Pulpy Pulperson and the Poly Update

[Ranger REG]

I see. Granted, the tech level (if by that you mean, "spell/power level") is capped off since all of the spells in d20 Modern ranges from 0 to 5th level. To introduce such tech level beyond 6 may disrupt the balance of the d20 Modern game. The keyword is "may" as it have not been tested.

So, to compensate that, we should add a Master Scientist prestige class (d20 Modern have Hero, Advanced, and Prestige classes). This would allow them to access higher tech level (from D&D spell/power level 6 or higher). I'm open for any idea on how to create one.

Going back to the Scientist advanced class. I'm beginning to think it needs an extra boost. The class feature option is too limiting, so I suggest removing bonus invention feats from that option and allowing Scientist to acquire them at 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th levels.

 

[Krail Stromquism]

geez guys I didnt realize we were in court.

But when I started thinking about our super fun Pulp Game run by the pulpy Commando Cody. I thought of our Scientists running around with us. If we had started this game with the D20 modern rules what would they be doing?

If a smart hero he would be getting 1 talent and a bonus feat because hes 2nd level. Thats savant or Linguist.

In our particular instance the scientist would have to have taken Personal Firearms and Advanced Firearms for his 2 feats. So heres our "Scientist" thats now more of a shooting nut that happens to know a bit about thermal dynamics and if he lives long enough in the Lost World and ever gets back to civilization he's had a great idea every since grad school on how to make a Thermal Particle Polar Destablizer (Ray of Frost).

Also on the other thread I whine about making a Soldier/Ganster instead of being just second level S/G I have to be a 5th level character?

In short the main thrust of my arguement is this: The Pulp setting is melodrama and high adventure and using D20 Modern makes it so much more milktoasty and blan. EVENTUALLY you'll get to the good sweet pulpyness but your just stuck muddling about in uncertanty.

I much rather would've seen the space used for a Pulp Adventure with wacky npcs and what not.

If anyone has a compelling D20 Pulp adventure for 2nd level characters I'd love to see/hear about it.

sorry for being late in checking the thread!

 

[Ranger REG]

Then don't start at 1st character level. Unless you're an ingenious, smart player who can find creative use of his skills in most noncombat situations (don't worry, I won't even go there ) for low-level PC, start as a 1st-level Scientist with 3 or 4 levels of a Hero class. It's not like I'm going to beat you up for starting at level 4 or higher. (But if you want me to, there is a fee.)

I assume you're also speaking for the Mystic and other spellcasting and psionic advanced classes, whose FX spells and powers are capped at 5 levels.

 

[JPL]

My solution would also be to start at a higher level. That's more pulp.

By the time we meet Indy in "Raiders", he already has a whole TV series worth of adventures under his belt.

In his first book, Doc Savage is already the world's greatest surgeon, archeologist, chemist, engineer, and inventor...and a WWI fighter pilot.

By the time he begins his war on crime, the Shadow has been a fighter pilot, a soldier-of-fortune, a mystic, and a millionaire playboy.

But again...there's no reason you couldn't have a plausible "soldier/gangster" at 2nd level.

Is he a WWI vet forced into a life of crime? Then go occupation: military and Fast Hero 2 [for the skill points].

Is is more of a mob enforcer? Occupation: criminal, Strong Hero 2. Get that BAB up so he can take a level of Soldier ASAP.

 

[Krail Stromquism]

Doesn't just making them higher level to start with point at a flaw in the game?

Sure, I could make a tough hero and keep the character idea flowing (super boy scout, wall of freedom) up until the level where he actually takes the Soldier class.

The soldier/gangster is a tougher nut to crack. Jaques Dupree is Originally from France in the Basque region, he was abandoned at a monastery high in the mts and raised a monk (cloistered) as a young boy he ran away to fight for independence but returned to the monastery and lived there most of his adult life...until a troop of highly trained Nazi Assassins assaulted the monastery looking for an artifact known as Odins Eye! they killed many brothers and stole the artifact.

Jaques knew he could no longer stay.

With just the priest clothes on his back and a meat cleaver tucked inside his jacket Jaques went as far away as he could from his old life. Chicago. After a quick trip to Norway and witnessing insane Nazi Scientist experiments he decided he'd had enough.

So with the help of his new boss, the Green Hornet, he would fake his own death! In a huge explosion Jaques was dead and the Ruby Rooster was BORN!!!

yeah I know thats crazy...just crazy enough to work! So while Jaques is dead as far as the party knows hes going to be running around the world kidnapping people and all sorts of fun.

The basic concept for Jaques Dupree is this: He goes out as a young man does things he has been raised to know are wrong and comes to hide behind that upbringing and tries to do the right thing...But when the monster is attacked he sees there no running from the evil in the world let alone yourself. So he goes off to confront it and ultimately looses. So he embraces it.

In the future levels of Jaques Dupree I had planned a few more levels of Gangster and then Mystic levels from there on out. Oh and taking the Secret Identity feat for the Ruby Rooster!!! which I converted a Mini for, pics over at http://www.paratime.ca/d20/pulp/index.html

Anyhow, can you peep the shizzle my nizzle is in?

And if you think thats the dumbest thing you've ever seen my replacement character for Jaques, so as to keep the party in the dark, is named LORD GOBBLER, and he is a Tarzan spoof. His family goes down in a plane over rural Arkansas and is raised by flock of wild turkeys! then hes discovered by a traveling circus, hes made into an exhibit, biting the heads off rats and throwing knives and all that. Then one day a Lawyer brings his family to the circus and takes pity on poor LORD GOBBLER and vows to find his real family. He does and it turns out hes heir to the WILD TURKEY Whiskey company. Background is Secret past becoming Aristocrat, all his feats would be taken in WINDFALL. just trying to see how rich I can make a guy that can talk to turkeys.

so there.

 

[JPL]

Doesn't just making them higher level to start with point at a flaw in the game?

Nope. It reflects a genre assumption [that in hero pulp, the heroes are typically highly skilled, formidable, and larger-than-life] and a game assumption [that in d20 Modern, an adult with even a moderate level of experience will be higher than first level].

 

[Krail Stromquism]

But comparing Pulp to D20 Pulp why have all the filler?

Pulp is full flavor ham fisted action. Smart Hero or Tough hero levels dont scream flavor they say filler.

You can always add levels but why? You can do that but you didnt need to before with the original game. why not support that?

I was really hoping that D20 Modern would be a boost to the Pulp game, but my opinion is that it hasnt.

Again, I'd like to here from someone that has ran characters from 1st level in a pulp setting. what do your adventures consist of? Saber Tooth Tigers? Nazi Robots? Trogladytes in Borneo?

anyhow,

Im coming from a standpoint of the Feel and Flavor of the game seems watered down in the D20 Modern setting.

The new article didnt say anything about starting out at 5th level so I see adding levels as a flaw and not an assumption based on the genre.

 

[Ranger REG]

Granted, Hero Classes are not flavor, they're generic. But that's where the players fill in the rest: through roleplaying. I mean, really, does a game benefit like a class feature define Pulp? Or is it the character and the story?

Personally, I don't see it as a flaw. Not many players start off as 1st level. After all, the book didn't say what level you should begin play. It is human nature to assume you begin at 1.