What are your five post-apocalyptic RPG books?

[hawkeyefan]

Spire: The City Must Fall
Blades in the Dark
Apocalypse World
Marvel Super Heroes RPG (the TSR one)
Some kind of D&Dish game- not sure exactly which one, though.

I feel it’s a nice spread of games, covering a good amount of genres. Sci-fi is the obvious one that’s missing, but I feel like I chose some very hackable games that could help fill that gap if I wanted.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

Hero 5th Edition Core Book
Cypher System Core Book
Genesys Core Book
Modern Age Core Book
For D&D... I think Rules Cyclopedia.

I want a core book that I can use in multiple things, and those are my favorite generic/sorta Generic games. I wanted to have a D&D in there, but Rules Cyclopeia is the only one I can think of with the game in 1 book.

 

[jdrakeh]

Swords & Wizardry Complete (3rd Edition)
Black Pudding: Heavy Helping Volume I
Burning Wheel Gold Revised
Burning Wheel Codex
Fate Accelerated Edition

 

[Crusadius]

Exalted 3E
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4E
Spire The City Must Fall
Conan Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of
City of Mist (the original single book release)

 

[FriendlyFiend]

Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Ironsworn
Liminal
Mothership
The Yellow King

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Hmmmm. No sourcebooks, no expansions, etc. really limits what works for this, and changes it from favourites to RPGs you like that work without a bunch of extra material. Like you couldn't do PF2E even because despite the massive main book, there are no monsters. So accounting for that and in no specific order:

• D&D Rules Cyclopedia or Worlds Without Number
• Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary
• Marvel Super Heroes Advanced Set
• Spire: The City Must Fall

I'm really conflicted about the fifth book, as I'm not sure if I'd want something that provided a good framework for designing RPGs, or just some fun space opera. As there are no actually-fun space opera RPGs, literally none have ever been published in the entire history of mankind (space horror, sure, we've nailed that), thanks to a cavalcade of terrible systems being forced on reasonable settings or bizarrely specific/narrow-minded takes on space opera, I guess we have go with system-design? I'd probably go with:

• Cortex Prime

I'm not a Pathfinder player, but I'd consider the PF2 corebook as one of my five, as a complete D&D system that wouldn't require anything else.

It does require other books though! No bestiary! It's the DMG and PHB combined without the MM/MC. I don't think it even fully explains how to build a monster, just traps/hazards.

 

[Mercurius]

Hmmmm. No sourcebooks, no expansions, etc. really limits what works for this, and changes it from favourites to RPGs you like that work without a bunch of extra material. Like you couldn't do PF2E even because despite the massive main book, there are no monsters. So accounting for that and in no specific order:

• D&D Rules Cyclopedia or Worlds Without Number
• Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary
• Marvel Super Heroes Advanced Set
• Spire: The City Must Fall

I'm really conflicted about the fifth book, as I'm not sure if I'd want something that provided a good framework for designing RPGs, or just some fun space opera. As there are no actually-fun space opera RPGs, literally none have ever been published in the entire history of mankind (space horror, sure, we've nailed that), thanks to a cavalcade of terrible systems being forced on reasonable settings or bizarrely specific/narrow-minded takes on space opera, I guess we have go with system-design? I'd probably go with:

• Cortex Prime

It does require other books though! No bestiary! It's the DMG and PHB combined without the MM/MC. I don't think it even fully explains how to build a monster, just traps/hazards.

You can pick sourcebooks and expansions - they just take up their own slots. Thus, one could take different tactics to this: Either go all in on a single game system (e.g. PHB, DMG, MM, and your two favorite D&D supplements) or a range of different games.

As for PF, fair enough - I thought there was a small bestiary.

Anyhow, I'll have to check out this Spire game several folks have mentioned.

 

[eyeheartawk]

Wraeththu
Cyborg Commando
Synnibarr
SenZar
HYBRID

 

[hawkeyefan]

Anyhow, I'll have to check out this Spire game several folks have mentioned.

It's a great game! There's a quickstart that's pay what you want. Here's a link:

Spire Quickstart

Quickstarts aren't always the best, I know, but this one seems like a decent start. There are also three Campaign Frames (adventure module type products) that are also available as pay what you want. Each comes with several pregenerated PCs. Plenty of material you can get for PWYW before committing to buying the game.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Anyhow, I'll have to check out this Spire game several folks have mentioned.

It's amazing, honestly. I was pleased to see others mentioning it.

I thought it sounded rather risible/eye-roll-y from the description, but then one of the players in my main group (!!!) decided to run a one-shot of it, and it was one of the most fun times we ever had in RPG. We've only had a chance to play it a little since then but damn.