d20 Modern Major Rule Variants
(
compiled
by Dr. Anthony Matagrano, Mike J. Murtha and Mark Greco
Any new additions or major corrections in a version are provided in red text for your convenience. Red text changes to black text in the next version.
Automatic
Successes and Failures
This document outlines the major rule variants being implemented in d20 Modern compliant campaigns. Unless otherwise stated explicitly by the GM the standard rules are taken from the d20 Modern line of books from Wizards of the Coast (WotC). Any WotC published source is considered the standard rules. In all cases not specifically mentioned in this document, the d20 Modern rules take precedence with the GM being the final arbiter.
In general, rules from other d20 Modern Open Gaming License sources may be used in any of the campaigns with GM approval. Specific rules from specific d20 Modern OGL sources may be disallowed however, as they may be setting dependent. Some combinations of rules from other d20 Modern OGL sources may unbalance the campaign. In all instances the GM is the final arbiter on whether or not a d20 Modern OGL rule may be used. Players should bring the d20 Modern OGL source with the rule (feat, class, prestige class, race, special ability, skill, etc.) to their GM who will then decide whether or not it will be allowed in their campaign.
Each entry in this document in general includes the following:
· Core: d20 Modern Core rulebook
· Menace Manual
· Weapons Locker
· Future
· Past
· Cyberscape
· Apocalypse
· Urban Arcana
· (General) indicating the rule is used globally
· (Stargate Only) indicating the rule is used only in Stargate campaigns
· (…,URG Note) indicates that the rule is not altered, but listed because it is significantly different from its URG counterpart
· (…,Clarification) indicates that the rule is not altered, but listed for clarification purposes.
Ability
Scores (Core p14-15) (General, but not in Stargate)
Under d20 Modern a player uses a number of options to generate ability scores. This is changed to a player uses the “18/max16” method to generate ability scores. A player starts with straight 10s. He has 18 ability points to spend to raise his ability scores on a one for one basis. However, no ability score may be raised above 16 (racial modifiers may affect this maximum, however). Ability scores may be reduced below 10 on a one for one basis and these ability points may then be used to raise other ability scores on a one for one basis, if desired. Ability scores may be reduced to a minimum of 8 (racial modifiers may affect this minimum, however). GM approval is necessary to arbitrarily lower ability scores below 8 (not including racial modifiers). Racial ability score adjustments are applied after this process and may result in starting ability scores above 16 or below 8.
Ability
Scores (Core p14-15) (Stargate Only)
Under d20 Modern a player uses a number of options to generate ability scores. This is changed to a player uses the “20/max18” method to generate ability scores. A player starts with straight 11s. He has 20 ability points to spend to raise his ability scores on a one for one basis. However, no ability score may be raised above 18 (racial modifiers may affect this maximum, however). Ability scores may be reduced below 11 on a one for one basis and these ability points may then be used to raise other ability scores on a one for one basis, if desired. Ability scores may be reduced to a minimum of 8 (racial modifiers may affect this minimum, however). GM approval is necessary to arbitrarily lower ability scores below 8 (not including racial modifiers). Racial ability score adjustments are applied after this process and may result in starting ability scores above 18 or below 8.
Raising
Ability Scores (Core p16) (General)
Under d20 Modern a character, in general (although there are exceptions), does not receive the retroactive benefits when raising an ability score, such as receiving retroactive skill points when raising his Intelligence score. This is changed to a character gets all retroactive benefits when raising any ability score in a permanent fashion, such as from the result of a level increase or as the result of an inherent bonus. It will always be as if the character had the appropriate ability score since first level.
A temporarily raised ability
score affects the character in most of the ways a permanently raised ability
score does. However, there are some
exceptions. When an ability score is
raised on a temporary basis such as from the effects of a drug or a spell, and
Intelligence is the affected stat the character does not receive any bonus
languages or additional skill points. If
the ability score increase is due to a magic or psionic
item, such as a Headband of Intelligence, which grants an enhancement bonus,
the character gains the appropriate bonus spells and/or bonus power points
after the item has been worn for at least a 24 hour period. The character should keep track of which
bonus spells were gained as a result of the item. If the item is removed, the character loses
those bonus spells and/or bonus power points immediately and does not regain
them until the item is worn for another 24 hour period.
Occupations
(Core p13) (Stargate
Only)
Under d20 Modern rules each character chooses one occupation and applies it to their character. This is changed to each character gets the military occupation and also chooses one other occupation. The second occupation can again be the military occupation. Both occupations are applied normally to the character.
Aging
Effects (Core p35) (General)
Under d20 Modern a character’s ability scores change with his age category. This is changed to a character’s ability scores do not change as a result of age.
Character
Hit Dice/Hit Points (Core p19) (General)
Under d20 Modern a character’s hit points are determined by rolling 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 1d10 or 1d12 when he achieves a new level. These dice are changed as follows:
|
Old Die Roll |
New Die Roll |
|
1d4 |
1d2+2 |
|
1d6 |
1d3+3 |
|
1d8 |
1d4+4 |
|
1d10 |
1d5+5 |
|
1d12 |
1d6+6 |
A character still receives maximum hit points at first level.
Automatic
Successes and Failures (PH p63, 134, 136) (General, URG Note)
Under v3.5 the following rules are unchanged, but stated here because they are significantly different than the corresponding URG rules.
1. A natural 20 on a d20 attack roll is always a hit (and also a threat). A natural 1 on a d20 attack roll is always a miss.
2. A natural 20 on a d20 saving throw roll is always a success. A natural 1 on a d20 saving throw roll is always a failure.
3. A natural 20 on a d20 skill or ability check is NOT an automatic success. A natural 1 on a d20 skill or ability check is NOT an automatic failure.
Toughness
Feat (Core p88) (General)
Under d20 Modern the Toughness feat grants the character +3 hit points. This is changed to the Toughness feat grants the character additional hit points according to the character’s hit die type at the time the feat is taken as noted in the table below. This increase in hit points is in addition to the normal hit points gained as a result of advancing a level.
|
Hit Die Type |
Hit Points Gained |
|
d4 |
+4 hit points |
|
d6 |
+6 hit points |
|
d8 |
+8 hit points |
|
d10 |
+10 hit points |
|
d12 |
+12 hit points |
A character may gain this feat multiple times and its effects stack.
Dying and Death (Core p141) (General)
Under s20 Modern a character dies when he reaches -10 hit points or below. This is changed to a character dies when his hit points are reduced to below his death threshold. A character’s death threshold is defined to be the negative of, his Constitution ability score plus the number of character levels A character is still alive when his hit points are at exactly his death threshold. A character is disabled when he has 0 hit points left. A character is dying when he has between -1 and his death threshold hit points left, inclusively. He is dead when his hit points are reduced to below his death threshold. For creatures, their death threshold is defined to be the negative of, their Constitution ability score plus the number of hit dice. A character or creature’s death threshold is affected by temporary and permanent changes to Constitution, character level and/or hit dice. All references to “-1 to -9 hit points” in the Core and other books are changed to “-1 to death threshold hit points.” All references to “-10 hit points or below” in the Core and other books are changed to “below death threshold hit points.”
Initiative
(Core p133) (General)
Under d20 Modern players roll initiative once for the entire combat. This is changed to players (the computer) roll initiative at the beginning of each round of combat.
Multiple
Attacks in a Round (Core p137) (General, URG Note)
Under d20 Modern a character making multiple attacks in a round need not specify the targets of the attacks ahead of time. He can see how the earlier attacks turn out before assigning the later ones. This is unchanged, but stated here because it is significantly different than the corresponding URG rule.
Stabilizing
(Core p142) (General)
Under d20 Modern an unconscious or dying character has a 10% chance of becoming stable or disabled under various circumstances. All references to this 10% in the PH and DMG are changed to DC 18 Con check.