high action modern d20 system?

[Randolpho]

Now, i'm hoping to run a high action comic-bookish type of game that starts normal and then takes a turn towards the strange (magic, super science, mutants, etc).

I'm gonna throw another vote in for modifying the Star Wars Saga edition.

You can even keep/modify the Force rules. Rename Force Sensitivity to Mutant Potential, Force Training to Mutant Power and Use the Force to Use Mutant Power, then create a bunch of different super-hero powers to replace Force Powers. With a few tweaks, you've got a viable Supers RPG.

 

[Nuclear Platypus]

I'm gonna throw another vote in for modifying the Star Wars Saga edition.

You can even keep/modify the Force rules. Rename Force Sensitivity to Mutant Potential, Force Training to Mutant Power and Use the Force to Use Mutant Power, then create a bunch of different super-hero powers to replace Force Powers. With a few tweaks, you've got a viable Supers RPG.

Hmm. Maybe this is what happened to d20 Spectaculars then.

Other than that, this is pretty much a "Me too!" post but Savage Worlds should be fairly easy for to pickup compared to the differences between D&D and its relatives (Star Wars, d20 Modern, Grim Tales, Spycraft 2.0, etc.).

 

[Jim Hague]

I'm gonna throw another vote in for modifying the Star Wars Saga edition.

You can even keep/modify the Force rules. Rename Force Sensitivity to Mutant Potential, Force Training to Mutant Power and Use the Force to Use Mutant Power, then create a bunch of different super-hero powers to replace Force Powers. With a few tweaks, you've got a viable Supers RPG.

Or just start with a low (6-7) PL Mutants and Masterminds game and not have to modify a thing...

 

[Hjorimir]

IMX, True20, whilst chargen is lighter, actually plays slower than D20 Modern or Spycraft.

I've never played Spycraft, but I've played a little d20Modern and I don't know how you see it playing faster than True20, especially with minion rules from True20 eliminating tons of bookkeeping during combat.

 

[Psion]

I've never played Spycraft, but I've played a little d20Modern and I don't know how you see it playing faster than True20, especially with minion rules from True20 eliminating tons of bookkeeping during combat.

Spycraft also features simplified tracking for minion-types, by the way.

I don't remember tons of book keeping in D20 modern. Compared to D&D, it has fewer spells and fewer effects providing stacking modifiers (which is the biggest book keeping pain).

If all creatures were minions in True20, I'd agree that it would be simpler. But regardless of whether or not your opponent is using minion rules, the PCs certainly aren't. But non-minion characters have special conditions as a matter of course in True20; that's condition tracking as a matter of course; D20 modern typically only has conditions for special effects. That's really not simpler than D20 modern.

Don't get me wrong; in some ways I prefer a bit more fidelity in representing injured states in characters. But I think the oft-uttered notion that combat runs smoother in True20 doesn't ring true IME.