TEXT: EN World EN5IDER | Reskinning for Genre
  Reskinning 
  for Genre
  F
  iFth edition’s pliable mechanics make it 
  easy to pick up and play while still 
  allowing for variation and definition on a 
  character-by-character basis. While predicated 
  for medieval fantasy, you can easily take your 
  game into a steampunk world or even the far 
  future* with a little bit of tweaking and modified 
  presentation. This article provides guidance on 
  how to make the switch to a variety of genres, 
  from post-apocalyptic to science fantasy, and 
  provides rules for campaigns that utilize firearms 
  and high technology wherein players and GMs 
  want a more comprehensive feeling for genre.
   Before exploring new character options and 
  introducing new rules, first determine if you 
  should be doing either. As noted above, part 
  of what makes fifth edition such an enjoyable 
  game is the flexible nature of its mechanics. 
  Other systems often provide detailed rules for 
  every possibility and the intentional exclusion 
  of such nuanced directions for every situation 
  has a multitude of effects in the game. The two 
  we are most interested in here are the emphasis 
  on “rulings not rules” and the flexibility this 
  approach to mechanics offers in defining genre.
   Fifth edition promotes the legitimacy of the 
  GM. Without an encyclopedic set of simulation 
  rules available, there can be plenty of GM-
  discretion calls throughout any regular game 
  session. Tacking on a few more rulings because of 
  a screwdriver getting jammed into a pneumatic 
  robot or for a called shot against a villainous 
  scientist’s cyber eye won’t be out of step.
   This also makes the inclusion of additional 
  rules easier to implement, but there’s more to it—
  by authoritatively presenting creatures, enemies, 
   
  writing  Mike Myler
   color art  Jacob Blackmon
   
  editing  James J. Haeck
   
  layout  Eric Life-Putnam
  *  Kiel Chenier, “To the Stars,” EN World EN5ider, 
  https://www.patreon.com/posts/to-stars-science-2792009
  EN World EN5IDER | Reskinning for Genre
  
  Reskinning for Genre | EN World EN5IDER
  technology is indistinguishable from magic.” This 
  makes the transition of a medieval fantasy game 
  to the far future a simple one, though it alters the 
  basic assumptions of the distribution of resources.
   As mentioned above, a nanite-programming 
  engineer can easily take the place of a spellcasting 
  class, but the ubiquity and utility of modern 
  equipment in the far future alters the design 
  floor. Jetpacks, communicators, and devices 
  able to rapidly heal wounds give PCs a decided 
  advantage in these settings, but this can be offset 
  on two fronts. Limiting the use of advanced 
  equipment by short rests and long rests allows 
  for a reasonable amount of resource control to 
  remain in the GM’s hands on an encounter by 
  encounter basis. On the other hand, you can 
  give monsters and NPCs similar advantages: for 
  every extraordinary benefit granted to the PCs 
  (such as the ability to fly, a 3rd-level spell), grant 
  their enemies something roughly equivalent (not 
  everyone needs to be up in the air, but a haste or 
  vampiric touch ability can level the playing field).
  Modern or Superheroic Games
  Things get a little more difficult when taking a 
  fifth edition game into a modern or superheroic 
  setting. Though technology plays a less prevalent 
  role, allowing for some GM resource control—but 
  not an overwhelming amount—there’s a definite 
  expectation for abilities and effects (both from 
  modern firearms or superpowers) that extend 
  beyond the scope of the system’s intent. In these 
  hazards, and obstacles in a different light, the 
  flavor of fifth edition can be quick changed from 
  medieval to a host of other types of fantasy. A 
  dragon or tiefling can easily become a flying mass 
  of tentacles or a mutant that smells like sulfur 
  using their existing rules instead of designing an 
  entirely new creature or race. In a world of only 
  humans, cybernetic enhancements can result 
  in an elf or long-term exposure to radiation can 
  breed tieflings, and in the future a barbarian’s 
  rage can be triggered by an adrenal stimulator, 
  and an inventive nanite engineer can use 
  microscopic explosives to cast fireball!
  Example Genres
  Post-Apocalyptic or Western
  Both of these genres have two unifying traits that 
  allow the ambitious GM to make the most out of 
  the fifth edition rules: disparate civilization and a 
  sense of the unknown. Whether through distance 
  (like the Wild West of 19th-century America) or 
  circumstance (like packs of flesh-eating zombies 
  or territory too irradiated to travel through), 
  societies in these two genres are removed from 
  one another. From the GM’s standpoint, this 
  means that both information and technology are 
  valuable resources, not unlike magic items.
   There’s little reason to introduce new rules as 
  long as abilities granted to match the genre are 
  properly rationed—guns have many advantages 
  but whether they shoot bullets or lasers won’t 
  matter much if the weapon’s ammunition 
  is limited. There’s also a strong sense of the 
  unknown in both themes; where apocalyptic 
  settings often bear this out through science fiction, 
  Wild West fantasy typically has an underlying 
  theme of mysticism (usually in close company 
  with fate or luck) that lends itself to many 
  elements already present in medieval fantasy.
  Cyberpunk and Far Future
  Arthur C. Clarke’s third law of prediction is 
  widely known: “Any sufficiently advanced 
  Mad Science Experiments
  Many creatures are already perfectly suited to go 
  straight out of the fifth edition rules and directly 
  into an apocalyptic, modern, cyberpunk, steam-
  punk, or far future game: aboleth, ankheg, bulette, 
  centaur, chimera, dinosaurs, doppelganger, dryad, 
  elementals, gibbering mouther, goblin, golems, 
  gorgon, hellhound, hobgoblin, jackalwere, kobold, 
  lizardfolk, lycanthropes, manticore, minotaur, 
  oozes, orc, otyugh, peryton, roc, sahuagin, sham-
  bling mound, shield guardian, vampire, and of 
  course, zombies.
  Reskinning for Genre | EN World EN5IDER
  
  EN World EN5IDER | Reskinning for Genre
  cases, take the same approach as a far future 
  game: for every additional effect granted to the 
  PCs, whether technological or super, do the same 
  for their enemies.
   In the case of firearms, the resulting increased 
  damage output may change a party’s on-the-
  ground tactics and character builds to match, but 
  being riddled with bullets isn’t quite so fatal for 
  PCs because of fifth edition’s death mechanics. 
  It’s worth noting that a “street-level” game of 
  superhero vigilantism can be easily attained by 
  handing out a few extra feats as adventurers gain 
  levels.
  New Rules
  If simply skinning your game’s descriptions and 
  themes differently isn’t going to cut it, consider 
  including some new rules to bring the feel of the 
  game in line with your group’s expectations. This 
  means some careful selection of monsters (see 
  “Mad Science Experiments,” above), mechanics to 
  make firearms and other technology slightly less 
  advantageous, modifications to the game world’s 
  access to information and travel, and a few player 
  options to spice things up.
  Genre and Technology
  Armor Improvements
  The effectiveness of armor is tied to setting. In 
  a world where simple muskets exist alongside 
  swords and crossbows, the written rules for scale 
  mail and plate still make sense. When automatic 
  weapons or laser pistols become commonplace, 
  though, scale mail and plate just aren’t enough.
   In Cyberpunk, Far Future, Modern, and 
  Steampunk games, consider what constitutes light, 
  medium, and heavy armor in your setting. In the 
  future, heavy armor might be a hulking space 
  marine suit, or even a personal mech. Half-plate 
  becomes a Kevlar jacket, and a chain shirt can 
  be reskinned as a lightweight bulletproof vest. 
  Alternatively, to represent defensive technology 
  keeping up with the power of laser cannons and 
  energy blades, consider changing what classes 
  EN World EN5IDER | Reskinning for Genre
  
  Reskinning for Genre | EN World EN5IDER
  Gadgets
  The ubiquity and utility of technology changes 
  many presumptions of the design behind fifth 
  edition; information and effects similar to spells 
  are far more accessible to adventurers. With cell 
  phones, global data networks, and cars that travel 
  faster than an airborne mage, PCs are able to 
  know things and travel between places far more 
  quickly than normal. In these instances one rule 
  of thumb should be omnipresent: a rising tide 
  raises all ships.
   In Cyberpunk, Far Future, Modern, or 
  Steampunk games, create innocuous, affordable 
  gadgets that perform tasks normally reserved 
  for spells available to both PCs and NPCs. Limit 
  these items by means of charge and locale (a 
  cell phone with no power is a plastic brick and 
  useless if there’s no good signal coverage or too 
  much interference). Do the PCs all have access 
  to jetpacks (or boots of flying)? Grant the same 
  benefits to important NPCs. Remember too that 
  while many high-tech gadgets are a boon, they 
  can quickly become a liability (a cell phone 
  might get hacked, a damaged laser pistol might 
  explode, and so on). So long as the frequency and 
  availability of gadgets is equal for PCs and NPCs, 
  the playing field should be evenly raised for both 
  the players and the GM.
  Genre Feats
  Gunfighter
  Firearms are an integral part of how you fight and 
  firing off a gun is second nature to you, granting 
  the following benefits:
   ▶ You automatically succeed on Strength 
  saving throws to avoid recoil and on 
  Constitution saving throws to avoid become 
  deafened by gunfire.
   ▶ You can use a reaction to fire a drawn, loaded 
  firearm as an opportunity attack.
   ▶ Being adjacent to an enemy creature no 
  longer imposes disadvantage on your ranged 
  attacks.
  can access which levels of armor and increase 
  the allowed Dexterity modifiers for medium and 
  heavy armors (to Dex Modifier and Dex Modifier 
  [max 2] respectively).
  Firearms
  Guns are rarer and more powerful in some 
  settings than in others. Be mindful of how 
  much ammunition you give your PCs access 
  to in settings where guns are uncommon but 
  deadly. If the PCs aren’t able to make their own 
  bullets in a fantasy setting, the flow of resources 
  remains in your control. In Cyberpunk, Far 
  Future, Modern, or other games where small 
  arms are commonplace, consider making healing 
  more available to offset the increased damage 
  output (see statistics for firearms in the GM’s core 
  rulebook).
   In Modern, Steampunk, and Western games, 
  guns may have drawbacks that let other weapons 
  shine, too. After a character’s first ranged attack 
  with a firearm in a round, the attacker must 
  succeed on a Strength saving throw (based on the 
  weapon’s damage dice: 1d10—DC 11, 1d12—DC 12, 
  2d6—DC 13, 2d8—DC 14, 2d10—DC 15) or suffer 
  disadvantage on all subsequent ranged attacks 
  until the beginning of their next turn as the recoil 
  of the shot offsets their aim. Guns are also loud—
  any wielder that fires an unsilenced firearm 
  makes a Constitution saving throw (determined 
  by the weapon’s damage dice) or is deafened for 1 
  round. Making two saving throws each round can 
  be a hassle, so these two drawbacks to firearms 
  can be used on a case-by-case basis, depending on 
  the theme of your game.
  Reskinning for Genre | EN World EN5IDER
  
  EN World EN5IDER | Reskinning for Genre
  Scientific Wizardry
  Prerequisite: Able to cast at least one spell or 
  spell-like ability, science-fiction genre.
   The true source of your extraordinary abilities 
  lay in nanites, the manipulation of critical 
  energies, or another marvelous technology.
   ▶ Your spells ignore resistances and 
  immunities granted by spells not cast by a 
  creature with this feat.
   ▶ Your spells are immune to detect magic, dispel 
  magic, and antimagic field spells not cast by a 
  creature with this feat.
   ▶ Illusion spells that you cast affect creatures 
  that benefit from truesight so long as it is 
  not a robotic creature or through an ability 
  granted by a caster with this feat.
  Super Powered
  Choose a single 2nd-level spell or two 1st-level 
  spells. You are able to cast these spells a number 
  of times equal to your proficiency bonus. The 
  spells require only one component of your choice: 
  material, somatic, or verbal.
   Once you have cast these spells you must 
  complete a short or long rest before you are able to 
  cast them again.
   The spellcasting ability of these spells is 
  determined by your proficiency bonus instead of a 
  regular spellcasting attribute. (For example, your 
  spell save DC for these powers is 8 + double your 
  proficiency bonus.)
  Robotic Template
  Complex machines appear throughout many 
  genres of fantasy as androids, robots, and more. 
  The robotic template is a simple addition for 
  artificial creatures designed to be faster, stronger, 
  and tougher than their organic counterparts.
  Any non-construct creature can become robotic. 
  Robotic creatures retain all of their original 
  statistics, with the following exceptions:
  Challenge Rating: Robotic creatures increase their CR 
  by 1.
  DEFENSES
  AC: Robotic creatures have a natural armor bonus of 2.
  Resistances: bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from 
  nonmagical weapons; cold; fire.
  Immunities: necrotic, poison, psychic
  Condition Immunities: charmed, exhausted, fright-
  ened, poisoned
  Vulnerabilities: acid, lightning
  OFFENSE
  Attacks: Robotic creatures gain a nonmagical +1 
  bonus on melee attack rolls and melee damage rolls 
  made with natural weapons and unarmed strikes.
  Speed: Robotic creatures increase all of their move-
  ment speeds by 20 feet.
  TRAITS
  Senses: Robotic creatures gain darkvision 90 ft. and a 
  constant detect spell or other type of special vision.
  EN World EN5IDER | Reskinning for Genre
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/EN World EN5ider/EN5ider 049 - Reskinning for Genre.pdf