How does Savage Worlds play?

[DreadPirateMurphy]

I just got some Savage Worlds books from Pinnacle for the first time, and I was wondering how it compares to playing D&D (3.x or 4)? The system looks a lot more streamlined, but I would like some insight from folks who have played multiple sessions with it.

 

[scourger]

Savage Worlds plays like a dream. When I ran it in lieu of 3.0/3.5, my prep time decreased about 90%. I don't think it will ever really supplant D&D for fantasy for me, d20 for some other types of games (Star Wars & Omega World) or even some really genre-specific games where the rules are part of the fabric of the experience (Rifts); but it could easily do it if I wanted it to. I love it beacuse it is simple enough to run easily but complicated enough to be engaging to play. Plus, there is something about the dice, chips & cards that really works. I've used chips for re-rolls in d20, and I may use the cards for initiative next time, too. Overall, Savage Worlds is great.

 

[Crothian]

It depends what you like about gaming. The system is simplier and it can move faster. But it also can not be as detailed or have the options of d20. It is a generic system more so then d20 and that has good and bad things. Games of different genres can feel the same mechancically because they are the same.

For me it's fine for one shots and playing with friends and at cons. But it is not a system I'd want to run a long campaign with.

 

[DreadPirateMurphy]

It sounds like it would be ideal for one shot adventures, then -- especially once everybody is familiar with it. I found the use of cards and chips to be interesting, particularly in the Deadlands setting (one of the books I got).

Thanks

 

[Wik]

It plays fast, and it's one of those games that encourages PCs to have disadvantages (which some of my players absolutely LOVE). You can run larger combats than you can in D&D, and still have them take a fraction of the time. And it is very easy to "wing it".

On the down side, the damage system is a little spotty, with a lot of rolls that are unneccessary, and there have been many times where we would get "You hit... you don't really damage him... he saves and is now completely unfazed".

Personally, I prefer the Cortex system (the Serenity RPG), which is a lot like Savage Worlds, only without exploding dice and with hit points (and some other variations), and a more interesting (IMO) skill system.

 

[Sadrik]

It is my game of choice and for my group. I love the system. One of my favorite things about the system is that I can run it for nearly any genre and it works. That said it plays different than d20. You are not 15th level fighters with 200 hp who can take countless sword blows. You are mortal and can actually be hurt with a lucky roll. You need to think about your encounters and really use tactics like cover and ganging up etc. A common orc with with a big axe can be devastating, even for higher rank characters.

Something different from 3e: feats in 3e are somewhat powerful in the overall make up of a character but in SW edges are way more potent.

Also another important aspect to the game is trappings. It is up to the player, setting and GM to define things (depending on what they are). The hard rules offer the mechanics for how it happens mechanically but the player, setting and GM define the specifics. A bolt power can mechanically be a vast array of effects and not just I shoot a magic bolt. This is in essence why the game can be played in so many settings and genres so easily.

If you are looking for a minutia based system with 15 levels of attack powers and multiple pre-scripted effects for each level - this is not your game. If you are looking for a game where the rules seldom get in your way and give you the room to be creative and see your own vision through, this is the game for you.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I found it amazingly bland - way too homogeneous for my taste. Given a choice between Savage Worlds and the old Deadlands I would not hesitate to pick up the older game. Admittedly a deciding factor is the handling of Weird Science - Deadlands did a great job, SW palms it off as just another type of magic that is just like every other type of magic. And I picked up the freakin' game because I was told that it was good for steampunk. It really, really isn't.

For a generic system I favor True20, considerably more flavor, and a combat system that I enjoyed playing.

The Auld Grump

 

[Woas]

I'm with the Auld Grump. Thought Savage Worlds sounded real cool (and at $10 for the Explorers Edition why not just to check it out?) and played a bunch of it.

Found it was pretty bland. The dice-mechanics are awkward too.

 

[Hussar]

I ran a single adventure in SW. I found it somewhat more complex that I first thought when reading through things. There's a lot more bits and pieces than I first realized.

I did like it. I played a sort of zombie survival horror SF scenario. It worked well enough for what I wanted. I LOVE the setting books for it. I have to agree with the others though, the core set is very generic. Unless you're going with one of the settings - I see that they are rereleasing Space 1889 for SW - you have a fair bit of work ahead of you.

One thing that should be mentioned is the SW community. There is a metric buttload of material on the net for SW. TONS of stuff and much of it very high quality.

Pinnacle also gets a big two thumbs up from me for being one of the few RPG companies out there actively supporting VTT's - they have a few adventures specifically built for Fantasy Grounds, and their Maptools support is jawdroppingly unbelievable.

 

[TheNovaLord]

it plays like it says, fast n fun

cant believe people on a d20 forum say it has complexity / dice difficulty

it is spot on for the right genre, so
pirates
cowboys
indiana jones
buck rogers

it makes an excellent con game as its so easy to pick up

we use it for shorter campaigns, say 6-8 sessions

it doesnt have the range of magic, items, spells, monsters etc of bigger games, but is dead easy to wing

I run a lot of games in the Equilibrium setting, so is perfect fro Grammaton clerics gunning down vast numbers of adversaries

starting my Chapter House Chronicles with it next week (its dune in 'nature')

uses poker chips to keep track of wounds, shaken, etc and u dont have to write anything on charcater sheets during play