TOMAGOMB Modern

TOMAGOMB Modern Roleplaying System
Fully compatible with normal TOMAGOMB, this variant ruleset is one that I hope can be used to simulate the modern age with the fun of TOMAGOMB intact. I'm going to test out some ideas I've been playing around with, and see how it works out here, away from the main bulk of the rules. This will require playtesting and tweaking, I am certain.

That being said, let's dive right in to some of the main ideas.

Statistics
The core TOMAGOMB statistics remain constant, and can be found here, with Luck being the sole exception (see below).

Statistics are the numerical measure of a character and their main attributes. Base statistics, being Strength, Dexterity, Fortitude, Mental Aptitude and Luck, are possessed by every character. Piety, Life Spirit and Martial Discipline are known only to a select few. Furthermore, in TOMAGOMB Modern with a realistic bent, Piety and Life Spirit don't have to exist at all, and if the GM (Game Master) feels like altering starting points and other areas, Martial Discipline doesn't have to. I recommend Martial Discipline stay in the list though, as TOMAGOMB tends to work best with 5 to 6 active stats.

The GM may choose to replace Martial Discipline with a stat called Marksman if he desires, which can be no higher than the higher of Dexterity or Mental Aptitude (meaning their sharpshooting cannot exceed either their steady hand or their acute senses) and adds +1 damage to all ranged attacks at 12 and each point thereafter. This will make guns even better than they already are, but is a bit more sensible in the modern age than the mixed bag of abilities in M.D. I love to offer choices, so I've presented them together, allowing up to 9 stats to coexist (but probably not effectively on the same character).

Luck is one of the biggest changes of the modern setting. It is a part of the starting stats and must be paid for, unlike in regular TOMAGOMB. As a base stat, it also has the stat caps of one (i.e., at 20 it caps at 18, and a human can choose to raise the cap on Luck racially). However, at 12 Luck the character gets to make one die reroll per session, at 13 they get 2 rerolls, etc. This reroll must be done before the GM tells the results of the roll. If an ability lets them make a reroll normally, then the Luck reroll allows them a third roll. Since Skill Specialist works constantly, a Luck reroll on a skill you've specialized will actually give you 2 new rolls, and you keep the better of the two as normal (it replaces the original rolls though, since it is a Luck reroll). However, whatever the result, they must take the final roll even if it is worse. They may also force an NPC using a die roll against them to make a reroll, which can be done even after the GM announces the result, and the NPC must use the second roll whether better or worse. Luck will also have the effects described under Fortune's Chosen in the normal TOMAGOMB AAs (this is a recent change which is being tested). For ease of access, here is the table reprinted:

Races
The core races of TOMAGOMB - Character Races

Humans generally exist in TOMAGOMB Modern, and nothing else (sadly). The GM may use humans as noted under the [|TOMAGOMB entry], but with possible exceptions. Since Luck works differently and is a base stat in TOMAGOMB Modern, humans should be able to choose it as a stat to raise the cap on along with the other base stats. Since combat is less common in the modern age, the GM may also remove the two free proficiencies to add another +20% skill bonus at 1st level with a 2% bonus gain per level thereafter instead of 1%.

For the sake of convenience, this means humans may choose to raise the cap on any base stat by 2, or on two base stats by 1. They get a 40% skill bonus at 1st level, and gain +2% skill / level thereafter.

A GM who wishes to add fantasy, indigenous or alien races is free to do so, of course, but this isn't the area Modern games usually have a lot of variance - that comes later...

Classes
...at classes. For reference, here are the regular fantasy Character Classes. Now, we're going to do something very, very different for TOMAGOMB Modern. Check out TOMAGOMB Modern Classes to get an idea of the new freedom available in setting up your abilities.

Skills and Proficiencies
The modern setting includes quite a few new skills and proficiencies, and every 10 years brings many new ones while sometimes retiring old ones. See TOMAGOMB Modern Skills for an update to the TOMAGOMB Skills.

AAs
TOMAGOMB Modern characters (those with no access to magic) should get more special abilities to compensate their otherwise mundane existence. For testing purposes, modern characters will gain AA's every 5 levels (5, 10, 15, etc.). They may use any applicable AAs from the original TOMAGOMB AAs with the following exceptions: Miraculous Recovery, Latent Talent (for Piety or L.S. if the campaign doesn't allow magic), Packmule (can only be taken once for psuedo-realism), Lucky, Chance Fate, Fortune's Chosen, Poison Immunity, Thermal Chameleon, Mask the Soul, Utterstill, and any ability that requires spells or class-specific traits that don't exist in TOMAGOMB Modern. Of course, if the GM is running a cinematic campaign then the spell abilities may be available, and additionally may allow Miraculous Recovery, Latent Talent, Packmule, Poison Immunity, Thermal Chameleon, Mask the Soul, Utterstill, and other AAs as he/she sees fit. For your convenience, I will reprint the always-usable AAs from TOMAGOMB with (reprint) next to the name on the new AA list.

Windfall will work differently: you gain bonus wealth equal to 10% of your starting wealth, and it subsequently increases your starting wealth score and income. If you take Windfall multiple times, you gain 10% of your (newly modified) starting wealth. For instance: With $10,000, the first Windfall gives you $1,000 (10%), then the second gives you 10% of (10,000 + 1,000 = 11,000), or $1,100. A third would give you 10% of (11,000 + 1,100 = 12,100), or $1,210.

TOMAGOMB Modern will also have its own special AAs: TOMAGOMB Modern AAs. For convenience, I have reprinted all of the usable original AAs on this list for a non-magical campaign.

Items
There will be some significant differences from the TOMAGOMB Items page due to an entirely different time period and culture. The existence of magic in the campaign will also greatly affect what kinds of things are available or not. Check out the TOMAGOMB Modern Items page for more.

This page is a work in progress.