Best RPG to run a Firefly game

[Thondor]

It doesn't deliver Firefly in terms of the feel of the tech level, but I default to Free Spacer these days (for a touch point Dark Matter TV series might be better). But it really does the feel of negotiating contracts really well, and then pulling off the jobs.

Plus it has a neat backdrop of everyone having a goal to eventually retire from Free Space'ing to become (hopefully) someone important in the sector. So they all really want the contracts to payout well.

I also really enjoyed the running spaceship combat fight I ran last time I played. (The game text doesn't do a fantastic job of explaining how this should work but the mechanics are there.)

There isn't a single setting in Free Spacer, the core book is a guide to make your own, together with the players by default. The Sector Archives has 7 example settings, all with a ship and pre-gens which is handy.
Last time I ran, player's grabbed a ship from a different sector, and a mix of pre-gens.

https://composedreamgames.com/marketplace/random-alien-games-publisher

 

[dbm]

I think this gets to the core of the problem I see: if you're having to make so many tweaks, are you sure that's the best system for it?

Just for anyone else who might be interested, item 1 on my list is no change, and item 3 is the work of seconds.

I enjoy SW when I play its different iterations. If you're going to play Firefly, however, armor shouldn't be a factor at all - I'm not sure a situation comes to mind where the main characters, who would be your PCs essentially, ever wear armor. Getting shot causes longer term issues that you can't just 'shake off'.

This is easily resolved by not making armour available to buy, or playing up the social consequences of going around in military gear all the time. Or just remove the ballistic protection which is again, the work of seconds.

I’m not trying to argue with you, just providing more info for the OP.

 

[Argyle King]

Edge of the Empire is essentially the Firefly experience in the Star Wars Universe

 

[Umbran]

Savage Worlds and Scum and Villany jump to mind.

Ashen Stars might serve, with some lore adjustments.

 

[Breaking Star Games]

I love Obligations from Edge of the Empire. I would have loved to see something like that tied to the Scum & Villainy Playbooks.

To throw out another that hasn't been mentioned yet, Orbital Blues is another great option, with its own unique take on Obligations with some additional structure. It uses more of an OSR style mechanics except for it's Blues and Troubles (it's version of Obligations), which are more narrative. I think the lethality and grounded setting works great for Firefly.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Aside from the licenced RPG? Traveller.

Star Wars D6 if you want a lighter, less grounded feel.

 

[The Soloist]

Open d6 with the Space Opera book. It’s Star Wars WEG with the IP filled off.

 

[The Soloist]

My choice would be to use The Expanse* by Green Ronin. It’s humancentric, no aliens, and the rules are not simulationist. Ship design is easy. Campaign and adventure guidelines use TV series tropes. Characters usually don’t die; instead, they are KOed.

With the rings, I would decide that one of them leads to the Verse Sector. Colonies in the Expanse are left to themselves. It's easy to understand why regular powder guns and low-tech would become necessities.

(*The new Trade Union edition.)

 

[Neonchameleon]

What RPG would you use to run a Firefly/Serenity game?

• Firefly RPG, obviously. But,
• Traveler? For the commerce aspect.
• Star Wars Edge of Empire? Rogues, anyone?
• Stars Without Number? Adventures galore!

What else?

How chaotic a GM are you? And how much do you want death to be on the line?

• Firefly is an excellent system for light chaotic action comedy (it will not do Serenity)
• Scum and Villainy is excellent for more consequential hijinks by the seat of the pants
• Edge of Empire if you want something big box

Avoid: the Serenity RPG. Also produced by MWP years before Firefly

 

[Bill Zebub]

The gameplay loop of Blades in the Dark has never appealed to me, but thanks to this thread I just skimmed through Scum & Villainy and...gosh I'm kind of tempted to try a campaign.