I've been pondering quite a few game ideas at the moment and one that I like, but would require some input and steering from potential players so I focus on the right parts is a game where the PCs are humans who were cryogenically frozen in an ark in the not too distant future when nuclear war was looming.

The concentration of energy and bombardments (and maybe even what happens if you drop a nuke on CERN) resulted in Earth finding itself open to magic again. It was slow, and over the generations the survivors started to resemble fantasy races than just humans. In time, they have learned to control magic and do all those things DnD characters can do. All in the ruins of the modern world.

So there is plenty of modern technology around, but no Internet connecting any of it, so much is now useless even if you do manage to power it safely and it hasn't succumbed to the elements. I'm picturing the world to be a bit Fallout, while trying not to copy it (I actually stole the Ark idea from Rage), some Shadowrun for inspiration (but no cyber-orks), and likely a bit of Eberron in there too given their more modern take on DnD anyway.

Using the firearm rules from the DMG will be easy to use, but ammunition will be rare - so a fire-arm based character would probably also end up with a bow or crossbow to conserve ammo. There will be some difficulties meshing modern characters into DnD classes, as well as skills, but I think it shouldn't be too difficult with a little hand waving and player cooperation about not throwing spells around the second they step onto the surface. Modern armor, such as riot gear or leather jackets, would use identical stats for full plate and studded leather for example, but there might also be dwarven fighters running around in metal full plate.

So any thoughts, interest, ideas, recommended things to look up first?
This message was last edited by the user at 03:23, Sat 20 May 2017.

In reply to Ezri (msg # 1):

Well, you might be better served using D20 Modern and Urban Arcana for your stats, and maybe the D20 Apocalypse book for some ideas on refining things.

I've been part of a few games that have tried to use the 5th edition rules in a non-traditional setting.  There was a lack of success mainly due to reasons other than the system.  Still, it's something I'd be interested in kicking around again.

Generally the approach I've seen used is to reskin existing mechanics with modern/technological trappings rather than create something new whole cloth.  So a spell might not be a spell but a piece of tech coded to the single user or the like.

I think as long as there's a firm outline for what you want to exist in the world it shouldn't be too hard for everyone to reach a consensus on things, at least on a character by character basis.

I've done some reskins and alternate settings before. One thing I can advise: if there's an element in the game that comes close to something you want, just use it as-is. It's not worth trying to remake half of the game.

For instance, if you want to have spells just use them. Give them a new rationale, maybe a new means of learning them, but otherwise don't tear down the magic system.

Also, you can move things farther out to give it more of a traditional fantasy theme with some outliers. The Shannara series, for instance, is set in a post-apocalyptic Earth but it doesn't reveal this at first. Just hints like having a powerful magic item turn out to be ancient tech.

Another example is the Shadow World setting. Its ancient history is dominated by a very powerful (read: nearly deific) race, that had computers, anti-gravity, spaceflight, etc. but destroyed themselves in a civil war. Some bits of this tech occasionally surfaces, and it's so arcane it might as well be magical.

Thank you for your responses, it has given me some new things to consider. I should've mentioned that the game will only appear to be post apocalyptic from the character's perspectives; to everyone else it is a fairly standard-ish fantasy world built on the ruins of the old world - possibly similar to Athas, now I think about it. Having a look at Wikipedia, Shannara might be akin to what I'm thinking.

I had thought of d20M/UA/d20A but that system is a bit too clunky for me these days, especially after so much DnD 5e and Star Wars Saga Edition (which was basically revised d20 Modern). However, yes, I might grab random things from them as they're still fairly compatible.

As far as reskinning, I'm not thinking of much. Skills I was only maybe thinking of a Technology skill that functions to use old world technology and as a knowledge skill. I was thinking of giving players the option of swapping out one of the Martial Weapon proficiencies (either Melee or Ranged) for Firearm Proficiency. And for other things, they might mechanically be proficient in a skill or class ability from character creation, but with agreement from the player, they're only just learning that/will learn it in the near future e.g. a Sorcerer with Arcana, will learn the skill once they find someone to learn it from, etc. and their spellcasting will take a while to take shape; or a Fighter who while proficient with Martial Ranged weapons has never shot a bow in their life will take some time, practice, and training before they apply their proficiency bonus with it. People aren't waking up as fully trained fantasy characters, will be a combination of their pre-war skills and talents with what things they "pick up easily" once they out in the dangerous world.

Try Ultramodern5. Just finished reading it, pretty good and it can handle what you want, I believe.

Also, I'm up as a player!

Totally sounds like fun. Let's take the grain silo wizard tower! Or delve the catacombs of metro tunnels!

I totally want to play a rust paladin!

I had a look at Ultramodern5, but it's not quite what I'm after. It does the modern stuff well, but they've changed so much it's not really compatible with regular 5e (which I acknowledge isn't their intention). Depending on the character depends on the degree their classes represent their prewar lives - eg a Police Officer might be a Fighter or Rogue, then multiclass into Paladin to represent a new mindset in the new world (or just be straight Paladin).

I have a different idea also bubbling away in my head, so will be pondering this game further and what it would involve. Part of the problem would be simply what are the characters going to do after the initial shock wears off.

This is something I have been doing in my own tabletop D&D game and so I am very interested in it.

I would try this out

I'm down.

Sounds interesting. I'd be up for playing.

Actually, I knew I remembered something about this. There was actually an official (well, Unearthed Arcana) post about D20 Modern in 5e. I bookmarked the links. :)

https://dnd.wizards.com/articl...-d20-modern-campaign
https://media.wizards.com/2015...d/UA_ModernMagic.pdf

Potentially useful?

Curiousity to the OP: Presuming you still go with 5e, how would you handle races? Human only for PCs (likely the easiest route), sudden emergence of older races, goblinization (a la Shadowrun)?

I had seen Modern Magic UA, but hadn't gotten around to chasing down the Modern Campaign stuff - those armors look useful.

Yes, only humans for race, with both standard and 'variant' human available.

This message was deleted by a moderator, as it was a bump, at 03:55, Wed 31 May 2017.