Alternative rules systems for a Dark Sun game?

[firesnakearies]

Hey all.

I LOVE Dark Sun. Love it more than any other fantasy setting, ever. It's always been my favorite, since it first came out. I'm thrilled that WotC is releasing a new version of it for 4E.

Also, I -like- 4E D&D, and play it a lot.

But as I've been re-reading all of my Dark Sun stuff, and thinking heavily about the Dark Sun campaign I want to run, I've come more and more to realize...

...I don't want to run it as a D&D game.

I just don't. I'm tired of D&D, with its supreme gameyness and limited character customization, the straitjacket classes, the constant need to either sacrifice some theme for mechanical efficiency or vice versa.

I want to run Dark Sun, but with some other rules system. Maybe even a combination of rules systems.

Has anyone run any Dark Sun campaigns in other non-D&D systems? Or have a system that they feel would be very good for Dark Sun?

Let's discuss possibilities! How can we bring the world of Athas to life without using D&D rules?

What are some other RPGs out there that would work well as the backbone of a Dark Sun campaign?

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I've seen a couple of already well-polished Rolemaster conversions. The level of realism and the brutality of the combat system are well suited to the harsh life on Athas.

HARP would be good with the right combat options. Just make sure to pick up Martial Law and make sure to impose all of the penalties for fighting unarmored, unless players are willing to risk heatstroke. I'm more familiar with HARP, and I'm thinking that the spell point system and the rules on casting time are perfectly suited for maintaining the distinction between Preservers and Defilers.

 

[Herobizkit]

I haven't played it myself, but I've read enough praise and other players' experiences to believe that Savage Worlds would be exactly what you're looking for. It offers light and fast rules with plenty of action. There was another I've heard of called the Black Company (campaign setting) which could duplicate the grittiness of Athas, too.

 

[slwoyach]

gurps or alternity would would quite well.

 

[jdrakeh]

There was another I've heard of called the Black Company (campaign setting) which could duplicate the grittiness of Athas, too.

Unfortunately, it's based on the d20 system, so it falls prey to many of the same pitfalls that the OP sees in D&D. I'd recommend The Window (ignore the preachy introduction) or Risus + the Risus Companion.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Depends what you like and what you don't like, in the first place.

Could you give some pointers? Like, how rules light or rules heavy you are willing (or wanting) to go, what sort of mechanics you'd like to be there, and whether there are any you can't stand (in this context, anyway), etc.

Some references to games you've played or even read, and like (or dislike, too) would be handy as well. . .

It's just that there are *so many* flippin' RPGs out there. srsly!

 

[Asmor]

Someone asking about alternate systems?

Quick, somebody say, "Savage worlds!"

Ah, I can see I've been beaten to the punch.

(only half in jest; SW always gets suggested in threads like this, but that's because it really is a good system that does a lot of things really, really well)

 

[Crothian]

Run it using Buy the Numbers. If you usea different system you're going to have issues because no system fits Dark Sun. So, use the D&D game but with Buy THe Numbers so it becomes a point based game. It does not have to be run as gamey, without classes you eliminate the straight jacket classes, you have tons of custom abilities because Buy the Numbers allows you to buy powers from any of the thousands of classes and prestige classes. It really makes D&D into a different game.

 

[Betote]

For a setting like Dark Sun, i'd use something like Rolemaster or Runequest. 3.x would be a close 2nd (3rd), because it's basically Rolemaster/5, without the tables.

 

[Wik]

d6 Fantasy. It's very adaptable, and if you're willing to do the work, it's pretty easy to make "dark sunny" - especially the conversion of races. I'd up the damage codes to keep it gritty, though.