D20 Modern

[Durnscarniepals]

Hello, I'm new to D20 Modern forgot how i stumbled upon it. Anyways, Ive played D&D 3.0 and 3.5 for a long time and have DM'd many times as well and have had no problems coming up with stat block for enemies mainly because they were always premade or at least half premade and ready to use. When i tried to make the shift to D20 modern it just seemed the monster information was so scattered and up to the DM to create which i honestly don't have a problem with. At least, not if i knew how to go about making a stat block and matching it with a some what accurate CR. My problem isn't the stats but its with determining what the CR is for those stats. Could someone please at least point me in the right direction on how to figure the CR for a NPC type enemy in a D20 modern game. At the moment i'm just trying to make a basic thug type person.

tl;dr Want to learn how to make a stat block of a NPC in D20 Modern and match with a accurate CR.

 

[El Mahdi]

First, Welcome to ENWorld!


Yeah, the D20 Modern book (Gamemastering section) doesn't have as much help for this as the D&D DMG does (3.0 or 3.5).

For your specific example (determining the CR of a basic thug) you want pg. 271 of the D20 Modern Book. Remember that the CR of a creature/NPC equates to a moderate challenge for four PC's of the same level as the creature/NPC CR (i.e.: CR 4 creature/NPC vs. 4 PC's of level 4). CR of an ordinary NPC (made using normal NPC classes - no special abilities) is their level -1 (page 271). The book also has low-level, mid-level, and high-level versions of basic Thugs on page 273-274. To change their level and CR, I'd use the formula on pg. 102 of the 3.0 DMG (under the Tougher Monsters section), or this section of the D20 SRD.

Some other things you can do to determine a CR, are to look for a monster that's already in the book that has the CR you want, then "reskin" it to fit the monster or NPC you envision (keep the "stats": Hit Dice, BAB, abilities, etc. - and just change the description). Or find a "base" version of what you want in the book, then increase their Hit Dice, BAB, Saves, etc. and use the D&D DMG to calculate the increased CR.

I won't reprint anything from the books here, but here are some references that might help you:

D20_Modern_SRD (at WotC website) (especially the Creature Overview, Creature Types, and Creatures sections - of course though, the D20 Modern SRD at WotC was meant to be used with the book, so it doesn't have a Gamemastering section.)

D20_SRD (the hypertext D20 srd)

D20_SRD_Advanced_Monster_Challenge_Ratings (@ the hypertext D20 srd)


Applicable parts of the books:

D20 Modern RPG book, Gamemastering section, pages 205-206, 217, 271-283


D&D 3.0 DMG, Chapter 4: Adventures, Tougher Monsters section, pg. 102. (there's a good formula there for how to increase or decrease a CR).

D&D 3.0 Monster Manual, Creature Advancement by Type chart on page 13.


D&D 3.5 DMG, Chapter 3: Adventures, Tougher Monsters section, pg, 50. (However, the formula isn't in the DMG for 3.5 - it references pg. 293 of the 3.5E Monster Manual - in the Advanced Monster Challenge Rating section.) *sorry, I don't have a 3.5E Monster Manual so I can't confirm it for you.



You might have better luck finding specific help in the Other RPG Discussion forum. This is where the D20 Modern specific people hang out.


I hope this helps.

 

[Armadillo]

The sample NPCs in the back of the book can be quite helpful.

 

[Durnscarniepals]

First off from this quality of help this fast i must say I already love the community here. This is one of the most helpful posts to one of my many questions that i have with the D20 modern system. I will look over all the things you have mentioned and on a very noobish side note i wasn't even aware there were sample NPCs in the back. So far i have been kinda weary about mixing D&D 3.5 with the D20 modern mainly cause i wasn't sure how they convert over since there is no magic or at least not in the campaign I'm running. I have read the chapter where it says how to convert monsters over from the monster manual but it didn't really mention anything about how magic affects it.

Wells thanks again for the help I've already bookmarked this page lol.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I think over the levels, D&D 3.x monsters will probably grow more in power than player characters, unless you hand magic items as you'd do in D&D.

The biggestproblem will probably be damage reduction. Probably easiest to just ignore DR alltogether...

 

[El Mahdi]

... I already love the community here. ...

Yeah, this place is pretty great. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

See ya' around.

 

[Herobizkit]

The short answer for Monster conversions, based on my experience, is "Don't worry about it." I would suggest sticking to the 3.0 Monster Manual if you can (d20 Modern could be considered version 3.25 of the rules), but it's not really necessary. Modern heroes can and should be able to handle most of the monsters as is, and if they can't, well... they need to figure it out.

As for NPCs, I wouldn't worry too much about getting them "right". I used to fret about stats when I first started running Modern, but soon learned that stats aren't important for NPC's that will likely die in 1-3 gun shots... just wing an approximate power level as if they were fantasy characters (warriors versus sneaks versus science guys) and off you go.

Also also, if you really want to drag D&D into your Modern, you can't go wrong with the Urban Arcana supplement. It roxxorz.

 

[Durnscarniepals]

Ya, after reading over these comments I have decided to just go with it. Even when i run straight D&D i try to throw monsters of higher CRs at the PCs anyways so i guess if i just match the CRs it more than likely be fine. In the case that they aren't a challenge then I'll just figure out a way to throw more in mid fight.

I don't really want to add magic powers quite yet. I'm running a home brew campaign that I have wrote myself. Mixing together modern and the future aspects together in a weird jumble. I actually got the inspiration for the world from the Disney movie treasure planet lol.

Also I really like the idea of using the stat blocks of creatures that are somewhat what i want and just make a new description and even a entirely different monster. I have already used this idea in my campaign.

Anyways yet again thanks for the replies. They have been very helpful I'm still a young DM so still have a lot of learning to go.

 

[El Mahdi]

...I'm still a young DM so still have a lot of learning to go.

We always do. Once we stop learning, we may as well hang up our dice.

Good luck with the campaign!

 

[pawsplay]

Going from D&D to d20 Modern, you generally want to add +1 CR for significant DR. Add +1 CR if the creature has spell-like abilities that mimic spells, or +2 if it can mimic spells not found in the d20 Modern game. Unless you want to add extra equipment, I would suggest advancing intelligent monsters by class (either as ordinaries or as heroes) in order to give them a defense bonus.