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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ketjak" data-source="post: 451781" data-attributes="member: 1083">D20 Modern VersatilityThis is a short comparison of published D20 Modern information. I'm noting differences, not picking on any published version of anything. I do not own D20 Modern, though my copy is on pre-order from Amazon. <grin> Polyhedron/Dungeon has been publishing D20-like settings and systems for months now.If you're a D20 Modern fan and haven't already subscribed to Dungeon, I pity you at the very least for missing Omega World (not a D20 Modern world, per se) and Mecha Crusade. Shadow Chasers was fun, too. I'll never play Thunderball Rally, but it works and serves as a fine example.From the D20 Modern FAQ:Interesting. Shadow Chasers (from Dungeon #91) gives all firearms a 3-die progression. Thunderball Rally (Dungeon #93/Polyhedron #152) uses 2-die progression. Both ostensibly use the D20 Modern ruleset, albeit an abbreviated version. The Star Wars RPG (revised) has 2 slugthrowers with 2 dice, and a bunch of energy weapons with 3 dice of damage.I'm not sure which method I like better. I think I like Dungeon version of Shadow Chasers for its lethality.+ + +Armor Class/Defense is handled differently between games, too. Shadow Chasers-Dungeon says to add half the AC of D&D armor to Damage Reduction; primary Defense bonuses come from class level (but not as much as classes in Star Wars). Thunderball Rally says armor bonus converts to Defense. Star Wars armor provides Damage Reduction, not Defense; Defense comes from character level.I think I like the Star Wars/Shadow Chasers-Dungeon method.+ + +Shadow Chasers-Dungeon uses Vitality Points-as-Hit-Points and Wound Points a la Star Wars. Thunderball Rally uses the same system but calls them Hit Points. Star Wars has the VP-Wound Point system. Omega World uses a HP-only system with reserve points that allow relatively rapid non-combat healing; this is a brutal world, folks.I think I like the Star Wars/SC-Dungeon system best. If I want cinematic combat, the OW system works very well.+ + +Action points seem to be minor variations of each other. SC-Dungeon characters get 1d4+1 per level (it seems). Thunderball Rally grants a different number per level based on the class of the character. Star Wars characters get 1 Force point + 1 per level + 1 if the character has the Force Sensitive feat + 1 per "dramatically heroic" act they perform. Jedi characters get bigger bonuses when they use Force Points, and any character's bonus adds to all d20 rolls made in the round the FP is used.I like the SC-Dungeon method best of all, since there aren't any class-based balance issues.+ + +All in all, the Dungeon articles have shown me different ways in which I can manipulate the system and, more importantly, how to stress the activity I feel is important in my version of D20 Modern. I didn't discuss how Feats affect the system, but it's clear from reading Star Wars, Thunderball Rally, Mecha Crusade and Shadow Chasers-Dungeon how to reward specialization & character concept through Feat selection.I also don't understand why some folks think D20 Modern can't handle sci-fi. Star Wars is essentially D20 Modern, and it seems to handle sci-fi well... as does Mecha Crusade.I'm rambling. Sorry. D20 Modern is cool. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />- Ketjakedit: removed a stray S in the last "Mecha Crusade" and an extra U in the last "Thunderball Rally."edit redux: changed "conception" to "concept;" conception is reward enough, no?</blockquote>

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