Looking For a System (and I have a forum question)

[Max_Killjoy]

I know HERO very well, at least 4th and 5th.

The one thing I'd really like to change from HERO if I used it is the SEGMENTS/PHASES system, so that who goes first isn't locked in stone, and slower characters aren't left eternally playing catch-up.


Slots don't really fall under "resource" in the sense that it's "here's the spells you can cast today, exactly, and if there's a fight at 8am, you're screwed all day", rather than "here are the spells you know how to cast, which ones you use today is not set in stone, and you're not screwed for the entire day by a fight at 8am."

 

[GMMichael]

I'm looking for a system to run a fantasy-genre game. . .
Mechanics wishlist:
No classes -- character builds are open.
No levels -- progression is by XP expenditure.
Characteristics and skills both matter.
Dice results are "curved" resulting in somewhat more predictable results.
Resolution is relatively quick, without a massive amount of mathematics or debate before or after a roll, and without needing to look up a dozen of special "talents" and whanot
Can handle magic without magic overwhelming other ways of doing things.
Prefer resource-based rather than slot-based magic.
Combat is smooth, but not highly abstract -- mechanical actions model character actions, not some undefined unit of abstract stuff.
Game scales well -- avoids the issues some games have of the attack/defense/damage/soak relationships radically changing as characters advance.

You definitely do NOT want to play Modos RPG for this. The combat is fast and fluid, one of the downsides of being fairly abstract. Die rolls: not bell curved AT ALL, although you can always take half on the die if you want an average result, which makes results somewhat more predictable.

Worst of all: it's free and open source, so instead of being perfect right out of the box, you have to waste time tailoring it to your every need and desire.

So, you probably don't want to check it out here: modos-rpg.obsidianportal.com

 

[Tony Vargas]

I know HERO very well, at least 4th and 5th.

The one thing I'd really like to change from HERO if I used it is the SEGMENTS/PHASES system, so that who goes first isn't locked in stone, and slower characters aren't left eternally playing catch-up.

Lower SPD characters actually can catch up and deal with higher-speed ones by gaming the Speed Chart a bit. They have to whether a phase or two of attacks, but it can be interesting. And, there's 'lightning reflexes.'

IIRC, there was a rolled-initiative variant somewhere: you make DEX rolls at the start of combat, and can have levels in initiative to add to the roll. The combat starts on the winner's 1st phase & DEX.
It has it's issues. If the winner is speed 4, for instance, all the speed 4 & 5 characters would get to go /before/ the speed 6 characters.

Slots don't really fall under "resource" in the sense that it's "here's the spells you can cast today, exactly, and if there's a fight at 8am, you're screwed all day", rather than "here are the spells you know how to cast, which ones you use today is not set in stone, and you're not screwed for the entire day by a fight at 8am."

So more flexible resources than D&D Slots or the FH 'Delayed' power modifier.

 

[Max_Killjoy]

In the GITP forums, the suggestions so far were:

Barbarians of Lemuria
Fate
GURPS
d6 Fantasy (WEG system)
Riddle of Steel / Blade of the Iron Throne
The Dark Eye/Das Schwarze Auge
Reve: The dream Ouroboros
Savage Worlds (ye olde version of Deadlands dice)
REIGN

 

[Rottle]

Hero system....was always a great system for super heroes never loved it for fantasy.

 

[Max_Killjoy]

Hero system....was always a great system for super heroes never loved it for fantasy.

While it's supposed to be "universal", you're not the first person to say that it doesn't downscale from superheroic or "epic adventures" level all that well.

Any specifics on what didn't work for you, in terms of using HERO for fantasy genre games?

 

[Rottle]

Well basically magic was very challenging to ever get better at because of the power level, and not wearing armor was just deadly. Most weapons could outright kill you espically when used by high strength foes, Giants were very deadly with two handed swords to the point were even armored fighters risked instant death even at high level because your body total was pretty hard to raise for fantasy characters.

In super hero games having a body of 30 or 40 was more then possible add to that having resistant defenses in the 15 to 25 range was not hard either.