Best system poll... take two

[Calico_Jack73]

d20 + MODS vs. Target Number. All other rules are just molding and shaping, not intrinsic to the frame.

You'd probably like Fuzion then since it was doing d10 + MODS vs. Target Number back when I was in High School (over 13 years ago). Cyberpunk was the first game I remember using a difficulty based system like that though I am sure there may have been others.

Shadowrun D20 would be something I'd be interested in buying though I don't see Wizkids allowing it when they've only had the license for a relatively short while.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Chosium is good. I'm a gearhead enough to like GURPS. My love of d20 know no limit.

But I voted for Fuzion. I liked how the designers looked at real firefiights and realized the obvious: most bullets miss.

YAY!!!! Another vote for Fuzion. I was just hoping not to be the only one in the world who likes it.

I also liked it because the designers decided to ere on the side of realism for damage effects. A single gunshot (or heck... a sword cut) may not kill you (though it may) but it has a very real chance of taking you out of the fight due to shock. I discovered Cyberpunk when I was all burned out on AD&D's Hit Point system of combat (which has yet to go away). I always thought it was funny how your could take shot upon shot from a crossbow and not die. I didn't realise it then but I prefer a realistic combat system, not an abstract one. Coup de gras has helped a bit as helpless characters die when they are run though with a sword or their throats are slit but I still don't like the abstract combat system. Just personal preference though.

 

[Ozmar]

Other: Alternity.

The world's most perfect RPG (for its genre).

Alternity is simple, interesting and does not seem to lend itself to munchkinism (at least, not in my experience, YMMV). The setting is pretty darn cool, too. Too bad its out of print (no wait, that's good! I already have all the books, with more than enough support to run games for 3 to 5 years, and I don't have the time or money for more. I spend all my dough and time playing D&D anyway!)

Ozmar the Closet Alternity Fan

 

[Plane Sailing]

My vote was "other" for 2nd edition Runequest - it was the all-around, hands-down best feel and mechanics for fantasy role playing IME, and we easily made variants for sci-fi, for Empire of the Petal Throne (even for Dark Sun!). I rate it considerably better than Chaosiums BRP and immeasurably better than the awful (again IMO) 3rd edition of Runequest.

Cheers

 

[Nifft]

I voted for Storyteller, but the specific game that I think trumps all others in mechanics is Exalted, not those older games.

My vote may have been swayed to Tri-Stat, but I've never actually played any of those.

-- N

 

[Wombat]

It would be rather silly to actually vote in this poll.

First of all, as already pointed out, why bother to run such a poll on a site devoted almost entirely to D20? I could see it over at RPGNet or something like that, a site that does nto automatically favour a particular system, but at this site the results are a boring forgone conclusion. It's like taking a poll about political preferences at a single-party site.

Secondly, the best rules are the rules that fit the game, the group, the setting, and the feel wanted. As this is an "open" poll, there is no way to judge. This is like asking "Which computer program is best?"

I have preferences for many systems under different circumstances; D20 is good primarily due to the fact it is easy to get groups together, although it is not not my favourite set of mechanics; Over the Edge is wonderfully rules-light and flexible, but doesn't work well when the skill packages of the major characters are similar; GURPS has lots of supplements for lots of settings, though is rather mechanical for my tastes; Ars Magica is my favourite setting and has great rules to fit that setting, but has a hard time moving outside of that era and setting, BRP (RuneQuest, Call of Cthulhu) is simple, easy to learn and quick, but gets stuck on skills -- how many is too many?

So I vote "Other" and leave it at that.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

It would be rather silly to actually vote in this poll.

First of all, as already pointed out, why bother to run such a poll on a site devoted almost entirely to D20? I could see it over at RPGNet or something like that, a site that does nto automatically favour a particular system, but at this site the results are a boring forgone conclusion. It's like taking a poll about political preferences at a single-party site.

So far only 49% of the people who voted agree with you and voted d20. The other 51% prefer other systems. That shows that so far over half of the people who voted prefer other systems even if they aren't all the same system. Take it in that context.

 

[Altalazar]

I think it is the best overall, though there are other systems I enjoy.

I think those who really don't like d20 probably don't like D&D all that much either. (given the choices in this poll)

 

[Planesdragon]

By definition, the winners will be either GURPS or d20, and my money's on d20, specifically because it's not a rules system, not the same way in which any of the other offerings are.

If you boil down "d20" and "GURPS" to their highly-moddable core, and ignore supplements et al, d20 wins because it has a better mechanic.

GURPS is set up to be pass/fail, and contested rolls require more math. (roll, compare to target, subtract difference from target, compare to other character's difference, as opposed to roll, add, compare.)

 

[johnsemlak]

Interesting that d20 is winning overwhelmingly but many people are posting that they voted otherwise.

Of course, as the poll is on a d20 messageboard, the result is not surprising at all.

I think 1eAD&D or even OD&D should have been a choice given all the other options. But, I voted d20