D&D General A different style of medieval fantasy game?

[DND_Reborn]

So, we are starting a Shadowrun (2E) game and I was wondering if anyone knows of a D&D/medieval game which is not level-based, but allows more customization to build your character?

For example, in Shadowrun (2E anyway) your choice of skills really defines what you can do in many way, and you spend good karma points to improve your ability scores (attributes), skills, etc.

I am looking for a medieval fantasy game more in this spirit. Thanks for any info!

 

[GlassJaw]

Are you look for a variant that uses the D&D ruleset? There are definitely other non-level-based systems that do fantasy well. Savage Worlds immediately comes to mind. SW is great for sword & sorcery especially.

 

[Sir Brennen]

For the ultimate non-level/non-class based game, take a look at SJG Dungeon Fantasy (powered by GURPS).

They also produce The Fantasy Trip, an old school game recently reprinted/updated. 3 attributes, skills and Talents that you improve/buy with XP.

Savage Worlds is skill and Edge-based (Edges being like D&D Feats, but more integral to the system). It has "tiers" which are vaguely level shaped, but nothing like D&D levels. They're simply gateways to determine when you can choose more powerful Edges.

Really, there's tons of non-level based systems out there. You might want to add more specifics of what you're looking for.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Really, there's tons of non-level based systems out there. You might want to add more specifics of what you're looking for.

More low-fantasy than high-fantasy, grittier, a bit complex but not totally rules-heavy.

Getting away from hit points of any kind, but more a system with soaking damage. Spells would revolve resisting the effects of channeling the magic instead of just "you can cast X number of spells per day" or something.

More heroic than superheroic.

EDIT: I also like the versatility of Vampire with making dice pool rolls a combination of attribute + skill/knowledge/talent because it encourages all sorts of combinations.

Does that help?

I'll look into SW and SJG DF (I played GURPS back in the 80's, but it might fit).

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

I think that "The Dark Eye" is exactly what you're looking for.

 

[Mannahnin]

GURPS was what immediately leapt to mind, and Dungeon Fantasy appears to be an effort to adapt it to do more D&D-style fantasy, so would seem to be right up your alley.

Savage Worlds looks like it could also work. I played some Savage Rifts (an adaptation of Savage Worlds to the Rifts setting from Palladium) a couple of years ago and it seemed to work pretty well, so looks like there's good flexibility there.

RuneQuest seems like it would also fit the bill; or Mythras, as The Design Mechanism rebranded RQ6 when Chaosium took back the license for the RuneQuest name. I recently bought the Lyonesse RPG, which is an adaptation of the Mythras system specifically to Jack Vance's setting/trilogy of the same name, and it looks really good. My players are more class & level fans, so I don't know when I'll get the chance to run it, but the system seems solid.

 

[TheSword]

WFRP 4e is a d100 style system that allows ExP to be spent on individual 1% increments called Advances on a scaling basis.

There are ability scores that represent your raw ability with Weapon Skill, Strength, Agility, Fellowship etc. That can be advanced.

Keying off these are Skills which are added to the Ability Scores in specific circumstances.

For instance if your Agility is 40 and you have 10 advances in the Dodge skill you would test at 50 to avoid a weapon swing. If you were trying to react to catch the reins of a horse that was bolting you may test at the base score of 40.

% systems can be quite whiffly and earlier editions of WFRP certainly were. This is resolved in 4e with the concept of Success Levels where the amount you succeed or fail a test impacts the outcome. Average Tests are also taken at +20%. There are also extended tests where a certain amount of success over several turns is required to achieve something’s.

the biggest criticism I’ve seen of WFRP 4e is the magic system. But depending on how important that is, it may matter or not.

The Medieval careers system is absolutely brilliant, giving some structure to which abilities and skills a character can develop depending on whether they are a witch hunter or a rat catcher.

Check it out, if you haven’t seen it already. Cubicle 7 have the IP now and have released quite a few books.

 

[GlassJaw]

More low-fantasy than high-fantasy, grittier, a bit complex but not totally rules-heavy.

Getting away from hit points of any kind, but more a system with soaking damage. Spells would revolve resisting the effects of channeling the magic instead of just "you can cast X number of spells per day" or something.

More heroic than superheroic.

This is exactly SW. I highly recommend Beasts & Barbarians, Lankhmar, and Solomon Kane.

 

[zarionofarabel]

Mythras!

 

[Ringtail]

I would say Shadow of the Demon Lord, but that IS level based. Still, it's worth a look. You pick Three different Paths (Novice, Expert, Master) of the course of 10 levels that give various class features. It's sort of a built in multiclassing that allows for a lot of variation. SotDL seems like a good system for "builds."

If you don't go Level-based though, the answer is usually Skill Based. I really like Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, 2nd or 4th Edition. In that you pick an Occupation/Career which determines what skills you are trained in, as you gain XP, you upgrade those specific skills. Once you have upgraded all of the skills in a career, you are allowed to pick a new career and gain new skills. I think you can do this up to four times, at least in 4e. So your character might be a Human Soldier -> Road Warden -> Witch Hunter, or something like that. Warhammer as a setting is both very dark, gritty and dangerous and also comical and funny in a sort of british black humor.

There is also an alternative called Zweihander, which is built off WFRP 2e with it's own new features. It lacks the Warhammer setting, but is still very similar in built in themes, clearly drawing inspiration from Warhammer as well as other dark fantasies like The Witcher. Might be a better choice if you have your own setting.

Warhammer and Zweihander strike me as better for organically growing a character through RP rather than builds but I think you could do it anyway. All three games are very similar thematically in their settings. Darkness, corruption, blood and chaos. It's good stuff.