modern campaign starting. PC generation queries

[terrainmonkey]

hey all. i'm new to the modern boards, as i have just started a campaign and i have 4 players that want to get involved. since i know more about the d20 system, having played DnD for about 25+ years, they want me to make up thier characters for them. i have decided to do a special ops, paramilitary/ mercenary campaign, set in the year 2008. all will be human, as i'm not using the urban arcana rules and there are no wonky monsters in it (yet...).

so i asked the guys what they wanted to play, and here's what they came up with.

1. ex con, knife fighter, stealth, scout type. he wants to be able to use all kinds of knives and be able to sneak up on people to deal a killing blow.
2. sniper/ hit man assassin
3. demolitions expert
4. commander type/medic/communications officer

so here's a question for all you guys who like to sit around making characters. i'm familiar enough with most of the PC design system, i'm just wondering how you would make the above characters, just using the basic d20 modern book, since that is the only one i have. optimize if you want. i am going to start them at around 6th or 7th level. this is just a once in a while game, and i didn't want them to have to go through all kinds of basic adventures because i just wanted to throw them into it with experience already gained so all would have fun. this isn't something that's going to be serious, just light hearted, roll the dice/ beer and pretzels type of game.

any help would be appreciated. thanks.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

IME, D20 Modern players REALLY like their gear- considering the list of PCs you mentioned, you might want to pick up Ultramodern Firearms D20, and/or steal some ideas & gear from Spycraft 2.0.

 

[kingpaul]

Since you're looking at a military type group, you might want to take a look at Blood and Guts 2: Military Training Manual

 

[Deekin]

1. ex con, knife fighter, stealth, scout type. he wants to be able to use all kinds of knives and be able to sneak up on people to deal a killing blow. Fast 2/Strong 2/Infiltrator 2 or 3
2. sniper/ hit man assassin [Fast 3/Gunslinger 3 or 4
3. demolitions expert [Smart 6 or Dedicated 6 or Smart 3/Dedicated 3] Demolition Expert is 2 skills.
4. commander type/medic/communications officer [Charismatic 6 with a medical background]

A few Quick Notes, The Urban Arcana Web Enhancement has the Sniper and Spec-op PRC, which are 5 level advanced classes, that you players may be interested in. #1 would like the spec-op for they get Silent Death, abd #2 would like the sniper class.

 

[FraserRonald]

1. ex con, knife fighter, stealth, scout type. he wants to be able to use all kinds of knives and be able to sneak up on people to deal a killing blow.
2. sniper/ hit man assassin
3. demolitions expert
4. commander type/medic/communications officer

Here's a few quick thoughts on character builds. This is very quick and dirty and I'd be happy to help elaborate. You mentioned 6th or 7th level, so what I thought was:

1. ex con, knife fighter, stealth, scout type.
I would go with Fast Hero 3/Infiltrator 3(4) with specialization in knives

2. sniper/ hit man assassin
Definitely Fast Hero 3/Gunslinger 3(4) - though Gunslinger seems to focus on handguns, only close combat shot is precludes longarms. If you are using the free web enhancement from WotC, there is a Sniper class in there

3. demolitions expert
I would actually go Fast Hero 4/ Soldier 2(3) with the Military occupation as it allows Demolitions as a class skill. Smart hero has very little combat focus, while this build allows for a certain amount of specialization in demolitions but also combat ability.

4. commander type/medic/communications officer
This is a tricky one. What are you using as the skill for communications? Usually its computer use. In which case, the Military occupation won't help you. That's okay, because Dedicated does have Knowledge (Tactics) as a class skill. But you want an occupation with Computer Use as a class skill. I would go with Technician (perhaps using that to indicate his military training in communications) and maybe take Repair and Craft (electronic) as the other 2 class skills. With this, I would go with:
Dedicated 4/ Soldier 2(3)

There's no reason the commander (let's say he's an officer, an LT or Capt) couldn't be a Field Medic, however in the Canadian Military, an officer who is a medic is a doctor (an MD). Again, not really a problem, but if he is an NCO and a medic, it would be unlikely he would command. Perhaps he just has the best medical training. If he is a real medic, you could go
Dedicated 3/ Field Medic 3(4)

Hope that helps.

 

[ValhallaGH]

The only thing I would like to add to the previous post regards character #1.

While Fast heroes make good scouts, nothing about the class lets it deal good damage. I'd advise a Fast 3/Strong 3 (4) for the melee smash talents and the subsequent increased chance of hitting those MDTs with a knife.
For a higher damage, lower stealth build go with a Strong 5 / Soldier 2 with power attack and a specialization in knives. This build will crank out 1d4+5+Str with melee knife attacks and 1d4+2+Str (+ point blank shot) with ranged knife attacks. And with the Military or Criminal backgrounds you can have Hide and Move Silently as class skills, giving decent total modifiers.


Alternatively, you may find modern skill groups (see sig) useful for this game, particularly if you want each character to have a wide array of useful skills. I know my players would for a beer and pretzels game.

 

[NERULL//]

1. strong 2/ fast 2/ soldier 2 (criminal background – hide, move silently skills). Essentials: Weapon focus/ specialization knives, melee smash, advanced melee smash, street fighting (you need brawl for that). Extras: improved grapple.
Possessions: master craft +1 damage knife.

2.fast 3/ dedicated 3 (continue as fast 3/ dedicated 3/ gunslinger 2 / sniper 1) (Military background – hide, move silently) . Essentials: maximize hide, move silently, spot, listen. Skill emphasis: spot, aware, feats: far shot, Precise Shot; Extras: heroic surge (it helps with snipping, because you need an attack action to acquire your targe t with a scope) or fast 3 / gunslinger 3/ sniper 1.
Possesions: Scope with zoom, fatigues, Ghillie suit

3. smart 2/ strong 2/ field scientist 2 (technician starting occupation). Essentials: maximize craft chemical, demolitions, computer use and decipher script (he can also be the communications expert), Savant (demolitions).
Possesions: C4, all detonators, thermal grenades for destroying equipment

4. charismatic 3/ field officer 3 with treat injury (choose a background for this skill). Or charismatic 3/ strong 3.

 

[EditorBFG]

Here's a few quick thoughts on character builds (...) Hope that helps.

Everything said here is spot on, but I would use some of the advanced classes and other stuff from the Game Mechanics' Modern Player's Companion. I don't have the book in front of me, but there is a sniper-type class that comes to mind immediately.

If you don't have this book, you need it. These guys do Modern way better than WotC does (and of course, most of them wrote Modern for WotC). I don't know how people play without it.

 

[FraserRonald]

Everything said here is spot on, but I would use some of the advanced classes and other stuff from the Game Mechanics' Modern Player's Companion. I don't have the book in front of me, but there is a sniper-type class that comes to mind immediately.

If you don't have this book, you need it. These guys do Modern way better than WotC does (and of course, most of them wrote Modern for WotC). I don't know how people play without it.

QFT. The Modern Player's Companion is fan-darn-tastic. Highly recommended. It has the Dead Shot advanced class, that can be taken very early and would be perfect for the sniper.

There's also the Urban Arcana web enhancement, and it's free. It's got the sniper advanced class AND the specop advanced class. Check it out, it might help.

 

[FraserRonald]

The only thing I would like to add to the previous post regards character #1.

While Fast heroes make good scouts, nothing about the class lets it deal good damage. I'd advise a Fast 3/Strong 3 (4) for the melee smash talents and the subsequent increased chance of hitting those MDTs with a knife.

That is true, but that advantage is only +2 BAB and +2 melee damage, while 12 or 16 skill points are sacrificed (strong 3 per level = 9 or 12, infiltrator 7 per level = 21 or 28). I would argue that if the covert part of the character is more important, one should go with infiltrator. If one is interested in melee combat specialization, one goes with strong. Unfortunately, it is difficult to be a jack-of-all-trades, and some areas need to be sacrificed.

Good call, ValhallaGH.

For a higher damage, lower stealth build go with a Strong 5 / Soldier 2 with power attack and a specialization in knives. This build will crank out 1d4+5+Str with melee knife attacks and 1d4+2+Str (+ point blank shot) with ranged knife attacks. And with the Military or Criminal backgrounds you can have Hide and Move Silently as class skills, giving decent total modifiers.

I agree, if the character wants those knives to be really deadly, this is the build. However, what I said before goes double here. If we go 7 levels, we get:

Fast3/Inf4 +4 BAB, 7d8 hp, 58 skill points, defensive talent tree (fast, stuff like evasion, uncanny dodge), sweep, improvised implements, improved evasion. This character could easily have 10 hide, 10 move silent as well as 10 listen, 10 spot, and still have 18 skill points for stuff like disable device, tumble, etc.

Str5/Sol2 +6 BAB, 5d8+2d10 hp, 30 skill points, melee smash talent tree (could be +3 melee damage), weapon focus (+1 to hit) and specialization (+2 to damage, meaning +5 total). Could have 10 hide and 10 move silent, but only have 10 skill points left over for other skills.

So, once again, one must make a choice between combat and stealth. The second build can be silent and deadly, but at the cost of secondary and tertiary skills. I think ValhallaGH has the right of it based on the specifics of what was requested, but the character will be very focused.