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What's your favorite free RPG?

SLOTHmaster

First Post
I'm looking for a game to start a group completely new to roleplaying on. Although I could use a commercial game and let them borrow my books, I would rather find something they can all download without needing to buy anything (we're students so money isn't exactly plentiful). I already know of FATE/Fudge but I've never run them; is either a good introduction? Is there anything else you would suggest?
 

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I'd imagine OP is talking a non SRD game as those actually aren't free. The SRD is supposed to be a reference document only... I know I know...
 

I'd imagine OP is talking a non SRD game as those actually aren't free. The SRD is supposed to be a reference document only... I know I know...

Preferably yes. I want something that will give the new players a good first impression, and part of that would be something that reads well as well as plays well. I was thinking perhaps an OSR game.
 

Atomic Highway (Radioactive Ape Designs)
Barbarians of Lemuria: (Free Edition)
an early version of the game that was released for free
Danger Patrol (One Seven Design)
Fate Core Evil Hat
Fudge: 1995 Edition
Lady Blackbird (One Seven Design)
Pandemonio (Rafael Chandler) This is an amalgam of two free splatterpunk games Dread: The First Book of Pandemonium and Spite: The Second book of Pandemonium. The current version is Pay What You Want
PDQ Core (Atomic Sock Monkey)
Star Frontiers The old TSR game.
Warrior, Rogue & Mage (Stargazer Games)

Other games worth checking out
d6 Adventure, d6 Fantasy, d6 Space. All three games were released by West End Games (the maker of the original Star Wars RPG) before the owner closed.
Tri-Stat dx Originally, by Guardians of Order and, now, owned by White Wolf
 
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3e via the SRD as well as pathfinder a good choices, with the added bonus of being something that you can find many other people playing.

There are a host of OSR games that are both good and free. Dark Dungeons comes up a lot.

My recent favorite is Searchers of the Unknown. A one page game that does a good job emulating old school DnD. There are lots of variations of it too.

http://0-media-cdn.foolz.us/ffuuka/board/tg/image/1359/48/1359480208743.pdf

I'll plug my game. (A variant of SotU) I am running it with some new players and they are having an easy time picking it up and are enjoying themselves. Its free and at only 5 pages long its super simple yet captures the dnd feeling.

http://www.mediafire.com/view/632c3s4eqw44g0b/RoA (1).pdf
 

Obviously, I'm biased. But Modos RPG is my favorite. My signature contains a URL to the under-construction document/rulebook in these forums.

It's a generic, rules-light system. That's intentional: you're supposed to add your own flavor, rules, adventures, or settings, or use someone else's.

The rules are complete, and feature:

- Roleplaying flexibility. Does your character's high Physical score mean he's quick, tough, or mighty? Up to you!
- Class flexibility. Anyone can cast a spell, swing a sword, pick locks, or wear heavy armor. It all depends on how you build your character.
- Power flexibility. Whether you wave your hands around in a robe to cast a spell, or just look at someone the wrong way and make him fall asleep while drinking a latte, is also up to you.
- GM flexibility (also rules-lightness). There's only one table for combat modifiers, situational bonuses, and (most) skill adjudication: difficulty. The difficulty table asks: how hard would a task be for the average person? Pick a modifier in the right ballpark, and roll with it.

The rulebook is NOT complete, because I (we) need to add:

- Spells (powers) beyond 3rd level.
- More monsters.
- The sample rules module.
- The rules catalog (short-hand rules, which make it really simple to add, alter, and remove rules).
- A couple other appendices.

If you don't mind an early-version (v 1.1), free RPG, take it and run!
 


I would go with Fate Accelerated myself.

Also, does the OP have any particular genre they think would go down better? Zenobia (Roman empire historical), Tales from the Wood (woodland animals), Barbarians of Lemuria (Sword and Sorcery), Witchcraft (modern supernatural), are some that I've enjoyed at various times, and that look reasonably profesisonal too. Try searching DriveThruRPG/RPGNow for core rulebooks and free, and pick something that you think might be interesting to run.
 

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