Interesting pirates campaign

[tecnowraith]

I having a very interesting idea for campaign wanting to pirate style game but doing it in a unique setting. The idea is not your typical fantasy or scifi pirate genre but science-fantasy pirate, not on sea but on a different plane. It's more like Spelljammer but with out the D&D setting or races, wanting to add more futuristic spin to it. I want setting in limbo or astral type universe not in outer-space. Any games or system besides D&D/D20, d6 or GURPS might work with this idea?

 

[Crothian]

Savage World should be able to do it pretty easily.

 

[tecnowraith]

Any other ideas or suggestions?

 

[Neil Bishop]

No other suggestions... Savage Worlds would be perfect.

Try the forums at www.rpg.net. A lot of people there have experience with lots of non-d20 games and might be able to give you some ideas (from what I understand, Spirit of the Century might be interesting as well).

 

[tecnowraith]

No other suggestions... Savage Worlds would be perfect.

Try the forums at www.rpg.net. A lot of people there have experience with lots of non-d20 games and might be able to give you some ideas (from what I understand, Spirit of the Century might be interesting as well).

I have already started a thread there. I do not like how Savage Worlds handles their powers. I dislike powers being feats (star wars d20 or true20) or advantages (GURPS and D6). I like powers being level based.

 

[Crothian]

QAGs can do it. Burning Wheel might be able to but it would be a little difficult. Rifts has many of those elements you'd just need to pick and choose from the material. With some work you could bend Trinity to do it. The system from HEX would work and the pulp feel does work for pirates. Secrets of the Surface world supplement adds a sci fi feel.

 

[Captain Tagon]

My two suggestions off hand would be Spirit of the Century or SW. But since you want level based powers I really don't know. True20 and SAGA are the only games I play currently that even have levels.

 

[tecnowraith]

The whole idea for the setting is high-adventure in the planes, travelling through the etherspace in magitech ships from modified 1600's sailing vessels to super-science or pseudoscience ships or even trains. The whole game takes in etherspace, mentioned earlier, and players travel to different realms for adventure. Each realm are planetoids that could be no bigger than a large continent and each realm will be of mixed genres like ninja-priests with ray guns for an example. Players themselves actual play crews of a particular ship be either pirates, scientist or military.

I also want to have the ability to create and modify the ships themselves so looking for a good vehicle construction mechanics is a plus.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Sounds like an interesting campaign idea. I've just started playing in a more traditional pirate game using the D&D rules, somewhat modified. Dex applies to 'to hit' instead of str for a more swashbuckling feel. The DM created rules for ship-to-ship combat and firearms. Naval combat is conducted just like normal combat except ships have facing as broadsides are hugely important. There is a roll to hit for each cannon and they deal damage versus a ship's hardness and hit points. A certain percentage of crew are killed according to the damage.

We've only played a few sessions but I think the rules are already starting to creak a bit. They show just how hard it is to modify D&D when you go outside the dungeon bashing comfort zone.

So I would not recommend using D&D unless you're an excellent rules monger.

 

[Flynn]

While I would third the Savage Worlds vote, if you want d20 and level-based magic, I'd also suggest Grim Tales by Bad Axe Games. It can do what you are looking for, and quite easily. There's a lot of support here on these boards that can help with the project, including the author.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn