Buffy d20?

[SWBaxter]

But how would one stat vampires Angel and Spike aren't nearly as powerful as the vampire in the d20 Modern book.

Vampires vary widely in power, so most likely they have a template that gives them a little bump beyond human and otherwise their level determines their power. For the template, just put in what seems right from your take on the show; off the top of my head, I'd start with something like:

+2 Str/Con/Dex/Cha
Transform to vampire face as a move-equivalent action, +4 on Intimidate checks
Some amount of regeneration
1d6 damage/round from sunlight

Do they do anything else really? Killed by stakes, I guess - maybe give them a low massive damage threshold against any damage inflicted with a stake, or just make that a special effect. If you want to allow PC vamps, call it a +1 or +2 LA and you're ready to roll.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Did "Urban Arcana" ever go OGL? There's a few spells there that I thought would be nice for D&D.

 

[Ranger REG]

Did "Urban Arcana" ever go OGL? There's a few spells there that I thought would be nice for D&D.

The book does not contain OGC. However, most material have been added to the Modern System Reference Documents.

www.wizards.com/d20

 

[FCWesel]

Seriously, to be honest, just go get Eden's BUFFY game. It perfectly captures the show's spirit in every way. They have it online (at drivethru, watermarked) as well as in print, you can order right from them (http://www.btvsrpg.com/6000.htm).

 

[Akrasia]

Seriously, to be honest, just go get Eden's BUFFY game. It perfectly captures the show's spirit in every way. They have it online (at drivethru, watermarked) as well as in print, you can order right from them (http://www.btvsrpg.com/6000.htm).

I strongly second this. Eden's game really captures the show far better than d20 Modern possibly could (IMO and IME).

The game is easy to learn and fun to play. It should be easy for anyone familiar with d20 to understand (it uses a d10 mechanic instead of d20, doesn't have levels or classes, but uses skills and feat-like qualities).

Really, why waste your time with a pale imitation when you can have the real thing?

 

[Ranger REG]

Really, why waste your time with a pale imitation when you can have the real thing?

"Love the Setting, Hate the System" comes to mind.

 

[Akrasia]

"Love the Setting, Hate the System" comes to mind.

How one could like the Buffy setting, but dislike a system that has been perfectly designed for it, is beyond me. The Buffy rpg has everything that d20 Modern has that would be useful for the setting (skills, qualities, etc.) but without all the crap that would detract from the setting (inappropriate classes, slow tactical combat, etc.).

One very important point regarding the relation between setting and system: the Buffy RPG does an excellent job of accommodating PCs with vastly different 'power levels' (e.g. the Slayer verus mere 'white hats' like Xander). This feature -- essential for the setting -- is wholly absent from d20 Modern, with its insistence on crunch and 'balance'.

I guess one could use d20 Modern for Buffy -- but to do so would mean using a system that fails to capture what is great about the Buffyverse (again, IMO and IME).

An analogy: using standard D&D rules for Middle-Earth. What a disaster.

 

[Hurtfultater]

I strongly second this. Eden's game really captures the show far better than d20 Modern possibly could (IMO and IME).

The game is easy to learn and fun to play. It should be easy for anyone familiar with d20 to understand (it uses a d10 mechanic instead of d20, doesn't have levels or classes, but uses skills and feat-like qualities).

Really, why waste your time with a pale imitation when you can have the real thing?

What can't be emulated? Some people just want to play d20, and it can do anything. You don't need your precious probability curves and initiative system to captu . . .

Wait, I think I'm in the wrong thread. Seriously, Eden's Buffy is clear, well written, and easy to pick up. Unless you and your group absolutely hates learning new rules, I'd recommend giving it a shot.

 

[Crothian]

How one could like the Buffy setting, but dislike a system that has been perfectly designed for it, is beyond me. The Buffy rpg has everything that d20 Modern has that would be useful for the setting (skills, qualities, etc.) but without all the crap that would detract from the setting (inappropriate classes, slow tactical combat, etc.).

One very important point regarding the relation between setting and system: the Buffy RPG does an excellent job of accommodating PCs with vastly different 'power levels' (e.g. the Slayer verus mere 'white hats' like Xander).

It doesn't do it that well. The system is easier to Min Max then d20 is. AS the characters start to gain XP and spend it on things it is easy for the combat oriented characters to get really really good and just be so much better that the white hats even with a lot of Srama Points can't hope to stay close. And when those combat oriented characters spend Drama points the fights are very short. The minus for a decapitaiton or stake through the heart are not severe enough and it wasn't long before the Slayer in my groups was only making those combat actions because she could do them successfully most of the time.

THat is not to say the system is bad, or that it doesn't work well for the material. We had a lot of fun with it and I would use that system again if I play it. But it does have problems and they are not hard to exploit.

 

[Hurtfultater]

It doesn't do it that well. The system is easier to Min Max then d20 is. AS the characters start to gain XP and spend it on things it is easy for the combat oriented characters to get really really good and just be so much better that the white hats even with a lot of Srama Points can't hope to stay close. And when those combat oriented characters spend Drama points the fights are very short. The minus for a decapitaiton or stake through the heart are not severe enough and it wasn't long before the Slayer in my groups was only making those combat actions because she could do them successfully most of the time.

THat is not to say the system is bad, or that it doesn't work well for the material. We had a lot of fun with it and I would use that system again if I play it. But it does have problems and they are not hard to exploit.

The system is easy to Min Max, but it's a game that requires the GM and players to agree ahead of time on what kind of game they want and then to pursue that game together. It's not a game to let the players loose with any sort of metagame adversarial relationship to each other or the GM. Put in my pidgin-forgese, it's a system that encourages gamist play with a text that encourages narrativist play.

It is a flexible system, though. I'm hoping to use it soon to run a game about Time Travelling Teddy Roosevelt and his Time Travelling Rough Riders. I'm making a three point quality called "Bust through walls like the Kool-Aid man."