Forked Thread: The Best OGL Systems

[Verdande]

I'm so happy that I'm not the only one with love for Labyrinth Lord. That and OSRIC had me conflicted about which game to write homebrew material for, for the longest time. (I've since settled on LL, but every now and again I have pangs of longing for OSRIC)

Oh, and Microlite 74, which just might be the single most beautiful idea ever to come to fruition.

 

[Silvercat Moonpaw]

I have to preface by saying I've only ever managed to actually play two systems, D&D3e and Mutants&Masterminds. Still I'd like to put in a vote for M&M as it fulfills my need for a system that has build flexibility without being too complex and easy play. My opinion is that it would work great in any game where building your whole character yourself is important, which doesn't care about resource management, and which doesn't need characters to be especially vulnerable for some reason.

 

[darjr]

[FONT=Lucida Grande, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Black Company Campaign Setting.
[/FONT]

 

[ruemere]

Black Company.
Arcana Evolved.

Regards,
Ruemere

 

[Glyfair]

You can do superheroes with it, oddly enough. But you can also use it for just about any other type of game.

That's almost a given for any superhero RPG that isn't tied to a very limited concept. By their very nature superheroes tend to cover a wide variety of genresm and they need to handle them all.

Of course, how well they handle the various genres vary. Especially when you don't mix them together. Still, they have to cover them.

I haven't actually played any OGL game (I have several, and was interested, just didn't have a group that was interested or time), but I have heard good things about several. The Game of Thrones sounded like it handled some challenging goals.

 

[darjr]

Nobody mentions T20? I don't have any direct experience, but I thought it was well received.

 

[Psion]

Nobody mentions T20? I don't have any direct experience, but I thought it was well received.

I like it, and had a lot of fun with it both running in home games and at GenCon.

It's not a perfect system, and has a few foibles I don't like, but it's pretty good. It's got some quirks and difficulties, but many of them are addressed in the new(ish) Traveller's Player's Guide.

It has a decent combat system, handles many issues (like vehicle piloting) better than the original, and has a GREAT space combat system... one of the best I've seen for small spaceships.

The setting for it, Gateway to Destiny, is also a great little setting, covering 4 sectors (about 4 times as large as any Traveller region book.)

 

[El Mahdi]

Wheel of Time

Although not a completely unique OGL game (more of a setting book with the SRD rules almost verbatim), but the magic system was considerably different. I felt they did a really good job of tweaking the D20 magic system to give the feel of the books.


PS: my last post of the night, gotta go and watch the debate.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I have to throw in my vote for Arcana Evolved, Mutants & Masterminds (very much looking forward to Wizards & Warlocks), Ptolus and Red Star (Green Ronin D20 Modern Setting).

Ptolus may have been a heck of a lot of money, but the sheer volume, detail, labor of love and urban sprawling goodness has me hooked on it; 2nd favorite third party setting.

 

[Greg K]

Mutants and Masterminds followed by True20.