My d20 Modern Homebrew

[wolfen fenrison]

Don't have a setting name yet

Using the following books:
d20 Modern
Modern Player's Companion
d20 Past
Critical Locations
Weapons Locker
Menace Manual
Dark*Matter d20
d20 Future
Future Player's Companion
d20 Future Tech
d20 Cyberscape
d20 Apocalypse
Call of Cthlhu d20 (feats, monsters, spells, artifacts, books)
Players Handbook (feats, spells)
Dungeon Masters Guidebook (Magic Items, Artifacts)
Monster Manual (Monsters and Player races)
Psionics Handbook (Powers, Psionic Items, Monsters, Feats, yes its 3.0 psionics but that is what d20 Modern psionics is)
Monte Cook's World of Darkness (I turned the races/classes into templates, Feats)
Ghostwalk (Turn the ghost template and eidolon class into a race/class template like the ones from McWoD, Feats, Spells)

I am debating adding in the rest of the monster manuals, fiend folio, draconomicon, libris mortis, fiendish codex 1 & 2, lords of madness, elder evils, PHB 2, DMG 2.

The campaign is home brew, it combines fantasy, modern fantasy, classic horror, modern horror, modern and high sci-fi.The best way i describe it is a cross between movies/tv shows; hellboy, MiB, constentine, x-men, buffy/angel, blade.
Another view would be the video game marvel: ultimate alliance and cartoon justice league unlimited, but with out spandex or capes (unless they are magical).

Any input or helpful sugestions is appreciated.

 

[demiurge1138]

How're the players getting involved with the supernatural world? Are they government agents? Private investigators? Will they be mythical/magical themselves, or will you limit them to humans only?

A game I brainstormed but never got off the ground was going to be about the PCs as the cast and crew of a "Mysterious Mysteries" show--investigating so-called paranormal phenomona, etc. The twist would be that the first session would have their first actual encounter with the supernatural, and they would then be hired as field agents by the government organization that deals with such things (originally, the actual BPRD, but if I were to run it now, I think I'd make it my own bureau).

My plan for their first assignment would have been something relatively light and fluffy. The koalas at the San Francisco Zoo are in fact the only drop bears in captivity, and unfortunately, well meaning Animal Liberation Front-types released them into San Francisco at large. A later (rather a bit later) assignment would have the PCs looking into rumors of velociraptor activity in Costa Rica (as Jurassic Park, the original novel, was based on true events, and the government was responsible for later sequels and adaptations erasing any reference to raptors leaving the island for the mainland). These raptors would be being corralled up by the kinori, who would be working to overthrow the government of Costa Rica and establish their own nation.

...man, now I want to run that game again.

 

[wolfen fenrison]

the backrounds for characters can be as diverse as fantasy/mythical, modern supernatural/mystical, futuristic high tech/psychic.

I allow LA up to +3 (and that includes templates), i handle LA a little differently. For example at first level if want to play a race, template, or race/template combo, you'll have to take flaws to equal the LA. the flaws come from unearthed arcana.

 

[wolfen fenrison]

some plot lines I'm working on:

Castle Ravenloft; d20 Modern in Ravenloft using the mini-campaign option, including the web-enhacement adventure. d20 Castlevainia, nuff said.

Illithid Invasion; Using MM 5, Lords of Madness to create an Illithid spacefareing empire (like in spelljammer) that invades earth War of Worlds/Indepence Day style. And its rests on earths metahumans to repell the invasion.

Fall of Cthulhu; This runs like a Call of Cthulhu game set to an action movie, no madness for the heroes, with the first adventure being an assult on a back water massachusetts, titled "Battle for Innsmouth". And ending with a showdown with the Great Cthulhu itself.

World Born Dead; For direct epic level play there is the Atropus scenario from Elder Evils, it'll be like dawn of the dead (random zombie uprisings, and I could make them infectious) meets Indiana Jones (chasing crazed cultists trying find artifacts and tomes to end the world) and Galactus (Planet sized undead world eater with a bodak herald on a flying construct bound to it).

 

[Aus_Snow]

I allow LA up to +3 (and that includes templates), i handle LA a little differently. For example at first level if want to play a race, template, or race/template combo, you'll have to take flaws to equal the LA. the flaws come from unearthed arcana.

Jeepers. Am I reading this right? Like, I pick a LA +3 creature type, take 3 flaws, and I'm good to go, as if a normal 1st leveller. . .?

Because if that's the case, I strongly suggest changing the house rule. In Unearthed Arcana, a flaw is counterbalanced with *one* bonus feat. Now, putting a number on 'feats per LA' is tricky and most likely pointless anyhow, but if you were going to, maybe five or six might be more reasonable than, well, one.

But if my reading of things is way off, my apologies, and um, never mind.

 

[wolfen fenrison]

Flaws from UA are a little to heavy IMO to just be anti-feats, where a feat would give +2 to two related skills, a flaw gives a -4 to two related skills. Besides if someone wanted to play a Half-Dragon Human and takes Meager Fortitude, Poor Reflexes, and Weak Will (that would be a -3 to all saves), I think that character isn't that over balaced.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Cool, no worries. If it works for you and your players, then well, never mind indeed.

 

[wolfen fenrison]

D&D to d20 Modern Class Conversion

First I want to say this is far from perfect and doesn't cover every class, this mainly to help characters in my setting to be from the fantasy classes to more modern counterparts. The builds Include a Base Class, Advanced Class, Prestige Class or Second Advanced Class.

Barbarian Tough/Thrasher (UA)/Enforcer (MPC)

Bard Charismatic/Glamourist (UA)/Personality

Cleric Dedicated/Acolyte (UA)/Ecclesiarch (UA)

Druid Dedicated/Acolyte/Ecclesiarch (UA)

Fighter Strong/Archaic Weaponmaster (UA)/Soldier

Monk Strong/Martial Artist/Martial Arts Master (MPC)

Paladin Strong/Archaic Weaponmaster (UA)/Holy Knight (UA)

Ranger Tough/Wildlord (UA)/Survivalist (MPC)

Rogue Fast/Infiltrator/Silent Intruder (MPC)

Sorcerer Charismatic/Adept (MPC)/Archamge (UA)

Wizard Smart/Mage/Archmage (UA)

Psion Charismatic/Psychic/Mentalist (MPC)

Psychic Warrior Strong/Battle Mind/Psionic Assassin (MPC)

Artificer Smart/Techno Mage (UA)/Artificer (UA)

Mystic Dedicated/Mystic (UA)/Ecclesiarch (UA)

Marshal Charismatic/Field Marshal (d20F)/Commander (MPC)

Swashbuckler Fast/Swashbuckler/Muskeetier

Warlock Charismatic/Sorcerer/Diabolist

 

[Loonook]

Cool, no worries. If it works for you and your players, then well, never mind indeed.

I think one of the major differences (though I don't know if I agree fully with flaws = LA) is that most of the bonuses gained by monster races in d20 Modern are skewed one way or another (for example, creatures gain species bonuses vs. 'real' attack progressions with monstrous HD). With appropriate tuning down of abilities and balancing per DM most monster races can be converted and sufficiently less dangerous than a character with similar abilities for the level.

However, some LA races REALLY need to be looked at; the Ogre is pretty overpowering for its LA if you allow flaws (even though flaws will somewhat balance) because of the immense benefit to Str (+10!) and Con (+4) gained... though they won't exactly be winning any Intelligence-based challenges, they're still quite dangerous.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

EDIT: Also, Wolf, it isn't necessary to make analogues for all classes; while Modern is a great system it can get... very flaky... when you attempt to port over some magic as FX. Creatures? Not that bad... FX and magic items... they get iffy, especially if you also allow golemtech or similar in a campaign. I would heartily suggest Psychics Handbook and Elements of Magic: Mythic Earth for your FX. Having run a lot of different options I gotta say that these 3rd party materials handle the feel of FX much better, and provide for both spontaneous casting and tried-and-true options for mages, acolytes, and telepaths which have relative balance in comparison to the hodgepodge of 3.X magic ports.

 

[wolfen fenrison]

The Class analogs came about when a friend wanted to play a version of one of his D&D characters that got pulled throught the shadow plane, and saw the crappy conversion notes in Urban Arcana and thought I could do better and I think I did.