The Modern Dispatch
More Genre Templates
By Barak Blackburn and Gareth-Michael Skarka
Introduction
When a campaign starts, simply add the
This issue of Modern Dispatch, we present
Genre Template to each player and other
more Genre Templates for use in your D20
# significant characters.
Modern campaigns.
74
As a quick reminder, here's a run-down on
what Genre Templates are and how they
Content Manager:
work:
Charles Rice, Chris Davis
Layout:
Genre Templates are plug-and-play add-
Chris Davis
ons that give each player access to the
skills and abilities typically possessed
by significant characters within in a
given genre.
They are not  balanced. Within
a particular genre, adding a Genre
Template to all significant characters
Requires the use of the d20 Modern Roleplaying
will not change them in regards to one
Game, published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
another, however, when dealing with
insignificant characters, Significant
d20 Modern and Wizards of the Coast are
trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the Characters will be at an advantage.
United States and other countries and are used
Significant Characters are not harder to hit,
with permission.  d20 System and the  d20
they not have additional hit points... They
System logo are trademarks of Wizards of the
are simply able to do the cool stuff that
Coast, Inc. and are used according to the terms
characters in that genre do with regularity.
of the d20 System License version 6.0. A copy
of this License can be found at www.wizards.
com/d20.
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Page 1
The Modern Dispatch
genre. These are a bit more radical than the
Reading a Genre Template
Tweaks, and so are presented as options,
usable at the discretion of the Game Master.
Genre Templates are comprised of the
following sections:
Skills: These are the skills that all significant
Die and Die Again:
characters always have access to as class
skills.
Spies on Impossible Missions
Feats and abilities: These are the feats and
Skills:
special abilities that all significant characters
Bluff, Diplomacy, Hide, Investigate, Listen,
automatically have. However, just because a
Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, Spot,
significant character has a particular feat or
in addition each Significant Character may
ability does not ensure or require that they
also choose 5 skills not listed and take them
have all the pre-requisites. When they want
as permanent class skills.
to pick up a feat or ability that requires pre-
Characters (PC and NPC) are initially
requisites that they do not have, they will
Feats:
more likely to  befriend someone of their
have to acquire them.
Combat Martial Arts, Personal Firearms
preferred orientation rather than attack them.
Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot.
For instance: a character in a Modern d20
Significant Characters who are able to
campaign might get Point Blank Shot
Tweaks:
develop a physical relationship with an
from their particular Genre Template, but
" Intimidation can be used with either
 enemy or  potential enemy may very
unless he has a Dexterity of 13 he cannot
Strength or Charisma.
well find it to their advantage later. When
get Double Tap (even though a 13 Dex is
the characters knowingly meet again, under
required for Point Blank Shot).
" Significant Characters get a Genre Bonus
less-than-friendly circumstances, they must
to all saves equal to their Charisma bonus
make opposed Charisma checks. The winner
Tweaks: These are simple rules add-ons that
(if positive.)
of this check gets a +2 bonus to all rolls
are designed to be seamlessly integrated into
made against that character (attack, damage,
a campaign.
" SCs may use any skill untrained.
skill, initiative, etc...) whenever they are
in hostile conflict. However, the winner of
Optional: Some Templates have optional
Optional:
this check will also be unable to pull the
rules provided, which allow for more drastic
Fatale- many spies do their best
trigger, perhaps believing that the other is
changes in the rules to emulate a particular
work between the sheets. Signficant
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The Modern Dispatch
redeemable in someway. Not only will they should be as creative as possible when using
Grunts:
not allow them to be killed, they will make their Hero Token (as should the GM when
Modern Military Exploits
sure that they stay alive. using a Villain Token). If the spy loses the
check, the villain might very well give
Skills:
 Let me tell you my plan - Villains in the misinformation, or perhaps the villain
Hide, Knowledge (Tactics), Listen, Move
many espionage films have massive egos, realizes death traps are stupid and takes out
Silently, Search, Spot, Survival.
and often cannot resist sharing their plan. a gun and....
What point is an intricate plan that has
Feats:
taken 8 years to come to fruition if no one Well- rounded- Any time a Significant
Combat Martial
appreciates your work? Character encounters something interesting
Arts, Personal
and foreign, they may make a Well-rounded
Firearms Proficiency,
The spy and the villain each make opposed roll. This is a Charisma check with a DC of
Advanced Firearms
Diplomacy checks. The spy's check is at -10 17. Success means the Significant Character
Proficiency, Burst
unless he is in immediate danger (death-trap, knows enough about the subject matter to
Fire, Strafe, Point
anyone?). The result of this check is made sound knowledgeable...
Blank Shot, Precise
secret.
Shot, Shot on the
It might mean they speak a smattering of
Run, Toughness.
If the spy wins, the villain may tell the spy Latvian, that they can name the starting
her plan. However, this level of trust is a defense for the only Pittsburgh Steelers
Tweaks:
two-edged sword for the spy: he will indeed team to lose a Super Bowl, or maybe even
" Spot Checks-
learn the plan, but once the plan is revealed that they personally know the vintner who
instead of the
the villain gains a Villain Token. This token crafted the wine served with dinner. It is a
standard distance
can be used for an unlikely escape from a given that SCs know Shakespeare and World
penalties, apply the
Very Bad Situation (death, imprisonment, History and even pop music. This does not
following: for every
etc...). give them any ranks in a skill or a language,
20 feet, apply a -1
it is very temporary and designed to be used
penalty.
If the spy wins and the villain chooses not primarily in social situations.
to reveal the plan, the spy gains a Hero
" Silent
Token which can be used for a temporary
Communication-
reprieve (perhaps the villain's #1 henchman
Any communication
sides with the spy for part of a combat,
between characters
perhaps that Fatale is redeemable, maybe
can be attempted as
the rope on this death trap wasn't tied as
non-verbal and silent.
tightly as it might have been...). The spy
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The Modern Dispatch
The communicating character makes an multiple Genre Bonuses in effect at any one
Intelligence check, and any ally attempting time (though unfortunate in this genre!)
to get the message makes a Spot Check
with the same DC. The more complicated
the message, the higher the DC, with basic
tactics and communication having a DC 10. Immortal Steel:
Spot check penalties for distance do apply.
There Can Be Only One
Optional:
Skills:
Specialize-each character chooses 4 skills.
Concentration, Heal, Intimidate, Search,
These not only become permanent class
Spot.
skills, but the character gains a Genre Bonus
on these skills depending on how many
Feats:
other people selected them: +4 bonus if no
Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, Cleave,
other character selected the skill, +3 if one
Great Cleave, Decapitating Slash (See
other character selected the skill, and +2 if
Tweaks).
two or three other characters selected the
skill.
Tweaks:
a Fortitude save (DC=5 + total damage
" Significant Characters are Immortal. They
dealt, +5 if the critical was an Attack of
Man Down!- Members of the military
do not age, and cannot die by natural
Opportunity) or be instantly killed, his
working together in platoon sized groups
means. In addition, they heal 1d10 points
head severed.
or smaller (platoon/ troop 30-40 soldiers,
of damage per turn, even after the point of
squad/ crew 8-12 soldiers, fireteam 4-5
death.
" When a Significant Character is killed
soldiers) rely on one another at all costs.
in this fashion, his opponent takes some
When they lose a soldier, they do lose their
" The only way to kill a Significant
of his power: The victor can take one of
most valuable resource, but also the grim
Character is to decapitate them. This is
the loser's Feats as his own, and can raise
reality of their situation becomes quite
done using the Decapitating Slash feat:
any three skills that were higher than his
apparent.
own up to the level possessed by the SC he
Decapitating Slash
has killed.
When a Significant Character member of
Prerequisites: Combat Reflexes, BAB
a platoon or smaller unit dies, all members
10+.
" All SCs get a +4 Genre Bonus to Dexterity
of that unit gain a +1 Genre Bonus to all
Benefit: If you score a critical hit
where determining the results of Combat
rolls for 5 rounds. Genre Bonuses do stack
against your opponent, he must make
Reflexes.
with one another, and it is possible to have
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The Modern Dispatch
" Intimidation can be used with either Significant Characters. Skills:
Strength or Charisma. Diplomacy, Knowledge (History, Nobility
and Royalty), Ride, Sense Motive.
Optional: Noble Knights:
Battlefield Stature- On the battlefield, the Feats:
The Flower of Chivalry
swath of destruction that a SC creates Armor Proficiency (Light, Medium, Heavy),
greatly influences how he performs. Every Mounted Combat, Ride-By-Attack, Spirited
Not every Template needs to be for a
10 full points of damage that a character Charge, Shield Proficiency.
Modern genre. A Template like this, for
delivers in a round gives a character 1
example, allows you to use the D20 Modern
temporary hit point and a Battle Token. Tweaks:
rules to emulate a decidedly non-modern
Battle Tokens can be spent at any point for " Signficant Characters get a Genre Bonus
genre:
a one round bonus to all dice rolls, each to all saves equal to their Charisma bonus
Battle Token gives a +1 bonus. Any round a
character spends a Battle Token, they do not
gain any additional Battle Tokens.
Optional Feat- SCs can choose to take this
Feat if they meet the Prerequisites:
Web of Death
Prerequisites: Combat Reflexes,
Weapon Focus, BAB 5+.
Benefit: You can choose to take a total
defensive stance (taking a full action)...
you may make no attack, but you spin
your blade so skillfully that you may
make an Attack of Opportunity on
anyone who attacks you. This attack is
resolved after your opponents.
Wisdom of the Ages- To represent the
accumulated wisdom of an Immortal,
all Skills are considered class skills for
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The Modern Dispatch
(if positive) IF they remain honorable and Falling to a Knee. Knowledge (Heraldry)- This skill is used
faithful to their allegiances. Any deviation to gather information in-character about
from their path causes them to lose this First Blood is dealt with a single blow the strengths and weakness of a particular
bonus until they redeem themselves. that deals 10 or more points of damage, foe based on the foe's coat of arms. Game
or multiple hits that deliver more than 15 Masters should give out relevant information
Optional: cumulative points of damage. based on the check results, the initial DC
Dueling- Duels are an integral part of the is 10 and for every 5 points the result is
chivalry genre. For sake of simplicity, there Falling to a Knee occurs when one player above 10, the Significant Character gains a
are two types of duels: jousts and melee. delivers to another a single blow dealing 20 +1 bonus to Skill Checks and Combat Rolls
For a joust, both players will roll to hit and or more points of damage, or if a character against that opponent.
damage as normal. Any hit that deals more loses more than half their maximum hit
than 10 points of damage requires a Fort points in cumulative damage. Optional Feat -- Significant Characters may
save by the person who was hit, with a DC choose the following Feat, assuming that
equal to 10 plus 1 for every two points Once the damage is dealt, the player must they meet the Prerequisites:
the damage is over 10. (For example, a hit make a Fortitude save with a DC equal to
dealing 21 points of damage would have a 10 plus the damage of the last blow dealt to
Mobile Cleave
Fortitude save of 15.) them. (Note: there are those in tournament
Prerequisites: Dex 15+, Str 15+, Great
circles who might use tactics like tripping
Cleave, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack,
If the save fails, the character must make their foes, but this is not a noble victory).
BAB+11.
a Ride check with a DC equal to 20 plus 1
Benefit: A character may make a 5
for every point the Fortitude save was failed
foot step after dropping an opponent
by. If the Ride check fails, the character
in order to Cleave another. A character
falls off their house. If the character fails
with Mobile Cleave may move a total of
the Fortitude but makes the Ride check they
twice their base move, though only 5 feet
stay on the horse but are visibly shaken. If
at a time. A character passing through a
both players have the same result (stay up,
threatened square still provokes an Attack
shaken or fall off) the winner of that round
of Opportunity.
is determined by comparing damage. If the
results are different, the character with the
As you can see, not every genre requires the
better result wins. If both characters miss,
detail of an entire supplement...sometimes
they are both booed quite loudly!
it's just fun to go with the quick-and-easy
method. Grab some characters, apply a
For a tournament style melee duel, two
template, and play!
victory conditions are First Blood and
More Genre Templates
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The Modern Dispatch
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More Genre Templates
Page 7