Best system for a Pulp/Indy game?

[Qualidar]

Honestly, d20 Modern works incredibly well for this...

I agree with this. I'm running my pulp with Mutants and Masterminds, but mine is a low powered supers game. If I was going for Indy, I'd use d20 Modern.

Also, yesterday I downloaded one of Adamant's pulp adventures (the Mind Murders) and I liked it alot (enough to start running tonight, anyway).

~Qualidar~

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

Savage Worlds - is the default system for pulp gaming. That's what it was designed for.
Silhouette Core - is my personal favorite toolkit setting. Unlike most point-based games, its corebook highest point total is in the pulp range, and it runs it well.
d20 Modern - seems to have been designed with the closest modern equivalents in mind; with the right supplements, handles pulp extremely well.
True20 - can do a whole lot. Pulpy settings seem to have been a big part of what they had in mind.
HERO System - can do anything. Pulp Hero is one of its core genres.
Mutants & Masterminds 2e - can do almost anything. But, there's not much room for advancement without leaving pulp territory.

 

[Haffrung Helleyes]

Torg, specifically the Nile Empire, is also a great representation of Indy-style pulp action.

Wow, I'd forgotten about Torg. I ran a Torg campaign years ago, and you're right -- the drama deck and the dramatic skill resolution mechanics really make for a good pulp campaign.

Ken

 

[Crothian]

Pulp Hero is one of the best RPG sources for pulp even if you don't want to use the hero system

Hollow Earth Expedition is a new pulp game that came out at Gen Con

Adventure is a great out of print Pulp game.

There is also the out of print Indiana Jones RPG that has a great book on real world relics called Artifacts

 

[Doug McCrae]

GURPS and HERO would be good choices if you like simulationist over-complicated 80s-rooted systems without any pulp feel. GURPS Cliffhangers has good period info and some genre notes. I've not read Pulp HERO though it's precursor, Justice Inc has some good historical tidbits. Adventure! is a poor system altogether and doesnt have any period or genre details though it does have some nice fiction by Warren Ellis at the start.

To be honest I've never seen a decent pulp system but I'm not familiar with Savage Worlds or Spirit of the Century.

 

[The_Universe]

Depending on how much occult weirdness I wanted to be able to hand the PC's, I'd either Use D20 Modern/Past (and maybe Sidewinder: Recoiled, depending on when your game is actually set) or Mutants and Masterminds.

Though I haven't played it myself, I do hear lots of good things about Savage Worlds - so it's probably worth a look.

As for GURPS Cliffhangers - I HATE the GURPS system, but I have this book on my shelf. Although the rules suck IMO, the flavor can't be beat!

 

[Templeton580]

*

 

[Glyfair]

Pulp Hero is one of the best RPG sources for pulp even if you don't want to use the hero system

IMO, Lands of Mystery is one of the best written RPG supplements covering the genre ever, and it was written for Justice, Inc. (the precursor to Pu.p Hero).

The Polyhedron mini-game looked like it would work well, but I never did use it. What I'd really like to use would be the James Bond RPG. I was considering using it for a pulp game years ago, but didn't want to go through the work statting out period weapons and vehicles, adding weird powers, etc.

 

[LostSoul]

Adventure! – but now I' curious about Spirit of the Century.

Me too. I know it was done by the guys who did Fate (which is free, based on Fudge), and Fate always looked cool. I never did get to play it though.

Anyway, here's a review: http://mightyatom.blogspot.com/2006/09/spirit-of-century-review.html

edit: You know, Fate would be good for a pulp game. You can get it at the evil hat website linked to above, I believe.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Forbidden Kingdoms by Otherworld Creations has a D20 system out. It has its own alternate history of the various pulp eras. I was very pleased with it.