Seeking multigenre rpg system

The Crimson Binome · Sep 19, 2018

slaughterj said:
While that is the case with some point-buy systems like Hero, it is not the case for others like Star Wars D6 or Savage Worlds (not a true point-buy but somewhat close), and even Mutants and Masterminds can be fairly quick.

I just meant that it was definitely the case for GURPS, which otherwise passed every test with flying colors.

sleypy · Sep 20, 2018

I'd take a look at Forthright RPG. It does most of the things you are listing. It is a d20+attribute with skills that adjust the level of success instead of being a flat number. It uses a health pool and injury system. You can pick it up a copy of the book here https://www.rpgnow.com/product/222089/Forthright-Open-Roleplay-Core-Rulebook

I could also see Mutants & Masterminds working. It covers all the bases of what you listed in the OP.

Umbran · Sep 20, 2018

slaughterj said:
Any suggestions?

I suggest that a list of *15* must-haves is pretty demanding.

GMMichael · Sep 25, 2018

Umbran said:
I suggest that a list of *15* must-haves is pretty demanding.

Yeah, that's the realm of Build-Your-Own-RPG; fifteen rules is definitely a solid foundation. But I'll take a crack at it anyway...

slaughterj said:
1. System can fade to the background to run games (i.e., not too much chart referencing, looking up rules, etc. needed), but with a decent amount of crunch rather than narrative (i.e., not interested in some collaborative style where PCs spend a point to do some large change to a scene).
2. Some sort of "curve" in dice roll results (whether a fuller 3d6 bell curve, a 2d10 not a curve but close enough, etc.), rather than a flat d20 sort of resolution (I find that flatter dice systems tend to use Hero/Fate/Action type points for re-rolls, etc. to help control the wide randomness of systems like d20, I'd rather the dice handle that themselves and minimize such points).
3. System doesn't hide the math or make understanding likelihood of success hard (i.e., d20 is very clear on chances of success, but L5R hides the success and needs a chart to understand what one's chances are to succeed).
4. Point-buy rather than class/level-based (okay if costs increase as scales higher, like Star Wars D6 skills, etc.).
5. Damage save rather than hit point type systems (though some mix of may be okay).
6. Works for regular level as well as superhero.
7. Can accumulate equipment but not be unbalancing.
8. Uses stat+skill (plus roll) for determining outcome success (stat can vary based on applicable circumstances).
9. Uses regular dice and not cards, weird dice, etc.
10. Those above are just off the top of my head, may add more.
11. Armor soaks damage rather than makes harder to hit.
12. Not a lot of character backgrounds/careers/lifepaths, really looking more point-buy oriented, in part because too much of those end up making it hard to make PCs in one's head away from the books
13. Not dead stats (e.g., odd stats are largely dead in DnD, a lot of stats in Hero are dead (e.g., for Int, just get 13, 18, 23, etc. due to skill roll rounding, etc.)
14. Minimize obvious min-maxing, feat taxes, etc. (e.g., in Mutants and Masterminds, have to max your 4 factors of attack, defense, damage, and toughness, vs Savage Worlds, where one might want to increase damage or toughness and no "right" or "mix-max" choices).
15. Easy to get characters built and/or players up to speed to play (e.g., like Star Wars D6 or Savage Worlds).

Modos 2 matches up (or conflicts) as follows:
1. Just one table, not crunchy at all.
2. You can plug-in 3d6, since it's a happy medium between the extant Contest (d20) and Take Half (just 10) rules.
3. The math is laid bare: roll higher than your opponent, get the favorable result.
4. Point-buy, check.
5. Damage operates on a type-of-die system, so you could easily drop-in a save difficulty to replace each damage die.
6. Check.
7. Up to GM.
8. Check.
9. Check.
10. The game is designed to be house-ruled.
11. Check.
12. There are zero B/C/Ls.
13. Only three attributes. Good luck tanking one.
14. The design makes it pretty obvious that if you maximize, say, combat, you'll be woefully vulnerable in other aspects.
15. The fast-play rules fit on one page.

Any other requirements? I think it got 12/15. Maybe 13.

Seeking multigenre rpg system

The Crimson Binome

Hero

sleypy

Explorer

Umbran

Mod Squad

GMMichael

Guide of Modos

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