Is there demand for a “tactical” RPG akin to 4e?

[Justice and Rule]

I mentioned earlier how certain builds in LANCER can give players tremendous problem-solving power in certain types of missions. I think 11dragonkid demonstrates this quite well with this LANCER battle report, in which teleport beacons conquer all.

I did like his scenario that they are not optimized for, where they need to get off the map in a certain number of turns but they have a Drake who can't possibly make it, so the players have to improvise. It involved a lot of friendly grappling, as well as a Virgil reference.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Curious about people’s thoughts on this. I always liked the tactical aspects of D&D 4e, though didn’t play much of it myself. I think in a lot of ways, 4e suffered due to marketing and the fact that it was so different from D&D 3.5e, yet had the same name.

I’m sure there were many other issues that 4e had which turned away gamers, but I am curious now if there is demand for another game, which takes the best of 4e, and is designed and marketed as a “tactical” RPG. That is to say, an RPG with emphasis on grid-based combat, with depth for character creation, “powers” chosen at different levels (unique to the classes), and of course, a functional “social”/RP mechanics, with related skills, etc.

I said it back then and I’ll say it now: I liked 4E’s mechanics, just not for D&D. Slap another name on it, I’d have been happier with it because I wouldn’t have had the expectations I did from prior editions.

And honestly, I think it would have made a GREAT toolbox system. I could easily see a core rulebook with sourcebooks for a Modern, Horror or Sci-Fi settings using its mechanics doing very well.

 

[Lionblade]

I said it back then and I’ll say it now: I liked 4E’s mechanics, just not for D&D. Slap another name on it, I’d have been happier with it because I wouldn’t have had the expectations I did from prior editions.

And honestly, I think it would have made a GREAT toolbox system. I could easily see a core rulebook with sourcebooks for a Modern, Horror or Sci-Fi settings using its mechanics doing very well.

I like that idea a lot actually. What changes would you make to the classes to support it?

 

[Campbell]

My two favorite tactical games are FFG Legend of the Five Rings and Exalted Third Edition. I really like that the core of each is about making one on one fights feel compelling and then synergies are built on top of that. I also like that both are highly dynamic and force you to make more responsive tactical decisions.

 

[Weirdok]

Holy carp! This looks gorgeous. Thank you for bringing this to my attention!

This game sounds fantastic! This idea is something I would like to see intergrated into high level play in 5e. The introduction of war drama and the rising and falling of major powers because of war is the flower of ttrpg'. The goals would be to establish enough wealth and power to influence the leading or associated faction's forces into battle. It would supply endless role-playing situations and exciting combat scenarios. Bravo to the creators!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I like that idea a lot actually. What changes would you make to the classes to support it?

To be honest, I haven’t given it much thought in the past few years.

To start, I’d probably streamline the number of classes and sort the powers into lists based on the stats they use to be effective.

The classes themselves would have lists of abilities to choose from, given point values based on how powerful/flexible they were.

Races/species would probably have something similar, but with the game master deciding what abilities existed for each.

Perhaps the points used for picking characters’ innate biological attributes would be the same as used for classes. “Weaker” races would get more left over to spend on class abilities, with “stronger ones getting fewer.

 

[Tun Kai Poh]

I did like his scenario that they are not optimized for, where they need to get off the map in a certain number of turns but they have a Drake who can't possibly make it, so the players have to improvise. It involved a lot of friendly grappling, as well as a Virgil reference.

LANCER rewards grappling slow friendly units. It's like the "Toss me" moment in Peter Jackson's The Two Towers.

 

[Aldarc]

One problem with this thread is that between Gubat Banwa, Icon, and Fabula Ultimate, my TTRPG reading list has become full and I’m not sure where to start.

 

[Tun Kai Poh]

One problem with this thread is that between Gubat Banwa, Icon, and Fabula Ultimate, my TTRPG reading list has become full and I’m not sure where to start.

Icon has fewer character "classes" than Gubat Banwa, so you could start there...

 

[Justice and Rule]

LANCER rewards grappling slow friendly units. It's like the "Toss me" moment in Peter Jackson's The Two Towers.

But also this is a game with a mech that is explicitly meant to piggyback on larger team members.

God, I somehow need to educated my groups in this game.