Edit: Since I posted here I rewrote some of our houserules, found CyberDave's rules and added stuff from his thread.
RULES
CHARACTER CLASSES:
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The following changes apply to the d20 Modern classes.
Strong Hero:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d4+4
1/1 Melee BAB
1/2 Ranged BAB
Fast Hero:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d4+4
1/2 Melee BAB
1/1 Ranged BAB
Ranged Combatant Talent Tree
The Fast Hero can do stuff with guns that others can’t.
Reduced Recoil: The Fast hero can reduce the penalties due to recoil by 1.
Improved Reduced Recoil: The Fast hero can reduce the penalties due to recoil by 1. This stacks with Reduced Recoil.
Prerequisite: Reduced Recoil.
Line Up: The Fast hero gains +1 to hit when using a full round action to line up his shot. This stacks with the Dead Aim feat (only one round is needed to gain the benefits from both Line Up and Dead Aim).
Prerequisite: Dead Aim.
Defense Bonus changed as following:
+2
+3
+3
+4
+5
+5
+6
+7
+7
+8
Tough Hero:
Bonus Feats: add Improved Massive Damage Threshold.
Hit Dice: changed to 1d6+6.
Soldier:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d5+5.
1/2 Melee BAB
1/1 Ranged BAB
Tactical Aid replaced with the Tactician feat from Blood & Guts: Military Training Manual.
Martial Artist:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d4+4.
1/2 Ranged BAB
1/1 Melee BAB
Gunslinger:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d5+5.
1/2 Melee BAB
1/1 Ranged BAB
Daredevil:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d5+5.
Damage Threshold +3 bonus changed to +5.
Bodyguard:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d6+6.
Shadow Slayer:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d4+4.
1/1 Melee BAB
1/2 Ranged BAB
Archaic Weaponsmaster:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d5+5.
1/1 Melee BAB
1/2 Ranged BAB
Street Warrior:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d5+5.
1/1 Melee BAB
1/2 Ranged BAB
Swashbuckler:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d4+4.
1/1 Melee BAB
1/2 Ranged BAB
Holy/Unholy Knight:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d5+5.
1/1 Melee BAB
1/2 Ranged BAB
Field Officer:
Prerequesite: Voices of Command (Snap Decision) from Blood & Guts: Military Training Manual.
Hit Dice: changed to 1d4+4.
3/4 Melee BAB
1/1 Ranged BAB
All other classes have their Hit Dice modified using the following rules. Halve the original hit die (d6 becomes d3, d8 becomes d4, etc). Then add a bonus equal to the maximum roll of the die (d3 is +3, d4 is +4, etc). This should result in something like this: dx+x.
Strong Hero:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d4+4
1/1 Melee BAB
1/2 Ranged BAB
Fast Hero:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d4+4
1/2 Melee BAB
1/1 Ranged BAB
Ranged Combatant Talent Tree
The Fast Hero can do stuff with guns that others can’t.
Reduced Recoil: The Fast hero can reduce the penalties due to recoil by 1.
Improved Reduced Recoil: The Fast hero can reduce the penalties due to recoil by 1. This stacks with Reduced Recoil.
Prerequisite: Reduced Recoil.
Line Up: The Fast hero gains +1 to hit when using a full round action to line up his shot. This stacks with the Dead Aim feat (only one round is needed to gain the benefits from both Line Up and Dead Aim).
Prerequisite: Dead Aim.
Defense Bonus changed as following:
+2
+3
+3
+4
+5
+5
+6
+7
+7
+8
Tough Hero:
Bonus Feats: add Improved Massive Damage Threshold.
Hit Dice: changed to 1d6+6.
Soldier:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d5+5.
1/2 Melee BAB
1/1 Ranged BAB
Tactical Aid replaced with the Tactician feat from Blood & Guts: Military Training Manual.
Martial Artist:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d4+4.
1/2 Ranged BAB
1/1 Melee BAB
Gunslinger:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d5+5.
1/2 Melee BAB
1/1 Ranged BAB
Daredevil:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d5+5.
Damage Threshold +3 bonus changed to +5.
Bodyguard:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d6+6.
Shadow Slayer:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d4+4.
1/1 Melee BAB
1/2 Ranged BAB
Archaic Weaponsmaster:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d5+5.
1/1 Melee BAB
1/2 Ranged BAB
Street Warrior:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d5+5.
1/1 Melee BAB
1/2 Ranged BAB
Swashbuckler:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d4+4.
1/1 Melee BAB
1/2 Ranged BAB
Holy/Unholy Knight:
Hit Dice: changed to 1d5+5.
1/1 Melee BAB
1/2 Ranged BAB
Field Officer:
Prerequesite: Voices of Command (Snap Decision) from Blood & Guts: Military Training Manual.
Hit Dice: changed to 1d4+4.
3/4 Melee BAB
1/1 Ranged BAB
All other classes have their Hit Dice modified using the following rules. Halve the original hit die (d6 becomes d3, d8 becomes d4, etc). Then add a bonus equal to the maximum roll of the die (d3 is +3, d4 is +4, etc). This should result in something like this: dx+x.
The d20 modern rule: knowledge popular culture and current events are trained only skills.
House rule: these skills can be used untrained.
Rationale: I don't think you have to be 'trained' to know who Madonna or Barack Obama are, or that Paris Hilton is an airhead :D
Not in China, though...
Knowledge (Tactics): As a Full-Round action a character can create a quick battleplan. The character chooses whether it is an offensive (bonus to attack rolls) or defensive (bonus to Defence) battleplan. After choosing, the character rolls a Knowledge (Tactics). The more information a character has on the upcoming encounter, the bigger a bonus he/she gets to his roll. +2 for knowing who the enemy is, +4 for knowing what types of equipment they are using, and +6 for extraordinary knowledge of the enemy/encounter. If the character rolls above 15, the bonus is +1, above 20 it's +2, and above 25 it's +3.
That's the crunch of Knowledge (tac). We use it for all kinds of fluff too.
The 'real' rule:
Brawling feat gives a +1 competence bonus to attack rolls.
House rule:
It also gives +1 to grapple and +1 to trip attacks.
All shotgun range increments are reduced to half their original size (30 -> 15 ect)
All shotguns gain a bonus die of damage (3d8 ect)
Each range increment past the first will drop a die of damage. (1st inc 3d8, 2nd inc 2d8, 3rd inc 1d8, 4th inc no damage)
Nemafow Hehe, you have shotguns be even less effective at range than I have.
Okay, I'll start with a simple house rule:
The d20 modern rule: knowledge popular culture and current events are trained only skills.
House rule: these skills can be used untrained.
Rationale: I don't think you have to be 'trained' to know who Madonna or Barack Obama are, or that Paris Hilton is an airhead :D
Actually, if you don't have ranks in a knowledge skill, you just default to an INT check, which is basically an untrained check. The limit is that if you have no ranks, you can only have common knowledge of that category.
Anyhow, my house rules:
Gears of War-Style fun (good for one-shots, I'd assume):
There are no hitpoints, only fortitude and will saves. Each time a character takes damage, his massive damage threshold is reduced by 1. In addition, the save against massive damage increases by one for every round the character takes damage.
Spending a full-round action behind cover (meaning not getting shot) removes one -1 penalty to his massive damage threshold, and decreases the save DC against massive damage by one (to a minimum of 15.)
If you look in my "New Non-Lethal Damage System" thread, you'll find other rules... rules I need to clean up before I post here.
Additional rules for a side campaign I'm running at my college: Berret 82 is 3d12, and causes 1d4 bleeding damage every round after it hits until the wound is healed (Treat Injury 20).
I really like the GearsOfWarStyle-stuff... I don't think it'd be appropriate for our game, but I'll keep it in mind for another time. Maybe for a BBEG with some cool fasthealing, perhaps?
Yeah, .50 cal is underrated. I just changed ours so it deals 6d6 instead of 3d12 (all weapons deal 3dx in our game).
I've been looking at the NonLethal Combat thread. I need to figure something out for our game. Possible based on the GearsOfWar thing.
Yeah, the Gears of War-style system was designed with combat-heavy campaigns in mind... well, that and making cover a whole lot more of a no-brainer than it already is.
One thing you need to figure out, though, is how to account for the lack of HD when HD size was a critical factor of some classes. I was thinking classes with larger HD would either get more attributes, or bonuses on fortitude saves.
Hmm... Calcing 6d6 vs. 3d12:
6d6: Minimum 6, average 21, Max 36
3d12: Min 3, average 19.5, Max 36
I like this modification, though it makes double-tapping suck. Stacking another d6 ontop of six doesn't get you near the punch of stacking another d12 ontop of three d12s'.
Backstabbist and I came up with some pretty good rules to work in tandem with HP in the Nonlethal thread. Check those out.
Of course, for double tapping and such, 2d6 count as 1 die. We do not follow the rules that strictly. We normally say that doubletapping increases the damage dealt by 50% (round down - 1 die for most weapons).
As for the GearsOfWar, perhaps having an increase in MAS per level instead would help. Like this:
d6 (and d4): no bonus.
d8: +1 MAS per level
d10: +2 MAS per level
d12: +3 MAS per level
...
I'll look at the NonLethal stuff later - gotta write my French Assignment (and help half my class with it too).
^Basically means I'm too stressed to change thread - I'll stay here until I'm done with the assignment.
I've got a few rules put together for my current future campaign, some of them are a bit experimental.
Unreliable energy: LASER weapons are unreliable, and on any roll of a 1 or 2, the weapon registers an out-of-bounds variable, and shuts down for a brief diagnostic. This effect is not cumulative with the effects of a critical miss. The duration of the shut down is four rounds, which can be reduced to one round with a successful jury rig (repair) check.
Dual-source ammunition: Plasma weapons requires two ammunition sources: a slag cartridge that contains the material to be excited into plasma, and an energy source to excite, and expel the slag. By these rules, plasma rifles have half ammo capacity, and plasma pistols have one quarter (12 shots.)
A lesser man would have died: Once per combat, a hero reduced to negative hit points may declare that 'a lesser man would have died,' and negate the damage in exchange for a specific debilitating injury. A hero may be struck blind, or have a limb blown off. Often, these injuries will make continuing combat difficult or impossible, but the hero still survived. Hey – a lesser man would have died.
Accuracy and damage: For every full five points an attack exceeds the target's defense, the attacker gains a +1 cumulative bonus to damage. This effects all nonmagical, non-starship weapons which call for an attack roll.
Heroic surge: A hero must do something dramatic and heroic to qualify for this feat.
Custom equipment: A ship may substitute a weapon for a defensive system, or vice versa, but the cost of the new equipment is +4, and all repair checks involving the equipment are -5 due to the highly unorthodox, and sometimes impractical installation of the equipment.
Limited gadgets: Gadgets which increase attack or damage bonuses may not be taken multiple times as is written in the book. The +1 bonus indicates the limit of modification that can be performed with the quality of the stock equipment. Mastercraft bonuses are not cumulative with these gadgets, and the mastercraft weapon will always be noticeably higher quality than equipment with gadgets applied.
Heavy caliber: Pistols firing the .45 ACP, 10mm, and .357 Magnum enjoy an inherent +1 to damage. This bonus is a nonspecific bonus which stacks with weapon specialization, equipment bonuses, and point blank shot.
Shotguns: A hero firing a shotgun enjoys the benefit of the point blank shot feat within the weapon's first range increment. This effect does not stack with the actual feat.
My apologies, I've never mastered the art of the spoiler tag...
SHOTGUNS: Here is my view:
D20 Modern:: Shotguns get a -2 to hit penalty per range increment and -1 damage per range increment (the latter damage rule is buried in the equipment section).
House rule:: An example follows, using the double barrel sawed off shotgun as an example (10 foot range increments):
0-10 feet: +0 attack, +0 damage (same as the book)
11-20 feet: +1 attack, -1 damage (book= -2 to hit and -1 damage)
21-30 feet: +0 attack, -2 damage (book=-4 attack and -2 damage)
31 to 40 feet: -1 attack, -3 damage (book=-6 attack, -3 damage)
41 to 50 feet: -2 attack, -4 damage (book=-8 attack, -4 damage)
etc., etc.
Rationale: At very close ranges the shot from a shotgun shell doesn't spread out much and isn't much different than a bullet, so there shouldn't be any range or damage penalties. At medium ranges the shot spreads out, making it easier to hit a target, but less likely to damage a target b/c fewer shot will hit the target.
WINTERNOVA:
I like the 'lesser man would have died' rule. Does it apply any time someone goes under -1 or only when they die at -10?
What would you think of making it apply only at -10 (dead)?
What sort of disabilities do you give people?
ELDERMOUNT: good point on the untrained use of skills and common knowledge. I hadn't read that rule. I do still think that knowledge popular culture should be untrained. How can it be popular culture if only the formally trained know about it?
Formally trained? It's somebody who's taken enough time to study pop culture that they have ranks in it. That doesn't necessarily mean that they've taken classes in it (though I guess it could). Maybe they read a lot of tabloid magazines, or spend a lot of time watching Access Hollywood and MTV.
Let me turn turn the question on you. If it's popular culture, then shouldn't most of the checks fall under general knowledge? And if it's not general knowledge, then why would somebody who's not up on such things know the answers if they haven't taken time to know the subject?
So far as the nature of the specific injuries, missing limbs do tend to compose the majority of them. This is in part due to the ease of the ruling, and the nature of cybernetic replacements in my future universe.
Other things that have cropped up from time to time include movement penalties, blindness/deafness, complete or (more commonly) partial paralysis, ability damage, save penalties, nausea or vertigo, reduced massive damage threshold, and so on. They're for the most part temporary, lasting until the hero receives proper medical attention.
I don't have a chart for this, but I have an old 2E DM screen that has a few examples, as well as an imagination that runs hot on caffeine, and a whole party of players whose characters seem to enjoy being shot, stabbed, blown up, burned, or otherwise brutalized.
Anyway, I edited the OP to fit my changes. You will notice a lot of stuff from CyberDave.
Injuries can be a blast. I loved shooting the eye out on one of my players.
Ha, One of my players declared when caught hiding Solid Snake-style under a broken-down truck, and he was definitely surprised when I ruled that the shot - an unlucky graze - took an eye. He was like "wait - the whole eye?" We all got a kick out of it, even if he did seem a little miffed.
Now, he's gotta deal with a little ribbing from time to time ("aye aye, cap'n - I mean only one 'aye'") but he's got a cool scar, and a nonobvious replacement.
Let me turn turn the question on you. If it's popular culture, then shouldn't most of the checks fall under general knowledge? And if it's not general knowledge, then why would somebody who's not up on such things know the answers if they haven't taken time to know the subject?
The key word here is not popular, but 'culture'. If you live in a culture, you're generally exposed to many facets of it (especially in our modern world of communications technology). Most of you at least have a rough idea of who Calvin Klein is, even if you didn't study fashion and don't follow it in any real way. Most people know who Captain Kirk is, even if they hate sci-fi. So yes, in a way it's 'general knowledge', but if you're the type of person who exposes yourself to what's going on out there (rather than, for example, the type of person who studies a lot and never watches TV), you'll have a much better chance of knowing this stuff. So I agree - remove the 'skilled only' requirement. It makes no sense.
The key word here is not popular, but 'culture'. If you live in a culture, you're generally exposed to many facets of it (especially in our modern world of communications technology). Most of you at least have a rough idea of who Calvin Klein is, even if you didn't study fashion and don't follow it in any real way. Most people know who Captain Kirk is, even if they hate sci-fi. So yes, in a way it's 'general knowledge', but if you're the type of person who exposes yourself to what's going on out there (rather than, for example, the type of person who studies a lot and never watches TV), you'll have a much better chance of knowing this stuff. So I agree - remove the 'skilled only' requirement. It makes no sense.
The person who exposes himself to pop culture is the one who has put ranks into Knowledge: Popular Culture. That is why they would have a better chance at knowing the answers. Probably a lot of people know Captain Kirk's first name and middle initial. (DC 15 - Basic check) But probably not a lot of people know what his middle name is (DC 20 - Difficult check.)
In the same way, most people know that Saturn is a ringed planet, and Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. It doesn't mean they have ranks in Knowledge: Physical Sciences, because those things falls under General Knowledge.
In other words, this arguing that Knowlege: Popular Culture shouldn't be a trained only skill is pointless. The rules already allow you to make untrained checks on it. You are just limited to general knowledge. The point of contention would be what is deemed general knowledge.
In D20 modern, weapon focus applies to a specific type and brand of weapon. Someone who takes weapon focus in a Glock 23 .40 caliber handgun cannot get a bonus for firing another type of Glock or another .40 cal handgun.
In DND terms, this is like saying you can weapon focus with a great sword forged by Oscar the Half-Orc but not ones forged by his brother in law, even though they work in the same blacksmith shop and apprenticed to the same master.
Thus my house rule breaks weapon focus down as follows:
Semi-Automatic handguns;
Revolvers;
Rifles, including assault rifles;
Shotguns;
etc. (no, this is not a weapon focus category!)
I understand from personal experience that there are differences in brands of weapons (trigger pull in a beretta is much different than a glock), but at the same time it makes little sense to me that someone who focuses on a Glock model 26 (9mm) can't get the same benefit from firing a Glock 27 (.40) since both guns are roughly the same size, have almost identical trigger pulls, etc.
If you think this house rule is too broad, you could always put other limits in, like limiting someone to focusing on Glock handguns, or having the player make DC checks with a weapon they're not used to until they get the hang of it enough to focus on it.
I'm now thinking of removing the popular culture skill all-together, which would free up a skill 'slot' to put in some skills I feel are sorely needed, like:
parachuting and scubadiving.
Players would no longer be able to put ranks in popular culture to increase their ability to recall James T(iberious) Kirk's middle name, or know that Saturn is a car and not a silly 'planet' with 'rings'. :D
That issue can be overcome with research or gather information skills, or a knowledge check in a related subject.
Perhaps knowledge: current events could be eliminated as well under the same theory?
Skills
New Skill: Culture(Int); trained
Choose a specific modern culture. You have knowledge of the social mores, customs, and taboos of that culture as well as knowledge of its myths and legends, rules of popular sports and gambling games, and the culture's history.
Special: A character can make untrained knowledge Culture checks for his or her own culture provided the DC is 15 or less.
Synergy: 5 ranks provids a +2 bonus to history checks involving that culture. 5 ranks in the culture also provides a +2 bonus to Diplomacy checks involving members of that culture.
Note: The purpose of this is for characters knowledgable in a given culture rather a topic applicable to a broad range of cultures.
Combat: Damage Track/Wound Levels
I like wound levels. They add some dramatic element to combat. There for I instituted the following:
50% hp loss: The characer is fatigued
75% hp loss: The character is exhausted
100% hp loss: There are no negative hps or set number of hps at which the character dies. At Ohp, the Death and Dying Rules from Unearthed Arcana take effect.
Dramatic Recovery (for use with the wound levels above)
The following can vary depending on genre:
A concious character can spend 1 action point to regain 25% of their max hp. This reduces or eleminates the effects of hp loss as appropiate to the new condition for the characters new hp.
A stabilized character can spend 1 action point to become concious and disabled bringing them to 1 hp.
A dying character can spend 2 action points to automatically stabilize.
A character cannot improve more than 1 step per round.
New Talents, Talent Trees, and FX Replacement systems from Third Parties
New Talents and Talent Trees: Modern Player's Companion (The Game Mechanics)
New Occupations: Modern Player's Companion (The Game Mechanics)
Martial Arts: Uses Blood and Fists (RPGObjects)
Magic Fx: replaced by Elements of Magic: Mythic Earth (EN Publishing)
Psionic fx: replaced by Psychic's Handbook (Green Ronin)
D20 modern: concealing a weapon is based on a sleight of hand check, which is a trained only skill.
House rule: weapon concealment will is a disguise check.
Rationale: If I, with my butterfingers and RL dex of 3, can sucessfully carry concealed in RL, it is NOT sleight of hand check. Carrying concealed has more to do with what you wear and where you hide your weapon than any 'sleight of hand'.
Besides, 'sleight of hand' is a trained only skill that is only a class skill for fast characters, which will force everyone else to take cross-class ranks just to be able to carry concealed.
Eldermount, maybe the real problem is making 'knowedge: popular culture' a skill at all. It seems that by definition all popular culture should be general knowledge: if something is so esoteric you have to be 'trained' to know it, it would be difficult to define it as 'popular'.
I'm now thinking of removing the popular culture skill all-together, which would free up a skill 'slot' to put in some skills I feel are sorely needed, like:
parachuting and scubadiving.
Players would no longer be able to put ranks in popular culture to increase their ability to recall James T(iberious) Kirk's middle name, or know that Saturn is a car and not a silly 'planet' with 'rings'. :D
That issue can be overcome with research or gather information skills, or a knowledge check in a related subject.
Perhaps knowledge: current events could be eliminated as well under the same theory?
The SRD defines the Knowledge: Popular Culture category as Popular music and personalities, genre films and books, urban legends, comics, science fiction, and gaming, among others. I'm sure you can see things within that area of knowledge that would be considered obscure (not esoteric). So, what would be the other knowledge categories that you would suggest would fit for Sci Fi or Comic Book culture? (You know, answering a question like which issue of which comic book did Lois Lane marry Superman?)
Research can already overcome gaps in knowledge. The purpose of having knowledge is so that you don't have to take the time to research.
Modern
One handing/ Dual wielding large weapons:one handing incurs a penalty based on the dice used for the weapon 2d4 (-1), 2d6 (-2), 2d8 (-3), 2d10 (-4), 2d12 is of course impossible. Treat as a one hand weapon for TWF purposes with the dice based penalty stacking.
Undead Mas Saves: All undead have a modified Mas system. This score is equal to their Wisdom score +1 per four Hit dice, if the undead takes damage that meats or exceeds this score they must make a DC15 (or what ever your own rules dictate) Will save or instantly perish (This rule does not apply to incorporeal Undead). This rule is meant to represent a trapped souls, willingness to cling to any form of existence.
Future
Star ship cores: This rule is based on the alternate star ship power core rules listed in future. Non standard power cores provide a number of misc. extra equipment slots, equal to half their Purchase DC modifier (The Listed modifiers are +0 [standard core no bonus], +4 [2 bonus slots] or +8 [4 bonus slots]).
FTL drives,and Afterburners: First Afterburners(future tech) do not count against a ship's engines can only have one. FTL/Time/Dimension Drives also do not count against a ship's engine total Ultralight/Light: 1, Medium Weight/Heavy:upto 2, Superheavy: upto 3.
What do you think?
Small Creatures take no size related penalties for wielding large Firearms that deal 2d4 or less damage, also applies to Simple large ranged weapons that deal 1d8 or less.
Large Creatures treat Large automatic weapons that deal 2d8 as machine pistols 2d10 large automatics add an additional -1 penalty for TWF and one handed firing.
Exotic Weapon Proficiency
Choose one exotic weapon. The character is proficient with that weapon in combat.
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: The character makes attack rolls with the weapon normally.
Normal: A character who uses a weapon without being proficient with it takes a –4 penalty on attack rolls.
Special: A character can gain this feat multiple times. Each time the character takes the feat, he or she selects a different exotic weapon.
Double tap: +1/2 the damage dice(Rounded down)of the weapon in question, can be used with Mecha and star ship weapons.
Burst Fire:+the damage dice of the weapon in question, again can apply to Mecha and Space craft.
2and 3 round burst settings: -4attack with out burst fire -2 with burst fire.
The Pulse Rifle: change damage type to Energy, +10feet to the Range Increment, add a 3 round burst setting (I'm pretty sure that burst part I got from Aussie Gamer)
Cybernetics: Cybernetics with specified positions on the recipient's body (Head, Arm, torso, ect.) do not count against their limit for cybernetic components, only cybernetics that has a listing of none for location counts.
I've thought about allowing one treat injury per encounter to reflect the fact that different injuries can be treated.
The issue I have is how to define an 'encounter'. 10 round difference?
Another thought is to allow all the treat injuries you want, but each sucessive one requires a higher roll. 1st one is at 15, next at 18, then 20, then 25, etc.
What do folks think of allowing multi treat injuries in a day?
Right now the rules only allow someone to use these feats on their FIRST attack with a flatfooted opponent. I interpret this to mean during the first round only when opponent is flat-footed, not subsequent attacks. That seems to really limit the feat to ambush situations.
I was thinking of allowing players to use a knockout punch the round after they sucessfully feinted .
Another possibility is to allow players to use it whenever they are in melee, but say that a knockout punch provokes an AO and you lose your brawling competency bonus.
Any thoughts on this?
Restoring hit points (DC 15): With a medical or first aid kit, if a character has lost hit points, you can restore some of them. A successful check, as a full round action, restores 1d4 plus treat injury rank hit points. This application of the skill can be used successfully on a character only once every six hours. A character cannot be healed unless he/she is first stabilized.
First aid kit: A first aid kit that is used to restore hit points has only enough supplies for a single use before it should be discarded.
Medical kit: A medical kit that is used to restore hit points has enough supplies for ten uses before it should be discarded.
I USED to use this till Tema made a better revision of my rule. See below.
I like the 1d4+ranks. To boost the Field Medic (wow that class sucks as a PC AdC) and not have 1d4+alot, I'd say once per encounter, and 1d4+half the total bonus. Perhaps add a scaling DC, as BrokenOakleys suggested.
Good idea with the uses, I'll remember to implement that in my game.
Hmm... After thinking about this, I've come up with something that should fit our game. It's like what we use for MAS.
RESTORING HITPOINTS
Restoring hit points (DC 15): With a medical or first aid kit, if a character has lost hit points, you can restore some of them. A successful check, as a full round action, restores 1d4 hit points. For every 2 points you beat the DC, you restore 1 additional hit point. This application of the skill can be used successfully on a character only once per round. If a character wants to restore hit points on the same character more than once per day, the DC increases by 2 every time after the first. A character cannot be healed unless he/she is first stabilized.
Use the standard rules for unarmed combat, except that for every successive hit , the attacker gains a stacking +1 to overcome the defender's MAS. An attacker loses one bonus per round if he does not hit the character (this can only remove the bonuses received for hitting the character).
RESTORING HITPOINTS
Restoring hit points (DC 15): With a medical or first aid kit, if a character has lost hit points, you can restore some of them. A successful check, as a full round action, restores 1d4 hit points. For every 2 points you beat the DC, you restore 1 additional hit point. This application of the skill can be used successfully on a character only once per round. If a character wants to restore hit points on the same character more than once per day, the DC increases by 2 every time after the first. A character cannot be healed unless he/she is first stabilized.
Actually Tema, your a legend, I like your's better than mine! I was always a bit iffy about the pretty accurate assumption of what HP you were gonna get. And it makes sense if you wanna use it more than once a day. I LOVE YOU.
I'll leave mine up there, but I'm changing my system to yours. Your da bomb.
EDIT: One thing I can suggest though Tema, one thing that I totally overlooked, make this use of the skill, no longer be able to take 10 or 20. Because that kind of defeats the purpose of what your trying to represent. Just a suggestion though.
Actually Tema, your a legend, I like your's better than mine! I was always a bit iffy about the pretty accurate assumption of what HP you were gonna get. And it makes sense if you wanna use it more than once a day. I LOVE YOU.
I'll leave mine up there, but I'm changing my system to yours. Your da bomb.
EDIT: One thing I can suggest though Tema, one thing that I totally overlooked, make this use of the skill, no longer be able to take 10 or 20. Because that kind of defeats the purpose of what your trying to represent. Just a suggestion though.
Personally I'd allow the player to take 10 and 20 since the only time those would apply to the setting would be in say a hospital.
Actually Tema, your a legend, I like your's better than mine! I was always a bit iffy about the pretty accurate assumption of what HP you were gonna get. And it makes sense if you wanna use it more than once a day. I LOVE YOU.
I'll leave mine up there, but I'm changing my system to yours. Your da bomb.
EDIT: One thing I can suggest though Tema, one thing that I totally overlooked, make this use of the skill, no longer be able to take 10 or 20. Because that kind of defeats the purpose of what your trying to represent. Just a suggestion though.
Well thank you Nemafow.
Glad to see my top-of-my-head-work appreciated.
About taking 10, I'd only allow it in hospital-like (as LoneWolftheHunter suggested) and sterile surroundings, and only if they'd normally be able to do so. I wouldn't allow taking 20, since that'd represent 20 tries.
...yet understandable. Ever heard of the AA-12?Fully Automatic autocrit to the face at point blank. ;)
Any time a character takes damage exceeding his/her Massive Damage Threshold, or is the target of a critical hit, he/she becomes fatigued.
Thoughts?
@Tema69: thx, and it is evil but yeah... if someone shot you with a shotgun within 10 feet and hit.... you'd have very little left in the torso dept :P
@ Brokenoakleys. I agree, the Improved Knockout feat has very limited uses. I believe something has to be done here. You're in the right direction, although I'm gonna need to look at it in details later before I'll get back to you.
About fireing Large weapons one-handed - how about taking a penalty to hit equal to the weight of the weapon? To boost MongoSmash-Shooters/Rambo-type-characters, we could allow characters to offset the penalty by adding 1-1/2 his strength bonus. That way, a character with Strength 15 (+2) could fire an M4 with one hand at a -4 penalty (7 lb., minus 2x1.5) or an AK at a -7 penalty. Even characters with Strength 18 would still get a penalty to hit with a 9mm Uzi (it's still a pretty big metal motherf...), but not with a 9mm MP5K (which I've seen fired one-handed on many a picture).
Using CyberDave's recoil in addition would suit it well.
Edit: Nevermind the MP5K being a large weapon thing. I was mistaken. I believe it is listed as Large in either UMF or WL.
Anyway, I'd like to hear what you guys think of this thing:
The TDI Kriss Super V Low Recoil .45 ACP Submachinegun.
Here's their official website.
And here's an article in the Armed Forces Journal.
I know you shouldn't trust the guy selling the weapon, so does anyone here have any experience with it? I believe it's still prototype-stage, but anyway.
I think it looks real sweet. Too bad we haven't got any recoil rules around here.
So, based on CyberDave's great recoil rules, how would you translate this?
GUN RECOIL
When using a full-attack action with a gun, a double tap, or burst fire, a character may suffer the penalties of recoil. Base PL5 weapons are given a recoil value based on their weapons damage die and size as noted on the table bellow. Increasing the size of a weapon while maintaining the same damage dice decreases the recoil value by 1 per weapon increase in size. Decreasing the size of a weapon while maintaining the same damage dice increases the recoil value by a rate of 1 per decrease in weapon size. IE: A large gun that deals 2d6 damage has a recoil of 1, and a small gun that deals 2d6 damage has a recoil value of 3. A weapon can never have its recoil value reduced bellow one.
Recoil Value by Gun Damage and Size (for standard PL 5 guns)
TDI KRISS Super V .45 auto SMG
Damage: 2d6. Crit: 20 Damage type:Ballistic. Range Inc: 40ft. RoF:S,A. Mag:13, 28 and 30(Box). Weight: 5.5lb. Size: Med. Purchase DC: 20 Res: Res(+2).
While classed as a sub-gun, the KRISS is really a Machine Pistol with folding stock (+2 slight of hand to conceal [or disguise] with stock folded), -2attack when fired one handed with stock folded, -1 attack when fired with stock extended or when fired with 2 hand grip. No penalty for 2handed grip +stock extended. This weapon has a 2 round burst setting (-2attack +1d6 damage) it can be used with only 2 rounds in the magazine.
With that longer barrel I'd split a few hairs and call the semi auto civi version large.
Caliber Damage Special
Better than spit balls: Light rounds that deal less damage than comparable rounds
.38, 9mm Makarov: 2d6-1
Armor Piercing: Specialized rounds designed to punch thru armor. In game terms they Function as if they possessed the Armor Piercing trait listed in Weapon’s Locker, however the template can still be applied to them.
5.7mm, 4.6mm: 2d6-1 +1atk vs. targets with natural or manufacture armor bonuses to defense.
Standard rounds:
.40S&W, 9mm, .38Special, .45 Long Colt/Schofield: 2d6
High stopping power: These are heavy rounds designed to knock down the target. In game terms they function as if they have the Hollow point template described in Weapons locker, however this template may still be applied to the rounds
.45(all automatics), .44special: 2d6+1 -1 attack vs. to targets with natural or manufactured armor to defense.
Over Penetrators: Over Penetrators are high velocity rounds that are designed to do considerable damage to a target, however their relatively low grain weights mean that the rounds have less knock back power than other similar rounds.
.357mag, .357Sig: 2d6+1 reduce Massive damage save to 14 (-2 for variable Mas systems)
.327magnum 2d4+1 as Game rules are the same as the .357 mag
The Rest
.45Magnum, 357 Max/Grizzly: 2d8 ----------------------
10mm: 2d8 (-2attack in medium size and smaller firearms)
The 10 and 12 gauge shot guns
12 gauge pellets Damage; 4d4. Slug Damage; 2d10.
10 gauge Pellets damage;5d4. Slug Damage; 2d12.
While I can't be much help on the Cyber-Dave's rules side of things this is what I settled on for the KRISS Super V for my own settings after hereing about it and finding the specs for size, weight and intended Ammo capacity.
TDI KRISS Super V .45 auto SMG
Damage: 2d6. Crit: 20 Damage type:Ballistic. Range Inc: 40ft. RoF:S,A. Mag:13, 28 and 30(Box). Weight: 4.5lb. Size: Med. Purchase DC: 20 Res: Res(+2).
While classed as a sub-gun, the KRISS is really a Machine Pistol with folding stock (+2 slight of hand to conceal [or disguise] with stock folded), -2attack when fired one handed with stock folded, -1 attack when fired with stock extended or when fired with 2 hand grip. No penalty for 2handed grip +stock extended.
With that longer barrel I'd split a few hairs and call the semi auto civi version large.
It weighs a bit over 5 lb. and has a 2roundburst setting. Oh, and where does the 28round mag come from?
Apart from that, it seems good.
On your damage table there, I really like the +2 to overcome MAS. But why does a round that does not stop people well have that ability?
I think I'll post my ammodamage table here soon.
It weighs a bit over 5 lb. and has a 2roundburst setting. Oh, and where does the 28round mag come from?
Apart from that, it seems good.
On your damage table there, I really like the +2 to overcome MAS. But why does a round that does not stop people well have that ability?
I think I'll post my ammodamage table here soon.
Actually the 28 round mag comes from one of the links you provided and an article in a police weapons magazine list a 28 round magazine as a possible option for the weapon (personally I'm still hoping they make a much larger mag to take advantage of the high Rate of Fire) I'll add the burst and adjust the weight when I post this. I don't follow your question about the damage table.
About my question, what I meant was, that since they [referring to Over Penetrators on your table] "have less knock back power than other similar rounds", why do they kill people easier (adusting the MAS)? I don't know a lot about pistol ammo, so it might be a silly question.
Another thing that came to my mind the other day:
About fireing Large weapons one-handed - how about taking a penalty to hit equal to the weight of the weapon? To boost MongoSmash-Shooters/Rambo-type-characters, we could allow characters to offset the penalty by adding 1-1/2 his strength bonus. That way, a character with Strength 15 (+2) could fire an M4 with one hand at a -4 penalty (7 lb., minus 2x1.5) or an AK at a -7 penalty. Even characters with Strength 18 would still get a penalty to hit with a 9mm Uzi (it's still a pretty big metal motherf...), but not with a 9mm MP5K (which I've seen fired one-handed on many a picture).
Using CyberDave's recoil in addition would suit it well.
Edit: Nevermind the MP5K being a large weapon thing. I was mistaken. I believe it is listed as Large in either UMF or WL.
Actually I think the rule you are thinking of, is the entry in both the d20MRPG and WL that list the MP5K as large when loaded with a 30 round mag instead of the standard 15 round version. However given the sheer number of 20 to 32 round magazine Sub-guns and machine pistols that are listed in these two manuals as medium sized, and the fact that it is just an idiotic rule in the first place I just ignore it.
On a related note I have expanded my own large weapon rules to cover small creatures with Medium weapons
first off large weapons: Small creatures can't dual wield not even the 2d4 ones.
Medium Weapons: 2d4 weapons impose a -2 penalty, 2d6 a-3 penalty and 2d8 a -4 penalty as with the medium creature wielding large weapons for TWF purposes count as two one hand weapons one handing penalties stack.
I like your TWF idea, but I think it's unfair because of the huge difference in weight and encumbrance between each weapon. Therefore I think my weight as penalty thing is a better idea. ...Man, I sound full of myself, don't I? That's not on purpose.
We like it gritty.*So, now you regret adding that 3 pound M203 grenade launcher!* :D
I'm toying around with a Vitality/Wound/MAS point system. I'll post it when I'm done. Using the vitality/wound system, what would you think of having armour grant extra vitality points?
The one-shot has been extended to a 2 to 4-episode campaign (maybe longer if my players enjoy it enough). So far they like the system, though they have not been in any extended firefights so far, and thus they have not taken too many hits. (The particular players I'm gaming with make great use of cover.)
The system is working fine so far; I'm only using it for the PCs, though. The enemies still have HP so they cannot survive indefinitely.
Normally, brawlers can only use knockout punch and inproved knockout punch on their first attack against a flat-footed opponent.
However, if a Brawler spends one action point they may make a knockout punch on an opponent during a melee.
If they miss or they fail to knock their opponent out, opponents get an AO's against them (for overextending while throwing the punch).
Brawlers DON'T have to spend an action point if:
their opponent is flanked, or
they have sucessfully feinted against their opponent in the previous round
But opponent still gets an AO if they don't get knocked out.
Thoughts/comments?
You'll need to add the following rules from Starwars SAGA edition (all of these convert well to D20 modern though, I've tested)
Aiming
Swift Actions
Feat: Careful Shot
Feat: Deadeye
Weapon Qualities
· Accurate: Weapon gains an additional +1 to hit when Aimed.
· Close Quarters: Weapon gains +1 Damage on an adjacent opponent.
· Inaccurate: Weapon cannot be Aimed.
· Semi-Automatic: Weapon can be used with Rapid Shot.
· Fully Automatic: Weapon can use Auto/Burst fire as well as rapid shot.
· Unreliable: Weapon jams on a roll of 5 or under.
· Occasionally Unreliable: Weapon jams on a roll of 3 or under.
· Cumbersome: Weapon is too large or awkward to stow and must always occupy the hands of the person wielding it.
· Stationary: Weapon takes a –5 penalty when not braced or mounted on a hardpoint.
· Slow Reload: Weapon takes a full round action as opposed to two swift actions to reload.
· Extremely Slow Reload: Weapon takes 2 Full Round Actions to reload.
· Splash: Weapon hits in a 2 meter radius.
· Unbalanced: Weapons takes a –1 Penalty to Accuracy for being weighted poorly.
· Easily Concealable: Due to simple size or compact design, the weapon grants a bonus to concealment. +1 for Med, +2 for Small, +3 for Tiny.
· Deployed: Weapon requires an extensive means of deployment (ex. Support structure, vehicle mounted) for effective use.
@ Natanax: I really like that! Is 'aiming' like Dead Aim, just accessible by anyone? CarefulShot/Deadeye would be improvements on that I guess?
In the Weapon Qualities thread, NCLancerman has created some stuff that reminds of this - would you mind posting your stuff there too?
Use 2 Swift Actions (You get 1 Swift, 1 Move and 1 Standard a turn, any other action can be converted into a Swift Action) and you gain the ability to ignore Concealment (Another Starwars SAGA rule but hell, it basically means concealment from Foliage, Smoke, Rain, Darkness etc) and with feats it grants you other bonuses, Careful Shot gives you a +1 to Hit whereas Deadeye grants you an additional 1d of damage, though doesn't have the steep requirements like Dead Aim, hence making non-autofire weapons a little more usable without needing to pump feats into them.
Alright, that's what I thought. The Swift/Move/Standard action sounds good IMO.
It's a nice streamlined system that works well for Starwars but has been integrated into DnD as well (I think it's in Eberron). What's kinda cool is you don't necessarily have to use both swift actions in one turn, you could spend 1 swift action during turn one, and another during your next turn and be able to move and attack as normal.
The question is how to change it, here are a couple of random thoughts I've had:
For the feint roll itself:
*Allow players to add their dex to a bluff check instead of charisma, so feint roll would be d20 + bluff ranks + dex bonus (at least in fencing, you had to be very fast to feint).
*Use BAB and dex instead of bluff ranks and charisma, so feint roll would be D20 + BAB + dex bonus (this reflects speed and experience)
For the opposing roll:
* allow folks opposing a feint to use ranks in spot with a dex bonus (reflects ability to notice unusual things and react to them).
* The opposing roll could also be d20 + sense motive + dex bonus (reflects ability to read body language and react to it).
*Yet another opposing roll could be d20 + BAB + dex bonus (to reflect reaction time and experience).
Any thoughts or comments?
That'd be like some GMs allow intimidate checks to be rolled with Str instead of Dex if you go MongoSmashIntimidate. I don't, but that's not the point.
Pehaps folks could also get a +2 synergy bonus for 5+ ranks in spot on opposed rolls as well, and +2 for making a feint if they have 5+ ranks in sleight of hand?
softening
as an alternate to the armor as DR
your armor has a softening score usually half its hardness, but may be more or less depending on the specific armor. With softening, you still take full damage, but damage up to the softening score becomes subdual.
some specific armors, such as Full plate will also give DR (at a very low value)
Shields will have a softening score and a bonus to AC
Magic enchantments on armor effect AC, but an improved softening score enchantment would also be available (costs the same as AC bonus, but added separately)
Also some armors will still give a bonus to AC.
Anyway, after writing some stuff in a thread in the Future forum, I thought of this. I know Backstabbist has talked about this before.
But having something instead of Personal Firearms Proficiency would be good. Break it up in groups. Every time a character takes the Firearms Proficiency, he/she chooses a couple of weapon groups that he becomes proficient in. The groups could be Autoloaders, Revolvers, Rifles & Carbines, Submachineguns, Assault Rifles, Shotguns, Grenade Launchers, Rocket Launchers, Machineguns, AntiMaterial Rifles, Splash Weapons & Grenades (Molotov cocktails, fragmentation grenades, etc.). These are the groups I use for the Weapon Focus feat in our game.
Any thoughts about breaking it into groups?
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1040835
***
Parry [new rule]
With this new rule, melee combat becomes a bit more than attack rolls and damage rolls, as the players will be forced to decide whether to go all out at the risk of being hit later in the round, or if attacked before the character's turn, whether or not to spend the best attack roll on a parry. Parry can only be used if not flat-footed against the attack.
In melee combat, on a character's turn, a character chooses how many attacks he will use to attack and how many he will use to parry. Assuming he/she hasn't used any of his/her attacks yet (see below), his/her first attacks per round will be used to attack, and the lowest attacks per round will be used to parry. Assuming a character has a Base Attack bonus of +10/+5, and acts before his opponent, he can use his +10 attack to attack, and save his +5 to parry. Alternatively, he can attack with both or save both to parry. He cannot parry with the first and attack with the second. A parry roll is rolled just as a normal melee attack with the appropriate bonuses or penalties. If the parry roll exceeds the attackers attack roll, then the attack has been successfully parried.
If a character is hit before he has had his turn, he can still parry if he desires to do so. Doing so simply uses up his first attack(s) per round. Assuming the same character as above is hit before he can act this round, he can decide to parry with his +10 attack. He then still has his +5 attack to use as he sees fit.
An unarmed character or a character using a weapon dealing nonlethal damage trying to parry an attack takes a -10 penalty. Thus, a character with the Combat Martial Arts feat would be allowed to parry normally, but a character without it, even with the Brawl feat would be taking the -10 penalty. As an exception to this rule, two unarmed characters dealing nonlethal damage can still parry eachothers attacks without taking the penalty.
Any attacks saved to parry that are left unspent at the end of a round are lost. That is, a character who saves his attacks to parry but is not attacked simply loses them at the end of the round.
***
I'm considering granting some weapons a +2 (rapiers/sabres) or +4 (shields) to Parry rolls, as well as some weapon size modifier:
***
I was thinking that since a friggin' twohanded greatsword would be hard to parry with a dagger, perhaps a bonus/penalty for weapon size would be in order. How about a character trying to parry takes a -2 penalty to his Parry roll for every size category the attacker's weapon is larger than his own? That way, a dagger (tiny) would take -6 to parry rolls vs. a greatsword (large), which reflects the difficulty, but still allows it to be possible (perhaps it'd result in a deflect/dodge more than a block).
***
So, what do you think of it? Feel free to respond in the original thread instead/too.
Teleportation systems and Star ships
These systems are detailed on page 103 of d20F.
Ship Size/Number of Transport systems
Gargantuan or smaller Ultra light: 1 most often incorporated into the cockpit.
Colossal Ultra light: 2
Light: 3
Medium Weight: 4
Heavy: 5
Super Heavy: 6
Transport Booths and ships comm. systems: Because a ship has two (or three) communications systems a ship can purchase Transport booths for the base purchase DC, however a ship that does this can never run more booths at any one time than they have comm. systems, regardless of how many booths have been purchased, and can not use comm. systems engaged in the transfer of personnel to communicate with other ships or people. On the other hand transmitters purchased with the booths are dedicated and can not be used for communications purposes.
Can anyone move this to BG?
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?board=30.0
you ever pdf/fileshare this?
Tema
you ever pdf/fileshare this?
I can PDF Word docx with my laptop... first is everyones houserules on the first post or will I need to find each one and organize the list but right now I have to go feed a friends alaskan sled dogs...