Menace Manual --- I love these pregen NPCs

[JPL]

Among other things, they look like they'd make mighty fine templates for PCs. Just plug in some bonus feats and talents and you've got your fringe scientist or Vatican investigator or what-have-you.

Very nice for a GM like me who always has a different one-shot in mind...I can take a quick look at the potential team members and make sure that there's a good range of abilities.

 

[jonrog1]

Among other things, they look like they'd make mighty fine templates for PCs. Just plug in some bonus feats and talents and you've got your fringe scientist or Vatican investigator or what-have-you.

Very nice for a GM like me who always has a different one-shot in mind...I can take a quick look at the potential team members and make sure that there's a good range of abilities.

Agreed -- this is one thing they changed in the D&D Dungeonmaster's Guide which I found inexplicable (I think Monte bitched about it too). I need an NPC now, if I had time to custom pne up I'd do it myself.

Menace Manual is a home run or at least a triple in content and especially GM friendly design.

 

[Gospog]

I just picked up the Menace Manual, but I am impressed so far.

One thing that really struck me is the wide range of "menaces", for all different modern genres.

Like JPL, I always have a few wildly different game ideas on the go at once. This books has got all of my bases covered.

The artwork seriously creeps out my wife as well, which is always a bonus.

 

[jaerdaph]

Among other things, they look like they'd make mighty fine templates for PCs. Just plug in some bonus feats and talents and you've got your fringe scientist or Vatican investigator or what-have-you.

I agree. They are a great tool for modeling the various basic and advanced classes to match your player character concept - just substitute heroic class levels for ordinary ones. The NPCs in the d20 Modern core rulebook too.

The Modern Player's Companion Volume 1 from The Game Mechanics (print version of volumes 1 and 2 combined now out from Green Ronin) had an excellent section on character concepts that allowed you to model various careers based on combinations of the basic classes (e.g. archaeologist). What skills to buy and talents to take, that sort of thing.

I really like the plethora of options you have with d20 Modern for creating a concept and career for your character through combinations of the basic classes, by taking advanced and prestige classes, or even the starting occupation. Much like the Wealth system (at least IMHO), it's really quite elegant!