d20 Past = 4th Edition?!?

[Mirth]

I haven't been around the boards much lately, but I saw an ad for this in the newest Dungeon and it got me to thinking about using the d20 Past (Modern/Future) ruleset for running a D&D game.

Please discuss.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Its only 96 pages and covers something like Victorian era to the second World War, throwing in fantasy elements in.

4th edition and D&D this is not. Pretty much the same way that d20 Future is NOT Star Wars d20 3e

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

I prefer the d20 Modern rules to the D&D ones, so I'm all for this idea. However, I don't think d20 Past is either designed for this or adequate for it. You'd essentially need Past, Modern, Urban Arcana and probably an additional source of fantasy gear, critters, advanced/prestige classes and so on.

 

[Crothian]

not even close...96 pages to cover that much time is just silly. I mean if your going to do it, might as well do it right.....

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I agree with the 'silly' I was absolutely thrilled when I saw this announced... then I saw the page count and wanted to hit somebody with a clue club*.

The Auld Grump

* I belong to the Clue Club Clan...

 

[DragonSword]

* I belong to the Clue Club Clan...

I was sat at my computer, drowsily minding my own business and you had to chuck that at me... LOL.

 

[Turanil]

I haven't been around the boards much lately, but I saw an ad for this in the newest Dungeon and it got me to thinking about using the d20 Past (Modern/Future) ruleset for running a D&D game.

Please discuss.

For what I understand, d20 Past is supposed to cover from Renaissance to World War II. As such it could be used in heroic-fantasy. This would be perfect for use in a setting heavily based on Middle-Ages or Renaissance Europe. But it could also be used in a setting inspired by Conan's Hyboria. Since you may add FX advanced classes (arcane mage and divine adept), you could do a sort of low magic D&D. So, I think it's entirely feasible, and maybe would prove quite interesting.

 

[JPL]

Well, nothing does D&D better than D&D. But I like the d20 Modern character classes, too, and there's no reason you couldn't run a medieval fantasy game with the d20 Modern rules as your engine, especially if you're going for more of a low-magic feel.

Low-magic [or hidden magic] historical games, in particular, would work nicely --- Skull and Bones, for example. I think the occupation + base class system allows a lot more flexibility in designing characters than D&D.

Incantations work nicely with the historical / hidden magic mileiu, too, although getting a few fire-and-forget spells at 4th level or so [when you can take your first level of a spellcasting class] can also work

And action points are da bomb.

Many D&D core and prestige classes could be adapted as d20 Modern advanced or prestige classes, if you want to go that route.

You might need to tone down Agile Riposte and Melee Smash, among other things.

 

[Mirth]

I understand that d20 Past isn't intended to be 4E, however, we could look at the possibilities it offers, something along the lines of what Turanil and JPL have suggested. I agree that at 96 pages it doesn't seem that it will offer much, but if you combine that with d20 Modern and d20 Future, you've got quite a range of rules to pull from. I'm intrigued and I thought others might be as well, hence the invite to discuss...