Occupations in D&D [Archive] - Wizards Community

Occupations in D&D [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
highbulp
03-25-07, 10:26 AM Has anyone done/seen a conversion of the d20 Modern Occupation mechanic to D&D? If you've used it, what did you think?

Basically in d20 Modern each character picks a starting occupation at creation time that represents what they did before they started adventuring. Occupations give a class skill or two and maybe a bonus feat (a skill boost or Weapon Proficiency, mostly). I see it as a nice way of giving the town guards Spot and Listen as class skills.

I'm thinking of trying it out for my next game (which might not be for a while), and was wondering if anyone else had written up a conversion or if I'd have to do it myself.
Kursk
03-25-07, 11:37 AM I haven't played D20 Modern but looks like they stole Char Gen from Traveller, in that respect.

If I want a town guard to have a skill I just give it to them. I am the DM after all.
Ranger REG
03-25-07, 04:11 PM I haven't played D20 Modern but looks like they stole Char Gen from Traveller, in that respect.
:uh-huh:

Meh. Still, D&D could use it. Also, I haven't heard from Far Future Enterprises filing suit against WotC.
Khementari
03-26-07, 11:43 PM It would most certainly be an improvement on the skill system but you would need to put some work into creating the occupations. Making them setting specific would add some detail to your game, which is always a plus.
highbulp
03-26-07, 11:48 PM It would most certainly be an improvement on the skill system but you would need to put some work into creating the occupations. Making them setting specific would add some detail to your game, which is always a plus.

I was thinking more using generic occupations so that a) I could use them for multiple games and b) the backstory is still left up to the character. But I kind of like the idea of world-specific occupations. World specific strikes me more as either race- (so using a mechanic similar to Regional feats for humans) or class-based (using PrCs, for example).

Also, like I said, d20 Modern has created a lot of occupations (which are available in th SRD), so I'll likely just be tweaking those.
Ranger REG
03-27-07, 08:37 PM It would most certainly be an improvement on the skill system but you would need to put some work into creating the occupations. Making them setting specific would add some detail to your game, which is always a plus.
Right now, we should work on core occupations, those that are present in many games and campaign, such as the peasant and the gentry.
highbulp
03-27-07, 08:41 PM Right now, we should work on core occupations, those that are present in many games and campaign, such as the peasant and the gentry.

Again, a good start is here (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/modern/smack/occupations.html). Peasants are "Rural," Gentry are "Dilletant," and so on. I think d20 Past may have a couple others, but I don't have the book with me atm.
Rhuxley
03-28-07, 11:36 PM D&D has somethign here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterBackground.htm). Its not half bad, they pick a career path, and roll a d%, or just pick one and tuh dah!
LittleCarp04
03-29-07, 01:41 AM yeah the SRD page is hte best palce to start if you want to make your own, or just use those as they are nice
Nor'Morgwae
03-29-07, 10:49 PM D&D has somethign here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterBackground.htm). Its not half bad, they pick a career path, and roll a d%, or just pick one and tuh dah!

Actually the UA character backgrounds are nothing like occcupations. Occupations give you additional class skills, sometimes a feat and adjust your starting money.

Character backgrounds tell you what feat to take and what skill points to take and gives you... (wait for it) nothing. Nada. Zip. They are an excellent way of taking choices away from players. That's about all they do.

I've thought about doing this before. I'd be willing to throw something together at least as a start. A couple questions first though.

Should you occupation change/affect starting gold? I was thinking of using occupation instead of class as the source of starting gold.

Should any D&D occupations grant feats? This one is a little harder because this is a much greater power difference than just additional class skills. What do the rest of you think?
highbulp
03-30-07, 12:01 AM Should you occupation change/affect starting gold? I was thinking of using occupation instead of class as the source of starting gold.

Should any D&D occupations grant feats? This one is a little harder because this is a much greater power difference than just additional class skills. What do the rest of you think?

I'd think that occupations should affect starting gold--at least maybe a little bit. Maybe they tell you what percentage of the maximal per-class gold you get (so a Noble gets maximum class gold, while a peasant only gets 10%). Or something. I think I may someday try and do a conversion from Wealth DCs to GP and see what I get.

As for feats, sure they could grant bonus feats. If it's a single Martial weapon, or one of the skill boost feats, I don't see a huge problem with that. There are a lot of feats that are weaker than others.
Ranger REG
03-30-07, 02:28 AM Again, a good start is here (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/modern/smack/occupations.html). Peasants are "Rural," Gentry are "Dilletant," and so on. I think d20 Past may have a couple others, but I don't have the book with me atm.
Aren't butchers peasant? Won't they work better in urban environment rather than rural environment?
highbulp
03-30-07, 09:13 AM Aren't butchers peasant? Won't they work better in urban environment rather than rural environment?

My apologies, I meant peasants as in farmers (or serfs, depending on how poor). Yes, a butcher would have a "blue-collar" occupation (or maybe "tradesman").

I think I'll start on adjusting the system this weekend. I'll post it here.
Wyvern76
04-03-07, 01:19 AM Nor'Morgwae pointed me to this thread owing to something I posted over on the Campaign Workshop board. The Gamma World d20 rules included adapted versions of d20 Modern occupations, which I then adapted further for a setting of my own which I've labeled "post-apocalyptic fantasy steampunk." You can find my adaptation here (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=11857993&postcount=5).

Wyvern

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
highbulp 03-25-07, 10:26 AM	Has anyone done/seen a conversion of the d20 Modern Occupation mechanic to D&D? If you've used it, what did you think? Basically in d20 Modern each character picks a starting occupation at creation time that represents what they did before they started adventuring. Occupations give a class skill or two and maybe a bonus feat (a skill boost or Weapon Proficiency, mostly). I see it as a nice way of giving the town guards Spot and Listen as class skills. I'm thinking of trying it out for my next game (which might not be for a while), and was wondering if anyone else had written up a conversion or if I'd have to do it myself.
Kursk 03-25-07, 11:37 AM	I haven't played D20 Modern but looks like they stole Char Gen from Traveller, in that respect. If I want a town guard to have a skill I just give it to them. I am the DM after all.
Ranger REG 03-25-07, 04:11 PM	I haven't played D20 Modern but looks like they stole Char Gen from Traveller, in that respect. :uh-huh: Meh. Still, D&D could use it. Also, I haven't heard from Far Future Enterprises filing suit against WotC.
Khementari 03-26-07, 11:43 PM	It would most certainly be an improvement on the skill system but you would need to put some work into creating the occupations. Making them setting specific would add some detail to your game, which is always a plus.
highbulp 03-26-07, 11:48 PM	It would most certainly be an improvement on the skill system but you would need to put some work into creating the occupations. Making them setting specific would add some detail to your game, which is always a plus. I was thinking more using generic occupations so that a) I could use them for multiple games and b) the backstory is still left up to the character. But I kind of like the idea of world-specific occupations. World specific strikes me more as either race- (so using a mechanic similar to Regional feats for humans) or class-based (using PrCs, for example). Also, like I said, d20 Modern has created a lot of occupations (which are available in th SRD), so I'll likely just be tweaking those.
Ranger REG 03-27-07, 08:37 PM	It would most certainly be an improvement on the skill system but you would need to put some work into creating the occupations. Making them setting specific would add some detail to your game, which is always a plus. Right now, we should work on core occupations, those that are present in many games and campaign, such as the peasant and the gentry.
highbulp 03-27-07, 08:41 PM	Right now, we should work on core occupations, those that are present in many games and campaign, such as the peasant and the gentry. Again, a good start is here (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/modern/smack/occupations.html). Peasants are "Rural," Gentry are "Dilletant," and so on. I think d20 Past may have a couple others, but I don't have the book with me atm.
Rhuxley 03-28-07, 11:36 PM	D&D has somethign here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterBackground.htm). Its not half bad, they pick a career path, and roll a d%, or just pick one and tuh dah!
LittleCarp04 03-29-07, 01:41 AM	yeah the SRD page is hte best palce to start if you want to make your own, or just use those as they are nice
Nor'Morgwae 03-29-07, 10:49 PM	D&D has somethign here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterBackground.htm). Its not half bad, they pick a career path, and roll a d%, or just pick one and tuh dah! Actually the UA character backgrounds are nothing like occcupations. Occupations give you additional class skills, sometimes a feat and adjust your starting money. Character backgrounds tell you what feat to take and what skill points to take and gives you... (wait for it) nothing. Nada. Zip. They are an excellent way of taking choices away from players. That's about all they do. I've thought about doing this before. I'd be willing to throw something together at least as a start. A couple questions first though. Should you occupation change/affect starting gold? I was thinking of using occupation instead of class as the source of starting gold. Should any D&D occupations grant feats? This one is a little harder because this is a much greater power difference than just additional class skills. What do the rest of you think?
highbulp 03-30-07, 12:01 AM	Should you occupation change/affect starting gold? I was thinking of using occupation instead of class as the source of starting gold. Should any D&D occupations grant feats? This one is a little harder because this is a much greater power difference than just additional class skills. What do the rest of you think? I'd think that occupations should affect starting gold--at least maybe a little bit. Maybe they tell you what percentage of the maximal per-class gold you get (so a Noble gets maximum class gold, while a peasant only gets 10%). Or something. I think I may someday try and do a conversion from Wealth DCs to GP and see what I get. As for feats, sure they could grant bonus feats. If it's a single Martial weapon, or one of the skill boost feats, I don't see a huge problem with that. There are a lot of feats that are weaker than others.
Ranger REG 03-30-07, 02:28 AM	Again, a good start is here (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/modern/smack/occupations.html). Peasants are "Rural," Gentry are "Dilletant," and so on. I think d20 Past may have a couple others, but I don't have the book with me atm. Aren't butchers peasant? Won't they work better in urban environment rather than rural environment?
highbulp 03-30-07, 09:13 AM	Aren't butchers peasant? Won't they work better in urban environment rather than rural environment? My apologies, I meant peasants as in farmers (or serfs, depending on how poor). Yes, a butcher would have a "blue-collar" occupation (or maybe "tradesman"). I think I'll start on adjusting the system this weekend. I'll post it here.
Wyvern76 04-03-07, 01:19 AM	Nor'Morgwae pointed me to this thread owing to something I posted over on the Campaign Workshop board. The Gamma World d20 rules included adapted versions of d20 Modern occupations, which I then adapted further for a setting of my own which I've labeled "post-apocalyptic fantasy steampunk." You can find my adaptation here (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=11857993&postcount=5). Wyvern