System that is gritty AND heroic?

[JRRNeiklot]

I'd argue that a system can't be heroic without being gritty. If you can swim like a fish and breathe underwater, resuing a child from a fish pond is hardly heroic. A good deed, definitely, but hardly heroic. Heroism implies risk to oneself.

That said, try Dragonage.

 

[Aus_Snow]

I'd argue that a system can't be heroic without being gritty. If you can swim like a fish and breathe underwater, resuing a child from a fish pond is hardly heroic. A good deed, definitely, but hardly heroic. Heroism implies risk to oneself.

QFT.

And dammit, I was just about to post (more or less) that.

Re: Dragon Age, haven't seen it (the TTRPG, anyway) but yeah, heard some good things here and there. Maybe it would work.

 

[Treebore]

QFT.

And dammit, I was just about to post (more or less) that.

Re: Dragon Age, haven't seen it (the TTRPG, anyway) but yeah, heard some good things here and there. Maybe it would work.

I've heard a lot of good things about it, a lot of character deaths too!

 

[darjr]

GURPS 4e is dangers and gritty and combat can come with all those lasting scars. There is also a host of cinematic options that players could use to keep their characters going.

 

[Betote]

I'm going to suggest HackMaster 4E here. It gives the PCs the possibility of achieving great things while offering some nasty surprises and details as the critical things and the Honor rules.

Of course, I'd never run HM as-is, but it comes pretty close.

 

[theemrys]

Definitely. I wasn't trying to meet the OP's needs, I was just making people aware that a truly deadly game for real blood and guts adventurers exists.

I'm serious, if you don't like dying and going through many PC's, don't try out HM, you can't handle it.

Making it to 5th level in this game is really something to brag about, because it is a real, and uncommon to rare, accomplishment.

Its a real blood and guts, no holds barred, the monsters WILL eat you kind of game.

Edit: and the game does have Honor, that can save you a few times, but it probably won't be enough, it often isn't.

Well, I'd say it depends on how you run it. I've been running HMB for 6 months off and on. We've had a party get up to 3rd and 4th level and only had one death so far... And quite frankly, I was throwing some nasty stuff at them (but not CRAZY nasty). It is a game though with a wide swing due to the opposed rolls.. In the end, it depends on how you run it, and some luck. It can be deadly and it's not biased for character survival, but playing smart and the Honor rules do go a long way to keeping characters alive.

Still, it may not be what the OP was looking for, but with my group, it fits that bill.

 

[Treebore]

Well, I'd say it depends on how you run it. I've been running HMB for 6 months off and on. We've had a party get up to 3rd and 4th level and only had one death so far... And quite frankly, I was throwing some nasty stuff at them (but not CRAZY nasty). It is a game though with a wide swing due to the opposed rolls.. In the end, it depends on how you run it, and some luck. It can be deadly and it's not biased for character survival, but playing smart and the Honor rules do go a long way to keeping characters alive.

Still, it may not be what the OP was looking for, but with my group, it fits that bill.

The dice have definitely helped. When you get killed by Kobolds, skeletons, and similar, its a bad day. A few deaths, like 5, have been, "Don't think of this like D&D, that boar, bear, or Troll WILL kill someone, if not the whole party!"

But did they listen?

 

[Plane Sailing]

RuneQuest 2 would be my main choice, I think the Mongoose II RQ is better than their v1 although I've not played it.

Gritty and heroic.