A simpler system

[Akrasia]

.... As for the variety in combat actions, Cintematic Unisystem handles that very well. There's a wide variety of special moves you can do - spinning kicks, groin shots, parries, chokholds, and of course the good ol' stake through the heart. Just because its a light, fast game doesn't mean it can provide differentiation when it needs to.

I couldn't agree more, maddman75. Nice to see that there is some love for Unisystem in these parts...

I suggest using the Rules Cyclopedia for the Basic D&D game. It's long out of print, but you can still buy a .pdf at www.rpgnow.com. Here's the link:

http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=1204&

This is, in my opinion, the best incarnation of the D&D rules ever. ....

I heart the RC as well. And I would have agreed with your 'best incarnation' claim as well (but with the addition of the 'customized classes' rules from OD&Dities) a few months ago.

Now that C&C is out, though, I think it does everything the RC does (but without 'races-as-classes' stuff), but with many insights drawn from 3e as well (e.g. the unified 'd20 mechanic', etc.). Also nice is the fact that C&C and RC D&D are pretty much 95 percent compatible.

Pax.

 

[velm]

I think sticking to the 'core' books, it is not all that bad. It has been cleaned up and smoothed out a lot since previous editions. to hit someone, you just roll a d20 and if it is higher than their armor class, you hit them. No more Thac0, or several different save charts, everyone uses the same xp advancement chart.
Just use the MM, DMG, and PH. Limit outside sources to a few or none.

 

[maddman75]

True all those old complications are gone. But we traded them off for all new ones. Attack of Opportunity, five foot steps, partial/standard/full actions, stacking or not stacking modifiers - its a complex game. It was designed that way. I'm not bagging on it - it is unarguably an improvement over AD&D. But that doesn't mean that it isn't complex.

 

[JRRNeiklot]

Of course it's more complete than the general system; you just said so yourself!

In your example general system, there is no such thing as someone who is good at juggling (a Dex-related skill) but not good at picking locks (a Dex-related skill), since the only determining factor is a single ability.

The greater the granularity of a system, the more complete it is - by definition!

In C&C there is.

 

[Akrasia]

The upcoming Blue Rose game from Green Ronin looks like it might be a 'rules lite' version of d20 (only 3 classes, simplified skill and feat system, no tactical combat, etc.). Despite the fact that I loathe the genre of 'romantic fantasy' (with all its flakey neo-pagainism, etc.), the rules themselves look very interesting. The emphasis on 'light vs. dark' and 'corruption' makes it look like it might be suitable for a Tolkien-style campaign.

So lots of 'rules lite' options for fantasy will be available in 2005:

(a.) Castles and Crusades.
(b.) Unisystem (esp. AFMBE + 'Dungeons and Zombies').
(c.) Blue Rose.

This is a very positive development IMO. Finally this segment of the market will have a few options!

 

[Psion]

This is a very positive development IMO. Finally this segment of the market will have a few options!

FUDGE, OTE, Window and Everway have been around for years.

 

[Akrasia]

FUDGE, OTE, Window and Everway have been around for years.

Oh right! I should have been more specific. I was referring to 'rules lite' systems similar in structure and character to D&D (i.e. fantasy games that employ certain common classical 'D&D' tropes). Sorry for not being more precise.

 

[Breakdaddy]

I'm a newcomer to C&C, only having gotten a copy of the Players Guide yesterday. I have spent a few hours poring over this book and have to say that it is a very promising rules-lite system so far. I like its obvious 1st edition influences and appreciate its more updated mechanics that are pulled/modified from the OGL. I cant wait to get some playtesting under my belt so that I can see how this stuff works in-game.

 

[Doug McCrae]

I was referring to 'rules lite' systems similar in structure and character to D&D (i.e. fantasy games that employ certain common classical 'D&D' tropes).

How about Tunnels & Trolls, then? It was published in 1975.

 

[Akrasia]

How about Tunnels & Trolls, then? It was published in 1975.

Sure, there are plenty of old or OOP 'rules lite' games. I would mention the Basic/Expert rules for D&D as an example, in addition to T&T.

Over the past few years, though, there seems to have been a dearth of such systems. I am just happy that that seems to be changing now.