Giving d20 Modern a Try...Anything I Should Know?

jonrog1 · Dec 17, 2009

You know, I would. But if I stat out Eliot, you find out something you're not supposed to know until season 5.

Vigilance · Dec 17, 2009

Man I love Leverage!

Vigilance · Dec 17, 2009

jonrog1 said:
You know, True20 really solved all the problems in d20M. If you don't want to take a run at Savage Worlds, I'd recommend True20.

I like True20 a lot, but I don't think d20M was seriously flawed.

I really think it suffers from people wanting it to be something its not.

True20 is a better generic game, but I don't think d20M was ever intended to be generic.

jonrog1 · Dec 17, 2009

True, but to be fair, I think WOTC was pretty unclear in its marketing as to what d20M was intended for. It wasn't built for generic modern roleplaying, but the splatbooks etc. implied it was.

Modern20 is pretyt kick-ass, btw.

Greg K · Dec 17, 2009

jonrog1 said:
You know, I would. But if I stat out Eliot, you find out something you're not supposed to know until season 5.

How about statting them based on what we know at season 1 and then, again, at season 4.

P.S. Parker is, in my opinion, a prime example of why Bluff and Diplomacy should be seperate skills. Sophie teaching her how to win friends and influence people on the jury was great! and the show is a prime example of an all rogue campaign!

Greg K · Dec 17, 2009

Vigilance said:
Man I love Leverage!

Yeah, Leverage is one of my two favorite American TV shows (with Burn Notice being the other).

jonrog1 · Dec 17, 2009

In theory they don't level up a lot over the course of the show. Maybe start at 8th level, end around 10-12. Eliot does pick up some computer skills, Parker learns to fight better and how to bluff, and Hardison learns to rappel (badly).

8th level Parker in True 20 would be

Parker
Expert 8

Str +2
Dex +4
Int +1
Wis +0
Con +1
Cha -1

Background: Criminal: Burglar (from Expert's Handbook)

FEATS (2 BG, 4 starting, 7 level-ups)

Second Chance (Trigger Alarms)
Talented (Disable Device & Stealth)

Talented (Acrobatics & Athletics)
Talented (Bluff & Sleight of Hand)
Benefiit (Alternate ID's)
Firearms Training

Talented (Notice & Search)
Skill Mastery Acrobatics/ Disable Device / Stealth / Sleight of Hand
Challenge: Disable Device - Fast Task
Slow Fall
Acrobatic Bluff
Sneak Attack
Challenge: Stealth - Slip between cover

SKILLS (2 BG, 9 starting, 9sp/level)

+17 Disable Device (uses Dex as she's usually lockpicking)
+17 Stealth
**************
+17 Acrobatics
+15 Athletics
+5 Bluff
+17 Escape Artist
+3 Gather Information
+12 Knowledge (crime)
+13 Notice
+14 Search
+17 Sleight of Hand

TOUGH: +1
FORT: +3
REF: +10
WILL: +2

Combat Bonus: +6
Dodge: 20
Parry: 18
Reputation: +3
Wealth: +18

Virtue: Fearless
Vice: Greedy

or, arguably

Virtue: Crazy
Vice: Crazy

Possessions: Lockpicks, specialized climbing gear, 9mm pistol (attack +10, Damage DC 18), Alternate ID documents

Parker's bright, surprisingly strong from climbing (her 6th level Att bonus went to STR) and tough from her childhood. She concentrates during heists but is otherwise easily distracted, evening out her WIS. She's attractive, but is oblivious to the fact and is really bad with people (neg CHA)

Note that I folded Climb and Jump into Athletics because, well, all right-thinking humans do so. She started with Bluff (for pickpocketing) and Gather Information (finding fences for her loot) but then never really levelled them up. I only used Talented, not Skill Focus -- I only allow one or the other in my campaigns. Also, all these feats are from the True20 core rulebook. The Expert's Splatbook has a few more tasty treats.

Vigilance · Dec 17, 2009

jonrog1 said:
True, but to be fair, I think WOTC was pretty unclear in its marketing as to what d20M was intended for. It wasn't built for generic modern roleplaying, but the splatbooks etc. implied it was.

Hmmm.

Well, to be clear, I never actually paid any attention to ads for d20 Modern, but my opinion of the game was definitely shaped by the Shadow Chasers rules that appeared in Polyhedron prior to d20M being released.

Shadow Chasers was basically a d20 Buffy RPG.

Also, I think its telling that all of the campaign models in the core rules heavily featured magic, with Urban Arcana getting the most detailed treatment, with its own hardcover.

There was also a gentleman's agreement for 3rd parties to avoid modern fantasy until after Urban Arcana came out, which might also sent a very clear message to me that Wizards felt d20M was all about modern fantasy gaming.

Modern20 is pretyt kick-ass, btw.

Thanks!

I went for a feel rather than a specific campaign type, which was heavily influenced by my belief that modern gaming is a slew of genres, rather than its own genre.

Modern20 is basically superheroes without powers- so Batman, Punisher, Shang Chi etc.

Mustrum_Ridcully · Dec 17, 2009

jonrog1 said:
In theory they don't level up a lot over the course of the show. Maybe start at 8th level, end around 10-12. Eliot does pick up some computer skills, Parker learns to fight better and how to bluff, and Hardison learns to rappel (badly).

8th level Parker in True 20 would be

Parker
Expert 8

Str +2
Dex +4
Int +1
Wis +0
Con +1
Cha -1

Background: Criminal: Burglar (from Expert's Handbook)

FEATS (2 BG, 4 starting, 7 level-ups)

Second Chance (Trigger Alarms)
Talented (Disable Device & Stealth)

Talented (Acrobatics & Athletics)
Talented (Bluff & Sleight of Hand)
Benefiit (Alternate ID's)
Firearms Training

Talented (Notice & Search)
Skill Mastery Acrobatics/ Disable Device / Stealth / Sleight of Hand
Challenge: Disable Device - Fast Task
Slow Fall
Acrobatic Bluff
Sneak Attack
Challenge: Stealth - Slip between cover

SKILLS (2 BG, 9 starting, 9sp/level)

+17 Disable Device (uses Dex as she's usually lockpicking)
+17 Stealth
**************
+17 Acrobatics
+15 Athletics
+5 Bluff
+17 Escape Artist
+3 Gather Information
+12 Knowledge (crime)
+13 Notice
+14 Search
+17 Sleight of Hand

TOUGH: +1
FORT: +3
REF: +10
WILL: +2

Combat Bonus: +6
Dodge: 20
Parry: 18
Reputation: +3
Wealth: +18

Virtue: Fearless
Vice: Greedy

or, arguably

Virtue: Crazy
Vice: Crazy

Possessions: Lockpicks, specialized climbing gear, 9mm pistol (attack +10, Damage DC 18), Alternate ID documents

Parker's bright, surprisingly strong from climbing (her 6th level Att bonus went to STR) and tough from her childhood. She concentrates during heists but is otherwise easily distracted, evening out her WIS. She's attractive, but is oblivious to the fact and is really bad with people (neg CHA)

Note that I folded Climb and Jump into Athletics because, well, all right-thinking humans do so. She started with Bluff (for pickpocketing) and Gather Information (finding fences for her loot) but then never really levelled them up. I only used Talented, not Skill Focus -- I only allow one or the other in my campaigns. Also, all these feats are from the True20 core rulebook. The Expert's Splatbook has a few more tasty treats.

Must..resist..urge..to..get..True20.

Though... Why?

Ah, yes, I don't have enough time to start/play/run a True20 campaign anyway.

Greg K · Dec 17, 2009

jonrog1 said:
In theory they don't level up a lot over the course of the show. Maybe start at 8th level, end around 10-12. Eliot does pick up some computer skills, Parker learns to fight better and how to bluff, and Hardison learns to rappel (badly).

8th level Parker in True 20 would be..

Jon, that was awesome! Thank you so much.

Does Parker later get +1 Diplomacy (can't recall if T20 does half ranks) from Sophie's training to make friends on the jury? Or would that be aid another if T20 has that ( I need to relook at T20 which I loved, but Mutants and Masterminds has taking up my time and Savage Worlds is also getting now that Adamant and RPGO are creating SW material)