Mercule
Adventurer
My preferences:
1) d20. It's simple to learn and play, while still complex enough to allow customization of characters. It's also incredibly modular. You can unplug one [group of] classes and/or plug in another. Likewise for races, feats, and skills. Even the magic system is modular, although you'd have to adjust the casting classes.
Stangely enough, after several years away from D&D playing classless, levelless systems; I discovered I actually like classes and levels. These are part of what add ease-of-play to the d20 system.
2) Hero/Champions. Well, with the clarification on looking for flexibilty, this should have been my top pick. This is just plain a nice system. The down side is that the rulebook reads like a dictionary. The mixed blessing is that you really only need the core book to play; which is good on the pocketbook, but bad for corporate solvency.
3) Shadowrun. Okay, I like dice pools. I'd initially ranked Storyteller above Shadowrun. Then I realized that I like the WoD setting better than the SR setting, but I think the SR system is better than WoD/ST. It is pretty fast and flows well, once you get the hang of it. Plus, I like the way magic works with initiates, fatigue, etc.
4) Storyteller. In truth, I often call ST, "The worst system that remains playable." I would never unplug it from a specific setting and make it generic, nor would I want to convert it to a new setting. Really, I just enjoy some aspects of the WoD and find the system compliments it well by by fairly loose and unobtrusive. I hear good things about the Exalted version, but I loathe the anime tone. Still, I have high hopes for WoD 2.0.
5) Aria. This is a horridly convoluted system. Still, it is great for depth of character -- if you have an unusually dedicated group of players. This game makes WoD Storyteller look stable, and Hero look basic, but it owns a small piece of my heart.
1) d20. It's simple to learn and play, while still complex enough to allow customization of characters. It's also incredibly modular. You can unplug one [group of] classes and/or plug in another. Likewise for races, feats, and skills. Even the magic system is modular, although you'd have to adjust the casting classes.
Stangely enough, after several years away from D&D playing classless, levelless systems; I discovered I actually like classes and levels. These are part of what add ease-of-play to the d20 system.
2) Hero/Champions. Well, with the clarification on looking for flexibilty, this should have been my top pick. This is just plain a nice system. The down side is that the rulebook reads like a dictionary. The mixed blessing is that you really only need the core book to play; which is good on the pocketbook, but bad for corporate solvency.
3) Shadowrun. Okay, I like dice pools. I'd initially ranked Storyteller above Shadowrun. Then I realized that I like the WoD setting better than the SR setting, but I think the SR system is better than WoD/ST. It is pretty fast and flows well, once you get the hang of it. Plus, I like the way magic works with initiates, fatigue, etc.
4) Storyteller. In truth, I often call ST, "The worst system that remains playable." I would never unplug it from a specific setting and make it generic, nor would I want to convert it to a new setting. Really, I just enjoy some aspects of the WoD and find the system compliments it well by by fairly loose and unobtrusive. I hear good things about the Exalted version, but I loathe the anime tone. Still, I have high hopes for WoD 2.0.
5) Aria. This is a horridly convoluted system. Still, it is great for depth of character -- if you have an unusually dedicated group of players. This game makes WoD Storyteller look stable, and Hero look basic, but it owns a small piece of my heart.
