d20 modern, good magic books
- Thread starter Gundark
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TheAuldGrump
First Post
E.N. Publishing's Elements of Magic: Mythic Earth. I have been using it, lightly modified, for Spycraft, but it is intended for use with D20 Modern. A flexible system using skills and feats to define what magics a character can perform. The skills available depend on the Tradition, which in turn is chosen with a feat.
I like it a lot, and keep hoping that it gets a new update. In my Steampunk Spycraft game there is a Christian Healer Advocate (chosen by taking the appropriate feat - she is portrayed as being a member of the then very new Salvation Army) and a Classic Fey Mage (a full time wizard, with bits and pieces of several traditions). It is a low threat game, and as a result has picked up a weird 'Scooby Doo' vibe. 'Look gang! It's a mystery! Let's go solve it!'
I am getting ready to wrap the campaign, at least for the moment, but EoM:ME will see use in my next, much more serious, SteamCraft game. 
My only negative is that there are some awfully silly Traditions in the book - I could live without Squirrelomancy and Animeism....
The Auld Grump
I like it a lot, and keep hoping that it gets a new update. In my Steampunk Spycraft game there is a Christian Healer Advocate (chosen by taking the appropriate feat - she is portrayed as being a member of the then very new Salvation Army) and a Classic Fey Mage (a full time wizard, with bits and pieces of several traditions). It is a low threat game, and as a result has picked up a weird 'Scooby Doo' vibe. 'Look gang! It's a mystery! Let's go solve it!'
I am getting ready to wrap the campaign, at least for the moment, but EoM:ME will see use in my next, much more serious, SteamCraft game. My only negative is that there are some awfully silly Traditions in the book - I could live without Squirrelomancy and Animeism....
The Auld Grump
WotC has Urban Arcana and Dark*Matter.
Green Ronin's Modern Magic is decent, and they have the Psychic's Handbook (material from which was reprinted in their Advanced Player's Manual)
You could take a slightly different route and use True Sorcery (magic rules for True 20)
Green Ronin's Modern Magic is decent, and they have the Psychic's Handbook (material from which was reprinted in their Advanced Player's Manual)
You could take a slightly different route and use True Sorcery (magic rules for True 20)
arscott
First Post
On Dannyalcatraz's suggestions:
-If your players are fine with the flavor and general mechanics of the d20 Modern classes, but are just unhappy with the power level, then this is a nice way to go. It takes the d20M magic rules and provides a bunch of new options and classes that expand upon them. That said, save DCs will always remain fairly low with the advanced-class spellcasting model. You might want to just give all casters a small bonus to save DCs to compensate.
-Don't buy Dark•Matter for the magic. The spells and powers are skimpy and entirely reprinted from D&D books such as the PHB2. (In fact, the entire book is essentially a big reprint--albeit of a very cool pre d20 campaign setting).
-The Psychic's Handbook is pretty good, and I've used it in my Dark•Matter campaign without any problems (though I substituted a mana system for the nonlethal damage that the book uses). But it's unquestionably a Psychic book, rather than a magic book. The Advanced class it provides is pretty uninspiring, but the book is especially great for giving otherwise mundane characters one or two psychic options.
-I don't think True Sorcery is actually for True20--That's just an unfortunate name choice if I remember correctly. Don't have any actual experience with the book, though.
-If your players are fine with the flavor and general mechanics of the d20 Modern classes, but are just unhappy with the power level, then this is a nice way to go. It takes the d20M magic rules and provides a bunch of new options and classes that expand upon them. That said, save DCs will always remain fairly low with the advanced-class spellcasting model. You might want to just give all casters a small bonus to save DCs to compensate.
-Don't buy Dark•Matter for the magic. The spells and powers are skimpy and entirely reprinted from D&D books such as the PHB2. (In fact, the entire book is essentially a big reprint--albeit of a very cool pre d20 campaign setting).
-The Psychic's Handbook is pretty good, and I've used it in my Dark•Matter campaign without any problems (though I substituted a mana system for the nonlethal damage that the book uses). But it's unquestionably a Psychic book, rather than a magic book. The Advanced class it provides is pretty uninspiring, but the book is especially great for giving otherwise mundane characters one or two psychic options.
-I don't think True Sorcery is actually for True20--That's just an unfortunate name choice if I remember correctly. Don't have any actual experience with the book, though.
Gundark
Explorer
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I should have stated what I'm looking for in the OP. I'm looking to create a d20 modern version ov shadowrun. I've heard that Green Ronin's Modern Magic was good.
So Urban Arcana has more options for spellcasters? I was gonna take a look at that book as well.
So Urban Arcana has more options for spellcasters? I was gonna take a look at that book as well.
If by uninspiring, you mean it doesn't give lots of prescribed class abilities at various levels like WOTC classes, I say, "Thank God" it doesn't. I dislike having designers telling me my character automatically gains scribe scroll, sneak attack, rage, smite, the ability to shapechange in a plant or elemental, or other such specific class abilities just because my character gained a level in a class.arscott said:
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