E down or anything, I'm one of those really looking forward to it!

 

[Relique du Madde]

I could imagine a pretty rocking Modern 4e that focusses on Martial power source for everything. Then you could introduce optional power sources for different campaign types e.g.

• Psionic power source for psionic campaigns and some sci-fi campaigns
• Supernatural power source for supernatural campaigns (Urban Arcana to Buffy the vampire slayer)
• Nanotech power source for high-tech sci-fi
• Superpower power source for superhero games

Don't forget all the Wire-Fu / Kung Fu / Anime related settings would add "Chi/Ki/Life Force" to the power source lists. That powersource would be a mixture of martial and Supernatural.

I'd also like to see "Ego" as a power source so that charismatic characters would be a viable option.

 

[Piratecat]

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.

Since I'm the guy you're accidentally quoting, I need to point out that this isn't quite right. My question was...

7. With the OGL tied more closely to D&D, how would that impact the future impact of games like Spycraft or Mutants and Masterminds – games that in 3e used the core d20 concept but diverged radically from D&D?

The new version of the OGL isn’t as open-ended as the current version. Any 4e OGL product must use the 4e PHB as the basis of their game. If they can’t use the core rule books, it won’t be possible to create the game under this particular version of the OGL.

Future versions of the OGL, including a 4e d20 Modern version, may make certain games possible where they weren’t before.

In other words, any game too far removed from D&D might be better off with the d20 Modern license -- if it's a modern game that can use the d20 Modern PH.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

First of all, tiers.

Would heroic, paragon and epic tiers make sense in a Modern 4e game? Heroic certainly, paragon probably, but I can't picture epic modern myself (unless that was superhero territory?)

For Modern, I'd like to see the distinction made even clearer, and have "level resets". Instead of going from level 10 to level 11, one could go from heroic level 10 to paragon level 1. In the player base of level based games there is a big psychological attachment to the idea of first level being the same as beginning level. Make it clear that Superman year one, is a whole different beast than Jimmy Olsen year one.

 

[Plane Sailing]

For Modern, I'd like to see the distinction made even clearer, and have "level resets". Instead of going from level 10 to level 11, one could go from heroic level 10 to paragon level 1. In the player base of level based games there is a big psychological attachment to the idea of first level being the same as beginning level. Make it clear that Superman year one, is a whole different beast than Jimmy Olsen year one.

Alternatively you could set "campaign qualities" in this theoretical ruleset, e.g. "Marvel Superhero games are played in the Paragon and Epic tiers. We recommend that you don't mix heroes across tiers because of the vastly different scope of their powers". another e.g. "Batman and similar hero games would normally play across the Heroic and Paragon tiers".

For a point of reference, M&M uses xp and levels, but expects that your starting heroes will probably start at 10th level.

 

[Remathilis]

My personal thought is that a 4e-based d20 Modern would look a bit more like SAGA than D&D.

A couple of fairly "generic" classes (Personality/Noble, Soldier, Scout/Survivorman, Expert/Scoundrel, and Spellcaster) that define a role, but a flexible enough to jump around in.
A Threshold "reality simulator" element.
A Emphasis on no-armor combat and mobility
Spellcasting a mix of Star Wars force ability and D&D style Rituals.
Probably more a 1-20 than 1-30 game (ignoring epic until d20 Supers comes out).

So it will probably be a blending of Saga and refined concepts of 4e, but look more like SAGA than D&D....

 

[Scribble]

An interesting subject!

First of all, tiers.

Would heroic, paragon and epic tiers make sense in a Modern 4e game? Heroic certainly, paragon probably, but I can't picture epic modern myself (unless that was superhero territory?)

Heroic: Die Hard

John Mclane fights terrorists, but does so by remaining elusive, and a strike and dissapear type of guy. Generally gets his butt kicked when he actually encounters them. (Ouch glass!)

Paragon: Die Hard 2 and 3

John McClane again fights Terrorists, but this time has a few more face to face action scenes... (IE can take a lot more damage... He's even at the level where he can fall off of high stuff and survive... that stupid crane at the end of 3...)

Epic: Live Free Die Hard...

Again... Terrorists.. and quasi post apocalyptic NY... This time he's high enough level that he can make a balance check to stay on the wing of a fighter jet as it's crashing... Among other crazy non human seeming stunts... (Plus he has high enough will defense to resist that stupid mac guy...)

 

[Greg K]

I never saw McClaine as high level. I just saw him relying on Action Points.

 

[Nymrohd]

Hmm kind of unrelated but it just came to me (and I might get an answer here). Is there any sci-fi RPG out there that is based on Firefly?