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Low Fantasy - Best Systems?
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<blockquote data-quote="innerdude" data-source="post: 7893350" data-attributes="member: 85870"><p>[USER=58416]@Johnny3D3D[/USER] -- Commenting on your reply to [USER=177]@Umbran[/USER] upthread, my initial question would be, how is GURPS failing to provide the type of "low fantasy" feel that you want?</p><p></p><p>Because GURPS is certainly one of the go-to systems that comes to my mind when looking at playing a "low fantasy" campaign/system. In fact, it's probably one of the ONLY general game milieus to which I think I might enjoy GURPS at all. </p><p></p><p>Any and all of the Runequest/BRP spinoffs are in many ways going to give you the same feel as GURPS --- deadly combat, loads of tactical combat options, roll-under system (though Runequest's flat distribution versus GURPS normal distribution/bell curve will definitely feel more "swingy" at times). </p><p></p><p>I've read through the Legend PDF (the OGL version of Runequest 2) a few times---since it's free, after all---and my general impression is that it was very much tailored from the same basic cloth as GURPS, with the major differences being approaches to magic. So if you're just wanting to try something new without completely abandoning what you like about GURPS, this might not be a bad place to start. </p><p></p><p>Now, if you're really wanting to "break the mold" from GURPS entirely, there's definitely more stuff out there. Barbarians of Lemuria, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying, Harn, Zweihander, Burning Wheel . . . heck, even Genesys would probably do "low fantasy" very well, depending on how you wanted to handle healing.</p><p></p><p>If you wanted to do "high action / low fantasy", Savage Worlds would also work really well, if you were willing to do a little research on how to "tune" the system to get the proper grim/gritty feel you want from it. But I rarely recommend Savage Worlds to hardcore GURPS players, because on the surface Savage Worlds looks a lot like GURPS, but once an old GURPS player starts digging in, they generally feel that Savage Worlds isn't nearly crunchy enough for their taste. </p><p></p><p>But all of this is depending on what kind of game experience you want. Do you want more player narrative freedom? Do you like GURPS, but just want something slightly different? Do you want the players to feel more "heroic" than GURPS, but just want a low-fantasy setting to mill about in? </p><p></p><p>I also think [USER=12386]@Puggins[/USER] comment is relevant as well---don't mistakenly equate a "low tech" setting/system with a "low fantasy" setting/system. </p><p></p><p>If you're looking for some outstanding examples of what I'd consider "low fantasy" in fiction, I'd highly recommend reading any of Guy Gavriel Kay's pseudo-historical fantasy novels, particularly the Sarantium series, <em>The</em> <em>Lions of Al-Rassan</em>, and <em>Under Heaven</em>. </p><p></p><p>Thanks for being patient with my rambling thoughts, just throwing spaghetti against the wall here to see if anything is useful for sparking ideas.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="innerdude, post: 7893350, member: 85870"] [USER=58416]@Johnny3D3D[/USER] -- Commenting on your reply to [USER=177]@Umbran[/USER] upthread, my initial question would be, how is GURPS failing to provide the type of "low fantasy" feel that you want? Because GURPS is certainly one of the go-to systems that comes to my mind when looking at playing a "low fantasy" campaign/system. In fact, it's probably one of the ONLY general game milieus to which I think I might enjoy GURPS at all. Any and all of the Runequest/BRP spinoffs are in many ways going to give you the same feel as GURPS --- deadly combat, loads of tactical combat options, roll-under system (though Runequest's flat distribution versus GURPS normal distribution/bell curve will definitely feel more "swingy" at times). I've read through the Legend PDF (the OGL version of Runequest 2) a few times---since it's free, after all---and my general impression is that it was very much tailored from the same basic cloth as GURPS, with the major differences being approaches to magic. So if you're just wanting to try something new without completely abandoning what you like about GURPS, this might not be a bad place to start. Now, if you're really wanting to "break the mold" from GURPS entirely, there's definitely more stuff out there. Barbarians of Lemuria, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying, Harn, Zweihander, Burning Wheel . . . heck, even Genesys would probably do "low fantasy" very well, depending on how you wanted to handle healing. If you wanted to do "high action / low fantasy", Savage Worlds would also work really well, if you were willing to do a little research on how to "tune" the system to get the proper grim/gritty feel you want from it. But I rarely recommend Savage Worlds to hardcore GURPS players, because on the surface Savage Worlds looks a lot like GURPS, but once an old GURPS player starts digging in, they generally feel that Savage Worlds isn't nearly crunchy enough for their taste. But all of this is depending on what kind of game experience you want. Do you want more player narrative freedom? Do you like GURPS, but just want something slightly different? Do you want the players to feel more "heroic" than GURPS, but just want a low-fantasy setting to mill about in? I also think [USER=12386]@Puggins[/USER] comment is relevant as well---don't mistakenly equate a "low tech" setting/system with a "low fantasy" setting/system. If you're looking for some outstanding examples of what I'd consider "low fantasy" in fiction, I'd highly recommend reading any of Guy Gavriel Kay's pseudo-historical fantasy novels, particularly the Sarantium series, [I]The[/I] [I]Lions of Al-Rassan[/I], and [I]Under Heaven[/I]. Thanks for being patient with my rambling thoughts, just throwing spaghetti against the wall here to see if anything is useful for sparking ideas. [/QUOTE]
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