A Deconstruction of the d20 Modern Starting Occupations and its Use in BESM/Anime d20

by Peter L. Ward

Requires the use of the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game, published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc
Requires use of the Big Eyes, Small Mouth d20 Roleplaying Game, published by Guardians of Order, Inc

This document contains Open Game Content and is used under license as indicated below.

Introduction

This document is aimed at adapting the concept of Starting Occupations, as found in d20 Modern, for use in Big Eyes, Small Mouth d20 (BESM d20 for short) or in Anime d20. A Starting Occupation is a way to represent the life experience and wealth a player character has accumulated before his or her career as an adventurer. In terms of the d20 system, a Starting Occupation gives the character a set of permanent class skills, perhaps a bonus feat or reputation bonus, as well as a modifier to the character's starting wealth bonus. Since the use of Starting Occupations presumes the use of the wealth system used in d20 Modern, it is highly recommended that the Wealth attribute used in BESM d20 be dropped from the campaign as it can be quite unbalancing when used in conjunction with d20 Modern's system.

This document assumes that the Gamemaster (GM for short) and players already have either the d20 Modern rulebook or the System Reference Document pertaining to d20 Modern. As such, no details will be given regarding the various occupations beyond their breakdown and balancing.

The Breakdown

In essence, Starting Occupations can each be broken down into five components. They are the prerequisite age, the number of class skills, the number of bonus feats, the reputation bonus, and the wealth bonus. Not all of these elements are used in any given Starting Occupation. For example roughly half of them give a bonus feat, and only two give a reputation bonus. To simplify the matter of balancing, the skill count, feats, and reputation bonus will be lumped into one element, bringing the number down to three. In addition, for use in BESM d20, a fourth element will be added for balancing attributes or defects.

Here are the Occupations as presented in d20 Modern, with the addition of the attribute or defects needed to balance some of them.

Starting Occupation	Age	Skills	Feats	Reputation Bonus	Wealth Bonus	Balancing Attribute/Defects
Academic	23	3	0	0	+3
Adventurer	15	2	1	0	+1
Athlete	Special*	3	1	0	+1
Blue Collar	18	3	0	0	+2
Celebrity	15	1	0	+1	+4	Famous - 1bp
Creative	15	3	0	0	+2	Famous - 1bp
Criminal	15	2	1	0	+1
Dilettante	18	1	0	+1	+6	Famous - 2bp
Doctor	25	2	1	0	+4
Emergency Services	18	2	0	0	+2	Organizational Ties - 2cp
Entrepreneur	18	2	0	+1	+4	Famous - 2bp
Investigative	23	2	1	0	+2	Organizational Ties - 2cp
Law Enforcement	20**	2	1	0	+1	Organizational Ties - 2cp
Military	18	2	1	0	+1	Organizational Ties - 2cp
Religious	23	3	0	0	+2	Organizational Ties - 2cp
Rural	15	2	1	0	+1
Student	15***	3	0	0	+1
Technician	23	3	0	0	+3
White Collar	23	2	0	0	+3	Organizational Ties - 2cp

* - The prerequisite for the Athelete Occupation is a 13 in either Strength or Dexterity. For balancing purposes, this will be treated as the equivalent of a prerequiste age of 18
** - For balance purposes, the prerequisite age of 20 for a character in Law Enforcement will be treated as if it were 18 instead.
*** - As noted below, any character starting out with the Student class should automatically get this Occupation, regardless of age.

Here is the core breakdown of the Occupations

Age (value in cp)	Skills/Feats/Reputation Bonus (2cp each)	Wealth Bonus (1cp/rank)
15 (3 cp)	3	+1
18 (2 cp)	3	+2
23 (1 cp)	3	+3
25 (0 cp)	3	+4

As one could see, the younger the character, the lower the wealth bonus given. So, each step lower than 25 is worth a certain number of cp as listed in the chart above. This gives us a basic formula for putting together a starting occupation and figuring out its worth.

Age value + Number of skills/feats/reputation bonus * 2 + Wealth Bonus = 10cp

Of course, this raises the question of why a reputation bonus is worth 2 cp where a wealth bonus is worth only 1cp. The fact of the matter is that while somewhat arbritrary, a reputation has a far more reaching effect in the game than a wealth bonus. While a wealth bonus is pretty much limited to the acquisition of equipment and supplies, a reputation bonus affects how various NPCs will react to a character, and comes up in the game more often as a result.

As one looks over the first chart outlining the various Starting Occupations, they might note some variations to the core breakdown. Some classes have a lower wealth bonus, while others have a higher one. This is where the balancing attributes and defects come in. The attributes and defects listed are strongly suggested due to the nature of the given occupation, but if another is desired, then an appropriate substitution can be made. However, the cp and bp values are necessary for balance purposes to bring that Starting Occupation up or down to a standard value of 10cp.

Use of Starting Occupations in BESM d20

Now that the breakdown and balancing of the d20 Modern Starting Occupations is done, all that's left is using them in BESM d20. As in d20 Modern, a character can select only one Occupation during character generation. Any skills chosen from those offered by a given Occupation become permanent class skills, regardless of which class the character takes during the campaign. In addition, any skill chosen that's already a class skill for the character confers a one-time +1 competency bonus for that skill.

It should be suggested that if a character starts out in the Student class as listed in BESM d20, then the character also takes the Student Starting Occupation as a matter of course, and that the normal prerequisite age of 15 be ignored.

When it comes to the wealth bonus, generate the character's starting bonus as normal per d20 Modern and apply the Occupation's wealth bonus to that. Of course, the use of the d20 Modern wealth system raises issues in regards to a game system that doesn't use money as a general rule, such as BESM d20. It is strongly suggested that the wealth system (or any other monetary system, for that matter) be used for items that are subject to breakage/loss/confiscation/etc., and that the use of character points to acquire items as used in BESM d20 be used on items that are powerful or permanent (or at least exchangable for an item of equal cp value). The conversion of monetary values to purchase DCs used in the wealth system can be found on page 204 of the d20 Modern rulebook.

In terms of game balance and character values, it's real simple to graft Starting Occupations into BESM d20. Since all Occupations are worth 10cp each, all a GM has to do is add 10cp to the discretionary points given at character generation to be spent on the Occupation, and all characters balance out with 10 additional points.

In closing, the use of Starting Occupations in BESM d20 is actually a rather simple matter, and actually adds to the customization of a character by granting them a small number of permanent class skills and perhaps a bonus feat. It also adds to the starting funds and perhaps reputation of a character, giving the character a better start in the game. With the core breakdown given, it should be easy to come up with new Occupations as appropriate to a given campaign as well. Hopefully, it will be a worthy addition to just about any campaign.

d20 Modern and Wizards of the Coast are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the United States and other countries and are used with permission. Big Eyes, Small Mouth d20 and Anime d20 is copyright Guardians of Order, Inc. This document is copyright Peter L. Ward, 2003.

THE D20 SYSTEM TRADEMARK LICENSE VERSION 5.0

By downloading the enclosed graphic files and/or by returning the Confirmation Card as presented in the file "card.pdf," the Licensee ("You") accept to be bound by the following terms and conditions:

1. Copyright & Trademark
Wizards of the Coast, Inc. retains title and ownership of the d20 System trademark logos, the d20 System trademark, and all other copyrights and trademarks claimed by Wizards of the Coast in The Official Wizards of the Coast d20 System Trademark Guide found at www.wizards.com/d20 (the “d20 System Guide”), incorporated here by reference.

2. License to use
You are hereby granted the non-transferable, non-exclusive, non-sublicensable, royalty-free license to use the d20 System trademark logos, the d20 System trademark, and certain other trademarks and copyrights owned by Wizards of the Coast (the "Licensed Articles") in accordance with the conditions specified in the current version of this License and the d20 System Guide.

3. Agreement not to Contest
By making use of and/or distributing material using the d20 System trademark under the terms of this License, You agree not to contest the ownership of the Licensed Articles.

4. Quality Standards
The nature of all material You use or distribute that incorporates the Licensed Articles must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, as well as community standards of decency, as further described in the d20 System Guide. You must use Your best efforts to preserve the high standard and goodwill of the Licensed Trademarks. In order to assure the foregoing standard and quality requirements, Wizards of the Coast shall have the right, upon notice to You, to review and inspect all material released by You that uses the Licensed Articles. You shall fully cooperate with Wizards of the Coast to facilitate such review and inspection, including timely provision of copies of all such materials to Wizards of the Coast. Wizards of the Coast may terminate this License immediately upon attempted notice to you if it deems, in its sole discretion, that your use of the Licensed Articles does not meet the above standards.

5. Termination for Breach
In the event that You fail to comply with the terms of this License or the d20 System Guide, You will be considered to be in breach of this License. Wizards of the Coast will attempt to notify you in writing by sending a letter to the address listed on the most recent Confirmation Card on file, if any. You will have 30 days from the date of the notice (the "cure period") to cure the breach to the satisfaction of Wizards of the Coast. If no Confirmation Card is on file, you will be considered to be in breach of this License immediately. If, at the end of the cure period, the breach is not cured, Wizards of the Coast may terminate this License without further written notice to You.

6. Effects of Termination
Upon termination, You shall immediately stop all use of the Licensed Articles and will destroy any inventory or marketing material in Your possession bearing the d20 System trademark logos. You will remove any use of the d20 System trademark logos from your advertising, web site, letterhead, or any other use. You must instruct any company or individual that You are or become aware of who is in possession of any materials distributed by You bearing the d20 System trademark logos to destroy those materials. You will solely bear any costs related to carrying out this term of the License.

7. Penalty for Failure to Comply with Termination Instructions
If You fail to comply with the Effects of Termination, Wizards of the Coast may, at its option, pursue litigation, for which You shall be responsible for all legal costs, against You to the full extent of the law for breach of contract, copyright and trademark infringement, damages and any other remedy available.

8. Updates
Wizards of the Coast may issue updates and/or new releases of the d20 System trademark logos without prior notice. You will, at the earliest possible opportunity, update all material distributed by You to use the updated and/or new version of the d20 System trademark logos. You may continue to distribute any pre-existing material that bears an older version of the d20 System trademark logo.

9. Changes to Terms of the License
Wizards of the Coast may issue updates and/or revisions to this License without prior notice. You will conform in all respects to the updated or revised terms of this License. Subsequent versions of this License will bear a different version number.

10. Updates of Licensee information
You may transmit an updated version of the "card.pdf" Confirmation Card at any time to Wizards of the Coast.

11. Notices to Licensor:

Wizards of the Coast
c/o Publishing Division
Attn: Roleplaying Games Department
PO Box 707
Renton, WA 98057-0707

12. No maintenance or support
Wizards of the Coast shall have no obligation whatsoever to provide You with any kind of maintenance or support in relation to the d20 System trademark logos.

13. No Warranty / Disclaimer
THE D20 SYSTEM TRADEMARK LOGO FILES ARE MADE AVAILABLE ON AN "AS IS" BASIS. WIZARDS OF THE COAST DOES NOT MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, USE OR MERCHANTABILITY. WIZARDS OF THE COAST MAKES NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY THAT THE D20 SYSTEM TRADEMARK LOGO FILES ARE ERROR-FREE.