Author Topic: Stargate via d20 Modern?  (Read 5817 times)

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ksbsnowowl

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Stargate via d20 Modern?
« on: November 08, 2009, 01:53:19 PM »
First, I know there is a Stargate RPG put out by AEG; I don't see the need to buy a $50 book with slightly different rules when most all of it could be done with the d20 Modern books I've already got.

Anybody ever tried to run a Stargate campaign using d20 Modern/Future?  I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and was curious if others have worked up something similar.

I was planning to base the Gua'ould on the Tsochar from Lords of Madness.  I'd change their size to Tiny, and remove the 1-year restriction on possession, and have the possession ability not kill the host (and allow the Tsochar to toggle back and forth between Inhabit and Replace [for the Tok'ra, for example]), but I think that would be a reasonable base for a Gou'auld.  Perhaps the Jaffa would be similar to the Tsochar's Inhabit ability, but with added immune system benefits/detractions

I found some errata'd Staff weapon stats on-line that give me a decent base to work from in recreating them (the Stargate RPG has a different action economy system, so extrapolating the firing rate is somewhat difficult.  Probably just make it take a standard action to fire it unless you have some weapon-specific feats)  It was quite interesting - they did 6d6 damage, and had 50 shots, but the shots replenished themselves at the rate of 1 per 5 rounds.

A Zat would probably do something along the lines of 5d6 nonlethal damage on the first shot, with an additional saving throw to resist unconsciousness (Fort DC 15?), while a second shot within a few minutes would do 5d6 lethal (possibly with a save or die at the same DC?)

I think Stargate would make a great vehicle for a d20 Modern game, because it's a secret government project, generally has fairly encapsulated missions (one or two game sessions per mission, probably), and the military base/unit structure facilitates character replacement if your players get bored with a character, or one gets killed.

Thoughts? Ideas? I'd maybe be interested in playing a play-by-post game if others were interested.
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BowenSilverclaw

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2009, 02:00:15 PM »
I'd maybe be interested in playing a play-by-post game if others were interested.

Consider me interested :)

In the meantime I'll see what I can think of, but yeah, D20 Modern should work fine for this :)
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ksbsnowowl

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2009, 04:34:22 PM »
http://www.stargatesg1rpg.com/resources/

Also, do you think it would be a good idea to use Vitality/Wounds rather than straight up HP's for a game like this?
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BowenSilverclaw

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #3 on: November 08, 2009, 04:50:03 PM »
I have no experience whatsoever with Vitality/Wounds, so I can't comment on that. Are they in Unearthed Arcana?

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ksbsnowowl

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #4 on: November 08, 2009, 05:12:28 PM »
Yes, they are.  Basically you have Vitality points equal to what would normally be your HP's.  They heal at a faster rate than HP's (I think 1 per HD per hour, IIRC).  Vitality points represent fatigue/minor injuries.  You also have Wound points equal to your Con score.  Once your Vitality points are gone, you start taking damage to your Wounds points.  Those heal more slowly (normal HP rate, or maybe less, I forget).  Also, critical hits damage your wound points in place of vitality points (rather than multiplying; however, I prefer to change it and make your main weapon damage go to wounds, and multipliers go to vitality).  When you first take damage to wound points you take a -2 to Str and Dex, and must make a save or be fatigued.  When you hit zero wound points you start making saving throws to not die (I prefer to alter it to wound points go to -10, like normal HP's).

Overall effect would be that you end up with extra HP's equal to your Con score, you heal most minor damage more quickly on your own, and criticals can "maim" your combat effectiveness slightly prior to you actually being in danger of dying, but several criticals could kill you while you still have vitality points remaining.
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ksbsnowowl

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #5 on: November 08, 2009, 07:14:29 PM »
Found some Stargate RPG NPC stats, and was able to derive some more info from them.  Apparently the RPG uses some form of Vitality/Wounds anyway (it's got some influence from Spycraft, IIRC, so maybe that was an influence?)

Zat'nik'tel (Zats) deal 3d6 nonlethal damage with a range of 10 ft.  (I would presume there is some type of save or unconsciousness, but it's only an NPC stat block). Requires handgun proficiency (Personal Firearms proficiency? Don't have my books available).

Staff weapons deal 6d6 damage with a range of 30 ft, but all (ranged?) attacks take a -4 penalty. Requires an Exotic Weapon Proficiency, and Precise Shot cannot be used on attacks with a staff weapon.
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ksbsnowowl

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2009, 01:06:25 AM »
Bowen, do you have the d20M Weapons Locker?  Sadly, the core book doesn't have P-90 stats...
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j0lt

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2009, 01:12:44 AM »
I have it, and both the P90 and Five-seveN were statted by a fanboy.  They should be 2d6, not 2d8, and the range on the P90 is similar to most full-barrelled assault rifles!  They're just wrong!
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ksbsnowowl

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #8 on: November 18, 2009, 10:08:51 AM »
So.... it should be similar to the HK-MP5, but just have a 50 box magazine?  Or I guess I could see it more as the HK-MP5K, given the compact nature of the P-90.  Does it use the same ammo as an HK-MP5?
« Last Edit: November 18, 2009, 10:36:26 AM by ksbsnowowl »
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j0lt

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #9 on: November 18, 2009, 11:34:04 AM »
No, it uses VERY similar ammo to the MP7.
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BowenSilverclaw

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #10 on: November 18, 2009, 01:08:03 PM »
Ah, J0lt the gun-nut :P

But yeah, I hear that from a lot of people.


It's one of those D20 Modern debates, kinda like "Do Monk's suck?" in regular D&D :lol
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ksbsnowowl

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #11 on: November 18, 2009, 01:18:33 PM »
Read up some more on the P-90 and Five-Seven.  Their ammo is designed for better armor penetration, which would probably equate to a +1 attack bonus, wouldn't you think?  Or a +1 vs. foes wearing armor, at least.

Given that, I'm tempted to just give it the same stats as an HK-MP5, but with the 50 round clip.
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j0lt

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #12 on: November 18, 2009, 01:33:41 PM »
I'd keep the stats the as they are and just change the damage to 2d6.
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BowenSilverclaw

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #13 on: November 18, 2009, 01:44:18 PM »
I'd keep the stats the as they are and just change the damage to 2d6.
Yeah, that's the most common houserule regarding those two guns anyway :)
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ksbsnowowl

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #14 on: November 18, 2009, 01:58:49 PM »
I'd keep the stats the as they are and just change the damage to 2d6.
And the stats are?  2d8 with something like 80 ft range?

Thus, they'd become 2d6 with an 80 ft range?  With semi-auto and auto fire.  How many rounds are in a semi-auto burst?
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BowenSilverclaw

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #15 on: November 18, 2009, 02:29:58 PM »
Damage 2d8, Range 70ft., Rate of fire Single and Auto, Magazine 50 box, Size Large, Weight 8lb., unlike the MP5, it doesn't have a Burst setting.

Straight from Weapons Locker :)
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ksbsnowowl

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #16 on: November 18, 2009, 03:01:22 PM »
Damage 2d8, Range 70ft., Rate of fire Single and Auto, Magazine 50 box, Size Large, Weight 8lb., unlike the MP5, it doesn't have a Burst setting.

Straight from Weapons Locker :)
Okay, I was getting burst and semi-auto mixed up....  :blush :embarrassed

What is the game difference between semi-auto and auto-fire?
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BowenSilverclaw

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #17 on: November 18, 2009, 03:08:18 PM »
Damage 2d8, Range 70ft., Rate of fire Single and Auto, Magazine 50 box, Size Large, Weight 8lb., unlike the MP5, it doesn't have a Burst setting.

Straight from Weapons Locker :)
Okay, I was getting burst and semi-auto mixed up....  :blush :embarrassed

What is the game difference between semi-auto and auto-fire?

If by Semi-Auto you mean Burst Fire, Burst Fire is a normal attack roll, using up 3 bullets (or 2 for some weapons), but at a -4 penalty to your attack roll. In return, you deal 2 extra dice of damage (so 2d8 becomes 4d8). You can only use the Burst Fire option if you have the feat Burst Fire.

Automatic is an area attack of 10x10 ft. (using 10 bullets), allowing everyone in the area a Reflex save for half damage.

(This is all just of the top of my hat, I might be mistaken on some things, but I'm sure J0lt (who's more experienced with D20 Modern) can confirm or correct me :))
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ksbsnowowl

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #18 on: November 18, 2009, 04:09:14 PM »
Okay, found a d20M SRD.  Basically, semi-auto fire does nothing except allow you to use feats such as double-tap, that allow you to fire more than one bullet as a single attack.

So, after all that mental mix-up, the P-90 should be Semi- and Auto-fire, not single and auto fire (and technically you can have it set on Auto fire and still fire semi-auto; it has a two-stage trigger).  That makes me wonder, what is the action to change the fire setting on a semi-auto/auto weapon?  I couldn't find any mention of it.  I would assume it's no more than a free action or a move action (as most switches are located in a way that you can get to them with your finger still on the trigger, I think).
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BowenSilverclaw

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Re: Stargate via d20 Modern?
« Reply #19 on: November 18, 2009, 04:54:00 PM »
I believe that would be a free action, indeed.

EDIT: Yeah, (S) rate-of-fire stands for Semi-auto, which is effectively the same as Single Shot, unless you have a feat like Double Tap. I got confused, had a crappy night's sleep last night, sorry :embarrassed

The P90 is statted as having rate-of fire: S, A, or semi-auto and automatic :)

Sorry about the confusion.

« Last Edit: November 18, 2009, 05:00:48 PM by BowenSilverclaw »
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