So I need a Gothic Horror TTRPG...

[MichaelSomething]

So I recently pitched some game concepts to my player group and the one they like the most was the one based on Mina the Hollower, which is more or less a gothic horror game. That is not my wheelhouse; does anyone here have any idea what system would best be suited for it? No Pathfinder or D&D if possible. I'm sick of the former and am trying to mix it up by not using the latter. Oh yeah, here's a video to help give you the vibe.

 

[Voadam]

Gothic Horror is pretty flexible for systems. In general focus on descriptions and investigations and you are half way there. Gothic horror trappings and narratively developed villains with more a focus on horrific people as opposed to completely inhuman bad guys.

It can work with highly lethal systems or highly cinematic ones. Most of the cool aspects of the genre are system and mechanics independent.

From the trailer however it looks like you will be going for a high combat video game type theme with classic gothic horror monsters in an anthropomorphic animal race world so the tone of the combat system of the rules set will matter a bunch. Heroic combat capable PCs sounds like the focus you want from a system.

So Savage Worlds? A different rules set designed for super heroes?

 

[Celebrim]

I like Chill 2e for Gothic Horror.

 

[johndesmarais]

Leagues of Gothic Horror (an expansion for Leagues of Adventure) does a great job capturing the gothic horror trappings. Uses the Ubiquity system (from Hollow Earth Expedition).

 

[gamerprinter]

Well I published the Kaidan setting of Japanese Horror (PFRPG), which is definitely not Gothic Horror and it's PF1, probably in every way falls out of qualification. I find it works best to stick with the Core, and those supplements with Asian classes (samurai, etc.) and the Kaidan books and nothing else.

AD&D 2e Gothic Earth was more of a gritty, low magic setting steeped in Gothic Horror, a version of Ravenloft, might be worth looking at for purely Gothic horror.

 

[Blue Orange]

I wonder about Anime 5e. This seems to have Gothic horror aesthetics without really being that scary (maybe it's the cutesy pictures?), and D&D is good for high-powered characters who do a lot of fighting. An anime-based game seems like it would meet their expectations.

 

[DanielPEspinosa]

So I recently pitched some game concepts to my player group and the one they like the most was the one based on Mina the Hollower, which is more or less a gothic horror game. That is not my wheelhouse; does anyone here have any idea what system would best be suited for it? No Pathfinder or D&D if possible. I'm sick of the former and am trying to mix it up by not using the latter. Oh yeah, here's a video to help give you the vibe.

Hey!
Just in case this suits you, on February 21th it launches Raven, my Gothic Horror game, based on the works by E.A. Poe, in a XIX century dark fantasy world.
You can check out here the precampaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shadowlandsgames/raven
or here some info about the game: Raven Rpg

 

[Bill Zebub]

Is there a PbtA game for Gothic Horror?

 

[overgeeked]

It depends on the vibe you’re going for and how you want it to play at the table.

If you want to replicate the video game feel, try Fabula Ultima. It’s designed for JRPGs but is close enough for this from the looks of the video.

If you want a more traditional RPG, try Call of Cthulhu. You can easily tone down the assumed horror of the game to match the gothic horror vibe.

If you want a more…visceral…horror experience, nothing beats Dread. It can do all kinds of horror, so could handle gothic quite easily.

 

[Fenris-77]

Is there a PbtA game for Gothic Horror?

Yes, and it's brilliant. The game is called The Between, by Gauntlet Publishing. The core idea is essentially Penny Dreadful the RPG but it manages to be so much cooler than that.