Fantasy RPGs that do things... different?

[Treebore]

Oh, another one to check out is EPICrpg, the biggest difference is your character building is based around your guild affiliation. You can even have multiple guild affiliations. I am actually surprised this hasn't gotten more attention. Then again, I don't know if its even possible to buy it anymore.

 

[pawsplay]

Actually, Palladium Fantasy is a great example of "different." It's very swords-and-sorcery based, with mad wizards and magic circles and demon gods and such. It has twists on the standard Tolkien races, particularly making elves more like the elder race in Moorcock's Corum stories, and it has a lot of faerie lore in it. The standard human pantheon is a fictionalized version of the ancient Egyptian deities. And if you don't like the game system, it's a cinch to convert.

 

[Treebore]

Actually, Palladium Fantasy is a great example of "different." It's very swords-and-sorcery based, with mad wizards and magic circles and demon gods and such. It has twists on the standard Tolkien races, particularly making elves more like the elder race in Moorcock's Corum stories, and it has a lot of faerie lore in it. The standard human pantheon is a fictionalized version of the ancient Egyptian deities. And if you don't like the game system, it's a cinch to convert.

Very True. I've been stealing pieces and parts of it for decades, nearly as much as I steal stuff from Harn. Plus a group I game with is planning on starting up a long term Paladium Fantasy game early next year. Meaning January or March.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

I know that's terribly vague but I can't narrow it down yet. Maybe a game that has a tighter focus and mechanics for the narrative instead of being centered on dungeon-bashing? Or on politics? A rules-light game? Genre-mix? Or a system using a campaign world that has a very unique spin?

Stormbringer (or Basic Roleplaying with a swords-n-sorcery theme) is a little bit different without being "way different." Skills focused. Magic of the "sorcerer in league with demons" variety, rather than the "wizard throwing around fireballs" variety. Power points rather than memorized spells. Grittier tone than the typical D&D campaign. (I'm talking about the Chaosium 1e version; I'm not familiar with the others.)

Amber includes a lot of the possible differences you listed, and might work particularly well for the political aspect. It's diceless, so it's quite different from the typical D&D game.

In A Wicked Age is another one in the "very different" category. It's definitely a narrative-focused, collaborative "story game," not a "players explore the GM's world" game. However, dice are part of conflict resolution. Requires no prep (very cool "oracle" story/plot hooks with this one). Sessions can jump back and forth in time, and characters change often. Strong swords-n-sorcery focus (but there are other "oracles" online that allow for all sorts of settings and tone).

Cthulhu Dark Ages uses BRP, so it's not as far away from D&D, mechanically, but the theme, tone, and expectations for the game are very different. It's "Cthulhu by torchlight."

Trail of Cthulhu uses GUMSHOE, which is a nifty approach for investigative games. "Core clues" that are necessary to the story are always discoverable (never missed, as long as you look, so you'll never get "stuck" or require GM "second chances" and contortions because of a missed perception roll) -- the real challenge is interpreting the clues. Has two "lose it" concepts: one for Stability and one for Sanity. Overall, a lighter system than BRP, though.

The Dying Earth is a really cool game with a more narrative approach and some neat mechanics that fit the setting. And some *real* Vancian magic.

 

[amerigoV]

The people who support Savage Worlds remind me more and more of a used car sales men then gamers.

We will even throw in the tire iron for free!

 

[amerigoV]

AHHHH can I come? I know I can't, really, but I wish I had a GM that would run things less traditional like this.

I am pretty much a D&D traditionalist (I ditched 2e for some home brew stuff back in the day). I hated other d20 non-fantasy products -- sure the base mechanic was the same, but everything else had to change to make it "work" - feats, how HP worked, etc.

But that is what Savage Worlds has done to me - the base system only changes alittle by setting so I am more willing to run something else. Plus, I cannot wait for the look on the player's faces when Stradh shrugs off a hit from an elephant gun...

 

[Raven Crowking]

RCFG. Link in my .sig. Read the review; try the game; tell me how it went & get a playtest credit on the final 1e release.

RC

 

[JoeNotCharles]

Yeah, you're pretty much going to get "every fantasy game that isn't exactly D&D" in this thread. Just like D&D except armour subtracts from damage? That's different! Just like D&D except for a different skill system? That's different too!

Obviously a lot of what's been posted is very different, but it's hard to pick them out with so many being thrown out there.

To be clear where I'm coming from: I consider any game where you roll a flat distribution and try to beat a target number to be "just like D&D" - whether it's a d20 and you're trying to roll higher, or a percentile and you're trying to roll lower, it's the same basic type of roll.

My suggestions: if you're looking for a slight tweak, try WFRP2. I consider this "just like D&D" except for the career system (which is awesome), the hit location/armour/criticals system, and the magic system (you have a set list of spells, like in D&D, but you can cast them over and over again, you just need to roll with a chance of critical failure each time).

For something more different, try something with dice pools - Shadowrun, or Exalted, or L5R, or 7th Sea. Or WFRP3. Or something with a very different spell system, like Ars Magica. Or something completely different, like Amber.

Are you looking for "like D&D but with a couple of notable differences" (which I could be good because it's approachable and you can really focus on the one subsystem that's different)? Is there one particular area you're looking for differences in (tone, setting, combat system, magic system...)? Or do you want the entire game to be different from the ground up?

 

[HalfOrc HalfBiscuit]

I haven't playe dit myself, but if you want something that is mechnically very different to D&D, you could take a look at HeroQuest.

 

[Treebore]

I agree Warhammer 2E, Shadowrun 4E, and L5R 3E are good too! Played all of them this past year as well, lots of fun!