D&D 3.5 for Post-Apocalyptic Games?

[MadMaxim]

I'm starting as a player in a campaign inspired by the Fallout PC games but using D&D 3.5 classes with a mix of d20 Modern feats and firearms. I have very mixed feelings about this setup, because there is no magic, so there's no healing except for some homebrew herbalism and armor gives damage reduction as per the Unearthed Arcana variant. This has made me voice my concerns about how useless firearms are going to be, if people are walking around in full plate armor and the superiority of melee with a greataxe and a decent Strength score. I suggested d20 Modern, because I think it's better suited for this, but that was discarded due to the DM's fiancé having problems with d20 Modern's core classes (and I still wonder why...). My question is whether I'm right in my concerns for using D&D 3.5 for modern post apocalyptic campaigns? Have anyone had successes or failures using D&D 3.5 that way and what are your thoughts on this setup? I'm slightly worried that this is going to end badly with us having to switch systems or perhaps stop the campaign, before it even gets off the ground. I would prefer d20 Modern or perhaps True20 for this...

 

[avin]

Fallout was supposed to be a GURPS game. License troubles with SJGames forced Interplay into creating S.P.E.C.I.A.L.

I'd try GURPS... 3.5 isn't "realistic" enough to Fallout...

 

[Weregrognard]

I second GUPRS for gritty post-apocalypse. Or D6 Adventure* for cinematic. I would also have suggested the post-apocalypse book for d20 Modern, but I see you already nixed that idea.

* I'm playing Fallout 3 right now and it has inspired me to create some themed templates for this system (such as "Vault Dweller"). I might post them on the site when/if I finish them.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Darwin's World ftw.

Otherwise (or as well) - yes, there's the little d20 Post-Apocalypse book, for d20 Modern. It wouldn't take much effort or imagination to rename the 'classes' (if you can even accurately call them that in the first place).

There are many alternatives, including Darwin's World for True20, actually. But outside of d20, plenty of others too.

I would definitely suggest that the GM rethinks using d20 Modern and D&D rules interchangably, unless they really know what the heck they're doing, and have spent a considerable amount of time and effort tuning their house rules accordingly. Because, yeah, that's what it would take.

Darwin's World, however, does it all for you (or for the GM, I guess).

 

[Krensky]

Spycraft 2.0 works for this as well with the alternate gear systems in The Big Score. In fact, the Crafty Games wiki has a write up for it and there's been some renewed attention to it with Fallout 3 dropping. You'll need to accept a few little things like that a hunting rifle does not use .32 ACP ammo, but that's not much of a big deal.

War Never Changes: http://www.crafty-games.com/node/113

 

[Plissken]

Savage Worlds, son. Savage Worlds. Classless, skill-based. Core book is $9.99

I actually created a Fallout adventure with this system. The players are NCR Rangers. They take out Doc Morbid and Bob Iguana for selling you-know-what to wasteland citizens.

 

[MadMaxim]

Otherwise (or as well) - yes, there's the little d20 Post-Apocalypse book, for d20 Modern. It wouldn't take much effort or imagination to rename the 'classes' (if you can even accurately call them that in the first place).

There are many alternatives, including Darwin's World for True20, actually. But outside of d20, plenty of others too.

I would definitely suggest that the GM rethinks using d20 Modern and D&D rules interchangably, unless they really know what the heck they're doing, and have spent a considerable amount of time and effort tuning their house rules accordingly. Because, yeah, that's what it would take.

I have suggested d20 Modern and using d20 Apocalypse (got the book and very much like it), but the GM's fiancé doesn't like the core d20 Modern classes, but I think mixing d20 Modern and D&D is pretty much a recipe for trouble when the spellcasters are stripped of their spellcasting. I wouldn't mind trying another system, but they're most comfortable with d20 which is why I suggested d20 Modern for a more suitable match.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Darwin's World sounds tailor made for you. It's rules are D20 and heavily influenced by Fallout, pleasantly so.

That, or go with Grim Tales, deeply built upon D20 Modern, and invent your own PA setting.

 

[scourger]

I had a good mini-campaign with Omega World d20, a mini-game in the Polyhedron side of Dungeon Magazine #94. It is an homage to Gamma World and really captures the post-apocalyptic feel for d20. It was written by Jonathan Tweet, one of the authors of the 3e PHB, and has some really innovative ideas. It is also very concise--about 32 pages. It is really worth it if you can pick it up from an online seller. The last time I checked, it was available for about $10.

To address your concerns, OW deals with the healing issue by giving reserve points. These allow a character to heal hit points in exchange for reserve points at a rate of 1 per minute after a combat. Not enough to save a mortally wounded character, but a good kicker. Also, there are different armor classes for relics (guns, laser swords, etc.). So, armor is good; but relic armor is better--especially vs. other relics. Relics generally have good damage dice, too; so getting shot is generally worse that getting bashed with a stick. OW presents just enough rules tweaks to make a post-apocalyptic game playable with the 3.0 d20 rules. It would be easily usable with 3.5 and should be an easy transition for your other group members (it was for me and our group--I even got another DM to run it).

Other than Omega World, I would suggest Judge Dredd d20. It's less apocalyptic, but the rules are good. It uses a defence value instead of armour class, and guns get a penetration value to potentially bypass protection. It's a little more math, but it's workable. We had fun playing that game, too.

Otherwise, you gotta go to Savage Worlds. That game can do anything.

 

[Shades of Green]

I'd suggest the Traveller rules, either the Classic version or the Mongoose one. While officially this is a space-sci-fi game, a lot of its material is not directly related to starships; both of these versions have rules-light gritty (very lethal) combat systems, most skills are well-fitting to a post-apocalyptic game, and Traveller has extensive (but easy to use) rules for generating "animals" (read: mutants); Classic Traveller also has a Robots book for your Mr. Handy needs...

Traveller tech fits a post-apocalyptic setting well: the core books have a heavy dose of low-tech slugthrowers, and if you want a Fallout-type setting, allow higher-TL weapons and you'll have lasers and even plasma guns.