The Modern Dispatch
Genre Templates
By Barak Blackburn
Introduction
brawl without embarrassing himself. Forget
There are times when a Game Master (and
trying to model a party of characters on The
hopefully, her players) will want to emulate
# Magnificent Seven, each of whom was not
a specific genre of fiction or media and
70
only skilled with a gun but also had another
the Modern D20 rules do not support this
qualifying specialty.
particular genre exactly to the fit required.
Content Manager:
It isn't fun being incompetent. Genre
One option is to purchase one of the many
Charles Rice, Chris Davis
Templates enable competence within the
Modern D20 support products produced by
Layout:
tropes of a particular genre.
third-party publishers, all of which devote
Chris Davis
a good amount of detail to emulating a
Using the above example, at 1st level,
particular genre. But what if you don't
want to go into that much detail, or you
want a genre that isn't covered by any
supplements?
If Ani (the GM) is running a Western game
for Mark and Grant at third level, they
Requires the use of the d20 Modern Roleplaying
would most likely want Point Blank Shot,
Game, published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
Precise Shot and Quick Draw to make their
gunfighters, thus, using up all their available
d20 Modern and Wizards of the Coast are
trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the feats.
United States and other countries and are used
with permission.  d20 System and the  d20
At sixth level they could each choose
System logo are trademarks of Wizards of the
Improved Initiative, or maybe Grant saw his
Coast, Inc. and are used according to the terms
character Diego  El Diablo Gutierrez as a
of the d20 System License version 6.0. A copy
of this License can be found at www.wizards. bit of a pugilist, so he picks up Brawl. He is
com/d20.
finally now (at 6th level) able to get into a bar
Genre Templates
Page 1
The Modern Dispatch
Mark has decided his character Black the same. Within a particular genre, significant character has a particular feat or
Seth is lightning fast and selects Improved adding a Genre Template to all significant ability does not ensure or require that they
Initiative. Grant wants Diego to kick some characters will not change them in regards have all the pre-requisites. When they want
ass in melee and selects Power Attack. to one another, however, when dealing to pick up a feat or ability that requires pre-
with insignificant characters, significant requisites that they do not have, they will
But, what about Point Blank Shot, Precise characters will be at an advantage. have to acquire them.
Shot and Quick Draw?
" Genre Templates are not over-powered: For instance: a character in a Modern d20
See the appropriate Genre Template for the significant characters are not harder to hit, campaign might get Point Blank Shot
answer! they not have additional hit points... They from their particular Genre Template, but
are simply able to do the cool stuff that unless he has a Dexterity of 13 he cannot
characters in that genre do with regularity. get Double Tap (even though a 13 Dex is
required for Point Blank Shot).
What are Genre Templates?
" Genre Templates are designed to be
 plug and play. Tweaks: These are simple rules add-ons that
" Genre Templates are add-ons that
are designed to be seamlessly integrated into
give each player access to the skills and
a campaign.
abilities typically possessed by significant
characters within in a given genre. How do they work?
Optional: Some Templates have optional
rules provided, which allow for more drastic
" Genre Templates unlock the coolest When a campaign starts, add the Genre
changes in the rules to emulate a particular
bits of the d20 system for each character Template to each player and other significant
genre. These are a bit more radical than the
allowing players to customize their characters.
Tweaks, and so are presented as options,
characters while ensuring that each
usable at the discretion of the Game Master.
character has a bare minimum degree of Genre Templates are comprised of the
competency within the given genre. following sections:
Beginning on the next page, we present five
" Genre Templates are not complicated Skills: These are the skills that all significant
different Genre Templates for use with the
rules additions. There is no need to characters always have access to as class
Modern D20 rules set.
add layers of difficulty to the already skills.
comprehensive d20 system.
Feats and abilities: These are the feats and
" Genre Templates are not  balanced. special abilities that all significant characters
Not every Genre Template is designed automatically have. However, just because a
Genre Templates
Page 2
The Modern Dispatch
rank to Balance, Jump, and Tumble skills. Tweaks:
Not one point for each, but one point total. " Significant Characters s do not provoke
Thus, all three skills will increase at the Attacks of Opportunity when using a
same rate requiring only one skill point. In firearm.
addition, Significant Characters have a max
rank of their character level +13 on these " Intimidation can be used with either
skills. Strength or Charisma.
Wire Fu 2: Double the unadjusted base Optional:
speed for all Significant Characters if they Showdowns: The typical scene--a dusty
are wearing nothing heavier than light street, with a gunfighter at each end. They
armor. stare at eachother for what seems like an
eternity, and then draw and fire!
For a showdown, all parties involved
For a Few Dice More:
Crouching Dragon, Hidden
make an Initiative check and roll damage
The Spaghetti Western
as normal. When a character is hit, they
Dice: The Wuxia Genre
not only take damage, but must make a
Skills:
Fortitude save with the DC set as 10+ 1D 2
Skills:
Intimidate, Ride
the character level of the attacking character.
Balance, Jump, Move Silently and Tumble.
(If you can't ride a horse, you ain't much of
If this check is failed, they drop to 0 hit
a cowboy...and although some folks might
points.
Feats:
want to start without being intimidatin',
Acrobatic, Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack.
eventually they might want to work on their
The Staredown: When a man is mean
stare.)
enough, folks take notice and few can
Tweaks:
draw their guns fast enough to react. The
" Significant Characters get a +10 Genre
Feats:
character makes an opposed Intimidate
Bonus to all Balance, Jump, and Tumble
Combat Martial Arts (Brawl might seem
check against any enemies within 30'. Any
checks.
more appropriate namewise, but really,
character failing the intimidate check suffers
cowboys are good at their fisticuffs and
" Significant Characters have no maximum a penalty on his initiative checks equal to
Combat Martial Arts represents this.),
distance on their jump checks. the difference. Any character with a final
Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank
initiative check below zero loses their action
Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw.
Optional: for the first round and remains flat footed for
Wire Fu: One skill point spent adds one the second round of combat until they act.
Genre Templates
Page 3
The Modern Dispatch
New Feat: Characters using this genre initiate the Mexican Standoff by foregoing
Jade Bullet Die:
template have the opportunity to get this his action for the round and being in visual
Hong Kong Style Gunplay
Feat, if they meet the prerequisites. range of any other character he wishes to
engage.
Skills:
Rain of Bullets, Rain of Blood
Intimidate, Jump, Tumble.
The initiating character makes an Intimidate
check. Each opposed character makes a Will
Prerequisites: 15 ranks in Intimidate,
Feats:
save. Failure means they may act normally.
Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Double Tap,
Personal Firearms Proficiency, Advanced
If they make the save, they are engaged in
Combat Reflexes, Quick Draw, Improved
Firearms Proficiency, Burst Fire, Point
the Mexican Standoff.
Initiative.
Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Shot on the Run,
Skip Shot, Two Weapon Fighting, Quick
Engaged characters leave initiative (but
Benefit: Characters with this feat are able
Draw.
if there are unengaged characters, the
to clear a room before anyone has a chance
engaged characters are still targets, although
to do anything. When a character with
Tweaks:
they get an initial +2 Too-Cool Bonus to
this feat drops a foe (below 0 Hit Points)
" Infinite Bullets: Significant Characters
Defense which increases +2 each round they
with a ranged weapon, they may make an
never run out of ammo unless they roll a
are engaged in the Standoff.) During the
immediate additional ranged attack against
natural 1 on an attack roll.
Standoff, characters may communicate, load
any other foe within 30' of the downed foe.
their weapons, and prepare for the end of the
This extra attack is made with the same
" Significant Characters do not provoke
Standoff, but they may not do anything that
bonus as the attack that downed the foe. A
Attacks of Opportunity when using a
gives them an advantage over their foes.
character may make an additional number of
firearm.
attacks equal to his Dexterity modifier +1.
Once engaged, characters make Will saves
every round with the DC starting at 10 and
Optional:
increasing by 2 each round. Every round
Threatening: As noted above, firearms do
that a character makes their save they add
not provoke AoO while using the Template.
a +2 Cool Bonus to their Cool Pool. Any
With this option, firearms do threaten
character may willingly leave the Standoff
adjacent squares and SCs can make use
at any time. Once one character voluntarily
of the following feats (if they have them):
leaves the Standoff, any character still
Whirlwind Attack, Improved Feint, and
engaged may either remain engaged,
Combat Expertise.
continuing to add to their Cool Poll, but is
unable to do anything else other than move,
Mexican Standoff: One character chooses to
or they may disengage as well, gaining an
Genre Templates
Page 4
The Modern Dispatch
additional +2 Cool Bonus for not flinching Feat: Characters using this genre template any type of gun and using it to cause
first! have the opportunity to get this Feat, if they massive destruction!), Strafe, Point Blank
meet the prerequisites. Shot, Precise Shot, Combat Martial Arts,
The character who initiated the disengage Improved Damage Threshold. Evasion (if a
gets an additional +6 Getting the Drop character already possesses Evasion or if he
Ranged Cleave
Bonus to initiative. later acquires it, he gains Improved Evasion-
this ability works like evasion, except that
Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Precise
A character who fails their Will save leaves while the character still takes no damage
Shot, Quick Draw, Strafe, Burst Fire, Wis
the Standoff and opens fire and they add on a successful Reflex saving throw against
15+, Dex 17+, Combat Reflexes, BAB+9
their Cool Bonus to initiative. attacks and he takes only half damage on
a failed save--Ever notice how, even with
Benefit: If you deal a creature enough
If a character makes a successful Will save, explosions happening all around them, 80's
damage to make it drop (typically by
they then have the option of disengaging stars rarely get a scratch on them?)
dropping it to below 0 hit points or killing it)
voluntarily if any other character also
with a ranged attack, you get an immediate,
disengaged, and they gain their Cool Bonus Tweaks:
extra melee attack against another creature
to all attack and damage rolls for the first " Significant Characters do not provoke
within 30' of you. The extra attack is with
round. Attacks of Opportunity when using a
the same bonus as the attack that dropped
firearm.
the previous creature. You can use this
ability once per round.
Slow-Mo: At any time in a combat (once per " Intimidation can be used with either
session), a Significant Character may decide Strength or Charisma.
to slow things down. He announces he is
entering Slo-Mo. He forsakes his action
Die, Commie, Die!:
for one round, and his initiative is reset
Eighties Action Movies
the next round. When it is his turn in the
new round, he enters Slow-Mo. Slow-Mo
Skills:
doubles the character's speed for that one
Climb, Jump.
round and gives him one extra attack at his
full attack bonus. Once Slo-Mo is activated,
Feats:
any Significant Character may decide to
Personal Firearms Proficiency, Advanced
take advantage of it, gaining all the benefits
Firearms Proficiency, Burst Fire, Exotic
above without having to reset his initiative
Firearms Proficiency (action stars of
and without having to lose an action!
the 80's have no trouble picking up
Genre Templates
Page 5
The Modern Dispatch
Optional: round equal to 1 plus their Charisma bonus the same initial DC as the Fortitude save,
Righteous Fury: Once per session, each (if positive). Once used, a catchphrase is but the character gets a +1 to the save each
Significant Character may enter a Righteous returned to the GM (perhaps to be used round until the save is made. A character can
Fury. To enter a Righteous Fury a Significant again). At the GM's discretion, players may only be pistol whipped once.
Character must designate a type of foe write their own catchphrases.
(drug-dealers, communists, zombies...) Once " Intimidation can be used with either
designated the character gains a +4 Genre Strength or Charisma.
Bonus to their Constitution score, and a +4
Genre Bonus to all attack and damage rolls Optional:
The Force:
against their foe. Breaking the Rules: Cops on the force have
Cops Who Cross The Line likely gotten to where they are because
Righteous Fury lasts for a number of they are not afraid to break the rules. This
rounds equal to 5 + the character's (newly Skills: option allows them to do just that. Once per
improved) Constitution modifier. Bluff, Drive, Gather Information, session, a Significant Character may break
Investigate, Listen, Move Silently, Search, the rules in one of two ways:
A Significant Character may prematurely Spot.
end his Fury. At the end of the rage, " He may re-roll any one die or dice roll;
the Significant Character loses the rage Feats:
modifiers and restrictions and becomes Armor Proficiency (Light, Medium), " He may gain the benefit of a feat
fatigued (-2 penalty to Strength, -2 penalty Combat Martial Arts, Personal Firearms that he doesn't have. He must meet the
to Dexterity, can't charge or run) for the Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot. prerequisites of the feat, and gains the
duration of the current encounter. Hit benefit of the feat until the beginning of
Points gained from the increased Con score Tweaks: his next turn;
go away at the end of the rage when his " Pistol Whip: Guys like Dirty Harry and
Constitution score drops back to normal as Vick from The Shield know how to bring Maybe Now You'll Talk: In the field, a cop
temporary Hit Points. the hurt. If a Significant Character surprises sometimes needs information and time is
an opponent with a non-lethal melee attack not to be wasted. Letting the perp know you
Catchphrase: At the start of each and catches them flat-footed, the opponent mean business is instrumental here.
session, the GM may hand out from 1-3 must make a Fortitude save with a DC of
monosyllabic or very punny catchphrases 10+ the damage dealt or be in extreme pain A Significant Character makes an Intimidate
to each character. If a character is able to (screaming out, etc...). roll against the target's level check. This
use the catchphrase at an opportune time check is made at -5 due to time constraints.
(determined by fellow players and the GM) An opponent who fails this save is -5 to A natural 20 gets the character more info
they gain a Genre Bonus on all rolls for one all rolls until they make a Will save with than he was looking for. A natural roll of 1-
Genre Templates
Page 6
The Modern Dispatch
Significant Character may very well be As with Good Cop, a Bad Cop may make
linked to the murder. one attempt for every piece of incriminating
evidence, but a Bad Cop is also willing
The Interrogation Room: Getting to not only manufacture evidence, they
information in the Interrogation Room will make threats. For each piece of false
is handled much differently than evidence or threat made, another opposed
Interrogations on the street. Officers can check is made.
play good cop or bad cop.
Good cops attempt to gain the confidence
of the perp and they make opposed Bluff We hope that you have enjoyed these Genre
and Sense Motive checks. One check Templates. Not every genre requires the
is made for each piece of incriminating detail of an entire supplement...sometimes
evidence the character has over the perp. it's just fun to go with the quick-and-easy
method. Grab some characters, apply a
Bad Cops are willing to go the distance template, and play in your favorite genre.
to get whatever they need to know. The
first step with a bad cop is an Intimidate
check. If the perp is successful, the Bad
Cop is likely to get nothing out of him,
but may try again with further evidence. If
the perp fails by more than 5, he is rattled,
and might tell the truth, however... will
anyone believe him?
The Significant Character and perp make
opposed Bluff and Sense Motive checks,
5 results in the Significant Character having
but the GM keeps her results a secret.
to make a Will save with the DC equal to 10
Regardless of the actual result, on a
plus the perp's level. If this save is failed,
natural even number, the perp is able to
the cop goes too far. What too far means
answer calmly. If the natural number is
is up to the GM, but can be anything from
odd, the perp answers poorly. Whatever
a severe beating (hello, lawsuit... hello,
his actual answer is, there might be doubt
suspension) to death. If death is the case, the
over whether or not he is telling the truth.
Genre Templates
Page 7