Looking for a Fantasy RPG for a small group

[Ath-kethin]

I've been running a game for just me and my 7yo for over a year and a half now, and back 25 or so years ago my friend and I played, just the two of us, almost every night. In addition, I ran a small-group game with 3 PCs plus me a DM for about a year some time ago.

The systems for these ranged from Rules Cyclopedia/BECMI D&D to Basic Fantasy RPG to AD&D 2nd Edition to Swords & Wizardry to 5e.

They all work fine.

The important thing is to accommodate your players and their characters. That doesn't necessarily mean to take it easy on them, but to make it work. Group doesn't have a thief? Give them a way to work around a locked door. Group.lacks a cleric? Don't force them to need one.

I find small-group play to be incredibly rewarding and I love the more personal feel to the stories that develop with it. But the biggest challenge by far is just understanding how the players and characters interact, how the game works, and being able to think on the fly.

I say pick your favorite system and just dive in. You'll be fine.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I have been trying to figure out a good fantasy system to run with one DM (me) and another average two players.

I have been really wanting to run an OSR style game, but am not really sure how well it would go. A lot of those systems assume you have at least four or five players, or have a bunch of retainers. I currently have 5e, 2nd Edition stuff, Basic Fantasy RPG, Old School Eesentials.

Anyone have any other suggestions?

Beyond the Wall is OSRish (that is, it uses a stripped down D20 system to create something similar, but not identical, to old school D&D) that's designed around the idea of the heroes being from a small community. It uses playbooks, rather than classes, to create characters, and during character creation, all the characters create bonds with each other and help create their hometown. The rest of the game is similarly created through play.

Good if you like stuff like Prydain or Earthsea.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC) embrace the funnel!

DCC is great, but it's got a very definite vibe. If you like your fantasy roleplaying games to have the tone of a flocked black light poster while your DM blares Molly Hatchet while setting up, this is your game.

 

[pemerton]

Not very OSR-ish (though capable of being very gritty), but Burning Wheel is great for a small group.

 

[Scott Christian]

Pathfinder 2nd Edition's characters are pretty stable for one or two players.

 

[GMMichael]

I have been trying to figure out a good fantasy system to run with one DM (me) and another average two players.

I have been really wanting to run an OSR style game, but am not really sure how well it would go. A lot of those systems assume you have at least four or five players, or have a bunch of retainers...

What elements of OSR are you wanting to include, if having 4-5 PCs and/or a bunch of retainers aren't in that list?

 

[moriantumr]

Unless you're totally opposed to systems based on Apocalypse World, I'd 100% recommend Ironsworn for what you've described.

It's completely free on DriveThruRPG, or at the creator's website (ironswornrpg.com).

I just started a group with it last month (playing our 3rd session tonight), and it's been tremendous fun so far.

It's very much a narrative-driven system, rather than a tactical one, but my group who's very used to tactical play took to it like a duck to water.

I second Ironsworn.

 

[TheCultMachine]

What elements of OSR are you wanting to include, if having 4-5 PCs and/or a bunch of retainers aren't in that list?

I like the idea of it being a little more deadly, the smaller list of abilities to keep track of (no x per encounter, recharge on a long/short rest), no feats.

 

[aramis erak]

Tunnels and Trolls is a good, fairly simple, elegant engine. If you want the more OSR flavor, the PDF of 5th ed is your best bet, as it's level drives attribute gain.
Deluxe (essentially 7.6) has level as a derived value from highest attributes.

5th edL Since it's almost entirely attribute driven, and has 4 classes: Warrior, Wizard, Rogue (more correctly, Rogue Wizard), and Warrior-Wizard (all rolls must be high...)... Every level, add to an att or two, how much is level number x addtribute mod.

Deluxe has Citizen, Wizard, Rogue Wizard, Warrior, Paragon (=warrior-wizard), and several kinds of specialists. Level is a function of best attributel XP spent to raise attributes directly. Also has a vague and open ended, but very playable, "talent" system

Combat Mechanics are almost identical.

 

[GMMichael]

I like the idea of it being a little more deadly, the smaller list of abilities to keep track of (no x per encounter, recharge on a long/short rest), no feats.

Hmm. Try Microlite 20. No feats, small abilities list.

Microlite20 Nexus - Home

Microlite20 is a minimalist tabletop role-playing game designed to be usable with the majority of the 3.x OGL/d20 supplements, rules and adventures with little or no advance preparation. The basic rules for character generation, combat, magic and level advancement take up a single sheet of...

microlite20.org

More deadly and not needing retainers is on the DM, not the game.