Core Rule Books Only - What system would you play?

[jdrakeh]

Core book/s only? Probably The Window. Maybe HERO 6th.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

One of the advantages of HERO 5thRev (and all previous editions) is that it only requires d6s.

Which, if the reason you're down to 1 game is that you're on an island, you'll have fewer issues to contend with carving your die out of coconuts.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

At this point, I'd have to say Pathfinder above all others.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[Nightson]

Mutants and Masterminds hands down, no contest.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

Pathfinder's a big contender...but...

I think the three major ones are BESM, Unknown Armies, and Risus, which doesn't even really have a book to begin with

 

[Shades of Green]

BFRPG. It's simple, easy to prep for, very enjoyable in play and all you need is one (relatively small) core-book).

The runner-up would be Mongoose Traveller, which is very playable with just the main rulebook (though some supplements such as High Guard do add a lot of good stuff, you can easily ignore them if you want). Classic Traveller is similar - fully playable and enjoyable with just three Little Black Books.

 

[cattoy]

I'd probably go with Hero 5 (revised). I'm not entirely sold on 6, but I'm thinking of giving it a look-see.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

An interesting question I put to my gaming group and which I now put to the Enworld population at large:

If you could use only the core books (PHB and DMG equivalent) for your gaming group, what system would you use and why (I'll even be nice and allow you to use one setting book if needed)?

Shadowrun 4E. Contains everything you need to start a campaign. The point-build system will probably also give you lots of options to play different characters over many months and years.
And it only needs d6, and as Dannyalcatraz noted, that's very helpful.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

D&D 3.5

works perfectly fine unless you start adding everything thats out...

...all those creepy power books...

4th edition if i can also use PHB 2 and equivalents...

 

[Garmorn]

For me it would be Prime Directive and Role Master are the only two that I would play with. I think that for most games the Core rules are just that, the core of the game with out any flesh. Why limit your self to soup bones?