Looking for new RPG

[TyrantLobe]

Hey all, I'm looking for some advice and suggestions. I'd liek to find a game that is fairly rules-light, but most importantly, relatively fast-paced and fun to play.

I'm a married father of small children with a full-time job, which means I don't have loads of time for preparation. My players are also married fathers, so they're in the same boat.

We've only really played D&D 4E and Pathfinder. The problem we're finding is both preparation time for the GM and the length and complexity of battles is a bit much.

So, there it is. Any suggestions for games/rulesets? I'm open to hearing about any type of campaign setting, not just traditional fantasy.

Thanks!

P.S. I know I'm asking for the "magic bullet" (easy to prep, fast and east to play), but it's really likely the only way we'll continue to play at this point. Hopefully you all know of something.

 

[griffonwing]

HackMaster (the newest version) has a very quick combat system.

1) All movement is based on seconds, not rounds. SO every seconds, everyone has an action. 90% of the combat rules are optional, and if you wish to use them, you can. Otherwise, you don't have to.

2) There is no AC. No magical number to hit in order to do damage. Combat is opposing die rolls. Offense rolls 1d20 + Attack bonuses, Defender rolls 1d20-4 + Def bonuses. Tie goes to the defender. Even if you roll a total of 4 to attack, you can still do damage if the defender rolls lower.

3) Attack rolls (and most other rolls such as skills and such) penetrate (or explode) on the maximum roll. Your weapon does 2d6p? Every 6 that is rolled, you reroll and subtract 1. So you can roll 6+(6-1)+(4-1) and 6+(5-1) doing a total of 24 points on one attack.

3) Armor doesnt make you harder to hit, it reduces the amount of damage that gets through. Heavy armor and shields actually make you easier to hit, but you take less damage.

4) There are lots of optional combat rules to make combat as crunchy as you like. Things like Jab, Hold at bay, aggressive attack, charging, tactical moves, readying against a charge, fighting defensively, full parry, giving ground, scamper back, fighting withdrawal and fleeing combat. There are also rules ofr attacking multiple opponents, rear attacks, knockbacks, fatigue rules, mounted combat and unarmed combat, not to mention Threshold of Pain checks.

Playtesters have found that even with the full combat rules in place, combat scenarious that normally take 1-2 hours, only take 15-20 minutes, leaving plenty of time to loot the bodies and get on to the next encounter.

 

[TyrantLobe]

Thank you. I'll look into that.

Any thoughts on the Savage Worlds system? The official description makes it sound like something I might be interested in.

 

[griffonwing]

I know nothing about SavageWorld. I got rid of a dozen game systems and pared myself for two only..HackMaster and Pathfinder. And honestly, when I play PF, I keep missing the rules for HM. Although I am certain others will add in their 2 cents as well, and you will definatley get some input for Savage World.

 

[scruffygrognard]

Any thoughts on the Savage Worlds system? The official description makes it sound like something I might be interested in.

My group has just moved away from D&D and have settled on Savage Worlds as our go-to game.
We've only played a few times but, so far, it has gone really smoothly. Combats are fast and fun... and potentially lethal. Character creation is fairly flexible and doesn't take long at all.
We've used the Fantasy Companion to help us emulate D&D a bit but have no interest in houseruling Savage Worlds in order to make it a D&D clone.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Any of the OSR retroclones would be much faster, both in prep and play, while still recognizably being D&D -- in fact, you'll be able to use your bestiaries and adventures pretty easily. I like Castles & Crusades, but Swords & Wizardry and Labyrnth Lord are also popular. There are probably a dozen or more closely related OSR games to choose from.

 

[TyrantLobe]

Any of the OSR retroclones would be much faster, both in prep and play, while still recognizably being D&D -- in fact, you'll be able to use your bestiaries and adventures pretty easily. I like Castles & Crusades, but Swords & Wizardry and Labyrnth Lord are also popular. There are probably a dozen or more closely related OSR games to choose from.

This is likely going to sound dumb, but what's OSR?

 

[Mercutio01]

Fantasy -
Old School Hack is rules light and plays pretty quickly.

Post-Apocalypse -
Apocalypse World is very rules light, and a lot of fun.

Supers -
ICONS is an ENnie award nominee. excellent, simple, and fast game.

Those are my top three recommendations, and the games that I wish I was playing now. I've played them all, and right now they're my favorite games on the market.

 

[amerigoV]

P.S. I know I'm asking for the "magic bullet" (easy to prep, fast and east to play), but it's really likely the only way we'll continue to play at this point. Hopefully you all know of something.

Savage Worlds is your Magic Bullet. It saved my group (bunch of old folk, some with family, and me with 2 little ones).

Main site: Welcome to Pinnacle's Weird Website!

Making of Savage Worlds: http://www.peginc.com/Downloads/SWEX/MakingofSW.pdf

Test Drive Rules: http://www.peginc.com/Downloads/SWEX/TD06.pdf

This is floating around here somewhere, but I do not have Search, so here it is again:

Why SW is awesome

• I’ll put it this way – there is $1000 of lovin’ in a $10 package. (note, a bit of a price increase with the Deluxe version, but when that print run is exhausted, they will make another explorers sized one at a reduced price)
  
• First off, read the development document. It is what convinced me to give SW a serious look
  
• The core book is $10 (if you cans still find the Explorers), AND there is a free Test Drive document. Now, I am not cheap when it comes to the gaming habit. But its nice to say “hey, give this a try, at most your out $10.” And the $10 is a complete toolkit. Everything else is just extra spend because you like to spend money on gaming.
  
• The system plays in a tighter power range. Some will hate this, but for many people the old “Level 3 to Level 10” game is what they played in D&D anyway. This allows the system to play well across genres.
  
• If someone has range weapon, get your butt to Cover! This game grew out of a western setting. So you are not just going to stroll across an open field, shrugging off piddly 1d6 damage arrows.
  
• The combo of Bennies (used to roll or soak damage) and Hindrances are fantastic. Roleplaying your hindrances can get you more Bennies. I love telling a player who is low on Bennies “you better start roleplaying better!”
  
• Although I love combat, you do not have to be a combat monster to be useful in combat. Tricks and Test of Wills are build into the game. You can play an old, forgetful scientist or a plucky young kid and not feel useless when a fight breaks out
  
• Its opened up new genres to me. I am a system mastery guy. In reality, that held me back from running/playing in other genres. Yes, d20 claimed to be able to do it, but each required heavy rewrite to make it work. Players can switched between genres with little learning curve in SW.
  
• Magic rocks. Trappings makes your spellcasters unique, and good players will extend them to skills and attributes. For example, my psionist does not just Notice (Perception) what is going on, he senses it through picking up on surface emotions and thoughts.
  
• Prep time is nothing. Once you are comfortable, you can almost convert on the fly. So adventures from other systems are still useful to you.
  
• Bang for the Buck. When I buy any SW book, I get ideas, and tons of them. I am not buying the latest player options, I am getting Day After Ragnarok, Space 1889, Deadlands, and Weird War II. Even if I got sick of SW and did something else, those books would still have value to me due to the ideas. All my Complete X books from 3rd edition are useless to me (but Eberron and FR still have value).
  
• The system is easy to adjudicate. I still value my 3rd edition GMing experience as that experience combined with SW system makes rulings a breeze.
  
• No tracking HPs! The Wound/Shaken system is very smooth and allows me to spend my time working the table, not being a screen jockey tracking HPs. This is huge, in my opinion. Having more time with your eyes up allows you to read the table, get reactions, and modify your pace as needed.
  
• Acing/Exploding dice are fun. Yes, the game has more “swing” than many are used to, but the Bennies help the players stave off the worst of it most of the time. There is a shared excitement when you see a player continue to roll the dice and know that something really cool is about to happen.
  
• I can tell just about any story with the system. Its sweet spot is Pulp, but settings like Realms of Cthulu show you how with minor adjustments you can change the tone of the game without having a stack of rule changes.
  
• A wide number of playstyles is supported. As an example, I personally like 4e, but it did not fit with a couple of groups I hang with so I do not play it. I have seen players that have been perplexed by 3.x and 4e take to SW very quickly. I have also seen system mastery guys (like me) squeeze a ton out of the game. Roleplayers have both a great hooks (hindrances) and mechanics to support them (Test of Wills, Tricks, plus some additional tools in the new Expanded edition). The occassional dice tosser to the hard core gamer can get a lot out of this system.
  
• Chase scenes and mass combat open all kinds of stories (chase rules work much like skill challenges and can be adapted to cover many of the same types of scenarios).
  
• The core book is a fun read. The writting style is layed back and it made me want to play it. I’m not looking to be mean or bashing anyone, but I got the 4e PHB about the same time as I got SW. One was fun, the other was exciting as sandpaper.
  
• You get to call yourself a Savage. That’s worth the $ right there.
  
• Easy to learn – Just played with a buddy of mine that has played at most 5 times in the last year (and not for 6 months). He is a long lapsed gamer. With little guidance, he had the mechanics down and could focus on what we wanted his character to do (and roleplay)
  
• Scalable, both player numbers and combat scale For players – you can run with only one or two players. Just give the players Extras (like minions in 4e). The beauty is that Extras are so easy to manage that the players WANT to run them vs. them being a burden to the group or the DM. Again, my buddy, a n00b to the game, had no problem running his character and 4 extras
  For combat – you can run from individual PCs, to a squad (PC with a few extras), to decent sized skirmish (where unitsize:fig is still 1:1), to Mass Combat (note that Mass Combat is abstract and NOT a wargame).
  

Now, get your ass over there and get back to gaming!

 

[mach1.9pants]

OSR games play fast and there are lots of free ones. And if you like DnD- ness then you should go there. Many are free too! http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Old_School_Renaissance.

Also to recommend: Barbarians of Lemuria, Advanced Fighting Fantasy 2, Dragon Warriors, Dragon Age, Honour and Intrigue, Fabled Lands,

I also find that Warhammer 3rd edition plays very fast and the dice system is very cool. Has a 4E vibe if you enjoy the powers type thing (every thing is used with cards)