The great d20 sci-fi bakeoff

Herobizkit

Adventurer
Palladium's Robotech, man. Sure, it's 20 odd years old, but so are most gamers. ;) ;) ;)

I am going to attempt a PBP d20 Modern/Future/Robotech-esque campaign on here some day... just you wait and see. *G*
 

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MoogleEmpMog

First Post
For d20(-derivative): Mutants & Masterminds (Green Ronin). You can use it, sans most powers, for human PCs. You can use it for aliens. You can use it for ships. Since all of these are built using the same system, they're all compatible. You can (fairly) easily adapt it to miniatures play or run battlemat free as in the default (particularly nice for those three - or more! - dimensional space battles).

Alternative: True20 (Green Ronin). Similar to Mutants & Masterminds, lighter but not as flexible. For sci-fi in particular, I'd take M&M, but True20 is also an excellent system. Chargen would be much faster than in Mutants & Masterminds, and it's a more familiar (to D&D players) character advancement system.

Alternative: d20 Modern/Future with d20 Future Tech, Future Player's Companion (Game Mechanics), Blood and Space (RPG Objects) and d20 Mecha (Guardians of Order). d20 Mecha remains the best d20 vehicle construction system on the market, IMO, whether it's for giant robots, spaceships or age of sail clipper ships. This suite is slightly more limited, but still a very solid post-D&D d20 system. Chargen would be easier than M&M, tougher than True20. This might be the best option if you want built-in support for miniatures play. I also reccomend Blood and Fists (RPG Objects) if you want *any* kind of martial arts in the campaign; it's an invaluable resource for all d20 Modern compatible games.

Out of Left Field: Star Wars Minis. A true rules-light alternative. Either slap on the skill system of your choice or leave skills to the players' character backgrounds ala O/A/BD&D, and enjoy truly fast and furious d20-based combat.

Non-d20: Silhouette Core (Dream Pod Nine). A great system for sci-fi with an available setting (Jovian Chronicles) that should suit your target tech level. Considerably more lethal than any of the d20 options, for better or worse. My personal favorite system, though Mutants & Masterminds is, objectively, probably a better design.
 

Out of all the d20 systems, the one your gut tells you is right - is likely the right one. It may sound kinda corny - but its honest. D20 Modern/Future is fairly modular and can be easily absorb other rules into it.

Personally, if I had your dilemma, I'd go with True20. Its pretty basic, and can also absorb other rules into it. The only thing I don't likie about True20, is their beginning classes (Warrior, Expert, Adept) - its too simplistic for me. In that regard, I'd rather use d20 Modern (Strong, Charismatic, Dedicated, etc etc). True20 does have a fairly stripped-down feel to the rules, simpler skill set (less skills - two skills "folded" into one, etc).

CP
 

Hackmaster

Explorer
Blood and Space is my favorite D20 Sci-fi by far and it sounds like it may be just what you are looking for.

I didn't like the classes in D20 future at all. I don't have any experience with Dawning Star.

Traveller T20 is decent, but to me it overdid things a bit: non-standard damage resolution mechanic, characters have way too many feats and a few other minor quibbles.

So my vote goes to Blood and Space. Inexpensive, well done, and just what I was looking for.
 

DMH

First Post
One that has been not mentioned so far is Center Space. I have no idea if it is sold here, but it is on rpgnow edge. I find it has a lot of ideas to steal and an interesting universe but some of the rules are a bit wacky and there are two spellcaster classes (ug).
 

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