1920s D&D [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

1920s D&D [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Amon_WinterfallIV
04-27-07, 07:01 PM Okay, here's the situation.

The Party, determined to kill a recurring BBEG, has decided to go to his homeworld and take him down.

One serious problem--this world's technology is Late Electrical (Complete with second generation cars, Chemical Weapons, submachine guns, early aircraft, and other items FAR ahead of the PCs time)

So a few questions:

1. Is the idea of a 'Modern Weapons Feat' a good idea--or is it too weak as it provides them with no benefit when they leave?
2. How nasty is Mustard Gas, statted out in D&D terms? Something like DC 25 2d6 Con?
3. I'm thinking that a Submachine gun does 3d6 damage, and a pistol does between 2d4 and 2d10, depending on the caliber. Does this seem about right?
4. What should the relationship between the ride skill and a 'drive' skill be?
5. Lastly, I'm thinking that a 1920s biplane is probably a construct with clumsy manueverability and about 50 HP--does this seem about right?
krichaiushii
04-27-07, 07:26 PM Mustard Gas is a blister agent - big blisters in the wrong part (to include INSIDE your throat and lungs from breathing it in; and in the eyes from exposure) of your body do more than just provide discomfort. CON, DEX, and CHA are all likely to be damaged - though not necessarily immediately.

Mustard Gas Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustard_gas)

Mustard Gas cbwinfo (http://www.cbwinfo.com/Chemical/Blister/HD.shtml)

Do an image search on your favorite search engine for Mustard Gas.
Shan_TheBabau_Burke
04-27-07, 07:38 PM I wouldn't worry about the modern weapons, just if they have proficiency with a crossbow, give them proficiency with a gun. You will have to roleplay the differences between firing the two, but they should be able to get the hang of it easily. If the characters aren't proficient with the crossbow at the start, giving the the Modern Weapons Feat should translate into crossbow proficiency when they cross back over.

I would say the differences between riding a horse and driving a car are too huge to merge the skills, though on the other hand, if you can steer a galloping horse through a dense forest, steering a car shouldn't be a problem.

The bi-plane sounds about right. Are you going to give them a chance to take blueprints to a gnome? They could construct one out of mythril and get into a dogfight with a dragon! Awesome!

One question: Can your bard do the Charleston?
swallowyersoul
04-27-07, 07:40 PM My experience with d20 modern & D&D is they are fairly compatable.

I'd recommend using whatever stats are in the modern handbook or the DMG for weapons.

Your biplane idea is really good. A creative approach that captures the spirit just right.

As for mustard gas, the above poster had some good realistic advice. In my campaigns I throw realism out the window. What do you want mustard gas to do? Balance that against the average saves of your party and you're on your way.
vader_rocks
04-27-07, 08:22 PM (All answers taken from D20 Past)

1. Call it "Personal Firearms Proficiency." That way, you could add in primitive gunpowder weapons when they get back.

Damage: 2d8
Crit. Range: 20
Range: 30ft
Rate of Fire: Single/Automatic
Magazine: 30/50/100 box
Size: Large
Weight: 10lbs
Year: 1921

Automatic Fire means a -4 to hit, but 2 attacks.

4. Being able to Ride does not mean that you are able to drive (Unless you're riding a motorcycle.) You need to treat Drive as a separate skill.

Crew: 1
Passengers: 0
Cargo: 200lbs
Initiative: -1
Maneuver: +1
Top Speed: 200 (20)
Defense: 8
Hardness: 8
HP: 40
Size: Huge (4 squares long, 9 squares wide, 1 square wide fuselage)
Year: 1916

Attack: Twin Vickers Machine Guns
Damage: 2d8
Crit. Range: 20
Range: 100ft
Rate of Fire: Automatic

Crew: 1
Passengers: 0
Cargo: 400lbs
Initiative: -1
Maneuver: 0
Top Speed: 190 (19)
Defense: 8
Hardness: 8
HP: 50
Size: Huge (4 squares long, 5 squares wide, 1 square wide fuselage)
Year: 1917

Attack: Twin Spandau Machine Guns
Damage: 2d10
Crit Range: 20
Range: 100ft
Rate of Fire: Automatic
Amon_WinterfallIV
04-27-07, 11:12 PM Wow--nice answers Vader!

Some other things I'm curious about:

What would a T-26 be statted out? Im guessing DR 10/-, and about 100 HP; its main turret (30") would have to hurt incredibly--10d6?

How would a mob look if the individual members all had pistols?
How should armor-piercing pistols (like Magnums) be resolved--they reduce natural, armor, and shield AC by up to 4 points?

Lastly, how should sniping (with a gun) work? We'll assume that the gun is accurate to 300 feet (rifle). This would probably require a feat--but if they make the shot at -8 penalty, then the defender needs to make a reflex save against the attack or be subject to a crit?
vader_rocks
04-28-07, 01:34 AM 1. The closest thing I could find is a BMP-2 APC. I modified it to suit your purpose.

Crew: 3
Passengers: 0
Cargo: 250lbs
Initiative: -2
Maneuver: -4
Top Speed: 50 (5)
Defense: 8
Hardness: 8
HP: 45
Size: Huge (3 squares long, 2 squares wide; 8 feet tall)

Attack: 45mm Cannon
Damage: 5d12
Crit. Range: 20
Range: 150ft

Damage: 2d6
Crit. Range: 20
Range: 15ft
Rate of Fire: Single
Magazine: 6 Cylinder
Size: Medium
Weight: 3lbs
Year: 1873

Damage: 2d6
Crit. Range: 20
Range: 30ft
Rate of Fire: Semi-Auto
Magazine: 7 Box
Size: Small
Weight: 3lbs
Year: 1911

3. If the target has armor or natural armor, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on attack rolls, but you take a -1 penalty on damage rolls (whether the target is armored or not.)

4. Using the Sharpshooter feat and a sniper rifle, a target's bonus from one-quarter, one-half, three-quarter and nine-tenths cover is reduced by half. Additionally, the penalty for long range shots is reduced by 1 (for each range increment.)
Escef
04-28-07, 04:44 AM A note on rifles. I'm not a particularly great shot, but even I can bull's eye a 300 meter target more often than not. I'd recommend giving modern rifles a range increment of around 300 feet. Give or take around 50 feet or so (an AK-47 would have a smaller range increment). Also, for automatics, on a natural 1, have a roll to determine if the weapon jams (this can vary depending on the weapon).

For weapons of the 1920's era, You could probably cut the range by a third. Also, we are talking about a weapon with a round that moves faster than sound. Compared with how fast D&D projectiles tend to move, this will create to hit penalties because people will be aiming where they expect the bullet and target to intersect, and be way off because they are used to a slower projectile.
trapspringer
04-28-07, 10:45 AM Vader is on the right track.

All the hard work has been done for you by the folks at WotC. The d20 SRD covers such things as fire-arms, airplanes, bombs, cars, genetic modification, mutation, nano-technology, cloning, and so on and so forth. You should check it out here. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/msrd)
Auburn
04-28-07, 01:20 PM If you let them stock up on ammo (and allow firearms to function in their regular world) before they leave letting them take a feat for firearms wouldn't be that useless. Course they'll probably always save their bullets for the biggest baddest enemy anyways.

No relationship, but a person can become a passable decent driver with just a little practice especially given the probably lack of good roads in that world. A high speed chase there would likely be below a low present day speed limit.
Geddonight
04-28-07, 01:22 PM Well, maybe there's something in the Heros of battle books about mobs (large numbers of people acting as one).

You could treat them as swarms (especially useful for close combat... they just roll over your PC and start pummelling her)

I think I would make things more abstract for shooting.

Maybe you roll a d20 for each HD of the mob. Determine an arbitrary success (for instance, 15) each success grants one damage die. So if you're using d6s for pistol damage, and a 7HD mob hits with 5 rolls, you roll 5d6 to show that.

You could also try area affects with reflex DCs instead. A mob shoots everything within 40' of it, 5d6 damage, DC 17 Reflex for half (or whatever you like). This way it shows the mass quantities of firepower streaming out of the truly well-armed militant mobs.

Just a thought. My friend has some Mass Combat rules, but I cannot locate them. Sorry
TyWebb
04-28-07, 09:31 PM I ran across a fairly detailed homebrew site once that had a D&D campaign set during World War I, and I seem to remember stats for mustard gas, biplanes, and all that kind of stuff. Didn't bookmark it, but.....

<googles around for a bit...>

Ah....check this out. It's not mine, but it may just be right up your alley....

http://www.thegreatwar.nl/index.php

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Amon_WinterfallIV 04-27-07, 07:01 PM	Okay, here's the situation. The Party, determined to kill a recurring BBEG, has decided to go to his homeworld and take him down. One serious problem--this world's technology is Late Electrical (Complete with second generation cars, Chemical Weapons, submachine guns, early aircraft, and other items FAR ahead of the PCs time) So a few questions: 1. Is the idea of a 'Modern Weapons Feat' a good idea--or is it too weak as it provides them with no benefit when they leave? 2. How nasty is Mustard Gas, statted out in D&D terms? Something like DC 25 2d6 Con? 3. I'm thinking that a Submachine gun does 3d6 damage, and a pistol does between 2d4 and 2d10, depending on the caliber. Does this seem about right? 4. What should the relationship between the ride skill and a 'drive' skill be? 5. Lastly, I'm thinking that a 1920s biplane is probably a construct with clumsy manueverability and about 50 HP--does this seem about right?
krichaiushii 04-27-07, 07:26 PM	Mustard Gas is a blister agent - big blisters in the wrong part (to include INSIDE your throat and lungs from breathing it in; and in the eyes from exposure) of your body do more than just provide discomfort. CON, DEX, and CHA are all likely to be damaged - though not necessarily immediately. Mustard Gas Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustard_gas) Mustard Gas cbwinfo (http://www.cbwinfo.com/Chemical/Blister/HD.shtml) Do an image search on your favorite search engine for Mustard Gas.
Shan_TheBabau_Burke 04-27-07, 07:38 PM	I wouldn't worry about the modern weapons, just if they have proficiency with a crossbow, give them proficiency with a gun. You will have to roleplay the differences between firing the two, but they should be able to get the hang of it easily. If the characters aren't proficient with the crossbow at the start, giving the the Modern Weapons Feat should translate into crossbow proficiency when they cross back over. I would say the differences between riding a horse and driving a car are too huge to merge the skills, though on the other hand, if you can steer a galloping horse through a dense forest, steering a car shouldn't be a problem. The bi-plane sounds about right. Are you going to give them a chance to take blueprints to a gnome? They could construct one out of mythril and get into a dogfight with a dragon! Awesome! One question: Can your bard do the Charleston?
swallowyersoul 04-27-07, 07:40 PM	My experience with d20 modern & D&D is they are fairly compatable. I'd recommend using whatever stats are in the modern handbook or the DMG for weapons. Your biplane idea is really good. A creative approach that captures the spirit just right. As for mustard gas, the above poster had some good realistic advice. In my campaigns I throw realism out the window. What do you want mustard gas to do? Balance that against the average saves of your party and you're on your way.
vader_rocks 04-27-07, 08:22 PM	(All answers taken from D20 Past) 1. Call it "Personal Firearms Proficiency." That way, you could add in primitive gunpowder weapons when they get back. Damage: 2d8 Crit. Range: 20 Range: 30ft Rate of Fire: Single/Automatic Magazine: 30/50/100 box Size: Large Weight: 10lbs Year: 1921 Automatic Fire means a -4 to hit, but 2 attacks. 4. Being able to Ride does not mean that you are able to drive (Unless you're riding a motorcycle.) You need to treat Drive as a separate skill. Crew: 1 Passengers: 0 Cargo: 200lbs Initiative: -1 Maneuver: +1 Top Speed: 200 (20) Defense: 8 Hardness: 8 HP: 40 Size: Huge (4 squares long, 9 squares wide, 1 square wide fuselage) Year: 1916 Attack: Twin Vickers Machine Guns Damage: 2d8 Crit. Range: 20 Range: 100ft Rate of Fire: Automatic Crew: 1 Passengers: 0 Cargo: 400lbs Initiative: -1 Maneuver: 0 Top Speed: 190 (19) Defense: 8 Hardness: 8 HP: 50 Size: Huge (4 squares long, 5 squares wide, 1 square wide fuselage) Year: 1917 Attack: Twin Spandau Machine Guns Damage: 2d10 Crit Range: 20 Range: 100ft Rate of Fire: Automatic
Amon_WinterfallIV 04-27-07, 11:12 PM	Wow--nice answers Vader! Some other things I'm curious about: What would a T-26 be statted out? Im guessing DR 10/-, and about 100 HP; its main turret (30") would have to hurt incredibly--10d6? How would a mob look if the individual members all had pistols? How should armor-piercing pistols (like Magnums) be resolved--they reduce natural, armor, and shield AC by up to 4 points? Lastly, how should sniping (with a gun) work? We'll assume that the gun is accurate to 300 feet (rifle). This would probably require a feat--but if they make the shot at -8 penalty, then the defender needs to make a reflex save against the attack or be subject to a crit?
vader_rocks 04-28-07, 01:34 AM	1. The closest thing I could find is a BMP-2 APC. I modified it to suit your purpose. Crew: 3 Passengers: 0 Cargo: 250lbs Initiative: -2 Maneuver: -4 Top Speed: 50 (5) Defense: 8 Hardness: 8 HP: 45 Size: Huge (3 squares long, 2 squares wide; 8 feet tall) Attack: 45mm Cannon Damage: 5d12 Crit. Range: 20 Range: 150ft Damage: 2d6 Crit. Range: 20 Range: 15ft Rate of Fire: Single Magazine: 6 Cylinder Size: Medium Weight: 3lbs Year: 1873 Damage: 2d6 Crit. Range: 20 Range: 30ft Rate of Fire: Semi-Auto Magazine: 7 Box Size: Small Weight: 3lbs Year: 1911 3. If the target has armor or natural armor, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on attack rolls, but you take a -1 penalty on damage rolls (whether the target is armored or not.) 4. Using the Sharpshooter feat and a sniper rifle, a target's bonus from one-quarter, one-half, three-quarter and nine-tenths cover is reduced by half. Additionally, the penalty for long range shots is reduced by 1 (for each range increment.)
Escef 04-28-07, 04:44 AM	A note on rifles. I'm not a particularly great shot, but even I can bull's eye a 300 meter target more often than not. I'd recommend giving modern rifles a range increment of around 300 feet. Give or take around 50 feet or so (an AK-47 would have a smaller range increment). Also, for automatics, on a natural 1, have a roll to determine if the weapon jams (this can vary depending on the weapon). For weapons of the 1920's era, You could probably cut the range by a third. Also, we are talking about a weapon with a round that moves faster than sound. Compared with how fast D&D projectiles tend to move, this will create to hit penalties because people will be aiming where they expect the bullet and target to intersect, and be way off because they are used to a slower projectile.
trapspringer 04-28-07, 10:45 AM	Vader is on the right track. All the hard work has been done for you by the folks at WotC. The d20 SRD covers such things as fire-arms, airplanes, bombs, cars, genetic modification, mutation, nano-technology, cloning, and so on and so forth. You should check it out here. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/msrd)
Auburn 04-28-07, 01:20 PM	If you let them stock up on ammo (and allow firearms to function in their regular world) before they leave letting them take a feat for firearms wouldn't be that useless. Course they'll probably always save their bullets for the biggest baddest enemy anyways. No relationship, but a person can become a passable decent driver with just a little practice especially given the probably lack of good roads in that world. A high speed chase there would likely be below a low present day speed limit.
Geddonight 04-28-07, 01:22 PM	Well, maybe there's something in the Heros of battle books about mobs (large numbers of people acting as one). You could treat them as swarms (especially useful for close combat... they just roll over your PC and start pummelling her) I think I would make things more abstract for shooting. Maybe you roll a d20 for each HD of the mob. Determine an arbitrary success (for instance, 15) each success grants one damage die. So if you're using d6s for pistol damage, and a 7HD mob hits with 5 rolls, you roll 5d6 to show that. You could also try area affects with reflex DCs instead. A mob shoots everything within 40' of it, 5d6 damage, DC 17 Reflex for half (or whatever you like). This way it shows the mass quantities of firepower streaming out of the truly well-armed militant mobs. Just a thought. My friend has some Mass Combat rules, but I cannot locate them. Sorry
TyWebb 04-28-07, 09:31 PM	I ran across a fairly detailed homebrew site once that had a D&D campaign set during World War I, and I seem to remember stats for mustard gas, biplanes, and all that kind of stuff. Didn't bookmark it, but..... <googles around for a bit...> Ah....check this out. It's not mine, but it may just be right up your alley.... http://www.thegreatwar.nl/index.php