This message was deleted by the user at 00:30, Mon 09 May 2016.

I've seen a couple attempts at updating 5e to something modern/futuristic try to get going, but ultimately sputter out.

Would still be interested in seeing how well it could work.

Posting interest.

This message was deleted by the user at 00:31, Mon 09 May 2016.

I don't know what system I'd go for; but with all those changes, it seems like waaaaay too much work. The advantage of 5e (and all DnD in general really), is that everyone knows it, and so people generally don't need too much help.

The approaches I've seen before have hewed closer to the base system, with a lot of flavor changes to the base classes on top of some equipment changes.

It's always seemed like it would work, and be easy for anyone remotely familiar with 5th edition to pick up, hence my interest in seeing if such a thing could actually work.

I think I would be less interested in a fully homebrew system, especially since if you're not using 5th edition, there's plenty of other proven and perfectly practical systems out there that could be used.

Recent experiences and issues with trying to make new in progress systems work despite said systems best efforts to fail miserably have left me a bit adverse to such things.

This message was deleted by the user at 00:32, Mon 09 May 2016.

But that's why I'm not sure 5E is the way to go. I like your concept; and I like 5E; I'm just not sure about the two together.

There's a lot of ways you can go with things, which I agree will modify how things feel.

A lot of the combat capabilities could translate 1:1.  For a Fighter, the Defense Fighting Style works just as well whether the combatant is wearing plate or some sort of polymer laced long coat.  The archery style could simply apply to firearms as well as other ranged weapons.  You could allow the Great Weapon Fighting ability to apply to longarms.

A lot of "magic" could just as easily be technology.  Minor Illusion just becomes holographic projectors, Cure Wounds a trauma slap patch, etc.

I think it would be a lot easier on the GM to modify things on a case by case basis depending on player concept then try to convert the entirety of player options wholesale, or reinvent the wheel from the ground up.

However I'd be interested in giving it a shot whether you decide on a simpler type of update or something much more ambitious.

I agree with willvr - the concept is crying out to be played on a multi-genre or universal platform (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...enre_and_cross-genre) ...

... but I appreciate that you prefer to stick to what you and potential players are familiar with.  I would too.  :>

On the other hand, I'm not familiar with 5E (I've got more than enough 3.5/Pathfinder source material to keep me going until I take my seat in the Halls of Valhalla) but would it be possible you'd get some mileage out of the D20 Modern rules which cover past present and future (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/msrd) and in particular include rules for cybernetics and tech equipment ?  Not sure what would be required to make that work for 5E, though should be ballpark.

As much as I love DnD 5E, I think Shadowrun would be a good choice for running this setting.

it does sound like transitioning from Shadowrun would be much much less painful. I'm game either way.

also isn't there a comic book based on this concept?

This message was deleted by the user at 00:32, Mon 09 May 2016.

Might try Savage Worlds then.  It's got a bit of crunch, but nowhere near something like SR.

Plus there's a few flavors of Cyberpunk you can add in.  The Science Fiction Companion comes with some basic hacking and cyberware rules.  There's also Interface Zero and Tales from the Sprawl, the former adding in a lot of crunch and the latter being pretty light (as well as having free rules available).