Game Systems to Try

[FriarRosing]

I love Dungeons and Dragons, but lately I've been really wanting to branch out to other game systems. I don't even necessarily want to play them, but just have the books to read and mine for ideas. What I'd like are some recommendations for cool game systems. I'm mainly interested in the Warhammer Fantasy RPG (a LGS has a paperback copy of the older edition for cheap, and I'm considering it), WoD and Nobilis. The last one I just heard of today, and was wondering if anyone knew if it was good or not.

 

[Hussar]

I've heard Nobilis is a gorgeous book, but, that's about it.

Savage Worlds is definitely tickling my fancy of late. And, at 10 bucks, you can't beat the price.

I've also heard great things about Burning Wheel, Spirit of the Century and of course, Dogs in the Vineyard.

 

[Nightson]

Mutants & Masterminds!

 

[Professor Phobos]

For $10, you might as well try Savage Worlds. For $10, you could also go get the Wild Talents Essential Edition, though as it's nothing but the Wild Talents rules I'm not sure how good an introduction it would be. (It's a superhero game)

My personal favorite RPG of all time is Call of Cthulhu- in some respects, it's the exact opposite of Dungeons and Dragons and as such could provide a nice contrast and change of pace. It's a horror game (the first horror RPG, in fact) based on the Cthulhu Mythos of HP Lovecraft and others. And, certainly the Mythos and Mythos-themed stuff shows up in a lot of games, so the CoC book is a fine idea mine.

The easiest to acquire would be the only other RPG company that I ever see in mass market bookstores other than D&D stuff- White Wolf. The trouble with the World of Darkness corebook is that it was designed as a "bare bones rulebook" to be complemented by one of the WoD game lines- Vampire, Werewolf, Mage, Promethean, Changeling, Hunter or (in August) Geist. It was only after the rulebook by itself (which is just "regular normal people investigate weirdness") became popular that they started heavily supporting the core line with stuff oriented around supporting "regular people investigating weirdness." The bottom line is, the core WoD rulebook by itself is not all that worthwhile as an idea mine; I'd advise grabbing one of the main lines with it. Hunter is an excellent place to start.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Cthulhutech is a great game to check out. It combines Cyberpunk, Mecha, the Cthulhu Mythos and Anime Trappings into one great whole. It has a wide swath of different game-styles, great writing, wonderful, wonderful art and just all around well put together. It also has my favourite mecha rules.

I also recommend World of Darkness. The main book is the main ruleset with base mortals being the focus you can expand from there into the different splats. There are three core splats; Vampire, Werewolf and Mage as well as yearly splats; Changeling, Promethean (one of my all time favourite games), Hunter and soon Geist.

Both use a d10 system so if you like one rules-wise you may like the other. Setting wise while World of Darkness is a "setting" it is more toolbox-esque and easier to rip stuff out and put in. Cthulhutech has a concrete setting but the way it can be focused means you can ignore elements you dislike.

 

[Nameless1]

I recommend FATE. It is the rules system that Spirit of the Century is based off of. You can find the SRD for SotC here, and the FATE wiki here. Can't beat the price for checking it out. Best. Game. Ever.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

In no particular order:

• Stormbringer
• Call of Cthulhu
• Trail of Cthulhu
• In a Wicked Age
• Dying Earth
• Lejendary Adventure
• Tunnels & Trolls
• Risus
• Encounter Critical

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I always love to recommend Torg. Cinematic action in a vast array of worlds and settings, basically. If you like Indiana Jones or The Mummy, you might like Torg, too.
But this suggestion might be useless, since it is out of print, as far as I know.

My first RPG was Shadowrun. I like the latest (4th) Edition, a lot of improvements in the rules. The advantage for a new-comer was - you only needed d6. Everyone household has them, basically. The disadvantage is you need lots of them.

 

[FriarRosing]

Cthulhutech is a great game to check out. It combines Cyberpunk, Mecha, the Cthulhu Mythos and Anime Trappings into one great whole. It has a wide swath of different game-styles, great writing, wonderful, wonderful art and just all around well put together. It also has my favourite mecha rules.

I also recommend World of Darkness. The main book is the main ruleset with base mortals being the focus you can expand from there into the different splats. There are three core splats; Vampire, Werewolf and Mage as well as yearly splats; Changeling, Promethean (one of my all time favourite games), Hunter and soon Geist.

Both use a d10 system so if you like one rules-wise you may like the other. Setting wise while World of Darkness is a "setting" it is more toolbox-esque and easier to rip stuff out and put in. Cthulhutech has a concrete setting but the way it can be focused means you can ignore elements you dislike.

I got the free Geist quickplay rules and adventure from Free RPG Day, and the overall rules seem pretty cool. At first I thought Promethean sounded kind of dumb (for my tastes) but reading about it, it sounds kind of interesting. What is it you like about it?

 

[Fallen Seraph]

I got the free Geist quickplay rules and adventure from Free RPG Day, and the overall rules seem pretty cool. At first I thought Promethean sounded kind of dumb (for my tastes) but reading about it, it sounds kind of interesting. What is it you like about it?

I like the fact that unlike essentially all other World of Darkness games it is actually hopeful and not about falling into madness, monstrosity, etc. but learning how to become human and then become human. It also thanks to the turmoil, conflict and such that Prometheans go through in their journey my players got very involved in wanting to see them reach their end. Unlike most games this was one where you couldn't just walk away from unfinished.

It also on the otherside of things has a wide array of just ass-kicking abilities thanks to being a Promethean and being damn tough.

Also brought in the Qashmallim which are great.

It is though thanks to how it works a very draining experience, quite enjoyable but draining. Since it is sooo centred on PC-interaction and delving into the human experience and as a Storyteller you really need to be focused on the story of the PCs and their journey. You can't just throw a mission from a Prince at them like in Vampire. All around it takes a very mature and dedicated gaming-group to make the most of it I think.