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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mistwell" data-source="post: 536260" data-attributes="member: 2525">Update to FAQ:33. Mastercraft ItemsQ: Can you add a Mastercraft bonus to an item that has nothing to do with a die-roll? If so, can you do things with Mastercrafting like make ordinary objects smaller (and, for example, increase the Mastercraft bonus once for each size category smaller), and combining two objects together to disguise the purpose of the object (costing an additional Mastercraft bonus)? For example, you could use this ability to, say, add a hidden camera to sunglasses. So you reduce the size of a digital camera from tiny to Diminutive (a change of two size categories), and call that a +2 (I am making that rule of thumb up as an educated guess by the way). Then add in a disguise to the object, in this case sunglasses, and call that a +1 (again guessing). Total mastercraft adjustment is +3. Wealth Check DC is about a 20 (Craft Electronics, a digital camera is somewhere between a cell phone and a computer, closer to a computer I would think) plus 3 (mastercraft adjustment) for a total of 23. Craft check is going to be about a 28 (again somwhere between a cell phone and a computer, but closer to a computer), plus 3 (mastercraft adjustment) for a total of 31. XP cost will be 25 X Techie Level (which is no less than 10th level, to get the +3 adjustment) X 3 (the mastercraft adjustment). For all of these checks I would compare the item to other similar items, to make sure nothing is too out of whack.A: Technically, you can't do this with mastercrafting, although I do like your ideas for house rules. I don't have any specific advice for you on this, but I have been mulling over a new advanced class based on gadget construction and improvisation--the field scientist and techie aren't very relevant to my post-apocalyptic campaign. If I get something written up, I'll post it. (It probably won't happen for a week or two, though, at least.)Q: Well, since I haven't really found anything about anything, I feel I have to ask. This is at least partly about secret agents and the like, and well, say agent and I think most think of Bond. And that leads us to Q-branch. So, is there any plans for rules to modify vehicles? Souped-up engines, armor, and of course the .50-cals behind the headlights and the catapult passanger seat. I know that there might not be TONS of it in my campaign, but I also know at least one and possibly more of my playes will ask! *G*A: No vehicle modification rules exist at this time. I'd love to see some, mainly because I think my players would like to make some modifications to their Humvee in our post-apocalyptic campaign. (A ram plate would be nice, considering how often the front end of their vehicle is used as a weapon--and how much time they spend on repairs afterward!) Maybe we'll put something together soon. . .34. New OccupationsQ: I was wondering if there are any guidelines people can offer (and hopefully Charles Ryan) for creating new occupations. For example, none of the listed occupations have "concentration" as a skill. Is there some reason for this, or just happenstance? Is there a formula/rule-of-thumb for creating occupations that weighs the value of skills, feats, wealth, and reputation? A: There's no design reason why Concentration isn't offered by any existing occupation; if you created an occupation that included Concentration that would be fine.Balancing occupations is complex. In general, the factors include:* Age prerequisite.* Number of permanent skills/skill bonuses (generally 1 or 2).* Number of skill choices (generally 5 - 10).* Number of bonus feats (generally 0 or 1).* Number of feat choices (generally 1 - 4).* Reputation bonus (generally 0 to +1).* Wealth bonus (generally +1 to +6).The number of class skills, bonus feats, and the Wealth bonus are the main factors; they shouldn't all be high. The number of class choices, feat choices, and Reputation are lesser balancing factors, along with age prerequisites.35. Attacks of Opportunity with Ranged WeaponsQ: 1) If a character in a threatened area provokes an attack of opportunity from an opponent with a pistol or rifle, the opponent can make an attack of opportunity with their pistol grip or rifle butt. 2) Also, attacks of opportunity cannot be made by using a ranged attack, but can be made by using the melee aspect of an otherwise ranged weapon (e.g., stab with a throwing knife, whip with a pistol grip).A: Both of these are correct. Now, here's one point you might consider: If a melee attack form does not appear on the melee weapons list, it probably counts as an improvised weapon. For example, whacking someone with your crossbow is probably an improvised weapon attack. In such cases, the attacker suffers a -4 penalty (see Improvised Weapons on page 109).Q: During a full-attack option, can a character switch freely between the ranged and melee aspects of pistols and rifles? For example, could a character with a rifle and 3 attacks due to high BAB, shoot at one target, strike a melee opponent with their rifle butt, and then shoot another target? If they alternate between modes in one full-attack action, do they suffer an attack penalty to either set of attacks (or both)?A: The attacker can switch between modes freely. The attacker provokes attacks of opportunity any time she makes a ranged attack within a threatened square.36. Shotguns (And Ultramodern Firearms)Q: I know this has been dredged up by others for so long but I wanted Mr. Ryan's opinion on this. How come in d20 Modern there's no rules about shotgun spread. The closest I found was the damage thinning at ranges. Even indoors at twenty feet you can peg people standing six feet apart.A: Despite the misperception common in most roleplaying systems, shotguns do not spread that widely. (The spread at moderate ranges is about enough to cover a dinner plate--NOT enough to hit several people.)That said, I've provided some slightly different rules in Ultramodern Firearms (out in about a month from Green Ronin Publishing!): The -2 penalty per range increment applies to damage, rather than attack rolls. This means that shotguns are a little more likely to hit at long ranges (due to their spread), but that their damage falls off with range (due to the fact that few projectiles might hit, and that shot loses its velocity faster than ballistic rounds do). [It will have the] same theoretical maximum as any other non-thrown ranged weapon: 10 range increments. However, in practice the maximum is lower: a 2d8 shotgun losing -2 damage every range increment has a functional maximum range of 8 range increments. (If you roll 16 damage, after 8 range increments that damage is reduced to 0). On average, the damage is reduced to 0 after 4 to 5 range increments. See how cleverly that works out! [Also] Ultramodern Firearms has rules for different forms of shotgun ammo (and ammo for other firearm types as well, of course), and for different types of choke.Q: Are we to assume that the basic damage penalty rule (no matter how many penalties you have, you can never deal fewer than 1 point of damage on a successful attack) does not apply to shotguns in this case? Or would it be penalized damage up to 8 range increments, and then 1 point for the last two?A: D'oh! You're right. A shotgun would deal 1 point of damage all the way out to 10 range increments. That's what I get for crowing about my own cleverness. . . !37. Converting D&D Weapons to d20 ModernQ: Any suggestions on guidelines for converting 3rd edition weapons to archaic weapons in d20 Modern? Can they just be plopped in as is, or is there damage modification that must be done in order to make them comparable to d20 Modern weapons? Also, what would a good guideline be for finding Wealth DCs for converted weapons?A: In general, weapons from D&D are fairly plop-and-play. If you use them as-is, you probably won't have any serious problems with your game. If you want to be exacting, you can apply the following conversions:Range Increment: Decrease the range increment to about 1/3 of the D&D increment.Crits: Change all crit damage to x2.Purchase DC: Use your best guess at the price, and refer to Table 7-1. If you have no idea on the price, as a rule of thumb you can go with 1 gp = $10. (Thus a weapon that costs 7 gp would cost $70, or purchase DC 8.) If the weapon is generally easy to obtain in the modern world (like nunchaku), you might drop the purchase DC by 1; if it's exotic or rare increase the DC by 2 or so.38. Knockout PunchQ: [Regarding Knockout Punch I have heard people say] "if you can stun someone during a fight, then KO punch will pretty much finish him off". I am a little confused, because I do not think that is how the rules work, for three reasons: - when you equal or exceed someone's Con with non-lethal damage, they make a DC 15 save. If they succeed, they are DAZED, not stunned (and if they fail they fall unconscious)…KO Punch only applies when the opponent is FLAT-FOOTED, not dazed or stunned [and] … dazed, flat-footed and stunned are all separate conditions and (while similar in some respects) are not equivalent…So it seems to me that KO Punch (and Imp KO Punch) will only ever work during the first round of a fight, if you can catch someone flatfooted. Am I missing something here?A: [F]lat-footed is not the same thing as denied Dex bonus. Flat-footed only occurs at the beginning of combat, when a character has not yet acted. I can't think of any situation in which a character already in combat becomes flat-footed. (There may be such situations, but if so they're rare; I can't think of any at the moment.) Yes, Knockout Punch could easily be named Sucker Punch. (In fact, I remember that we considered that name when we were designing the feats; I don't recall exactly why we decided against it. . . .) It really is useful mainly in surprise situations.Q: Since a character is Flat-Footed until they've acted, if such a character were Dazed before their first action, would this mean that the character is Flat-Footed for an extra round since being Dazed means not being able to act? A: You betcha. If a brawler can keep a target dazed (by forcing massive damage saves, even if the target succeeds in the saves), the target remains flat-footed (and thus susceptible to Knockout Punch).39. Cellular InterceptorsQ: In the description of the Computer Use skill, it says using a Cellular Interceptor to intercept a call from a number you know drops the DC by 10 to DC 25. In the description of the Cellular Interceptor item it says the DC drops to 10. A: It drops by 10 (to 25).40. Smart Hero’s Linguist TalentQ: In the description of Smart hero's Linguist talent, it says to understand a new language the Smart hero can make an Intelligence check with a bonus of his Smart hero level + his intelligence bonus. I'm guessing this is a mistake... that you add your Int bonus twice... Then it says for a written language, the bonus applies to a Decipher Script check instead. Instead of the Intelligence check? And this still has the Int x2 problem... A: You are correct. The words "+ the hero's Intelligence modifier" are redundant and should be omitted. The Smart hero may add his Smart hero levels to an Int check to understand a language he hears, or to a Decipher Script check to understand a language he reads.41. Climb ChecksQ: This isn't a mistake, but something that was probably overlooked. A smooth, flat, vertical surface has no climb DC, meaning it can't be climbed. Bracing against two opposite walls grants a -10 DC modifier. So, climbing two opposite, smooth, vertical walls is still impossible? A: Interesting observation. I'd probably assign a "theoretical" DC of, say, 30, to perfectly smooth vertical walls, as a basis for checks modified by conditions (such as bracing against opposite walls) that make it possible.42. FranksQ: Hey, this is primarily a question for Rich Redman: For franks, how many starting feats should they recieve? As it stands, I've been thinking that they (being basically human) would get two feats at first level, if they do not have any special qualities, (such as darkvision) and one if they do have special qualities (with the special qualities taking the place of the second feat) What's the official word on this? A: Sorry, I've been in deadline heck and Charles had to bring this to my attention via e-mail. My answer is that franks get 1 starting feat, just like nonhuman races in D&D.43. Tanks and VehiclesQ: A 9mm round that scores critical and does over 20 would damage a tank equipped with several inches of military grade armour.....I DON'T THINK SO!!!A: Do you think that dealing 1 or 2 points of damage to a tank necessitates penetrating its main armor? Tanks, like anything else, have vulnerabilities--optics, running gear, external portions of the weaponry, etc. Tanks can be (and often are) disabled without any penetration of the main armor.  You don't have to take my word for it. Just remember that Rich Redman, one of the other designers, was quite satisfied with the armored vehicle rules--and he served as an M1A1 tank platoon leader in the gulf war.  Or, better yet, try playing the game! My bet is that you'll find the outcome of any battle involving a tank entirely satisfying.Q: Why can't vehicles suffer critical hits?A: Vehicles are objects. Critical hits apply only to creatures.Q: Why have you made them [vehicles] objects though? Seems to take the fun out of vehicle combat.A: Have you played any vehicle combat yet? It's been plenty of fun in my games!  Some food for thought:1. The rules give you some options for disabling vehicles other than simply reducing them to 0 hp. Shooting out the tires or windshield is more interesting in the game (and realistic) than trying for a critical hit.2. If you're imagining critical hits as huge fiery explosions like in the movies, remember that what comes around goes around. If you can blast your opponents in a gigantic explosion, they can do the same to you. One of the challenges in designing the vehicle combat system was preventing cars from becoming whole-party coffins. We don't wan't anyone's campaign being brought to a screeching and untimely halt because a lucky roll by a bad guy resulted in the fiery death of the entire party!3. Sure, you may think that cars have a "discernable anatomy," and you may think you know what that anatomy is. But what about a UFO? A mini-submarine? Those cool little carlike things in Minority Report? Where do you draw the line between objects (even vehicles) that have discernable anatomies and those that don't?4. Vehicles may be immune to crits (and hence coups de gras), but they can still be quickly dispatched. That's what Disable Device is for.5. Some people have complained that we didn't stat armored vehicles tough enough. Part of that is because they are immune to crits. Allow crits against vehicles, and you may end up with some squirrely results when playing with armored vehicles.All of these issues (except perhaps #2) are solvable if you really feel crits against objects will make your game better. And you're always welcome--encouraged, even--the modify the game as you see fit. But my guess is that if you give it a try as written, you'll be happy with the results.Q: How much cover bonus does a tank benefit from a hull-down position?A: As with all cover situations, that's for your GM to adjudicate. (I'd probably give a tank 3/4 cover against attacks from the front for being hull down.)Q: What kind of equipment bonus does the M1's Fire Control System give to gunner's attack rolls, when tank is moving?A: We don't specify. However, it's probably not unreasonable to allow the fire control system to negate some of the penalties for a moving vehicle, up to, say, 2 points of penalty.Q:  Is insurance for my rainwater tank included in my Wealth level?A:  Yep. (And I managed to keep a straight face . . .)</blockquote>

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