I was gonna just post this in my journal b ut I thought, hey, what the hell.

I was taking a shower and thinking about RPG's. For some weird reason, I was thinking about how to apply the classic D&D classes to real-life, modern day examples. Then it drifted into a kind of urban street/crime genre thing.

Anyway...I think it would actually be playable without delving too much into Powerkill/Violence territory.

Fighter: Boxer, street-fighter, bouncer, etc.
Rogue and Assassin: Duh. No big changes there.
Wizard: Hi-tech guy, knows electronics and computers.
Bard: Nightclub singer, prostitute, performer
Cleric: Priest, street preacher
Paladin: Cop, especially an idealistic rookie
Ranger: Drifter, biker

Applying this to the Burke series of novels, here's the character breakdown (using some of the more prevalent characters):

Burke: Rogue
Max the Silent: Fighter
The Mole: Wizard
Michelle: Bard
Silver: Ranger
Wolfe: Paladin
Gem: Rogue
Wesley: Assassin

If you aren't familiar with the books, well, that didn't make a whole heck of sense. But basically, the "party paradigm" remains stable, the concept of the dungeon is changed to the criminal "underworld" and acquistion and survival remain key motivators.

Moving beyond that, you got the orcs (gangbangers), undead (junkies), the dragon (the mob) and demons/devils (serial killers, white power groups, thrillkillers, freaks).

I think you could translate the fantasy tropes of D&D and its ilk over into reality pretty easily. And with that "gritty realism," you could probably wrest some series narrativist gaming out of it.

Or maybe I'm just letting the sinus medicine talk...

Because the physical and legal consequences of unrestrained violence in the real world are so great, I'd think this would be a great opportunity to have a narrative-ist sort of game where the focus not only shouldn't, but couldn't, be on continual battles such as in most rpgs. By revolving around the underworld (where violence is at least thinkable), the game could allow character to engage in the technically illegal behavior found in most rpgs anyway. You also point out something I've always believed - that in fact real people are defined as "character classes"; we are mostly our professions with some additional "Skill points" put into hobbies or other interests.

In the middle of a HOL supplement, Buttery Wholesomeness(I think that's what its called), there was a small black and white booklet called: Freebase, roleplaying in the world of reality.

A completely hilarious take on the Whitewolf/D&D classes in the urban jungle, spells like: Fly, material component: angel dust, duration: until you hit the concrete....

It completely matched your classes/cliques matchup.

Bankuei

I remember that! I wish I still had that booklet, but it got lost.

You could save your game, just like in computer games! All you had to do was pick up a payphone, dial 0, and ask to save your game!

The fighter's equipment package included a Heavy War Horse, for no good reason.

Druid: Homeless person?

At one with the surroundings, knows the secret ways of the city, friend to the rats and pigeons and stray cats and dogs.

I've wanted to work on a similar game for some time now. I know there's already one in existence, but if you're interested in tooling around with a d20 underworld/crime game, I don't know if you'd be interested in collaborating but if you were I'd be jumping up and down and waving my hand. :wink:

Peace,
Bret