RPGs like Penny Dreadful (TV show)

thomkt · Jan 13, 2019

Are there any RPGs that capture the feeling of Penny Dreadful?

I've readup on Kerberos Club and Rippers, but both of those seem too overt in their power displays. I'm wanting something that's more subtle with what the characters can do.

Kind of tough to explain what I'm wanting and maybe I'm being too picky

Thanks!

MGibster · Jan 13, 2019

More subtle than a pack of naked witches attacking you?

I'm having trouble coming up with an RPG that is kind of like Penny Dreadful. It's got to be an RPG where a rootin' tootin' American werewolf gunfighter, Dr. Frankenstein, a British aristocrat, an African servant, and a witch can all hang out and do a bunch of stuff together against supernatural agents that most people don't know exists. This is not an easy challenge.

I'd probably go with Savage Worlds given the pulpy nature of the television series. You'd have to limit the types of spells available to any magical type of creature or player character. Someone shooting bolts of fire out of their hands just isn't going to work for Penny Dreadful. This isn't a perfect match but it might work.

thomkt · Jan 13, 2019

Well, when you put it like that

Maybe if I phrased it more like, an RPG that's in the same spirit as season 1 of Penny Dreadful?

Any generic RPG system can do it, I'm trying to save time on the customization side of things.

Thanks!

Kurviak · Jan 13, 2019

A Chronicles of darkness human and minor template based customized game could do the trick

Dannyalcatraz · Jan 13, 2019

The Deadlands series of RPGs & related products?

WoD, shifted in time?

Etherscope?

Space: 1889 with some hombrewed rules.

A homebrew using a toolbox RPG like HERO or GURPS?

hawkeyefan · Jan 13, 2019

In 2E D&D there was a Ravenloft boxed set called Masque of the Red Death. It was inspired by Poe, Stoker, Shelley, and other Victorian era writers and their works. It would be a good match if you were willing to use 2E D&D as your system. Although you could likely convert it to 5E pretty easily.

Here are details:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masque_of_the_Red_Death_(Ravenloft)

Here you can get it on drivethrurpg, $10 for the pdf, or $25 for a softcover book:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/127234

I had this back in the day and my group had a good time with it.

Ratskinner · Jan 13, 2019

Maybe just rework Dresden Files Accelerated? Similar kinds of worlds.

EDIT: There's gotta be some kind of Apocalypse world book for this kind of thing. Maybe Urban Shadows?

Ovinomancer · Jan 13, 2019

Might want to look at Bureau 13, from Tri Tac. There's many older versions and d20 version on Drivethru, and there's a Savage Worlds version slated for 2020. Here's Tri Tac's page: https://www.tritacgames.com/B13_BG.htm

Bureau 13 is a mix between Paranoia, Mythos Horror, and Warehouse 13 (syfy series).

darkbard · Jan 13, 2019

Ratskinner said:
EDIT: There's gotta be some kind of Apocalypse world book for this kind of thing. Maybe Urban Shadows?

I've never seen the TV show, only the print ads and commercial trailers (and those, quite some time ago), but Blades in the Dark might fit the bill. Or, perhaps, one of its many hacks. See its Google+ group before that shuts down or the game's official site, Blades.

hawkeyefan · Jan 13, 2019

I think Blades could be made to work with a bit of hacking. I’m not aware of any existing hacks, but there may be one.

There’s also Chthulu by Gaslight, which seems like it would git the bill.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/100929