the803DM's page

I think the modern classes were balanced when they were created as a re-write of the treatment Wizards gave Call of Cthulu, a game in which PCs research, investigation, and long-range weaponry skills are vital to their survival. The "Shadow Chasers" campaign model is essentially Call of Cthulu draped in Buffy-drag to ward off parental concern. If you don't play that style of game, the books-guy and guns-guy can seem a bit lacking. I think Smart Heroes could use a (Bard-like) odd knowledge Talent tree, and Fast Heroes could use a Driving/Piloting Talent tree.

I haven't played d20 Modern yet, and am waiting for a copy of Spycraft d20 and Mutants and Masterminds to compare classes.

I've done test-runs of both Spycraft (2e) and Mutants & Masterminds (1e), and I think d20 Modern fits right between them in many ways. Spycraft is good for players that like cruching through lots and lots of mechanics. Mutants & Masterminds is on the other end of the complexity spectrum; it's simple, fast, and fun for people who want to get right to the action. It doesn't really have classes. Both games are well-suited to their respective genres; the Espionage genre is all about technical details and intricate planning, while the Superhero genre is about epic battles that don't track hit points.

Spycraft = the most recent Bourne or Batman movies
Mutants & Masterminds = SpiderMan or classic Bond
d20 Modern = Big Trouble in Little China

Hey all,

I'm trying to get some chat games going, so I thought I'd post a notice on here to see if I catch anyone's attention. Both will be run via IRC on the Darkmyst network. If you're unfamiliar with IRC, Darkmyst's Web-based client will allow you to play using your Web browser. You don't need to install anything or register anywhere. Both games start soon, and both will be starting at first level. Sessions will be weekly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays, in the afternoon or evening.

Keep on the Breland Borderlands
A 3.5E D&D campaign using any material published by WoTC or Paizo. We will begin with Keep on the Borderlands reimagined for Eberron, to eventually segue into The Red Hand of Doom. Click here for more details.

Scribes of the Prime
A d20 Future campaign using any and all material from the d20 Modern System Reference Document (mecha, mutants, magic). A culture of refugees from a host of long-lost planets gathers among the moons of a gas giant to build a new future. Click here for more details.

Email inquiries to my gmail account (same name as my alias here) or use the GiantITP forums