For someone looking to branch out...

[Rasyr]

Go with something well of the beaten path like Little Nightmares. It is a horror game where you play children and encounter the things kids truely fear.

Or perhaps "Meddling Kids", where you basically play Scooby Doo type of adventures (actually the game is based on that whole genre of cartoons - Scoody Doo, Funky Phantom, Speed Buggy, etc..)

It is a nice little game..

 

[Crothian]

Or perhaps "Meddling Kids", where you basically play Scooby Doo type of adventures (actually the game is based on that whole genre of cartoons - Scoody Doo, Funky Phantom, Speed Buggy, etc..)

It is a nice little game..

precisly, so often we get the same old games recomended, people need look at some of the more obscure games and see what great things are going on in them. Especially if all you want is a core book, most of these smaller games are just that.

 

[scourger]

I'll put in a second place vote for Star Wars d20 Revised Core Rulebook. It's a good game, and you can download free adventures:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=starwars/newsarchive&tablesort=2

Scroll down to the adventures category.

 

[Ds Da Man]

Go to Warhammer Fantasy....pretty easy to use, though I hate Green Ronin for removing MP. Gritty, less magic, though still there. It is a really fun system.

 

[ST]

I'll go out on a limb and say, check out FATE (http://www.faterpg.com), since it's good, and it's free! There's a lot of ideas in there worth stealing for any game you run.

 

[Andor]

Oh, quick tip since you've never played a game with deckers/hackers, etc. If you play Shadowrun or Cyberpunk DO NOT have a PC decker. They will suck up an inordinate amout of table time for activities that take seconds in the game. Have an NPC decker and handle it in a roll or two, or as the plot demands. This will save you a great deal of trouble.

Some people make the same complaint about Mages astrally projecting in Shadowrun but this is usually less of a problem as they are usually right there with the party on an overlapping plane. If they are doing an astral quest or something it can usually be done between sessions.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[SWBaxter]

Any ideas for a system which is relatively quick and cheap to get into (if the CORE rulebooks number in the 2 digits, I'm not interested )?

Historical fantasy, and the price is right:

http://www.geocities.com/zozergames/warlord1.html

Warlords of Alexander, using Chaosium's Basic Role-Playing system. Pretty decent for free.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Here are some of my favorites:

Elric/Stormbringer: By Chaosium. Good, grim world using the BRP system.

Call of Cthulhu: d20 or BRP version by Chaosium.

Warhammer 2nd ed by Black Library/Green Ronin. Fun stuff as you adventure in a grim and dirty world.

Hero 5th ed (Champions): Good for any genre, but usually runs best when running a supers game.

Silve Age Sentinels Tristat: Speaking of super heroes, this is a gem of a game. Same contents as the d20 version but uses the more cinematic tristat version and is in full color.

Mutants & Masterminds: Well, it's on it's third printing. Green Ronn brings super heroes to life with the OGL system.

Conan by Mongoose: Still some editing errors in the Atlantian edition, but it's fun stuff.

Black Company by Green Ronin: You'll still need a PHB for character creation rules, but otherwise, this is as close to the Warhammer feel as you can get in a D&D style set of rules.

Savage Worlds: Quick and fun fast paced system but I never got into it personally. Seemed vastly overpriced and underdeveloped.

HARP: Another good fantasy system.

Rolemaster: I've got many fond memories of old 'chartmaster' but it's not for everyone.

 

[Krieg]

Go with something well of the beaten path like Little Nightmares. It is a horror game where you play children and encounter the things kids truely fear.

Do you perhaps mean Little Fears?

Along similar lines there is also FFG's Grimm (soon to be followed-up with a full blown non-d20 version).

 

[Treebore]

Some very cool suggestions. And here I read this thinking I could add something, but instead read about some cool looking things I never heard about. My gaming day has been made! And its a Monday!

Of the ones mentioned that I have played or DMed I'll second Traveller (non-d20), GURPS (3E works fine and is often on sale for 50% off), and Shadowrun is definitely a blast and the advice about Deckers is spot on.

Others not mentioned. Chivalry and Sorcery, Rolemaster, RIFTS, and Synnibar. Lots of people may complain about RIFTS and Synnibar in particular, but I have had a lot of fun playing them. Only Synnibar meets your one book criteria though. RIFTS and Chivalry and Sorcery technically do too, and is probably the best way to go with RIFTS, but C and S really expands greatly (nicely) with the additional books. I guess you can play Rolemaster with just one book, but like C&S the additional books add a lot of good things to the game.

HARN is fun too.

I almost forgot to second Paranoia too.