Game Recommendation Thread

[Reynard]

[NOTE: I am starting this thread because I am going to ask for a game recommendation but I figured we mightaswell have a central threads for such questions so others can ask and find answers easily.]

I am looking for a game/system that has mostly gear based advancement. I have an idea for a post apocalyptic quest adventure that sees characters go from fire hardened spears to power armor and chain swords by the end and want the equipment to be the thing. I am looking for an OSR or rules light traditional RPG, not a narrative or story game, and the intent is a linear quest not a play to find out.

Thanks!

 

[Fenris-77]

That's an interesting ask. My first thought would be Trophy Gold, which I know can handle that range since I wrote a sci-fi version. You'd need to build some gear in though. Into the Odd would also probably work quite well.

 

[Reynard]

Can someone tell me about Index Card RPG? it seems to come up a lot with the question about gear-only advancement. Thanks.

 

[Nytmare]

Can someone tell me about Index Card RPG? it seems to come up a lot with the question about gear-only advancement. Thanks.

It's been a while since I played it, but I don't know if I'd categorize it as "gear only" advancement. You've got powers and abilities too.

I also remember it being more of a mix and match of "there are all these different worlds, and your D&D Bard, has the same mechanical footing when paired up with a caveman, and a noir styled Batman detective, and you're able to fight against this Sith Lord proxy in a Tie Fighter."

 

[Reynard]

Just wanted to bump this again to see if anyone has any suggestions for Gear Only Advancement RPGs.

 

[Kannik]

Hmmm. My suggestions would both be of the more narrative-type game, but how they would handle a gear-forward game could be adapted to other systems (though not sure it would play well with class-based systems). The essential idea would be that what you roll or what you add to your roll for success/failure is only based on the gear you have. So you replace level, attribute bonuses, skill bonuses, ancestry bonuses, everything, with a system that can generate the appropriate and equivalent level of result of the die roll to fit with the rest of the system.

So, for example, say a system with a "first level" combat ability the average fighting character will roll with a +3 to the die roll. So you provide them gear like Spear (+1) Leather Armour (+1) and Sandals (+1), so that when they go to fight they tally up their relevant gear and lo and behold, it's the +3 you anticipate.

Obviously the weapon would also have a damage value that likewise generates the expected level of damage for a character of that 'level'. (Though a system that uses a Margin of Success to directly determine the damage would work even better.)

So in this way the characters are very lose in their definition (though you could add specific abilities and talents to them), and it is only their gear that mechanically provides them with their might.

 

[LordEntrails]

I haven't played any of these, but you can check them out.

• Knave
• Salvage Union

Then Mutant Year Zero and Cypher are some XP advancement but are mostly gear driven.

 

[GMMichael]

I am looking for a game/system that has mostly gear based advancement. I have an idea for a post apocalyptic quest adventure that sees characters go from fire hardened spears to power armor and chain swords by the end and want the equipment to be the thing. I am looking for an OSR or rules light traditional RPG, not a narrative or story game, and the intent is a linear quest not a play to find out.

Are you willing to write your own equipment list? If so, I have the perfect game for you.

 

[Koloth]

To some degree, Traveller can be such a game. After character gen, there is a skill improvement method but it tends to be slow and the quickest way to more power is better and often more expensive gear. Could have a ship full of newly minted and rather poor characters crash land on a post apocalyptic alien world. Most gear destroyed in the crash. Goal of surviving and reaching that strange signal X% of the way around the world. Salvage new and better gear in the various alien ruins.

 

[Reynard]

Are you willing to write your own equipment list? If so, I have the perfect game for you.

Ok.