Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana Takes on Modern Magic

This month's edition of Unearthed Arcana from WotC's Dan Helmick takes on the topic of Modern Magic! Following on from an earlier column about d20 Modern items using 5E rules, this article "presents new rules for expanding the repertoire of spellcasting characters in a modern setting."

"A few months ago, Daniel Helmick described his adaptation for d20 Modern in a Behind the Screens article. He expanded on the rules for using firearms and explosives in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Now, what if we extended the D&D rules to cover a campaign not only touched by, but actually set in a modern era? The newest iteration of D&D features various archetypes, traditions, domains, and other options for the base classes, all of which present opportunities for customization. With that in mind, this article presents new rules for expanding the repertoire of spellcasting characters in a modern setting."

Find it here!

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[Blue]

This is pretty cool headspace even if not immediately usable. Both the Cleric and Warlock have ideas that we probably wouldn't see looking at this from an FR-themed point of view, but are rather interesting from a design point.

And I love the Synchronicity spell, thinking about yoinking that (at a lower level) for non-modern play.

 

[Benji]

Especially for the modern setting, with modern spiritual traditions, it is necessary to remove gods from D&D.

The Cleric class must be able to function in any kind of setting.

Yaarel, I love you man. Any attempt to get them to drop the gods, you take it. What have you got against them anyhow?

Just in case this comes across as nasty, I mean it with a amused but respectful curiosity.

 

[SilentWolf]

I agree with the modularity potential you mention and watch the vid for zero down but to answer your question, would I like to play in a campaign like that robot dinosaur setting...not really my cup of tea.

It is a matter of taste.
Regardless of the taste of the individual players, I think D&D can only gain from a true modularity trough witch players can explore a great variety of flavors. Accepted as a fact that by default D&D will always be linked to Fantasy flavors, today it needs to experiment with genres.

 

[EthanSental]

It is a matter of taste.
Regardless of the taste of the individual players, I think D&D can only gain from a true modularity trough witch players can explore a great variety of flavors. Accepted as a fact that by default D&D will always be linked to Fantasy flavors, today it needs to experiment with genres.

Wholeheartedly agree with this as I remember trying Masque of the Red Death back in the day for a different genre. Just need to test the waters with things like this to see which generates enough interest for WoTC to follow up with more.

 

[Bupp]

I really like these new rules. Not my usual genre, and nothing I'd use anytime soon, but I would like to see more.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I'm not going to get into an argument about it, because my position is pretty well established, so I'll just clearly state it:

There are a multitude of RPGs out there. Literally thousands, of various degrees of quality and length of existence. D&D is a certain type of RPG that has never been intended as a universal system. If that is going to change and they want to make it a universal system, they need to change the name and count me out of their customer base.

Now, much as I personally dislike it, d20 can be a universal system. If they want to label this sort of stuff as d20 Modern and put it out under those auspices, fine. But I find it irritating that a different RPG is taking up a precious content release spot in D&Ds slow release schedule. I'd feel the same way if they put up content for any other game in the UA article, like Shadowrun or Savage Worlds, or whatever. It doesn't matter how much I enjoy those games, they aren't a part of D&D and aren't appropriate taking up it's slot.

 

[doctorhook]

I was pleasantly surprised by this UA because it wasn't light on content. Lots better than three poorly slapped-together variant rules stolen straight from the pages of 3.5E's Unearthed Arcana hardback.

 

[SilentWolf]

I'm not going to get into an argument about it, because my position is pretty well established, so I'll just clearly state it:

There are a multitude of RPGs out there. Literally thousands, of various degrees of quality and length of existence. D&D is a certain type of RPG that has never been intended as a universal system. If that is going to change and they want to make it a universal system, they need to change the name and count me out of their customer base.

Now, much as I personally dislike it, d20 can be a universal system. If they want to label this sort of stuff as d20 Modern and put it out under those auspices, fine. But I find it irritating that a different RPG is taking up a precious content release spot in D&Ds slow release schedule. I'd feel the same way if they put up content for any other game in the UA article, like Shadowrun or Savage Worlds, or whatever. It doesn't matter how much I enjoy those games, they aren't a part of D&D and aren't appropriate taking up it's slot.

I respect your opinion. I can't come here and tell you what to think or say what needs to be right for everyone.
I would just say that, in my opinion, exploring new flavor and genres takes nothing away from the default D&D experience. Instead, this kind of design solutions not only respect the Modular vocation of the new D&D, but also respect the needs of the widest range of players that costitute the D&D community (one of the most important design goals of the new D&D Edition was and is obtaining a game in witch all players can find what they need and search).

That said, is not unusual for game like D&D experimenting with genres.
Pathfinder have its Science Fantasy Setting, Iron Gods.
D&D has always done a bit 'of experiments, as we can see with Dark Sun, Planescape and Spelljammer. A Modern setting will be a bigger step compared to the past, but it is not so incomprehensible considering 3 factors:

1) In many cases Fantasy, Sci Fi and Modern settings have much in common with each other.

2) Today Modern and Sci Fi flavors are back to being a major source of inspiration for the players of the new generations (and not only for them), the ones that are primary D&D targets. There are today more Urban Fantasy source of Inspiration, than classic Fantasy ones.

3) WotC owns D20 Modern. For WotC is more convenient save money designing Modern Rules for a Modular D&D (like said, Modularity was a declared game design goal), instead of design a whole new RPG which implies an increase of production costs.

I know, you have your opinion and is right that you defend it. I think, however, that an UA occasionally dedicated to non Fantasy rules don't weakens the fantasy rules realeses, considering that Fantasy rules are the majority of D&D rules. Instead, some occasionally non Fantasy rules allows players like me to have a little bit of what they need.

 

[Yaarel]

Not necessarily. Either the D&D Gods can still exist in a modern setting, or there are a wealth of world religions/faiths/philosophies that can model Cleric-like abilities.

the Original d20 Modern had Acolyte as an expert ("prestige") class as well.

5e Modern hype!

I live in the modern world. I dont worship gods. I think theyre unfun. Theyre embarrassing. I dont want them in my game.

If the rules for D&D 5e Modern lack gods, then I can use the rules conveniently. If the flavor of gods are baked in everywhere, then I cant play the game. It isnt worth it, to rewrite all the rules in order to remove the gods flavor. I might as well play a different game.

I want the gods flavor absent. I dont want to have reexplain what else gods might be. I dont want their flavor in the first place.

My hope is to use D&D 5e Modern, for reallife urban settings, with an urban fantasy or more precisely a technotopian twist.

If I am unable to use D&D 5e rules because it keeps baking in unwanted flavor, then I do and will use a different rules system.

Currently, I am using a modified 3e SRD. The SRD intentionally removes official flavor, making it easy to add the flavor that I like. But I am on the look out for a solid gaming system that meets all of my gaming needs.

Say no to gods.

 

[steeldragons]

I live in the modern world. I dont worship gods. I think theyre unfun. Theyre embarrassing. I dont want them in my game.

If the rules for D&D 5e Modern lack gods, then I can use the rules conveniently. If the flavor of gods are baked in everywhere, then I cant play the game. It isnt worth it, to rewrite all the rules in order to remove the gods flavor. I might as well play a different game.

I want the gods flavor absent. I dont want to have reexplain what else gods might be. I dont want their flavor in the first place.

My hope is to use D&D 5e Modern, for reallife urban settings, with an urban fantasy or more precisely a technotopian twist.

If I am unable to use D&D 5e rules because it keeps baking in unwanted flavor, then I do and will use a different rules system.

Currently, I am using a modified 3e SRD. The SRD intentionally removes official flavor, making it easy to add the flavor that I like. But I am on the look out for a solid gaming system that meets all of my gaming needs.

Say no to gods.

Then why are you endlessly posting in the D&D 5e forums???...when 5e and, indeed, the bulk of D&D worlds from time immemorial, presupposes the existence of deities in their fantasy. AND, even though it is trivially easy for you to simply REMOVE that flavor, you steadfastly refuse it as even possible and expect, instead, that a FANTASY game about MAGIC and FANTASTIC creatures and MYTHological elements would/should/is [somehow] foolish to NOT remove, not just the narrative presence, but flavor of a world that experiences religious systems in their societies and/or worships deities [or any kind of spirituality, it seems] with or without any actual proof or reality to their existence.

Dude, we get it. You don't like gods. Bummer. Do us a favor? Give it rest. You don't want to play in a fantasy game or in a fantasy world...So I'll ask again, why are you always here in the 5e D&D conversations?

And let me just use the word once more because you clearly have not really gleaned what it means...D&D, short for "Dungeons & Dragons", is a FAN-TA-SY game. It's not real! It's not reality! It's a game of make believe! The existence of any deities in your D&D or not, regardless of one's real world philosophies...are. not. real.

Relax! To demand the removal of gods from D&D is, not just...illogical, but just plain bizarre.