Good Games For One Shots? [+]

[Jer]

So I'm looking to build up a list of non-D&D games that are good for one shots (or even 2-3 shots). The main criteria that I'm looking for are:

• Games that either:
  • have simple character creation that can be done in 15 minutes or less OR
  • have a good Quickstart/Starter Set with pregen characters and a good representative intro adventure bundled in
• Games that have a system that either:
  • can be explained up front in 5 minutes or less OR
  • are easy to jump right into with no explanation and teach/learn the system as you go
    • Bonus if the quickstart/starter set is designed to teach the system as you go

A few examples I've previously used with my own group would be

• Lasers and Feelings (quick character creation, highly improvisational)
• Icons (quick random character creation, simple to explain rules)
• Nights Black Agents (good quickstart in the form of The Van Helsing Letter Free RPG Day scenario available for download on Pelgrane's Site).

Anyone have any suggestions? Links to quickstarts if available are appreciated!

 

[Reynard]

I always feel that Call of Cthulhu is a better game for one shots than campaigns, and most people think the current edition quickstart or starter set is good.

 

[overgeeked]

Fabula Ultima is a JRPG-inspired tabletop RPG. The QuickStart includes pre-gens and an adventure that is designed to teach the game in stages. It’s great fun.

DriveThruRPG

www.drivethrurpg.com

Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC) is an Appendix N-inspired pulp fantasy RPG. The QuickStart includes an adventure, one of DCC’s (in)famous 0-level funnels. Character creation is random so very quick. An absolute blast to play.

DCC RPG Quick Start Rules & Intro Adventures – PDF|Goodman Games Store

goodman-games.com

 

[TheLibrarian]

Lady Blackbird if you're like steampunky/aeronaughty themed adventures.

Probably a fair amount of one shots available for Savage Worlds? SW has adapted itself to a variety of settings and has a fairly low startup cost from a rules perspective.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Cosigned. It has enough in common with D&D that players of that should be able to jump in fairly quickly. And combined with Purple Sorcerer's resources, making characters is super fast.

Purple Sorcerer Games: Our Free Dungeon Crawl Classics Tools

Purple Sorcerer Games is your source for exciting, affordable, fun-to-play adventures compatible with the Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG from Goodman Games.

purplesorcerer.com

Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC) is an Appendix N-inspired pulp fantasy RPG. The QuickStart includes an adventure, one of DCC’s (in)famous 0-level funnels. Character creation is random so very quick. An absolute blast to play.

DCC RPG Quick Start Rules & Intro Adventures – PDF|Goodman Games Store

goodman-games.com

Mork Borg and its associates (Cy-Borg, Pirate Borg, etc.) also spring to mind. And as before, there are online character generators that facilitate getting started:

https://scvmbirther.makedatanotlore.dev/

CY_BORG

OPEN%TRANSMISSION://LOAD [official_digital_generators_for_CY_BORG].cy

cy-borg.makedatanotlore.dev

 

[The Shadow]

Prime Time Adventures makes a fantastic one-shot, but you have to be willing to let go of a lot of assumptions that go with playing other RPGs.

 

[Retreater]

Alien (especially in cinematic mode) was a lot of fun, as if specifically created for a one-shot.

 

[Faolyn]

Prime Time Adventures makes a fantastic one-shot, but you have to be willing to let go of a lot of assumptions that go with playing other RPGs.

You really need to let go of assumptions, including the entirety of how to play any RPGs. It's almost like you have to decide as a group how the scene will go, then actually RP it. At least as far as we can tell. The one time my table tried to play it, it didn't work well.

 

[The Shadow]

You really need to let go of assumptions, including the entirety of how to play any RPGs. It's almost like you have to decide as a group how the scene will go, then actually RP it. At least as far as we can tell. The one time my table tried to play it, it didn't work well.

I don't know about the entirety, but it's definitely different! We didn't decide on the scene before playing it, but it was definitely a lot more collaborative. You're more like the writers and the actors in a TV show, rather than the characters themselves.

We have found it tremendous fun every time we've tried it as a one-shot, but I can't imagine doing a whole season of it.

 

[payn]

Fiasco.