T20/D20 Modern Hybrids

[orangefruitbat]

I've been looking though my new T20 and D20 Modern books and I'm finding a lot I like in both. So naturally, I'm looking to use the best of each. I don't want to have a T20 rules/D20 sucks conversation (or vice-versa). Rather, I'm looking to see how the two rulesets can interact, and what the implications are. Here are my preliminary thoughts.

Character creation: T20 here. "Occupation", while simple just isn't as much fun as T20 Prior History. Having both is redundant.

Character classes: Not sure. What I'm thinking about doing is using T20 rules to create the characters, but allow players to take levels of "Fast Hero", "Charismatic Hero" as they go along, since they help define a character more cinematically. I'd probably drop the D20 "Advanced Classes" though. I need to check the balance between the two rulesets though.

Feats: probably allow feats from both, when not redundant or unbalanced.

Firearms Rules: Either set of rules would be ok - haven't studied this in depth yet. Covnetional (20-21st century) firearms do approximately the same damage in both games, but T20 has incredibly powerful energy weapons.

Damage Rules: I like the D20 massive damage rules better than the stamina/life blood rules in T20 (I also hate the term "life blood" in a hard sci-fi game. But I have to figure how to scale HP damage with the high-powered energy weapons.

Armor Rules: I don't really like either set of Armor rules, but T20 has the edge since even good armor is at least partially vunerable to low damage weapons.

Wealth: T20. I like the Wealth rules from D20 Modern, but in a Traveller-style game that spans worlds with no ftl communication, dealing with exact amounts of hard currency just seems better.

Psionics: Not sure yet.

Universe: Probably my own Firefly-style sector, with Earth in the center. Low steller tech. I want more of a connection with our world than exists in the far future of Traveller (i.e., worlds settled by Mormons, Canadians, etc). But I'm also going to throw some trans-humanisms in there as well.

Anyways, what do you think?

 

[Luddite]

From what I have seen, classes between d20 Modern and Traveller d20 are scaled differently. I would pick either one and stay with it. If you go d20 Modern you will need the advanced classes in order to have 20 levels of characters.

Prior History can be modified and tweak by the following Prior HIstory article. You can set the xp factor as you see fit for setting the level of your characters.

Some feats are specific to the rules for combat and skills. But for the most part you can use both. Just make sure you specify if Two-Weapon Fighting feat works with hand guns as well as melee weapons. (I think in T20 it is left open to use with ANY two weapons that can be used in one hand) There are a few others.

The Firearms rules go hand in hand with the Combat, Armour and Damage system you use.

Psionics: its a flavor thing.

I have looked at this since I am working on a Fading Suns game (did not like d20 rules from Holisitic, but love the world/universe). So I am revamping a lot of the classes and what not.

I do have to say the T20 has been very easy to tweak. I am realy happy with its flexibility and adpatability with other d20 materials.

-The Luddite

 

[phyle]

Character creation- I think I'm going to use the D20Modern classes with T20 prior Histories

Everything else I think I'm going to use T20, but I have to look into Psionics a little more before I decide on that.

 

[BluWolf]

I think this is exactly the same sort of thing I will be doing across a broad spectrum of D20 products with T20 and D20 modern getting the main focus. So I will be very interested in your results.

Some of the other resources I plan on eveluating;

Call of Cthulhu - Sanity Rules
D&D - using some classes or prestige classes where the make sense. Monks, Rogues, Guild members, Assasins yes. Clerics, wizards Dragons NO.

Assorted Monster books- The number of alien critters is just endless.

Four Color to Fantasy - for freaky alien powers or features

Spycraft- alot of gear, maybe some clas stuff.

Of course I have to find some time to read all this stuff and I still need to actually purcahse T20 and D20 Modern. The new baby seems to be eating all my spare cash!!!!!

 

[Garet]

The Farscape D20 by AEG has planets, alien animals, equipment, and the farscape races in it. If you have the money for it

. The farscape website has new planets, animals, and mini adventures that could possibly be adapted. I've been either busy or sick since my T20 came in and haven't had a chance to really look at it. I plan to run T20, but will pull in stuff from the other games.

Fading suns has a space station supplement. Anyone seen it?