So I'm doing a big massive overhaul of d20 Modern for a new campaign. It's going to be a ton different, and I'm really looking forward to playing it with my buddies. Before I do, though, I had a couple of quetions for folks. (I'm putting this here because it's pretty d20 Modern specific, rather than going in general House Rules.)
For informational purposes, the game is going to modify d20 Modern in the following ways:
Classless -- people will buy their class attributes with points and will get feats and talents on a regular basis
Blocking and Dodging Defense, as per Conan, with feats that let you overcome the limitations of each
Damage Save instead of Hit Points (but not a new save: Fort Save against melee damage, Reflex save against area effect damage, and Will save against magic/mental damage)
So, my question: As I mess with the rules, I'm having to change a lot of talents and feats to make them work. Some things are pretty easy -- any Talent that has "Add your Class Level to XXX" now reads "Add 1/2 your Character level, +1, to XXX", which is close enough for government work (great for the average player who had two classes of about equal level, not so great for the dude who would specialize in just one class). But other things require some drastic changes -- much of the Tough Hero stuff needs to be overhauled for Damage Save mechanics. I also need to put in new stuff for the two types of defenses.
So, in your mind... what constitutes a good solid differentiating point in terms of when something should be a feat and when something should be a talent?
Examples:
Ability to use your Reflex Save for all Damage Saves, unless you're flat-footed or immobilized or blind: Seems like a Talent. It's a Feat in M&M, but it feels like a Talent, here. In fact, I changed Evasion to this.
Ability to use Blocking Defense against projectile weapons: Seems like a Talent, since it overcomes a major limitation of blocking (can't block gunshots or arrows, usually), just like Uncanny Dodge (a Talent) overcomes a major limitation of dodging (ie, you can't do it when flat-footed or blind).
+2 bonus on two skills: Seems like a feat, given all the feats like this.
+3 bonus on one skill: Apparently, this is a talent
Increasing class-based bonus on a set of skills: Talent, going by d20 Modern standards.
Special combat attack: Could be either. The Fast Talent Opportunist and the Feat Agile Riposte are pretty close -- in both cases, you get to take an Attack of Opportunity when you ordinarily wouldn't, because of some external trigger. I'm not sure what differentiates these.
Causing someone to lose a turn: Usually a Talent (Smart Trick and Charismatic Dazing talents).
Doing extra damage: Could be either, but the Talents (melee smash) tend to be more universal -- the Feats are either limited in usage (streetfighting) or require a penalty tradeoff (Power Attack, Double-Tap).
Anyone have more thoughts on this to help me figure out what stuff I should make a feat and what stuff I should make a talent? Current abilities I'm lining up include:
-Ability to use Block against Projectile Attacks (normal: you can't)
-Ability to Dodge even in close quarters or crowded conditions (normal: penalized or impossible)
-Ability to use another save instead of the normal Damage Save, allowing someone to stand-tough against an explosion (Fort instead of Reflex), Evade a telepathic attack, and so on
-Ability to use Blocking Defense and Dodging Defense simultaneously, automatically using whichever one works best against the incoming attack
For informational purposes, the game is going to modify d20 Modern in the following ways:
Classless -- people will buy their class attributes with points and will get feats and talents on a regular basis
Blocking and Dodging Defense, as per Conan, with feats that let you overcome the limitations of each
Damage Save instead of Hit Points (but not a new save: Fort Save against melee damage, Reflex save against area effect damage, and Will save against magic/mental damage)
So, my question: As I mess with the rules, I'm having to change a lot of talents and feats to make them work. Some things are pretty easy -- any Talent that has "Add your Class Level to XXX" now reads "Add 1/2 your Character level, +1, to XXX", which is close enough for government work (great for the average player who had two classes of about equal level, not so great for the dude who would specialize in just one class). But other things require some drastic changes -- much of the Tough Hero stuff needs to be overhauled for Damage Save mechanics. I also need to put in new stuff for the two types of defenses.
So, in your mind... what constitutes a good solid differentiating point in terms of when something should be a feat and when something should be a talent?
Examples:
Ability to use your Reflex Save for all Damage Saves, unless you're flat-footed or immobilized or blind: Seems like a Talent. It's a Feat in M&M, but it feels like a Talent, here. In fact, I changed Evasion to this.
Ability to use Blocking Defense against projectile weapons: Seems like a Talent, since it overcomes a major limitation of blocking (can't block gunshots or arrows, usually), just like Uncanny Dodge (a Talent) overcomes a major limitation of dodging (ie, you can't do it when flat-footed or blind).
+2 bonus on two skills: Seems like a feat, given all the feats like this.
+3 bonus on one skill: Apparently, this is a talent
Increasing class-based bonus on a set of skills: Talent, going by d20 Modern standards.
Special combat attack: Could be either. The Fast Talent Opportunist and the Feat Agile Riposte are pretty close -- in both cases, you get to take an Attack of Opportunity when you ordinarily wouldn't, because of some external trigger. I'm not sure what differentiates these.
Causing someone to lose a turn: Usually a Talent (Smart Trick and Charismatic Dazing talents).
Doing extra damage: Could be either, but the Talents (melee smash) tend to be more universal -- the Feats are either limited in usage (streetfighting) or require a penalty tradeoff (Power Attack, Double-Tap).
Anyone have more thoughts on this to help me figure out what stuff I should make a feat and what stuff I should make a talent? Current abilities I'm lining up include:
-Ability to use Block against Projectile Attacks (normal: you can't)
-Ability to Dodge even in close quarters or crowded conditions (normal: penalized or impossible)
-Ability to use another save instead of the normal Damage Save, allowing someone to stand-tough against an explosion (Fort instead of Reflex), Evade a telepathic attack, and so on
-Ability to use Blocking Defense and Dodging Defense simultaneously, automatically using whichever one works best against the incoming attack
