Chapter 1: Characters

The classes in D&D 5th edition are rather specialised, all of them requiring some form of dedicated training, a very specific history, or a particular event to allow characters to access the abilities of this class. While this works wonderfully for the standard fantasy roster, it isn't quite so great if you want to run a campaign where such specificity isn't plausible.

In d20 Modern, the system is rather different; there are 6 basic character classes, each based on one of the 6 ability scores (which are shared with D&D). As you might imagine, these classes don't give any abilities which couldn't feasibly be gained through natural aptitude with a particular ability.

To give players the option for more specific learning, advanced classes are introduced, which provide the more niche skills characters may acquire.

The Strong Hero

The Strong Hero uses his Strength score to best advantage. Taking a level in this class demonstrates physical training for overall strength and power. Strong Heroes excel at hand-to-hand and melee combat, as well as at other activities that best utilize physical power.

A Strong Hero might be a bodybuilder or an athlete who concentrates on the power aspect of sports. They may be quietly intimidating or robustly boisterous. They might be as gentle as they are large or a lout and a bully

Body Slam

Starting at 2nd level, whenever you make a successful Shove against a creature, they take damage equal to 1 + your Strength modifier.

In addition, when you succeed on shoving a creature you can choose between pushing them up to 10 feet away from, or pushing them 5 feet away from you and knocking them prone.

Advanced Class

At 3rd level, choose an Advanced Class. The Advanced Class you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level.

On these levels, rather than gaining a health increase dictated by this class, your health increase is based on the advanced class you choose.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you can select a feat instead of increasing your ability scores.

Extreme Effort

Starting at 5th level, you gain the uncanny ability to strain your muscles past their normal strength.

When the you make a Strength-based ability check or saving throw, you can use a bonus action or reaction to gain advantage on the roll. You can do this after the roll is made but before any of the roll's effects occur.

Reckless Attack

Starting at 5th level, you can throw aside all concern for defence to attack with fierce desperation.

When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn.

Strong Back

Beginning at 6th level, your carrying capacity (including maximum load and maximum lift) is doubled, and you have advantage on Strength checks made to push, pull, lift, or break objects.

Brutal Critical

Beginning at 9th level, you can roll one additional weapon damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack.

This increases to two additional dice at 9th level and three additional dice at 13th level.

Remarkable Athlete

Starting at 9th level, you can add half your proficiency bonus (round up) to any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check you make that doesn’t already use your proficiency bonus.

In addition, when you make a running long jump, the distance you can cover increases by a number of feet equal to your Strength modifier.

Demolition

Beginning at 11th level, your melee attacks deal double damage to objects. In addition, you double your proficiency bonus on Strength (Athletics) checks made to break something.

Supreme Grip

Starting at 13th level, you have incredible technique and hand strength allowing you to maintain a powerful grasp on objects others would struggle with. When you are wielding a weapon with the versatile property, you always treat them as if you were wielding them in two hands, and you ignore the disadvantage imposed by the heavy property of weapons with which you are proficient.

Additionally, you can wield a weapon with the Two-Handed property in a single hand, but doing so imposes disadvantage on any attack rolls you make with it, and the damage die of the weapon is decreased one step.

Furthermore, you have advantage on ability checks and saving throws made to avoid dropping a held object or being disarmed.

Improved Extreme Effort

At 14th level, your ability to strain your body past it’s limits improves further. When the you make a Strength-based ability check or saving throw, you can use a bonus action or reaction to automatically succeed on the roll. You can do this after the roll is made but before any of the roll's effects occur. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Supreme Smash

At 20th level, you may now add your full proficiency bonus to all melee weapon damage rolls.

Examples Of Fast Heroes

Athletes who employ speed and grace instead of raw power, stunt people, pilots, professional drivers, law enforcement or military professionals who concentrate on using ranged weapons, and agents-on either side of the law-who employ stealth and sleight of hand all fall within the scope of the Fast Hero.

Class Features

As a fast hero, you gain the following class features.

Fast Movement

Your base movement speed increases by 5 feet. At 6th level, this speed bonus increases to 10 feet. At 13th level, this speed bonus increases to 15 feet.

Evasive Footwork

Opportunity attacks against you are made with disadvantage.

Additional Feat

You gain one of the following feats: Mobile, Alert or Athlete.

Cunning Action

Starting at 2nd level, your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Ready action.

Redirect Attack

At 2nd level, when a creature misses you with an attack, you can use your reaction to force that creature to repeat the same attack against another creature (other than itself) of your choice within 5 feet of you with disadvantage.

Advanced Class

At 3rd level, choose an Advanced Class. The Advanced Class you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level. On these levels, rather than gaining a health increase dictated by this class, your health increase is based on the advanced class you choose.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you can select a feat instead of increasing your ability scores.

Uncanny Dodge

Starting at 5th level, when an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.

Elegant Manoeuvre

You complete difficult manoeuvres with practiced ease.

Starting at 5th level, you can use a bonus action to gain advantage on the next Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) check you make on your turn.

Dodge Roll

Beginning at 6th level, when a creature attempts an attack against you which misses, or you succeed on a Dexterity saving throw, you can move up to half your speed as a reaction. This movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks.

Instinctive Reaction

Beginning at 9th level, your reflexes are honed to a fine point. You have advantage on initiative rolls. In addition, if you are surprised at the beginning of combat and aren’t incapacitated, you can act normally on your first turn.

Additionally, you can use your bonus action to focus on reacting to changes on the battlefield, allowing you to take two reactions this round instead of one. When you do so, you may immediately take the Ready action as part of the same bonus action.

Evasion

Beginning at 11th level, when you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Improved Redirect Attack

At 11th level, when you use your Redirect Attack feature, the attack no longer has disadvantage.

Rapid Strike

Starting at 13th level, you learn to trade accuracy for swift strikes. If you have advantage on a weapon attack against a target on your turn, you can forgo that advantage to immediately make an additional weapon attack against the same target as a bonus action.

Opportunist

Starting at 14th level, when an ally is within 5 feet of an opponent, and the ally hits the target with a melee attack, you can make an attack against that opponent as a reaction.

Elusive

Beginning at 17th level, you are so evasive that attackers rarely gain the upper hand against you. No attack roll has advantage against you while you aren’t incapacitated

Incredible Reflexes

When you reach 20th level, you have become adept at laying ambushes and quickly escaping danger. You can take two turns during the first round of any combat. You take your first turn at your normal initiative and your second turn at your initiative minus 10. You can’t use this feature when you are surprised.

The Tough Hero

The Tough Hero uses their Constitution score to best advantage. Taking a level in this class provides improved health and physical stamina. Better hit points, good fortitude, and the ability to shrug off some amount of damage combine to define the Tough Hero. A Tough hero might be built like a truck or possess a great amount of endurance. They can take a lot of physical punishment, rarely get sick, and are often is hard to move.

A Tough Hero can be stubborn or single-minded, may feel protective of others, and usually succeeds because they stay in the contest long after the competition has crumbled. They are often steadfast and confident to a fault.

Resilience

Starting at 2nd level, when you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

Untiring

You are especially hardy and can keep working for hours. Beginning at 2nd level, you have advantage on saves to avoid exhaustion.

Advanced Class

At 3rd level, choose an Advanced Class. The Advanced Class you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level. On these levels, rather than gaining a health increase dictated by this class, your health increase is based on the advanced class you choose.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you can select a feat instead of increasing your ability scores.

Fortitude

Beginning at 5th level, when you finish a short or long rest, you gain temporary hit points equal to your level + your Constitution modifier.

Steel Gut

Your determination allows you to shrug off effects that would otherwise harm you. Starting at 5th level, when you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Constitution saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Damage Reduction

Beginning at 6th level, bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage that you take from non-magical sources is reduced by an amount equal to your Constitution modifier.

Pull Through

You cling to life, even on the brink of death. Beginning at 9th level, when you make a death saving throw that would result in your death if failed, you have advantage

Improved Resilience

Starting at 11th level, you can use your Resilience feature again after finishing a short or long rest.

Energy Resistance

Starting at 13th level, when you take acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage, you can use your reaction to gain resistance against the triggering damage type until the start of your next turn.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Remain Conscious

Beginning at 14th level, when you are reduced to 0 hit points, you may continue to act until you fail a death saving throw. While at 0 hit points, your speed is halved, and you cannot use bonus actions or reactions.

Bulwark

Your hardiness reaches incredible levels. Beginning at 17th level, your Damage Reduction feature now applies to all damage you take. Additionally, you can spend an action or bonus action bracing for damage. Until the start of your next turn, your Damage Reduction feature reduces incoming damage by 2 times your Constitution modifier. If you move, this effect ends.

Survivor

At 20th level, you attain the pinnacle of resilience in battle. At the start of each of your turns, you regain hit points equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier if you have no more than half your hit points left. You don’t gain this benefit if you have 0 hit points.

Art

d20 Future Cover Art: Dave Johnson (Devilpig on DeviantArt)

Female Soldier: ml-11mk on DeviantArt
Master Roshi Wallpaper: Wallup

Sprinting Robot: Tarantad0 on DeviantArt

53rd Duster: Kenneth Solis on Artstation
Heavy Ops: philzero on DeviantArt

Source Material

"d20 Modern" role-playing game by Wizards of the Coast.

Built heavily upon "d20 Modern 5e Conversion" by Edward Wilson.