d20 Modern for Fantasy

[BenjaminB]

Has anyone used d20 modern to run a more generic sort of fantasy game than you get with D&D? I'm considering it for my next game, and was looking for some actual play comments on the idea.


-B

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Bad Axe Games is publishing a rulebook to allow you to do just that.

Check it out:

GRIM TALES

The core assumption of the book is that you will want to play a sword and sorcery game, but you can pile on rules components like Magic, Vehicles, Firearms, Cybertech, etc. until you have the exactly the kind of campaign you want to run. So, you can also use it to run swashbuckling games, victorian era horror, post-apocalyptic survival-- pretty much anything you can imagine in the pulp genre.

Wulf

 

[Geoff]

I've been using it for some time with a low magic alternate history campaign set in America in the late 1600's. If you are looking for a more low magic feel to a campaign, it's perfect. I've made all of the magic using classes into advanced classes and there aren't that may around and using ordinaries as NPC's works great.

 

[netnomad]

You can also check out Merlin's Workshop at:

http://members.lycos.co.uk/merlinsworkshop/

-NetNomad

 

[malladin]

e've also got our own version of this type of game due out in the next 6 months or so (although having to compete against Bad Axe worries me slightly...). Ours will be probably more restricted to dark fantasy than Grim Tales sounds.

What we've found when we've tried to do this is that it needs to be a complete mix between D&D and D20M, you can't really just take the existing base classes, you need to use the existing skills from D&D and things start getting a little complitcated.

Therefore we have decided to come up with 6 new base classes that are the fantasy equivalent of the strong hero, fast hero, etc. These classes have ended up being more task oriented (like the D&D/D20 fantasy classes) than the D20M ones, but still very generic. We're still using the same concept of the class providing a mixture of talents and bonus feats, although we've added 'advantages' which are a more fantasy way of incorporating 'wealth' and balanced alternatives, such as a destiny or a powrful heirloom passed down to your character.

I'll see if I can put something together as a quick preview of what we've got done to a presentable state so far. watch this space.

cheerio,

Ben, Malladin's Gate Press

PS. Our product will be a free pdf download to give you the basics but will then be expanded out by further 'pay for' supplements.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

e've also got our own version of this type of game due out in the next 6 months or so (although having to compete against Bad Axe worries me slightly...). Ours will be probably more restricted to dark fantasy than Grim Tales sounds.

You're being flattering. I wouldn't let it worry you, particularly if you are PDF only.

We'll also be using BOTH the Modern Reference Document as well as the 3.5 SRD. I don't see any reason to deviate from d20 Modern's six basic classes; however, the 3.5 SRD is a more heavy influence on the skills, feats, and combat.

There is a lot of overlap with the modern stuff, but because 3.5 is the more recent revision, in many ways it's the more modern Modern. (Make sense?)

Wulf

 

[jaerdaph]

There is a lot of overlap with the modern stuff, but because 3.5 is the more recent revision, in many ways it's the more modern Modern. (Make sense?)

I think all of us d20 Modern fans should take a bow - after all, we were the first 3.5 D&D playtesters!

 

[malladin]

Unfortunately I don't qualify as big enough to have received the 3.5 preview, so I can't really comment on that. I just had what I thought was a really good idea that noone seemed to have done yet. Evidently it was a good idea as you seem to be working on it as well and I think Midnight probably covers some of the same ground too.

We chose to rework the base classes after our initial feedback suggested that people wouldn't like a product that said it required both D20M and D&D. Therefore we just say it requires D&D and rework the basic clases with a fantasy feel to it. Therefore instead of strong, fast, tough, smart, dedicated and charismatic heroes we have warriors, thieves, outlanders, scholars, devouts and destined. We kind of stray a little into the D&D core classes a bit, but the talents and feats structure is there, if slightly amended.

cheerio,

Ben

 

[BenjaminB]

How much tweaking would d20 M really require to be a working fantasy game? The exchange of some skills for others certainly, and feats as well.... hmmm.... yeah, I can see what you mean.

I just really like the idea that the basic classes are non-task oriented and your interpretation of a Strong Hero isn't bound by constraints on what a "Fighter" or "Warrior" should be. You would then use advanced classes to describe advanced training and setting-specific career paths...

I'm no where near familiar enough with the SRD to know what you could and could not put into a published work, but what would it take to make a solid playable game based on the d20M ruleset & basic class system?


-B

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

We chose to rework the base classes after our initial feedback suggested that people wouldn't like a product that said it required both D20M and D&D.

Not really necessary; just say it requires a "Core Rulebook" and let it go at that. Check out the most recent version of the d20 STL. I think folks can manage to look in the PHB for the experience chart, neh?

Midnight does indeed do a good job at a grim, low magic setting. I highly recommend it. I discovered after purchasing Midnight that the magic system they use mirrored my own design very closely-- so I know I am on the right track!

The difference is that Midnight is a campaign setting (primarily) and Grim Tales is a rulebook (primarily). With zero effort you could run a Midnight campaign using the rules from Grim Tales.

Wulf