D&D 3.x D20 Modern: Edition Experience - Did/Do You Play d20 Modern? How Was/Is it?

[atanakar]

I knew Modern wasn't popular but I was expecting more votes than 11. We used to have a large Modern community on the Gleemax forum.

 

[DammitVictor]

I played it and liked it.

I didn't play it was much as I played 3.X D&D, so maybe I didn't give it enough time for the wheels to fall off-- or maybe that goddamned multiclassing system is less obnoxious when it gives up any pretense of being a class system. Maybe it could have benefited more from lessons learned afterwards... but it was certainly harmed less by predating them.

After the release of d20 Future, d20M was one of my "first choice" systems for running my White Whale campaign: a crossover between the Planescape and Star•Drive settings run as two concurrent campaigns with players controlling a character in each.

 

[atanakar]

After the release of d20 Future, d20M was one of my "first choice" systems for running my White Whale campaign: a crossover between the Planescape and Star•Drive settings run as two concurrent campaigns with players controlling a character in each.

That sounds fantastic !

 

[Stormonu]

In theory, it was a great idea for a system, and some of its spin-offs (Shadowforce Archer) were fun, but the whole thing was just broken after 10th level (well, 6th, but I’m trying to be generous). Also, handling high-tech equipment is hit or miss with the system.

It did make me realize that I like Alternity quite a bit better. Perhaps there should be a poll for that system?

 

[CleverNickName]

If we're polling diffferent systems, I'd love to see how Numinera performs.

 

[atanakar]

In theory, it was a great idea for a system, and some of its spin-offs (Shadowforce Archer) were fun, but the whole thing was just broken after 10th level (well, 6th, but I’m trying to be generous). Also, handling high-tech equipment is hit or miss with the system.

It did make me realize that I like Alternity quite a bit better. Perhaps there should be a poll for that system?

I rarely go beyond level 10 for any level based games. The systems always break down. I start a new game instead. I'm more about the stories. By level 10 I'm tired of it and want something new.

For some reason I completely missed the Alternate releases. I got my hands on copies but don't understand the systems despite rereading it several times.

 

[atanakar]

If we're polling diffferent systems, I'd love to see how Numinera performs.

Numenera. Love that system and setting!

 

[Aldarc]

I played it (several times) and liked it. It does suffer from the problems of 3era multiclassing (e.g., saves, attack bonus, etc.) that a 5e universal proficiency would do wonders for rectifying. I remember playing a gunslinger-psychic sniper in one game, and an investigator in another. I never got around to running one of my favorite mini-settings from Polyhedron: Iron Lords of Jupiter, which was a Barsoom/Flash Gordon-inspired planetary romance setting. I also liked a lot of the spin-offs that it inspired (e.g., Grim Tales, True20, Spycraft, etc.).

It feels clunky now, and I would probably look to other games first (e.g., Fate, Urban Modern Fantasy, Modern AGE, Cypher System, etc.), but I would still regard d20 Modern as one of the most important and influential books to come out of the d20 3Era.

 

[atanakar]

I played it (several times) and liked it. It does suffer from the problems of 3era multiclassing (e.g., saves, attack bonus, etc.) that a 5e universal proficiency would do wonders for rectifying. I remember playing a gunslinger-psychic sniper in one game, and an investigator in another. I never got around to running one of my favorite mini-settings from Polyhedron: Iron Lords of Jupiter, which was a Barsoom/Flash Gordon-inspired planetary romance setting. I also liked a lot of the spin-offs that it inspired (e.g., Grim Tales, True20, Spycraft, etc.).

It feels clunky now, and I would probably look to other games first (e.g., Fate, Urban Modern Fantasy, Modern AGE, Cypher System, etc.), but I would still regard d20 Modern as one of the most important and influential books to come out of the d20 3Era.

Talent Trees were a very clever way of opening up to system to more character customization.

I wanted to run the ThunderBall Polyhedron high octane & guns mini-campaign but it never happened.

Review of Thunderball Rally (Polyhedron #152/Dungeon #93) - RPGnet RPG Game Index

 

[teitan]

So in this case I bought the core book and loved the idea of Urban Arcana but... I didn’t like the system. It was a preamble to the complexity that would occur with 3.5 from the DM end of things. I loved looking at it, it was gorgeous and had it used a simpler DM side of interface like for making NPCs and such it would have been a great product! I’d love to see WOTC Do an Urban Arcana update with 5e principles as a campaign setting.