OK, I'm of the opinion that the whole class/level-based thing only works well in video games. I played AD&D for a while before I discovered (2nd edition) Shadowrun, so I know the basics, and have learned most the 3rd editon rules via Neverwinter Nights. I'm really very curious about something for d20 modern settings...How could you ever integrate guns? As someone pointed out earlier with goblins and arrows, the whole hp system has a tendency to skew the ability of people to soak up damage unrealistically in both directions, depending on level/class. Unless a pistol does something like 5d10 damage, I would think hit point system wouldn't work.

It has been a while since I played Modern, but I think it goes some thing like this. You may cause 1d10 with a 9mm to HP, but on a roll of a natural 19 or 20 it causes wounds. Wounds are equal to your constitution. So a 9mm can almost kill you in one lucky hit, 2 or 3 will probably kill you if you are high level, if you are something like first level you will be dead in 3 or 4 no matter if they hit a 19 or 20, your hit points are just gone and wounds start to occure. It has been a long time so I may be off a little.

<sigh> This is half the reason I don't post on rpg.net that often.

...and the other half?

They focus on Exalted and bad d20 games most of the time. Nothing I give a damn about, really. They also tend to ignore me if I make to much sense.

It's not that my gm was 'insane'; he didn't know all the rules, but he knew where about to find em. And if it took too long? Make it up! Guesstimate about the odds and make up a target number. The RDB makes for much simpler gameplay, and with little impact on the game. Unless your a rules lawyer kinda person. the rules are guidelines. I got with my gm when I started to make up nitrous rules (we didn't have any supplements at that time) and make the bike stats more realistic. My char was a major biker, and I thought the stats made no sense compared to cars. Bikes to day have better speed and acceleration than most bikes in sr3, so I just convinced him to change it, and it was not munchy, it worked out rather well.


edit: this is barely a cohesive statement, I can tell I was tired when I wrote this...