d20 modern mini-campaign advice please

[d12]

My gaming group is a smart and open minded bunch. Most have played and enjoyed multiple editions of D&D (many of us have enjoyed all of them). At least half of us have DMed at some point in the past and a good number of us have tried or regularly play other games like GURPS, Warhammer, etc....

Right now, we're in the middle of a great 4E campaign but I'm starting to get the itch to DM again and I'm thinking of suggesting a d20 modern mini-campaign as a 4 to 5 session long break.

I've never run d20 modern, nor has anyone in my group ever played it. I'm thinking of doing a sort of mashup of Shadow Chasers and Omega World where the players can be humans, mutated humans, mutated animals or even other worldly creatures like demons, undead, or whatever you can imagine from the world of D&D. The setting will be an alternate Earth in the late 1980s (cue the Guns n Roses and Cyndi Lauper soundtrack). Most humans go about their lives unaware that dark forces and creatures are around them. They reject the idea that vampires, wizards, mutants or trolls could even exist. (Sort of like Sunnydale, California in the early seasons of Buffy).

Since its a mini-campaign, I'd want everyone to play whatever type of character they want whether it be a multi-armed gunfighter, motorcycle riding wizard, humanoid chipmunk martial artist or gnome who drives a tank made of a riding lawn mower and refrigerator parts.

So, suggestions please. Please help me shape this up a bit. I'm open to advice of whatever kind. Suggest resources. Suggest plots. Suggest mechanics. Tell me that I'm doing it wrong and I should do it some other way instead.

And thanks in advance.

 

[ValhallaGH]

Urban Arcana would be an incredibly valuable resource for this campaign.

Honestly, you might be better off using the D&D rules. Borrow the Modern equipment stats (guns and explosives, mostly), a few of the skills, and any feats that don't have D&D equivalents, maybe class defense bonuses, and stick with the familiar (and obscenely capable) D&D classes. Change the Massive Damage Threshold to Con Score (or just 10) instead of 50, to keep guns dangerous. That should do it for you.


If you do stick with d20 Modern then you're looking at running a level 6 to 12 campaign simply to have access to the FX you've indicated an interest in using.


Best of luck.

 

[d12]

I was thinking of starting around level 6 and even bending the rules to get players the characters they want to play. I may just do what you suggest and go with D&D as the assumed rules, stealing what I want from d20 modern. Thanks.

 

[Thunderfoot]

I second the D&D rules over d20 Modern AFTER you've thoroughly read the later. While the whole point of the d20 system was modular compatibility, I don't think anyone ever got it right using crossover material. So, using the original D&D rules will keep it simple, but there is a host of invaluable material in the d20 Modern source books that you shouldn't ignore, especially if you're going to go multi-genre set in a modern society, the vehicle and weapon stats alone are worth the read through.

Sounds like it will be really fun, wish I could play