I am pondering running something in this new game by Evil Genius Games. It is a modern game, built on the 5th Edition rules, but updating the concepts of d20 modern. There are Ability Score based classes that each have multiple subclasses. The core book is out as well as several "Cinematic Adventures" which have rules expansions and adventures based on different properties.
I'm not planning on using one of the published adventures. Not sure what the game would be exactly. Vaguely thinking a sort of "monster-of-the-week" situation. The game is meant to play like an action movie or series.
Player Characters would not have any magic, and there wouldn't necessarily be magic in the campaign, whatever it ends up being.
There is a Quickstart Guide that would give you a rough idea of the game, and a not very formatted SRD here.
Right now I'm just looking to see what interest is out there. If there is something you would be interested in, throw it out there. We will toss some ideas around and see if anything sticks.
Hey!
I'm skimming through the SRD (and you are so right about the formatting), and skimming through this review.
I loved d20 Modern, and this does seem like a solid successor, so I'm officially Interested. (The sans serif font on this board might make it difficult to notice the capital 'I'.)
I know you said that ideas are up for discussion, but did you have any ideas whether a campaign would be the sort where the PCs are a collection of ordinary people thrust into an extreme situation, or would the PCs be some sort of official (but maybe secretive?) group of agents being sent on missions? I feel like the former has more potential for a variety of campaign ideas, but in my (small) experience, the latter tends to run smoother and the campaigns last longer.
Hey GM Super Tumbler, I read your post a couple days ago, but wasn't sure if I should post. I liked the d20 system and read some of the SRD. I don't love the idea of learning a new system, but I'm willing for the right game/setting.
I'd like to see more of your idea. Are we looking at 21st century monster slayers? Or, would you consider closer to the early 20th century when the world felt less settled? How 'mystical' would the monsters be or the setting?
If you could give us more ideas about the world setting it would help.
I don't have a solid plan that answers most of those questions, so let me say what I do have.
Rules and system:
1. The game plays pretty much like 5E D&D. There are a few differences. Character creation is very quick and sleek, with some different options for how complex you want things to be.
2. The system without add-ons is really solid for creating the characters you would see in an action movie, whether that is sort of normal folks in extreme situations, or action gods like in Expendables, or in between. Depends on level.
Setting and Characters and Campaigns:
1. I have a solid idea and campaign outline for a very narrow idea: A better version of Terminator 3. No John. PCs are people targeted for termination, over time going all the way up to the final battle vs. Skynet.
2. I have a nebulous idea for a campaign in the style of 80s, 90s, 2000s tv. Normalish folks (at first) thrust into extreme circumstances. Somehow they end up on the run (think The Incredible Hulk, A-Team, Knight Rider?, X-Files, The Fugitive, Alphas, Warehouse 13, Sense8). Basically, whatever inciting adventure leads to the group needing to stick together, clear their name, keep moving, and they encounter situations that need solving or people that need helping.
3. I have a solid idea for a setting that is very retro-dark future dystopia. Mash together Blade Runner, Robocop, Total Recall, Total Recall, Elysium, Escape from New York, Running Man. That sort of thing. Lots of setting ideas, but characters would really determine what the story looked like.
I think that is something we could figure out. If we go with number 2, (or number 1, really), what interests me is characters who are a thing, and then are in a situation where they must become also another thing.
David Banner is a scientist who becomes a fugitive and a monster.
Richard Kimble is a doctor who becomes a fugitive (and a detective, I guess).
The A-Team are special forces who become fugitives and vigilantes.
John McClane is a cop who must become a one man army.
Lots of options for who the other group targeting them is. Players could have input on that, or figuring it out could be part of the campaign.
Minority Report/Person of Interest.
Setting and Characters and Campaigns:
Seems like those ideas you listed lean more towards the "ordinary people thrust into extreme situations," which I can get behind. I especially thought the Terminator-influenced idea was solid.
Speaking of which, a lot of the discussion I'm seeing about this product is how the game has secured a surprising number of licenses for various franchises to be used in adventures. "Escape from New York, Pacific Rim, Kong: Skull Island, Highlander" are some examples from one guy on Reddit. Do you have the core rulebook, and if so, are these licenses represented there? This is just out of curiosity.
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Setting and Characters and Campaigns:Seems like those ideas you listed lean more towards the "ordinary people thrust into extreme situations," which I can get behind. I especially thought the Terminator-influenced idea was solid.
Speaking of which, a lot of the discussion I'm seeing about this product is how the game has secured a surprising number of licenses for various franchises to be used in adventures. "Escape from New York, Pacific Rim, Kong: Skull Island, Highlander" are some examples from one guy on Reddit. Do you have the core rulebook, and if so, are these licenses represented there? This is just out of curiosity.
I went all in on the original kickstarter, so I have everything they have published so far. Universal Soldier and Rambo aren't out yet. I think those are the last two adventures for this year.
The way they have done things is that the core book has all of the core rules. Then each Cinematic Adventure (what they call the books with adventures that are either sequels or prequels to movies) has a bunch of related rules, classes, feats. Then the plan is to collect all of those rules into one book at the end of the year. None of those rules are in the SRD yet. (Note that the online SRD is not by them. It is an Open Gaming thing.)
They have announced 3 Arcana books, two adventure paths (Skull Island and Pacific Rim) and three more rule books (soldiers, gear, something else).
Happy to answer questions about the game. Love it.
I think you are aware of this, but I am interested.
Any of the scenarios sound interesting. Would personally prefer something that has some intrigue and deeper RP options.
I kind of like the A Team option with some more everyday action hero problems to solve best, but I could definitely get into grimdark future.
One thing I would advise is making clear posting frequency expectations as especially getting party cohesion strong is needed for many of these concepts to work well, and infrequent posting from the start will work against that.
Hey GM Super Tumbler, I read your post a couple days ago, but wasn't sure if I should post. I liked the d20 system and read some of the SRD. I don't love the idea of learning a new system, but I'm willing for the right game/setting.
I'd like to see more of your idea. Are we looking at 21st century monster slayers? Or, would you consider closer to the early 20th century when the world felt less settled? How 'mystical' would the monsters be or the setting?
If you could give us more ideas about the world setting it would help.
I'm not thinking of things as mystical for the most part. Maybe some ambiguously mystical stuff.
Most of the adventure ideas I have skew more toward sci-fi adjacent or cutting edge tech stuff.
I'm not thinking of things as mystical for the most part. Maybe some ambiguously mystical stuff.
Most of the adventure ideas I have skew more toward sci-fi adjacent or cutting edge tech stuff.
mmmmm, pity. It wasn't hard to imagine an Ash Williams or Odd Thomas type character. I'll reread the posted SRD and follow the recruitment. If you end up doing something I find interesting, I may apply.
Sadly, the times I've tried to play 'D20 Modern games' with high tech challenges, most of the characters weren't prepared to handle all the technical complications. I would think that would be especially true if we start with four or five 'normal' folks.
Robert Henry, I'm not communicating something or not understanding what you are saying. Help me out. I don't see either of those characters being too far out of bounds. Psychic powers like Odd Thomas I'd have to look into. I think there is stuff for that in the Total Recall book. Ash doesn't have any powers to speak of.
Maybe what I'm saying about tech and what you mean by tech aren't the same. Don't want to give any real ideas away, but a drone motorcycle and a haunted motorcycle are pretty similar opponents, right? The X-files and Fringe were normal folks dealing with spooky things, which is the level of vibe I'm going for. When I said tech, I didn't mean characters needed to be engineers or hackers or whatever.
I'm looking at this process as the reverse of a typical recruitment.
1. Assemble a good group of players.
2. Figure out what kind of team we want to play.
3. Work out characters.
4. Plotlines grow somewhat out of who those characters are.
Step 2 and 3 are somewhat fluid, obviously.
One of my key philosophies of is that character builds tell the GM what kind of game the players want. If someone makes a vampire hunter (don't make a vampire hunter, this isn't that game) and you never put a vampire in the game, then you aren't running the right game. Not that every enemy should be a vampire, sometimes it's fun to stretch your character abilities.
I think you are aware of this, but I am interested.
Any of the scenarios sound interesting. Would personally prefer something that has some intrigue and deeper RP options.
I kind of like the A Team option with some more everyday action hero problems to solve best, but I could definitely get into grimdark future.
One thing I would advise is making clear posting frequency expectations as especially getting party cohesion strong is needed for many of these concepts to work well, and infrequent posting from the start will work against that.
Heard.
You can definitely put a check next to my name on the interested column, if there's still room for another voice.
The system seems rather cool and streamlined, and not too complicated, but I have to admit to not playing much D20 Modern.
What I'd be looking/hoping for in a "setting" or feel would be equal parts of The A Team, Supernatural (early, pre-angels episodes), Leverage (Who doesn't like a good heist??), then X-Files and Burn Notice...with some Die Hard and Escape from New York tossed in, with just a touch of Rush Hour... then shaken, not stirred.
Looks like we are beginning to assemble a quorum for option 2.
Imaginary Crayons, I'm hearing a lot of Intelligent Hero plans in your media choices.
Looks like we are beginning to assemble a quorum for option 2.
For the record, option 3 would be perfectly fine with me as well. Just sayin'.
Imaginary Crayons, I'm hearing a lot of Intelligent Hero plans in your media choices.
My favorites, definitely.
Robert Henry, I'm not communicating something or not understanding what you are saying. Help me out....It's more about the world we end up playing in, than how the characters start.
It wasn't hard to imagine an Ash Williams or Odd Thomas type character.and psychic
Not a chance, too similar to a caster for me. But I'd consider putting together a Poor Family, Transportation, Tough, Scrapper, (A taxi cab driver who works as a bouncer a couple nights a week) If his 'vehicle' can be Korben Dallas's flying taxicab...
So, I guess I would lean more towards #3 then #2. Because your right, there isn't much difference between a a drone motorcycle and a haunted motorcycle. But I prefer either a little fantasy or science in my fiction.
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I would say in this campaign there will be a level of science and fantasy roughly equivalent to the X Files.
I will put together a recruitment post and get it posted tomorrow.