Savage Worlds: Question for Ari

[Henry]

I have a similar experience except people at cons run neat sounding games using Savage Worlds. The games are fun because of the concepts but there is always rules issue and the game doesn't play as fast or well as it seems people talk about on message boards.

To that, I would say Play in One of Rel's Games ASAP. I know it's a worn-out statement, but Rel runs a damned fine Savage Worlds game that is, indeed, Fast, Furious, and Fun. He does take a couple of liberties with healing rules in a con game (I think he just heals people back after each scene, which helps) but that system shines when you appreciate its nature to simplify the rules but still leave some crunch to play with.

Of course, if you're not going to Gencon this year, that statement won't help you much.

 

[Crothian]

To that, I would say Play in One of Rel's Games ASAP.

I never get in them, I've tried.

 

[Henry]

I never get in them, I've tried.

In that case, skip Gencon next year and go to Gencon Jr. (aka North Carolina ENWorld Gameday) instead - just as much fun, and more likely to get into a RelGame.

 

[Crothian]

In that case, skip Gencon next year and go to Gencon Jr. (aka North Carolina ENWorld Gameday) instead - just as much fun, and more likely to get into a RelGame.

I went to that once and didn't get into it there either!

 

[Henry]

I went to that once and didn't get into it there either!

Dude, you just got the short end of the stick all around!

Hope I see you again down this way, anyway.

As for Savage Worlds, having played in it a bit, but not GM'ed it, I can say that one shouldn't underestimate the effects of bennies on aleviating the death spiral and wounds. Unless the GM just has it out for you and smacks you specifically and repeatedly, a good bit of stuns and wounds can be aleviated with bennies as well. The trick is to avoid the wounding as long as you can, and this can be done quite a bit between "Benny" use and cover. I will say don't overlook the effect of Acing those toughness checks, and the fact that you're rolling two dice at all times and taking the better, whereas the enemy is not.

 

[TheClone]

5) You don't get enough points in Character Creation... at least, it always feels that way to me.

That the case with every point buy character creation, isn't it? But SW also starts on a fairly low power level, absolutely not comparable with D&D (especially with 4e). And you don't learn that fast while advancing. You have to change your look upon the characters from "stronger than mostly anyone else" to "starts on equal footing with everybody".

On the negative side of SW I also have one point that is "Too less options". During play you don't have the choice to make much difference by your own player decision. Just shot at the enemy or hit him over the head with your pointy weapon and that's the best thing you can do. I'm trying to reduce that by introducing more tactical options, but it surely will reduce the quickness of play. But without them I start to get bored.

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

I have a similar experience except people at cons run neat sounding games using Savage Worlds. The games are fun because of the concepts but there is always rules issue and the game doesn't play as fast or well as it seems people talk about on message boards.

Hopefully my Mass Effect game at GenCon won't suffer this!

I like Savage Worlds because it's easy to learn, quick to play and can cover a lot of different genres. I dislike it because it's a bit generic and I like my game systems to reflect the world more closely.

 

[TheNovaLord]

.

On the negative side of SW I also have one point that is "Too less options". During play you don't have the choice to make much difference by your own player decision. Just shot at the enemy or hit him over the head with your pointy weapon and that's the best thing you can do. I'm trying to reduce that by introducing more tactical options, but it surely will reduce the quickness of play. But without them I start to get bored.

that is quite wrong. there are loads of option for combat in SW. You can narrate what you like and make it a smarts / agility trick, or whatever you can come up with. Its all about leaping from chandeliers, throwing whiskey in your opponents eyes, slamming barrel over them etc.
If you just sit there swinging you aint playing it in the correct spirit IMO
Edges let you do several other options and stuff like Hellforst has a lot more combat edges

Persoanlly if i was introducing somone to SW i wouldnt run fantasy...it so much better set up for other genres
Deadlands
Daring Tales
Pirates
for a few purchasabale settings

I also use it for my
Chapter House Chronicles (a bit like Dune)
Equilibrium (as in the movie)

The wounds system works ok, and i dont see this death spiral. People often croak it in one go

in a non-magic setting healing can be difficult, esp. if your ships surgeon etc gets hit

 

[TheClone]

that is quite wrong. there are loads of option for combat in SW. You can narrate what you like and make it a smarts / agility trick, or whatever you can come up with. Its all about leaping from chandeliers, throwing whiskey in your opponents eyes, slamming barrel over them etc.
If you just sit there swinging you aint playing it in the correct spirit IMO
Edges let you do several other options and stuff like Hellforst has a lot more combat edges

Spilling whiskey in peoples' faces is quite okay if your are in tavern but in my campaign the group is mostly outside and it's a modern setting so they use guns most of the time. So there is no whiskey available (or for that matter much else to do those things). If you narrate it you are in fact doing the same every time and that is what is boring to me (other people might think different). I want to have different options that matter. And doing tricks only helps if your tricking ability is significant better than your shooting or melee ability. If not it's more effective to just shoot the guy. If he has too much cover, tricking helps, but not much, because SW often depends on lucky roles. A +2 for cover on a d6 or d8 (what is at least in the first tiers of play common) is quite hefty. So you just wait for a good role or an explosion and then he's dead (at least for non-wildcards, which most of the enemies are). Again, there will be lots of people that like it also in the long run. But I myself am a little bored of it. But because SW is so simple you can add house rules very easily.

 

[ValhallaGH]

... in my campaign the group is mostly outside and it's a modern setting so they use guns most of the time. So there is no whiskey available (or for that matter much else to do those things).

... Then you're playing in one weird setting. When I go out on a street and actually look around I see trash, cars, signs, plants, clothes, bystanders, windows, streetlights, and dozens of other things to interact with.
GM: "This guy takes cover behind the Escalade."
Player: "I shoot out the street light, raining broken glass and sparks on him."
GM: "Cool. Roll an Agility trick at no penalty, or a Shooting trick at -2. .... You've got it.
"Okay, the guy curses as the glass rains upon him and a big fat spark jumps from the lamp to the top of the SUV. He stumbles out into the open."
Player: "Awesome. Shoot him, Doug, before he gets to dive back into cover. I'll do the same thing to the other guys on my next turn."
GM: "You can try, but they've seen it now. You'll take a cumulative -1 to that trick for the rest of this fight."

Interesting, simple to run, and zero house rules required. Just a touch of imagination and a willingness to work as a team, instead of each player trying to win the entire fight on their turn.