Looking for Game System Recommendations

[billd91]

This. You cannot have a rules-light game that offers the same depths of tactical combat that 3e or 4e do.

That seems true on the surface but I'm not sure that's really the case. It depends a lot on what you mean by "tactical combat" and just what the tactics get you in the game. If you mean well-defined powers and abilities, then you're definitely edging away from rules light. If you're looking at some broad principles and a lot of GM-based power to adjudicate different effects stemming from different tactics, then rules light is still OK.

 

[Walter_J]

Hi Enworlders,

My favorite part of this hobby is crafting interesting combats for my players, however, I find D&D overly complex and slow moving.

I have enjoyed playing D&D 3.5 and 4, but am looking for something simpler. I am looking for a "rules light" game that does tactical combat well.

I'm excited to try 5e, but would like to hear what else people recommend.

Thank you.

You could take a look at Perilous.
The game is designed to be picked up and played by someone who never played an RPG before and to be played with minis. In fact, the core book and the majority of the adventures include mapboards so you can lay the adventures out in miniature. So, I think it would meet your requirements of "rules light" and tactical combat.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I'll put another plug in for looking at WEG d6. I don't know if I'd say it's lighter than 3e or 4e D&D, but it isn't any heavier. You can freely download it in any of three flavors: Fantasy, Space, or Adventure, each of which is a 145 page previously print commercial (as in, it used to be a print book sitting on shelves) format. There are also some nice supplements.

After reading through the basic combat rules, there is a section for advanced rules. My first reaction was, "great, something to slow the game down for little reason." Then I actually read them, and found myself thinking, "wow...these work and work well." Basically, the numbers for the advanced combat materials actually do what you'd expect them to do. When you try maneuvers, you should be getting the results that make sense. It actually makes it worth it to try interesting things, without feeling like you are missing out if you choose not to. I highly recommend taking a peak at it (as well as the other systems mentioned already).

 

[herrozerro]

Savage worlds all the way.

 

[Oldehouserules]

Pits & Perils has the rules-light thing down, for sure. Perhaps more than most...

Combat can be surprisingly tactical, especially using the simple attacks modifiers in the campaign rules section and combat moves from the supplement (Fear! Fire! Foes!).

 

[garrowolf]

Nexus D20 is very fast and tactical at the same time. There are very few actual rolls in combat and that makes combat run fast. You only have one roll per action. This covers attacks, crits, and damage all at once. This causes the players to think tactically instead of just beating on things. There are a huge number of options but the basic game is simple.
www.wiki.garrowolf.net

 

[Razjah]

I recommend Savage Worlds. There are a lot of options in combat, without needing to get feats or spend extra skills to unlock options. In addition the rules let simple -2/+2 advantages or disadvantages have meaning. Plus you can take multiple actions!

I would have said to go with FATE Core but many times fighting in FATE is a bit boring. You can move a bit and fight. Or you can move far or you can fight. No moving a medium amount and trying to fight. Plus the FATE rulebooks is sometimes laid out very strangely.