Dungeons and Dragons vs d20 Modern? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dungeons and Dragons vs d20 Modern? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Mad Doctor
07-15-04, 10:00 AM I just found out about RPGs. And I to learn more about D&D and d20 Modern. I don't want to buy both. So which is better and easier for new people? D&D or d20 Modern? I appreciate your answers.

Also, if someone could tell me which books to start out with?
Kits or no kits?

Thanks again.
ck2001wendt
07-15-04, 12:21 PM Double post at the hands of a freakin´slow German Internet connection.
ck2001wendt
07-15-04, 12:30 PM I play and enjoy both D&D and D20 Modern, but I have to recommend that you start with D&D. I´ll give you a couple of reasons:

1. Unless you have an already established a group that is all jumping into RPGs at once, you´re going to have to go out and look for other players and a Dngeon Master. In my experience, since 3.0 came out in 2000 or so, D&D is by far the most popular RPG. Add to this the success of Neverwinter Nights and Baldur´s Gate, which I think makes it a lot easier to recruit first-timers to D&D than any other system.

2. D&D has far better product support. If you want to be the DM, D&D has dozens of pre-made, affordable adventures and 1-3 richly detailed campaign worlds. D20 Modern, while set in the accessible present, is going to make you do a lot of leg work I think to come up with campaign backgrounds and ideas.

3. If you´re under 14 (nothing in your post says either way), then I think it´s actually much easier to get your parents to accept D&D, with it´s Lord of the Rings elements, then D20 Modern, which is gritty urban realism. For some strange reason, parents seem to be okay with pretending to kill orcs with swords in fantastic places, but not with pretending to kill people with guns in Boston.

From a rules perspective they are pretty much even, since they are built off the same mechanic at basically the same time. Both of them are pretty straight forward and easy to learn, though there are lots of special moves and spells that take awhile to get familiar with.

Another good choice might be the Star Wars RPG. It´s also a D20 game made by Wizards of the Coast, and just about everyone has heard of Star Wars. Not too many parents will complain about this one, either.

As for books to buy for D&D, if you don´t know anyone who plays, you´re going to want to start out with the Players Handbook, Dungeon Master´s Guide, and Monster´s Manual. That should run you about $100, but I bet you can find them all for $60 on Ebay. Make sure they are all the same version..."3.0 and the newer "3.5" are what is being used today.

If you know people who already have a campaign, you´ll just want the PHB and maybe the DMG (for the section on magic items).
Mad Doctor
07-15-04, 02:04 PM This same conversation is taking place in "D&D General"
It contains more information.

Thanks to ck2001wendt.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mad Doctor 07-15-04, 10:00 AM	I just found out about RPGs. And I to learn more about D&D and d20 Modern. I don't want to buy both. So which is better and easier for new people? D&D or d20 Modern? I appreciate your answers. Also, if someone could tell me which books to start out with? Kits or no kits? Thanks again.
ck2001wendt 07-15-04, 12:21 PM	Double post at the hands of a freakin´slow German Internet connection.
ck2001wendt 07-15-04, 12:30 PM	I play and enjoy both D&D and D20 Modern, but I have to recommend that you start with D&D. I´ll give you a couple of reasons: 1. Unless you have an already established a group that is all jumping into RPGs at once, you´re going to have to go out and look for other players and a Dngeon Master. In my experience, since 3.0 came out in 2000 or so, D&D is by far the most popular RPG. Add to this the success of Neverwinter Nights and Baldur´s Gate, which I think makes it a lot easier to recruit first-timers to D&D than any other system. 2. D&D has far better product support. If you want to be the DM, D&D has dozens of pre-made, affordable adventures and 1-3 richly detailed campaign worlds. D20 Modern, while set in the accessible present, is going to make you do a lot of leg work I think to come up with campaign backgrounds and ideas. 3. If you´re under 14 (nothing in your post says either way), then I think it´s actually much easier to get your parents to accept D&D, with it´s Lord of the Rings elements, then D20 Modern, which is gritty urban realism. For some strange reason, parents seem to be okay with pretending to kill orcs with swords in fantastic places, but not with pretending to kill people with guns in Boston. From a rules perspective they are pretty much even, since they are built off the same mechanic at basically the same time. Both of them are pretty straight forward and easy to learn, though there are lots of special moves and spells that take awhile to get familiar with. Another good choice might be the Star Wars RPG. It´s also a D20 game made by Wizards of the Coast, and just about everyone has heard of Star Wars. Not too many parents will complain about this one, either. As for books to buy for D&D, if you don´t know anyone who plays, you´re going to want to start out with the Players Handbook, Dungeon Master´s Guide, and Monster´s Manual. That should run you about $100, but I bet you can find them all for $60 on Ebay. Make sure they are all the same version..."3.0 and the newer "3.5" are what is being used today. If you know people who already have a campaign, you´ll just want the PHB and maybe the DMG (for the section on magic items).
Mad Doctor 07-15-04, 02:04 PM	This same conversation is taking place in "D&D General" It contains more information. Thanks to ck2001wendt.