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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Aaron2" data-source="post: 1432168" data-attributes="member: 1436">Is a +4 skill trying for a DC 20 any more random than a +14 skill trying for a DC 30? There is one problem ... If weapon damage makes weapons lethal for 10th level characters, they still won't be for 20th level character. There will always be a point with which you have to draw the line. It seems to me that with the base rules, that line is drawn around 6th level (where you can start to ignore some threats). That line may not be to everyone's liking, but where it is isn't a question of realism but more a question of play style. A combat system balanced for 2nd level may be totally realistic at second level but not when the average flunky is 8th.Only after all the above activities. He didn't die from some random bullet in the first scene. That's what the wear down of hps represents a gradual rather than sudden death; one that can, somewhat, be forseen. Players will always avoid damage if neccessary simply because they never know what is coming up next. Our hero may charge the MG nest, take 35 points of damage and be ok but will his remaining 5 hps be enough to tackle the 88s later on? Yes, primarily because you don't want a player who has been building up a character for over a year to lose him to some random flunky because you've been playing for 5 hours, its late and he forgot to look under the car where said flunky was hiding.This is a good question. However, do you want your computer geek Marshall to be able to crack any computer within 15 seconds while your field ops, Sydney and Vaughn, die before they can make it to the computer room? The max rank attempts to balance combat and non-combat abilities and can be adjusted without major changes to the rest of the rules. Also, making characters roll for first level hps and lowering character's abilities scores can each affect the balance between combat and non-combat. One problem I have with d20 Modern is it pretty much assumes that 3rd level is the base level for character yet the combat system is still balanced for first level characters. All this can still be done when weapon damage is in the 1d10-2d12 range.Aaron</blockquote>

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