GI Joe d20

[Dragonblade]

If you are going to run a GI Joe d20 game, the best ruleset is Spycraft 2.0.

 

[The Shaman]

If you are going to run a GI Joe d20 game, the best ruleset is Spycraft 2.0.

Why?

What makes it better than Grim Tales or d20 Modern or Mutants and Masterminds for this kind of game?

 

[jdrakeh]

Why?

I'd wager it is because Spycraft 2.0 is specifically geared towards emulating high-adrenaline, techno-thriller, fiction and the other games that you mention aren't. Grim Tales would work for a 'straight' GI Joe (i.e., gritty GI Joe), M&M would work well for a super-powered GI Joe (e.g., the television show, versus the comic, ironically). and d20 Modern would er... just work, but it wouldn't model any aspect of the show or comic especially well.

Spycraft 2.0's gear system (pretty much built for customizing cool gadgetry), its chase rules, its psuedo-military classes, action dice, action cards, and so on are all very much 'GI Joe' in flavour. While some of those other systems emulate certain aspects of GI Joe well, they don't do others justice. Spycraft 2.0 has all of the bases covered, and covered well to boot. If I were to run a GI Joe game, Spycraft 2.0 would be my system of choice for all of these reasons.

 

[Dragonblade]

jdrakeh, you took words out of my mouth, er post. Well said!!

 

[jdrakeh]

jdrakeh, you took words out of my mouth, er post. Well said!!

Sorry about responding in your stead, but I just recently picked up my copy of Spycraft 2.0 and am pretty jazzed about it (to be honest, it's the first time that I've been really jazzed about a d20 core book since Modern first hit the shelves). Spycraft 2.0 is simply a top-notch game when it comes to both genre coverage and 'tool-kit' options.

 

[Dragonblade]

Sorry about responding in your stead, but I just recently picked up my copy of Spycraft 2.0 and am pretty jazzed about it (to be honest, it's the first time that I've been really jazzed about a d20 core book since Modern first hit the shelves). Spycraft 2.0 is simply a top-notch game when it comes to both genre coverage and 'tool-kit' options.

Heck yeah it is. I hate to sound like a fanboy, but I consider Spycraft 2.0 the single best standalone d20 product I have ever seen (not counting M&M). In my opinion, it is far superior to even d20 Modern, and if I ever play SW d20 again, I'll probably convert everything over to Spycraft 2.0. I love it. It is a truly great product.

 

[jdrakeh]

Heck yeah it is. I hate to sound like a fanboy, but I consider Spycraft 2.0 the single best standalone d20 product I have ever seen (not counting M&M).

Agreed (except that I like it even more than M&M 1e). It's easily my favorite d20 product right now with M&M 1e coming in a close second, followed by d20 Modern, and BESM d20 (in that order).

 

[The Shaman]

I hate to sound like a fanboy...

Too late!

jdrakeh, thanks for expanding on Dragonblade's answer - it really helps to know why a particular system does something well or not. I liked your different "Joes" (e.g., gritty, supers, &c.) based on the systems.

 

[jdrakeh]

jdrakeh, thanks for expanding on Dragonblade's answer - it really helps to know why a particular system does something well or not.

No problem.

I liked your different "Joes" (e.g., gritty, supers, &c.) based on the systems.

I've been tinkering with a GI Joe RPG for years and have tried many systems. The best I've found so far is, ironically, a free system called "Stray Bullet" that is essentially a low-powered variant of WEG's D6 System rules. I think Spycraft 2.0 will work better, though - it manages to capture the technothriller aspect of the comics while simultaneously doing justice to the cinematic elements often found therein.

 

[Morgenstern]

I think Spycraft 2.0 will work better, though - it manages to capture the technothriller aspect of the comics while simultaneously doing justice to the cinematic elements often found therein.

And the lead designer on Spycraft 2.0 is a hopeless G.I.Joe fanboy . The "trooper" specialty in World on Fire was specificallly writen to take care of all the Joes with "[Terrain] Trooper" Specialties like Dusty ("Desert Trooper") and Snow Job ("Arctic Trooper"). We even have technoninja ("Raptors") and classic ninjas ("ninjas") so you can do all the old school/new school shadow warriors showdowns . Depending on how you set up your campaign qualities, you can do a gritty, comics, or cartoon Joes game, and the stats for the characters don't have to be rescripted - the rules for the world are set to match what you are looking for.