Prime Directive: Federation Sourcebook

[Mazza]

Prime Directive Federation is out now for d20 Modern. GURPS version when SJGames approves it - might be as late as early next year. But the d20M book is quite nice!

[The Tatterdemalion King]

Whoa, seriously?

[Mazza]

Yes, I've had my hands on a copy of the Prime Directive d20 Modern Federation sourcebook long enough now to say it is a very nice book indeed. The printing style still reminds me of RPGs in the early 90s (which on some level I actually like as a nostalgia thing), but that's probably the only knock on it. The actual content is excellent, just like the Klingons and Romulans books were excellent. The Star Fleet Universe isn't Canon Trek, but it has its own charm and appeal, and its own nice consistency. So if you're into the SFU, this sourcebook is really good.

[jkp1187]

Don't really care about the scenario presented in Prime Directive (I can write my own - heck, I'm already watching typical ST canon disappear slowly in my rear view mirror,) but does D20 Modern work well for an RPG?

Does it handle starship combat reasonably well?

[Mazza]

Prime Directive includes no d20 starship combat rules - it has a few pages about how you can use Star Fleet Battles or Federation Commander for starship combat. Since most SFU gamers are probably familiar with one or both games, that's probably fine for most people who are buying the book. I use Federation Commander in my games as it has basically all of the tactical depth of SFB which I'd reasonably use in an RPG, but is a lot faster and easier to play.

If you want the actual d20 Modern starship combat rules, you need a copy of Wizards' d20 Future book, but those starship combat rules aren't really designed for Trek-like starship combat. I believe there is a future product in both the d20 Modern and GURPS product lines planned which will modify each system's native starship combat system to be SFU appropriate and provide stats for lots of SFU starships, but I believe the next few releases are planned to be racial sourcebooks (e.g. Tholians, Feline Empires), so you might wait a while.

As for the rest of Prime Directive d20 Modern, there are a few nice modifications to the basic system which make it eminently playable, and it definitely works nicely as an RPG system. I'd suggest if you are playing a typical Star Fleet bridge crew type party however that you start the characters at a much higher level than level 1 - at least level 7, possibly higher. They need to be a higher level in order to take department head or captain advanced classes, and this gives your "main characters" a lot more potential for depth and breadth of ability than a typical d20 Modern level 1 character.

Unless you want your players rolling redshirts that is

[jkp1187]

If you want the actual d20 Modern starship combat rules, you need a copy of Wizards' d20 Future book, but those starship combat rules aren't really designed for Trek-like starship combat. I believe there is a future product in both the d20 Modern and GURPS product lines planned which will modify each system's native starship combat system to be SFU appropriate and provide stats for lots of SFU starships, but I believe the next few releases are planned to be racial sourcebooks (e.g. Tholians, Feline Empires), so you might wait a while.

Hmmm....how do you mean, Trek-like starship combat? Is it more/less realistic?

[Mazza]

d20 Future's starship combat system is like a slightly more realistic version of the RCR Star Wars RPG starship combat system.

In fact, the Star Wars RPG starship combat system may in fact be more Trek-appropriate...