Best system poll... take two

[TheAuldGrump]

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

Ummm, Ozmar, you aren't in the closet anymore...

Alternity was a cool game, but the font used really abraded the eyes after a while...

The Auld Grump

 

[Hand of Evil]

Other!

1...Earthdawn
2...D20
3...D&D Basic
4...Silhouette (Dream Pod Games)
5...TORG
6...WFRP​

Should have thought muti-choice for this poll.

 

[The_Gneech]

You missed HERO, which is the best (non-homebrew) system.

So why don't I play it? Because d20 has much better support. And to accomodate my players.

Darn those wacky competing market forces!

-The Gneech

 

[the Jester]

I voted for the Storyteller system, based only on the very basic mechanics: attribute + ability- that's great- and the fact that, as your wounds increase, it becomes more difficult to do stuff. A pair of great mechanics that outshines every other system, imho.

However, I play d20 almost exclusively- it's the most widely known system, and it's certainly 'better' for cinematic styles of play (again, imho).

 

[Gundark]

haha no voted for palladium....man that system sucks!!!!!!. I voted for d20, however I also like the white wolf and shadowrun systems

 

[Arnwyn]

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.

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

Not enough, Henry. You've just described Fuzion (also designed to use 3d6 or even 1d10), which has been around long before d20.

I could make a classless, levelless skill-based game using d20 + MODS vs. Target Number, and it would be OGL.

You could - but I doubt any company would. I have yet to see a published d20/OGL game not use either a class or feat. There could be, somewhere - but they seem to either be unpopular or horribly advertised...

 

[Gundark]

haha noticed that no one voted for palladium....man that system sucks!!!!!!. I voted for d20, however I also like the white wolf and shadowrun systems

 

[Doc_Klueless]

Myself, I prefer GURPS. To me, it matches all the criteria you put forth. The only downside is that it reads like stereo instructions.

 

[Henry]

Not enough, Henry. You've just described Fuzion (also designed to use 3d6 or even 1d10), which has been around long before d20.

True - in fact, in terms of categorization, "Fuzion" and "d20" would be rather close. But d20 is even less of a "system" than Fuzion is - Fuzion still has basic guidelines for contests, whereas you would be building a whole custom system around a d20-central mechanic. Fuzion is in truth just as flexible, though and for the same reasons, so, i guess I'd have to bump GURPS and give them a "tie."

You could - but I doubt any company would. I have yet to see a published d20/OGL game not use either a class or feat. There could be, somewhere - but they seem to either be unpopular or horribly advertised...

Mutants and masterminds & d20 Call of Cthulhu are games that have foregone classes. (The defensive and offensive options in CoC can be purely boiled down into "you have 3 saves and BAB; two of them are good and two are bad, pick which two.") The Star Wars d20 game could have easily gone the route of no classes, but chose not to. The Castles and Crusades upcoming games will not use feats, but will use levels. Even though they use levels, it's not hard to envision a near-future popular game without even that.

 

[Nightchilde-2]

Storyteller system is my favorite. It's easy to run, intuitive once you get it down and fairly transparent. Exalted is currently the pinnacle of the ST system, hands down. Plus, a REALLY beautiful game.

Can't wait to see how the new WoD 2.0 mucks around with the system.

That said, I also like d20 and play far too much of it. AGain, good system, fairly easy to learn. The fact that it's so popular means you can find people to play with easily. On the downside, there are quite a few that refuse to broaden their horizins and try other systems, which is a definite downer.