Using D20 Modern for Traveller D20: The Campaign Setting

[tjoneslo]

On the Citizen's of the Imperium boards, there are infrequent but persistent requests to update the Traveller D20 rules to use everyone's favorite D20 rules: D20 Modern. I've been working on integrating the D20 Modern and Traveller D20 rule sets, and liberally borrowing from whatever other OGL D20 sources I can find.

So this is the Campaign setting writeup for Traveller as a D20 Modern/Future game. I want to see what the assembled groupmind thinks of this idea.


Traveller: The campaign setting
This is Free Trader Beowulf, calling anyone… Mayday, Mayday… we are under attack… main drive is gone… turret number one not responding… Mayday… loosing cabin pressure fast… calling anyone… please help… This is Free Trader Beowulf… Mayday…
Summary
The characters travel the stars, looking for adventure, and a quick credit.
Campaign in Brief
Traveller's Third Imperium is a vast, sprawling interstellar empire, covering 11,000 worlds. For a thousand years Emperors have ruled from the Iridium throne, using their power to keep these worlds safe, to keep the peace, and ensure the free flow of commerce. Beyond the borders are other, alien empires, some hostile, some friendly.

The Emperor controls the Imperium through two powers. With travel times from Capital to the border of a year or more and no faster communications than a starship, the Emperor relies upon the Imperial Nobility, a collection of Dukes, Counts, and Barons who act as the Emperor's eyes and voice, given absolute control in their demesne. The nobility run the bureaucracy, collects taxes, recruits for the Imperial Navy and Army, and oversee the Imperial Rules of War. The second power of the Emperor is the Imperial Navy.

The Imperium, despite its great power, does not rule individual worlds. Worlds rule themselves, each able to create its own government, to solve their own unique problems of their alien environments. The Imperium has few rules which each member system must follow: pay a small imperial tax, do not hinder trade through the system, follow the Imperial rules of War, and do not allow slavery.

Role of the Heroes
Traveller's origins were in a wide open, go anywhere, do anything style of games. Over time, three types of campaigns predominate.
The Merchant Campaign
Trade is the life blood of the Imperium. Huge corporate freighters carry the bulk of lifeblood between words, hauling everything from raw ore to finished high tech goods. But they can't, or won't, cover everything. Between the large trips are the small, overlooked things. Luxury goods carried in small lots, emergency shipments, the smaller worlds which don't rank attention from the larger haulers. These places are covered by the tramp freighters, small ships carrying small cargos for marginal profits.

The characters are owners of a small tramp freighter, plying the star lanes in an attempt to make enough credits to cover the mortgage, the maintenance, fuel, and other expenses. Finding cargoes to buy low and sell high at another port. Keeping things interesting are the large corporate haulers willing to engage in cut throat competition, literally. The brokers looking for haulers of cargo no one else is willing to take, and willing to pay. And the occasional pirate.
The Mercenary Campaign
The Imperium has a vast naval armada and armed forces to keep the peace. But the Imperium does not involve itself in the internal matters of individual worlds. Not everyone likes the government they live under and some express their displeasure though violence. Disputes between worlds, and even between corporations, over trade and access to resources also flare into violence. Not all of these are expected, nor do all of these groups want to support their own armed force. To fill this niche are the mercenary companies, in sizes from a dozen to a full corps, to proved trained and well armed troops on demand.
The characters are members (or owners) of a company of mercenaries, guns for hire. Missions include providing security, training, a trained cadre to strengthen forces, and direct assaults on targets.
The Great Game
Where there people in power, there is political intrigue, and the Imperium is no exception. Corporate leaders hobnob with the nobility to get favorable treatment for their companies and the worlds of the nobility. Positions within the nobility change infrequently, so are of great interest when they do.
The characters are members of the Imperial nobility or their seneschal, working to improve their position. Social interactions are most of what this campaign is about. But there are some who are not beyond more underhanded tactics. Using espionage, or assassination, deniably of course, as a means of advancement is not unheard of. Players should be ready for, or be able to plan such things.
Campaign Traits
Technology
Traveller is set in a PL 7 universe, but with many specific changes to the technology. Some things, like energy supplies are PL6, limited to fusion power and chemical energy storage.
The gravity control allows for flying cars, even personal flying carpets. Energy weapons are used in profusion, but the old fashioned chemical powered firearms are frequently encountered. Even the computer networks are spread throughout the more inhabited systems.

The interstellar capable starships use a variation of the Jump Drive, the jumps take a week and with a fairly limited range (at least in terms of interstellar distances). There are no jump gates or jump networks, ships create their own jump wormhole. There is in interstellar range communications other than sending a starship. The Imperium maintains an X-Boat system, a courier system between the important worlds. But worlds not on an x-boat link must wait until a starship visits to get news or help from other systems.

Generic engineering and cybernetics are both PL 7, but social taboos and legal restrictions minimize their appearance. Robots are similarly PL 7, except the robot brains are limited to PL 6, Artificial Intelligence being a harder problem in Traveller than other campaigns.

The important thing about Technology in the Traveller campaign is technology is old. Ideas are introduced and spread slowly. In Traveller, cutting edge technology is a century old, having gone through many revisions already. This is a combination of practical (travel is slow) and cultural (if the old way works, why change?) factors.

Thanks for your feedback.

 

[Ranger REG]

I'm interested, but... how much of the d20 Modern/d20 Future rules mechanics will you deviate from? For example, are you inclined to replace the current health system for another?

 

[Psion]

Mechanically, it sounds like a good idea. I like certain things about T20 (I think it far and away has the best ship combat), but lots of it could use some rework.

One eensy little nitpick that your post brings up: I strongly prefer traveller TLs to d20M PLs. The latter seem too rubbery to me

 

[tjoneslo]

I'm interested, but... how much of the d20 Modern/d20 Future rules mechanics will you deviate from? For example, are you inclined to replace the current health system for another?

I haven't completed the design. Known rule changes: I've borrowed the T20 Technical skill, which replaces a number existing skills, and extends to other items not covered in the D20M/F skills. I've added a number of feats and talent trees to better simulate the skill sets. Added the two T20 statistics, plus base classes for them. Replaced the advanced classes with a whole slew of new ones specific to the setting.

But I had not decided what to do about the hit points. I was leaning toward borrowing the Grim'n'Gritty system of giving fewer hit point (0 to 3 per level) rather than a massive damage system. If this goes further, it will depend upon how grim I think Traveller combat should be.

One eensy little nitpick that your post brings up: I strongly prefer traveller TLs to d20M PLs. The latter seem too rubbery to me

Tech Level in Traveller has two meanings: One is the campaign tech level, which like the PL describes the top end equipment available in the campaign. The other is an in-game economic indicator for each world. Low TL worlds are poor, high TL worlds are rich and rich worlds have more and better technology.

This is also being written from the perspective of "Hey, D20 Modern person, here's a cool (old) setting to play many fun games with", rather than "Hey, Traveller person, here's yet another game system to play Traveller with." So I'm trying to use the D20 Modern/Future terminology over Traveller.

 

[Plane Sailing]

But I had not decided what to do about the hit points. I was leaning toward borrowing the Grim'n'Gritty system of giving fewer hit point (0 to 3 per level) rather than a massive damage system. If this goes further, it will depend upon how grim I think Traveller combat should be.

I'd definitely recommend

a) low MDT
b) fail MDT save puts you at -1 and dying (not dead outright).

If you want it grim and gritty MDT = 10, if you want it a bit more heroic MDT = CON.

Definitely don't go for a fewer hit point approach, it just doesn't work as well IMO.

Cheers

 

[Plane Sailing]

- I meant to say also, that other than that I think you are on to a great idea! Did you model your advanced classes on the various chargen routes open to PCs in traveller, or did you go more granular?

Cheers

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

For my own Sixguns'n'Starships, I lowered the MDT to 10, but added Damage Conversion to the armor (sorta semi-DR). The Damage Conversion converts its Equipment Bonus to subdual as the damage comes in, so the effective MDT is 10+Armor.

Additionally I set the MDT Save DC to 10+(1/2 damage) instead of 15.

This makes for a more "grim-gritty" experience without having to replace a bunch of base-line things like how treat injury and HP recovery works. Characters in heavy armor tend to absorb more damage, the subdual totals mean characters can recover a little between fights, etc.

On the whole, I'd love to be in on a Traveller game done with d20M rules. Looks good.

--fje

 

[yojimbouk]

I haven't completed the design. Known rule changes: I've borrowed the T20 Technical skill, which replaces a number existing skills, and extends to other items not covered in the D20M/F skills. I've added a number of feats and talent trees to better simulate the skill sets. Added the two T20 statistics, plus base classes for them. Replaced the advanced classes with a whole slew of new ones specific to the setting.

If you're going for a wholesale revision of the d20 skills list then I'd suggest taking a look at Spycraft which reduces the number of skills but adds lots more skill uses as well as 'skill focuses' which are a lot like Traveller cascade skills. In the vanilla d20 System skill specialities seem to be handled by feats such as Vehicle Operation and Weapon Proficiencies or by Craft, Knowledge or Profession skills.

I never felt the 2 T20 abilities, Education (EDU) and Social Status (SOC), were that necessary or useful beyond the lifepath character generation system.

In addition, the Charismatic Hero already covers the role of a social based PC and Smart Hero for the intellectual types.

Traveller social status might be better modelled with feats a la Windfall or the Fading Suns d20 social feats.

Cheers,
Jim.

 

[tjoneslo]

If you're going for a wholesale revision of the d20 skills list then I'd suggest taking a look at Spycraft which reduces the number of skills but adds lots more skill uses as well as 'skill focuses' which are a lot like Traveller cascade skills. In the vanilla d20 System skill specialities seem to be handled by feats such as Vehicle Operation and Weapon Proficiencies or by Craft, Knowledge or Profession skills.

I have seen both editions of spycraft skills, and I wasn't changing the skills that much, I think, to want to inflict a wholesale change like spycraft.

From D20 Modern the big change is the introduction of the Technical skill. This cascade encompasses a number of skills in D20 Modern. In particular it replaces and expands upon Computer Use, Demolitions, Disable Device, Repair, and Treat Injury. Technical also replaces most of the Craft skills. Technical is a cascade skill, meaning you must pick one of 9 sub-skills when selecting the skill. (which are Chemical, Communications, Computer, Electronics, Engineering, Mechanical, Medical, Structural, Survey)

I also added the skills Leader from the D20 SRD (and T20) and the new skills of Forward Observer and Gunnery. The Knowledge (Arcane Lore) has been changed to Knowledge (Psionics) to better reflect the arcane lore in Traveller. There is a new Knowledge (Ancients Lore) skill. I also changed the Profession skill into a cascade skill, with six sub-skills.

I never felt the 2 T20 abilities, Education (EDU) and Social Status (SOC), were that necessary or useful beyond the lifepath character generation system.

In addition, the Charismatic Hero already covers the role of a social based PC and Smart Hero for the intellectual types.

Traveller social status might be better modelled with feats a la Windfall or the Fading Suns d20 social feats.

I really like the SOC as an attribute vs. a set of feats for several reasons both in-game (it promotes a certian kind of thinking about what the character can do) and out-of-game, the rules for managing attributes work better for handling social status than do a set of feats. For example, you can inflict SOC attribute damage, lowering the characters social standing, something very difficult to do with feats.

Describing the difference between a charsimatic hero and a socialite hero can be challenging. The charasmatic hero is personally engaging, able to influence events by their presence, a Social hero has the recognized weight of the Imperium behind them, able to make (not so subtle) threats about using their posiition to influence events.

I feel less strongly about the EDU attribute, and may end up dropping it at some point. It's mostly a T20 carryover and I've found uses for it.

 

[yojimbouk]

From D20 Modern the big change is the introduction of the Technical skill. This cascade encompasses a number of skills in D20 Modern. In particular it replaces and expands upon Computer Use, Demolitions, Disable Device, Repair, and Treat Injury. Technical also replaces most of the Craft skills. Technical is a cascade skill, meaning you must pick one of 9 sub-skills when selecting the skill. (which are Chemical, Communications, Computer, Electronics, Engineering, Mechanical, Medical, Structural, Survey)

Sounds fair enough. It deviates from the SRD somewhat but then it does seem better organised than the d20M technical skills (many of which are holdovers from D&D).

I also added the skills Leader from the D20 SRD (and T20) and the new skills of Forward Observer and Gunnery. The Knowledge (Arcane Lore) has been changed to Knowledge (Psionics) to better reflect the arcane lore in Traveller. There is a new Knowledge (Ancients Lore) skill. I also changed the Profession skill into a cascade skill, with six sub-skills.

Not sure about Gunnery. Surely gunnery attacks are still dictated by Base Attack Bonus rather than a skill. I can see a Gunner Proficiency feat though. Forward Observer sounds OK if it's for providing a synergy bonus to long-range attacks. It could be handled as a Profession skill also.

I really like the SOC as an attribute vs. a set of feats for several reasons both in-game (it promotes a certian kind of thinking about what the character can do) and out-of-game, the rules for managing attributes work better for handling social status than do a set of feats. For example, you can inflict SOC attribute damage, lowering the characters social standing, something very difficult to do with feats.

Describing the difference between a charsimatic hero and a socialite hero can be challenging. The charasmatic hero is personally engaging, able to influence events by their presence, a Social hero has the recognized weight of the Imperium behind them, able to make (not so subtle) threats about using their posiition to influence events.

I feel less strongly about the EDU attribute, and may end up dropping it at some point. It's mostly a T20 carryover and I've found uses for it.

I concede that feats are not be the way to go as it doesn't model the downwardly mobile However, I can't see many skills that should have SOC as base stat rather than Int or Cha. Sounds like it could easily be a dump stat for PCs other than nobles. How about something like the Wealth bonus as an alternative?

Cheers,
Jim.