Best system for horror... Thoughts?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm liking True20 for this.

Ooh, that would also be good.

Agreed. Although in a level based system this can be represented by been higher level. And most of John's toughness is arguably a much longer experience fighting. He's always a step ahead (blessing the water cistern in the first season) of the beasties, and never seems to be shaken.

BTW, I'm going to have to wait another 2 months before they start airing the 2nd season down here....

If you can get your hands on the first season DVD, it's got previews of the second season.

 

[iwatt]

If you can get your hands on the first season DVD, it's got previous of the second season.

Nah, my system has finally recovered from Supernatural's Cliffhanger ending. I try to forget how it ended to avoid undue stress to my health.

 

[KaosDevice]

BTW, I'm going to have to wait another 2 months before they start airing the 2nd season down here....

I believe it is 9/20 for the states.

 

[Wraith Form]

Chaosium's BRP is, by far, the best horror game I ever played. The fact it is also my favorite roleplaying game is also an indicator of how much I like it. Still, Supernatural is less about horror and more about dark fantasy as fear is never an issue to the Winchester brothers. You may want to give a look at Witchcraft by Eden Studios. The core book is available freely as a pdf file and it will be easy to stat Sam (minor gifted) and Dean (mundane), as well as most of the monsters. Witchcraft uses the Unisystem engine, which also power several horror games, such as All Flesh Must Be Eaten, Armies of Darkness, Buffy, and Angel, although some using the cynematic version of the rules.

I'm going to throw my vote in with Ron and Dusty-B, re: Unisystem for Supernatural. I love Chaosium's BRP and particularly CoC, but for a rough approximation of the TV show...yeah, Unisystem.

Dusty? I agree with ya completely and understand your passion for both the show and the game, but man, lower the caffiene dosage. You're coming across as kinda...intense.

 

[Wraith Form]

For something really different (but I think would work pretty well for Supernatural) you might try the Nemesis system link .

Yes, indeed.

 

[Nomad4life]

As others have said, either BTVS RPG or True20 would fit well.

And hey! Let's not forget that True20 now has a sanity loss system out in one of their new setting products.

 

[SteelDraco]

I didn't really like BTVS; I played a White Hat, and felt like, in order to do anything, you had to spend a Drama Point. If you didn't spend one, your action was pretty much wasted against anything monster-ish; but the effect of the DP was enough that if you used one, it was an auto-hit for serious damage. I dunno, that system just rubbed me the wrong way.

If I was going to run something like that, I'd use Alternity. And buy the Dark Matter setting book, too. You won't regret it - it's fantastic.

GURPS would be my next choice - you can do anything with GURPS, and as somebody said, it's easy to get beat up, but difficult to die.

 

[pogre]

Conspiracy X would be a good fit for this kind of game. It is produced by Eden Studios

 

[B9anders]

GURPS or CoC.

I don't really think the D20 engine is all that well suited to making ordinary characters without making them utterly useless.

CoC and GURPS allows you to make ordinary characters with useful skills that will nonetheless be patently aware of their own limitations against the supernatural.

I like the sanity rules for CoC more than GURPS fright check equivalent, but I'd personally have to go with GURPS. You can do anything with that system and it's a purchase that is gonna stand you in goos stead beyond the horror genre as well, which can't be said for CoC.

It depends on how much you require of ready-made stuff. CoC comes with a package of critters ready to use and you'd have to look into supplements for GURPS, which currently are not updated to 4th edition (not that it matters that much - there is barely any conversion needed). GURPS in general expects a GM to be willing to do some of the work himself.

 

[KaosDevice]

Conspiracy X would be a good fit for this kind of game. It is produced by Eden Studios

Doesn't ConX use the Unisystem just like Buffy/Angel and All Flesh? (BTW if you want the Unisystem for free, you can find CJ Carrella's Witchcraft out there...come to think of it that rule set would work pretty well too.)