Poll over but... keep recommending d20 Modern books! (It's all good.)

[jaerdaph]

Most of the crunch stuff from Urban Arcana is in the Modern SRD, so I would skip that.

I would recommend either Dark*Matter or Critical Locations, both of which I got a lot of use out of.

As for 3PP, don't get me started! That's a long, long list of good stuff, much of which has been mentioned here already.

 

[Greg K]

Martial Arts Mayhem (Green Ronin/The Game Mechanics); Adds the ability to make any character a decent martial arts master (even acolytes, mages, and psychics), and make certian other classes even sweeter (allowing the gunslinger to get gun fu abilities, and the martial artist class becomes the pinicle of unarmed combat if he masters a style), all that w/o adding a single class or a crap load of feats

I was not impressed by this book. I was extremely disappointed with the treatment of martial arts styles. However, ignoring the martial arts styles, it has some stuff worth owning.

 

[Greg K]

What's your opinion of the Future Player's Companion?.

Like d20 Future, I was not very impressed. Despite paying only $2 + shipping , it is still the only d20M purchase that I have any regrets purchasing (although, d20 Future comes close)- at least, on my first read through. Still, I can get some use out of it so, maybe, for $2 it was worth the price.

 

[Knightfall]

Well,

I'm just about to start getting ready to leave for my day of RPG book browsing. and I still haven't decided which book I'm going to get. (I probably won't decide until after I get there. Isn't that always the way it is.)

I'm leaning towards d20 Dark*Matter or maybe d20 Future Tech since I have a major interest in those two books. However, if any of my FLGSs have managed to find the Survivor's Handbook for Darwin's World 2 then all bets are off.

 

[Armadillo]

d20M Player's Companion. Absolutely the best supplement out there with lots of crunch for your game: talents, feats, builds, equipment, advanced classes, and more.

After that, it depends on what you're interested in. Dark*Matter is probably the best of what you've listed.

 

[pawsplay]

If you want some d20 Future stuff, try Dawning Star: Operation Quick Launch.

Disclosure: It is completely awesome. And I was paid to consult on it.

 

[Arkhandus]

Darn, I didn't notice this thread early enough to really help, but....

I'd suggest d20 Cyberscape, out of those options. While a few things aren't explained quite well enough IMO, and the VRnet/HInet sections are kinda lacking (I likes me some Shadowrun), the book is reasonably well-packed with useful and detailed stuff, though a few bits and pieces really aren't worthwhile (a lot of extremely limited or extremely weak implants and such, plus the rules for prosthetic limbs are kinda weak). There's a lot in there that's useable as-is and will help a d20 Modern game better emulate postmodern or superspy settings.

Also, the book has several options and variants, as well as a chapter on alternate cyber-stuff, such as golemtech, necrotics, wetware, and stuff. There's just a tiny bit of nanotech-related stuff along with it. And it has stats for old-fashioned prosthetics like a peg leg or hook hand. ^_^


D20 Future Tech is alright, and certainly useful when running a game involving starships, mecha, or robots, but otherwise it's a mixed bag. LOTS of semi- or totally-broken bits and pieces, and some very incomplete descriptions for some stuff (for example, there's absolutely no description of what Psi-Tech is or how it's supposed to work, though much of it seems just outright better than anything else, so it sure seems like they forgot to detail any kind of requirements or limitations for it).

 

[Knightfall]

d20M Player's Companion. Absolutely the best supplement out there with lots of crunch for your game: talents, feats, builds, equipment, advanced classes, and more.

After that, it depends on what you're interested in. Dark*Matter is probably the best of what you've listed.

I ended up getting d20 Dark*Matter and Beyond the Horizon for Gamma World, 6th Edition.

I'd like to get the d20M Player's Companion and the Future version as well, but it will be real hard to get either one here in Edmonton. The LGSs in the city are reluctant to deal in v.3.5/OGL game books any more.

If you want some d20 Future stuff, try Dawning Star: Operation Quick Launch.

Disclosure: It is completely awesome. And I was paid to consult on it.

I've considered Dawning Star, but I doubt I'll be able to order it locally. My only real option is to order books online is through Amazon.com, and I'd have to beg a relative to let me use their CC. That's not easy for non-roleplaying purchases.

 

[Knightfall]

D20 Future Tech is alright, and certainly useful when running a game involving starships, mecha, or robots, but otherwise it's a mixed bag. LOTS of semi- or totally-broken bits and pieces, and some very incomplete descriptions for some stuff (for example, there's absolutely no description of what Psi-Tech is or how it's supposed to work, though much of it seems just outright better than anything else, so it sure seems like they forgot to detail any kind of requirements or limitations for it).

Hmm, I seriously considered that book but decided against it for now.

 

[Rappy]

I may be one of the few on the matter, but I'd say grab Weapons Locker. You can swipe Urban Arcana from the SRD, and I'd avoid d20 Past like the plague, but Weapons Locker is a solid Open Game Content book that has plenty of fun toys to blow people up with. It's not perfect by any standards, but it's the official Wizards of the Coast equivalent of a ranged combat Monster Manual.

For 3rd Party: As already mentioned, Modern Player's Companion. Heck, anything by the Game Mechanics...anything they do (especially MPC and Modern Magic) is auto-epic.