System that is gritty AND heroic?

[harpy]

Is there a system out there that provides a gritty combat system but which isn't particularly deadly to the PCs, allowing for a heroic campaign to be played out?

I know for some the response would be: "No, does not compute" but I don't care... I still am in search of it!

I'd want visceral combat results, giving plenty of detail, GMs and players shouldn't be using their imagination in seeing the results of combat. However, the system still favors the PCs, the narrative demands of the story demand that the get through the campaign as heroes, so the system should also have some kind of ablative "fate" resource that keeps them from getting killed. It's fine, and even desired, that by the end of the campaign the PCs are covered in system mechanically derived scars, lost digits, even limbs, but they don't get knocked out of the overarching story with death unless the PC decides to push their character too far.

My memories of Rolemaster and MERP allowed this to get pulled off, but is there something else?

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Hmm, I am not too sure how to respond, as I am not sure what you are after...


I can run pretty much any game with a gritty feel, and keep the heroic aspect to the characters. In 4e the mechanical aspects of scars, lost limbs, etc.. don't exist.. but that doesn't mean you can describe it that way. As long as the players are into that game it can work.

Same for 3x, 2e, 1e, SR, CP2020, etc..

Rolemaster did have a very detailed mechanical system to fall back on, but that dragged out the length of simple combats. {not saying it wasn't fun.. just saying}

So.. are you looking for a system with concrete wounds, limb loss, and other physical/psychologic damage systems? or...?

 

[MortonStromgal]

I have not played it but it sounds like you want Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 3rd edition.
You might also check out HARP (A simpler Rolemaster) and Desolation (probably not descriptive enough for you)

 

[harpy]

So.. are you looking for a system with concrete wounds, limb loss, and other physical/psychologic damage systems? or...?

Yeah, mechanical generation of effects, and mechanical impact of those effects, rather than reskinning, like "You've been gimped, -5 permanently to movement" etc. And yet, through some kind of leveling or other point based improvements you still in the end come out ahead.

 

[LostSoul]

Palladium Fantasy (2nd edition), with the optional damage rules on page 20.

 

[Aberzanzorax]

My Midnight 2nd edition was that...

The players were always "screwed" by the system, but they had lots of "bonus options".


My advice is: tear it down and build it up. I.E. make it hard, but the provide lots of dailys/power points/one time uses, etc.

The players have real "power" in their hands, but if they overdo use of it, they run out...and don't know when they'll get it back.

 

[TheNovaLord]

savage worlds : hellfrost

Triple Ace - Hellfrost

 

[Nifft]

Exalted (2e), using mortals, is a very grim setting with limb loss, disease, and insanity at the hands of horrors from beyond the edge of the world -- but also messy death just around the corner if you fight with pointy objects. It might be more deadly than you want.

However, it rewards heroic actions with a built-in "stunt" system, and you can stunt defense, so it has some measure of PC protection... just not very much.

If you give the PCs a few Talismans like "Walkaway"s, it becomes somewhat less deadly. They're in the Thaumaturgy section of the rules (which nobody ever reads because it's boring compared to all the cool stuff Solars can whip out). They're nice in a mortals game.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Remathilis]

Star Wars Saga Edition.

Your PC has LOTs of chances to do heroic stuff, but thanks to the threshold system, getting hit can severely penalize further actions. Furthermore, it makes sliding down the conditions track easier (since it penalizes your fort defense, which is the basis for your threshold), but luckily, a few seconds of rest (1 round) can move you back UP the threshold track).

Its not perfect, but it does blend getting hit with a laser bolt (and thus being wounded) with the epic heroics of a lightsaber duel.

 

[Krensky]

Fantasy Craft.

Use Hewn Limbs (makes lasting injuries more likely). Consider either Deadly Combat (increases threat ranges), Doomed Heros (automatic crits against the heros unless countered with an action die), or both. Fragile Heros (half vitality) may be a bit much. Then make liberal use of the Cheating Death rules (tell a good story how you avoided actually dying, get enough votes from the table and you survive, albeit with some side effects).