Project Excalibur

Game Master Mark Nowicki

Background:

Feb 27, 1995:
An international Space Station, Liberty is launched into low Earth orbit.
Arguments of its ownership and fear of its use as a strategic weapon cause fighting to break out worldwide, World War III.
No nuclear weapons are used, but several chemical and biological weapons are tested.

The year is 1997: The war has taken its toll on the resources of the planet. Millions of men of fighting age have been killed. You are newly graduated NATO marines assigned to Department-7, a black ops division of NATO.

The Primary alliances are:

USSR: Did not dissolve in 1991.

NATO: USA, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom.

North East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere....or Neasians: China, North, South Korea.

Peninsula Shield Force: The military force of the Persian Gulf nations of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain

Oceania: Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Japan. (Allies of NATO)

Africa: A mess of Warlords, terrorists and shifting alliances.

Basic Rules:

On the whole, we’ll be using Pathfinder rules, as they’re the ones everyone is most familiar with, including myself; these will cover skills and most feats.

For character classes we’ll be using the basic classes from d20 Modern, and the Action Points that go along with them. Backgrounds are set as Military. We will be using the Wealth system, which is a much looser and easier method for buying stuff; and the Reputation bonus, a representation of how (in)famous your character is. Advanced (prestige) classes will be available, and will be taken from both the d20 Future. I’ll have a whole character creation section below with point buy details and what-not.

Character Creation:

Heroic build 20 points

As per Pathfinder add +2 to one stat.

Skills and skill points will be as per Pathfinder as well:
Acrobatics replaces Balance, Jump, and Tumble.
Diplomacy replaces Diplomacy and Gather Information.
Linguistics replaces Decipher Script, Read/Write Language, and Speak Language.
Perception replaces Spot, Listen, and Search.
Stealth replaces Hide and Move Silently.
Survival replaces Navigate and Survival.

Background will be set as Military.
-Select two class skills. If a skill you select is already a class skill receive a +1 competence bonus on checks with that skill:
Climb , Demolitions, Drive, Knowledge(tactics), Stealth, Navigation, Pilot, Survival, Swim.
-Bonus Feat: Brawl, Combat Martial Arts, Armor Proficiency, Personal Firearms Proficiency.
You can be from any of the NATO countries.

Progress Level will be 5 with advanced equipment being PL 6 or 7.

Start at 2nd level. This reflects your graduation from training.
Your age is 16.

Take one bonus feat representing your MOS (military occupational specialty).

Equipment will be provided/requisitioned for each mission.
You will have access to experimental armor and weapons (both projectile and melee) as well as standard armor and weapons in the core rule-book.

I recommend the following skills as vechicles will be involved:
Drive
Pilot (If you guys want to experiment with aerial combat)
Computer Use

I also recommend combat feats.

Summary:

Stats: 20 point build. +2 to one stat.

Feats: 4 at 1st level (2 for 1st level, 1 bonus, 1 military background) and then by class. (Single class will have 5 at 2nd level). Feats are every odd level starting at 3rd.

Hit Points: Max at 1st. Then 3/4 or roll.

Starting Wealth = 5 + the results of taking 10 on a Profession check for 2nd level increase.

Feats:

Any feat that normally applies to a single weapon instead applies to all weapons in that weapon group, such as Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization.

Combat Expertise, Deadly Aim, and Power Attack no longer exist, and are removed as a prerequisite for any other feats. Instead, the benefits of these feats are combat option open to all characters.

Point Blank Shot no longer exists; any feat which lists it as a prereq now requires Precise Shot instead (except, obviously, for Precise Shot itself.)

Weapon Finesse is no longer a feat; instead, all weapons the feat would normally apply to gain the 'finesse' quality, which allows a wielder to use their Dex bonus to hit if they so choose.

Agile Maneuvers no longer exists; instead, one adds their Dex bonus to their CMB when using a finesse weapon, and their Str bonus on all other weapons.

Dodge now gives the benefits of both the Dodge and Maneuverability feats; as such, Maneuverability is no longer a separate feat.

Deft Maneuvers (new!) replaces the Improved Trip, Improved Disarm, Improved Dirty Trick, Improved Feint, Improved Reposition, and Improved Steal feats, granting a +2 bonus on checks with these maneuvers and becoming the prereq for the relevant Greater combat maneuver feats.

Powerful Maneuvers (new!) replaces the Improved Bull Rush, Improved Drag, Improved Overrun, and Improved Sunder feats and functions in a similar manner to Deft Maneuvers above.

Armor Proficiency (new!) replaces light, medium, and heavy armor feats.

Heavy Weapons (new!) replaces exotic weapon proficiency for heavy weapons.

Action Boost: Roll D8's when spending Action point.

Human Plus: Two talents from Talent Tree. Must meet Prereq's. Only one talent per tree. Can be selected multiple times. Following talents available by class.

*Charismatic: Captivate, Dazzle, Taunt, Inspiration, Greater Inspiration.

*Dedicated: Improved Aid Another, Intuition, Healing Touch 1, Healing Touch 2, Aware, Faith, Cool Under Pressure.

*Fast: Uncanny Dodge 1, Uncanny Dodge 2, Defensive Roll, Opportunist, Improved Increased Speed, Advanced Increased Speed.

*Smart: Savant, Linguist, Exploit Weakness, Plan, Trick.

*Strong: Improved Extreme Effort, Advanced Extreme Effort, Improved Ignore Hardness, Advanced Ignore Hardness, Improved Melee Smash, Advanced Melee Smash.

*Tough: DR 2/-, DR 3/-, Energy Resistance, Remain Conscious, Second Wind, Stamina.

Action Points and How To Use Them:

You may spend an Action Point for the following effects:
-Alter a single d20 roll used to make an attack, a skill check, an ability check, or level check;
-Use a class talent or class feature during your turn for which the expenditure of 1 action point is required;
-Boost the DC of one of your saving throws.

When spending an Action Point to boost a d20 roll, you add 1d6 to the result of the roll. You get extra dice at levels 8 and 15. Action Points are replenished to maximum when a new character level is gained.

Since we're using an alternate saving throw system, I'm going to have each player choose whether or not they'd like to automatically spend an Action Point to boost their character's saving throw DC upon an effect successfully beating it. The Action Point will only be spent if it's possible to negate the effect; i.e. if an effect beats a save DC by 7+, then you will not lose an Action Point.

Please note which saves you would like to use Action Points on, if any, with an * in your character's info line.