Sci-fi fantasy RPG suggestions? Shadowrun?

[toucanbuzz]

My few of my players have asked for a detour from D&D fantasy and into sci-fi (guns and tech). One of my players will only play sci-fi if it involves fantasy (magic). Immediately Shadowrun came to mind, but seeing if anyone had any other suggestions.

Only other requirement is that it be (somewhat) user-friendly and have pre-fab adventures. I don't have enough time to create my own, especially with a brand-new system (e.g. d6-based).

If your suggestion is Shadowrun, if you could recommend some adventure(s) that rock, that'd be great. I have no idea about the editions or adventures, but we're willing to invest.

 

[Tony Vargas]

My few of my players have asked for a detour from D&D fantasy and into sci-fi (guns and tech). One of my players will only play sci-fi if it involves fantasy (magic).

Not every player needs to be in every game. That said, you could just dust off something like Expedition to the Barrier Peaks and segue into Gamma World.

Immediately Shadowrun came to mind, but seeing if anyone had any other suggestions.

I played Shadowrun a long while back, I can't say I was overly impressed with the system. Actually the best Shadowrun game I was ever in used Storyteller (oWoD Mage: the Ascension), instead.

Only other requirement is that it be (somewhat) user-friendly and have pre-fab adventures. I don't have enough time to create my own, especially with a brand-new system (e.g. d6-based).

There's a d20 game published in pdf, Amethyst, that sounds like what you're looking for.

 

[Emerikol]

I don't know if any adventures are available so I guess I'm breaking your rule but I think almost any sci-fi adventure including shadowrun flavor could be used with WOIN (N.E.W. specifically with O.L.D. magic) The game seems pretty straightforward but interesting.

 

[Morrus]

Starfinder sounds like a strong choice.

 

[Umbran]

Note that, even after cleaning up the rules for the 5th edition, Shadowrun is still a pretty crunchy game. I like it, but the number of modifiers you may need to apply to a single gunshot can get pretty silly.

I have to go run and errand, but I'll look for some other game suggestions.

 

[Azgulor]

Starfinder sounds like a strong choice.

+1 to StarFinder.

My son wanted to run it (he's a 1st-time GM) and it was my first chance in years to be on the player-side of the GM screen.

I've been blown away with how much I'm enjoying it. The classes are broader than they appear at first glance and can support a wide variety of concepts straight out of the core rulebook. The combat flows smoothly and the setting is great. There are also published adventure path installments and Starfinder Society scenarios available on the published adventure front. We're currently playing the Dead Suns AP.

It's more in line with Star Wars and Guardians of the Galaxy in tone but I don't see why it couldn't handle Shadowrun-style clandestine ops just as well.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Only other requirement is that it be (somewhat) user-friendly and have pre-fab adventures.

That's a significant constraint. User-friendly games rarely do well enough to support published adventures.

 

[Umbran]

SO, just naming some things...

Star Wars - I think probably needs no introduction. There are several flavors of the game out there.
Deadlands - if you want user-friendly, go for the Savage Worlds version. Lots of guns. Lots of magic. The super-science and tech is steam-powered, but it is there. Adventures and adventure hooks exist.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I really like the new Shadowrun Anarchy system. It’s much more rules-light, and while it’s set up to be played with a shared narrative, it can easily be uncoupled from that and played as just a faster, less crunchy version of Shadowrun. The only problem is that it doesn't really have much support, let alone adventures. Though, if one takes the distributed narrative part to heart, that lessens the GM's workload significantly.

Another option that springs to mind is Titansgrave, which uses the Fantasy AGE system (that requires the purchase of both books, though). The Titansgrave book does have a whole adventure path in it.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The 2 biggest names in dedicated sci-fantasy RPGs- IOW, not toolbox systems like HERO, GURPS, Savage Worlds, Mutants & Mastermimds, etc.- are Shadowrun and RIFTS. Both have ample support & sourcebooks, but only one has mechanics that won’t leave someone banging their head on a table at some point,

Next level down would be a mixed bag of modern fantasy, steampunk and other games that could be run as sci-fant: the World of Darkness games, Scion, Numenara/The Strange/Cypher System, Dream Park, Etherscope, Spelljammer, Dragonmech, Iron Kingdoms, Dark Matter (D20), Dragonstar, Deadlands: Hell on Earth & Deadlands: Lost Colony, anime themed games, etc., all of which have issues. Some are long out of print, which would make getting them difficult, and possibly expensive. Some have little adventure support. Some will have very strong baked-in themes you may not want. Others would stretch the definition of sci-fantasy.

The thing about the aforementioned toolbox systems is that they tend to have decent adventure support which might only need a little reskinning to be genre appropriate. And they also tend to be flexible enough to accommodate a wide variety of PC concepts.