Garnfellow
Explorer
I'm about to run a short-term d20 Modern game. All my players know D&D really well, but have not played d20 Modern. Is there a website or something out there that lists some of the major differences between the two systems?
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Summary of Differences between d20 M and D&D
- Thread starter Garnfellow
- Start date
GuardianLurker
Adventurer
One of WotC's Bullet points addresses this. It probably doesn't go into the detail you want though.
The old Second World source book also has a very good section on reconciling them, but I'm not sure where you'd find it nowdays.
The old Second World source book also has a very good section on reconciling them, but I'm not sure where you'd find it nowdays.
Quick Differences:
Class Defense bonus, PCs do not need to rely on armor so much.
Action Points (as in eberron), give you +d6 to a die roll.
Massive Damage is CON...so you take more than CON in damage, make a fort save or go directly to -1 HP, do not pass go, do not collect $200.
Encouraged multiclassing...fitting a character profile doesn't mean you're shoehorned into 1 or 2 classes, you can go wild, just watch your BAB and saves go down the crapper.
Advanced Classes - Just like PrC's, but you get them earlier
Wealth - you don't just buy stuff with GP, it's a 'roll' based upon a wealth score, which tends to randomize purchases, one day you can't afford a box of ammo, the next you can afford a new car.
Magic - unless you're playing in high magic world, magic is EXTREMELY rare to non-existant, even at high magic, you're maxed out at 5th level spells.
Non-lethal damage is just like massive damage, it does not count down from HPs...so unless you can do CON nonlethal damage to someone, you can beat on each other for days without anything happening.
that's just a quick basic list, if you have questions on specifics i'm sure the group here will help you out.
Class Defense bonus, PCs do not need to rely on armor so much.
Action Points (as in eberron), give you +d6 to a die roll.
Massive Damage is CON...so you take more than CON in damage, make a fort save or go directly to -1 HP, do not pass go, do not collect $200.
Encouraged multiclassing...fitting a character profile doesn't mean you're shoehorned into 1 or 2 classes, you can go wild, just watch your BAB and saves go down the crapper.
Advanced Classes - Just like PrC's, but you get them earlier
Wealth - you don't just buy stuff with GP, it's a 'roll' based upon a wealth score, which tends to randomize purchases, one day you can't afford a box of ammo, the next you can afford a new car.
Magic - unless you're playing in high magic world, magic is EXTREMELY rare to non-existant, even at high magic, you're maxed out at 5th level spells.
Non-lethal damage is just like massive damage, it does not count down from HPs...so unless you can do CON nonlethal damage to someone, you can beat on each other for days without anything happening.
that's just a quick basic list, if you have questions on specifics i'm sure the group here will help you out.
Psion
Adventurer
GuardianLurker said:
It's now available in PDF:
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=5144&
I'm pretty sure threads on this topic have been floated here before. Here's one I dug up:
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=47103
Johnny Angel
Explorer
Here's the summary of the differences I handed out to my players for my d20 Star*Drive campaign:
http://www.ashmead.net/~angel/Star*Drive/d20 Modern vs D&D.pdf
http://www.ashmead.net/~angel/Star*Drive/d20 Modern vs D&D.pdf
Khorod
First Post
Also, certain key things like BAB just go up slower.
Full BAB in Modern is not the same as in D&D. If you maintain Full BAB you are not just the 'warrior', you are almost a powergamed warrior.
A level 5 character in Modern is less effective of an adventurer than a level 5 character in D&D... at least by the standards that combat and magic survivability is the standard.
Players need to avoid the D&D mindset and create the character they want to play. As the GM, you might want to tell them that combat balance is as though D&D and they are a level or two lower... because it is unless they all limit themselves to supersoldiers.
Full BAB in Modern is not the same as in D&D. If you maintain Full BAB you are not just the 'warrior', you are almost a powergamed warrior.
A level 5 character in Modern is less effective of an adventurer than a level 5 character in D&D... at least by the standards that combat and magic survivability is the standard.
Players need to avoid the D&D mindset and create the character they want to play. As the GM, you might want to tell them that combat balance is as though D&D and they are a level or two lower... because it is unless they all limit themselves to supersoldiers.
frankthedm
First Post
jezter6 said:
Uhg. I had hoped that was only a rumor. Uhg.
Viktyr Gehrig
First Post
frankthedm said:
Heh. It seems that some of the people who design supplements for d20 Modern would agree with you-- since they pretend that it was.
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