Using D20 Modern for Traveller D20: The Campaign Setting

[qstor]

I kinda wish Hunter Gordon would do a T20 2nd edition and use the D20 modern rules, D20 Future like Darwin's World did instead of the 3.0 PHB as the basis of the game. I don't have any idea about the Starship rules though

I kinda agree about junking the SOC and EDU stats. I think Charisma and a proper Noble class would replace the SOC stats.

Mike

 

[Psion]

I'd definitely recommend

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

That sounds about right.

Grim Tales has a variant that lets you add armor modifiers to your MDT. I think this would help armor keep pace with powerful weapons.

I'm also fond of using 10+con mod as a MDT rather than simply CON -- the official rules sort of make con too important.

Also, I'll stick with my standard whupping boy of d20 modern as being the autofire and nonlethal damage rules, and recommend you pull in T20's versions of those rules.

 

[tjoneslo]

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.

The feeling was that vehicle mounted guns are different enough from hand held weapons, that a BAB + DEX/STR was not going to accurately model a remote mounted, computer aimed weapon. Gunnery is a wisdom based skill.

This goes back to a discussion about getting rid of BAB altogether and replacing it with a set of skills. I worked through a few ideas about how it would work, but not in a presetable form.

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?

Technically, there a no skills which use SOC as a stat, though there are class features/feats that let you use your SOC bonus in place of your CHA bonus for some/all of the CHA based skills.

I really wanted SOC to be a attribute, something every character has. It might work OK if it were something like Reputation or Wealth, since I hadn't finished writing the socail interaction rules.

 

[tjoneslo]

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.

I've been considering options. From a D20 player's point of view, Traveller combat goes beyond grim'n'gritty to vicious'n'ugly. I did a statistical analysis of several high-lethaity options in this thread on the COTI boards.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

Thing is, once you go beyond a certain amount of changing, you're not changing anymore you're writing a whole new game.

I would, personally, keep variations on MDT to adjust the system. It keeps from having to rewrite weapons, weapon design, etc etc.

Unfortunately, Traveler's core combat concept has never been huge on my list of things I like to play, so I'm not going to be too much help.

--fje

 

[tjoneslo]

My preference would be to use the MDT=10, plus save of Fort save 10+1/2 damage. That seems to about as grim as most people will still play, without coming up with a new system altogether.