Favorite "Homeric" RPG or Setting

Reynard · Aug 11, 2022

I have listening to "The Literature and History Podcast" Iliad and Odyssey episodes and am feeling Homer's Epic Fantasy.

What is your favorite rpg or rpg setting with an ancient Greek gods and monsters feel? It doesn't have to be actual mythic Greece, and could also be more broadly bronze age.

Aldarc · Aug 11, 2022

Agon by John Harper (Evil Hat Productions)

Jackals: Bronze Age Fantasy Roleplaying by John-Matthew DeFoggi (Osprey Games)
- it focuses a bit more on a fantasy Ancient Eastern Mediterranean with fantasy stand-ins for Canaanites, Egyptians, and Mycaenaeans

aramis erak · Aug 12, 2022

It's old school in tone, but very on point: Mazes and Minotaurs. Either edition.

It's a "what if D&D were based upon the harryhousen myth movies and greek history..."
And it does it deadpan.
And it does it well... It doesn't feel like D&D, but it's got that old school vibe, plus it's pretty.
And it's on Drive Thru...

DriveThruRPG

www.drivethrurpg.com

aia_2 · Aug 12, 2022

I have read only good comments about Agon but never read it...

Being both aged and a collector my preference goes to Odysseus by FGU

ThrorII · Aug 13, 2022

aramis erak said:
It's old school in tone, but very on point: Mazes and Minotaurs. Either edition.

It's a "what if D&D were based upon the harryhousen myth movies and greek history..."
And it does it deadpan.
And it does it well... It doesn't feel like D&D, but it's got that old school vibe, plus it's pretty.
And it's on Drive Thru...

DriveThruRPG

www.drivethrurpg.com

I can't stress enough how good M&M is. Much better than it it should be!!

It is an 'alternate history' rpg, asking what would a 1974 rpg look like if Greek Myth and Harryhousen movies were the inspiration, instead of Tolkien. If you can look past the 'side bar' comments that are fake 'looking back' comments, it is a solid game.

I prefer the "Original" rules to the "1987 Revised Rules".

aramis erak · Aug 13, 2022

I'll add that, based solely upon first read, Neoclassical Greek Revival is one I'm putting forward tentatively. It's got interesting mechanisms, and reflects quite a bit more the "old school" I lived through than what the OSR crowd tends to do... It's definitely not FKR, either...
Mankind, Dwarves, Elves, the Dead, the Wee Folk, the Wodewoses... It has classes that you can combine 1/3, 2/3 or all of: Priest, Warrior, Thieves, Wizards, Fools, Bards. And yes, Fools did make me think Joxer from Hercules and Xena.

Speaking of which, I've not run Hercules & Xena, it's a close to stock WEG D6 engine - but using HP rather than damage steps. It's... well, Television faux-ancient mixed archaeological bits melded into a generic ancient fantasy... so it's the perfect representation on paper of the shows... The one time I suggested it, everyone laughed, then I showed them the book, and the result was a unison... "Hell NO!"

The Hero/Rolemaster supplement Campaign Classics: Mythic Greece (by the late, great, Aaron Allston) is aimed more at playing the heroes and gods (500 point starting hero characters anyone? How about 3000 point?) but is actually a pretty nice reference. Too bad it got a more resounding NO than H&X.

Aldarc · Aug 13, 2022

ThrorII said:
I can't stress enough how good M&M is. Much better than it it should be!!

It is an 'alternate history' rpg, asking what would a 1974 rpg look like if Greek Myth and Harryhousen movies were the inspiration, instead of Tolkien. If you can look past the 'side bar' comments that are fake 'looking back' comments, it is a solid game.

I prefer the "Original" rules to the "1987 Revised Rules".

Mutants & Masterminds?

Dannyalcatraz · Aug 13, 2022

I’d probably run such a game in HERO. But I’d be open to playing in a variety of RPGs. I’d expect GURPS would be a good option with a veteran GURPS GM.

I’d probably get a kick out of running/playing in a rules light game like ITL/TFT or Dark Cities.

Savage Worlds or Cypher System could be interesting, too.