Other Game Systems

[Philotomy Jurament]

Although M&M is very complete given its low pagecount (pretty much anything can be simulated), I wouldn't call it rules-light.

Yeah, I'd agree. That goes for True20, too, IMO. True20 is lighter than 3E, and I used to consider it rules-light, but after playing it for a while I wouldn't call it rules-light, anymore. (Still a neat system, just not what I'd consider rules-light.)

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

I, too, will try to sell GURPS.

Basically what's I'm looking for is (in no particular order):
1. Something that's in print; I don't want a PDF rule book

Check.

2. More or less rules-lite (in comparison to D&D 3.5)

The basics of the GURPS rule system are quire simple. You can download GURPS Lite, a 32-page condensed version of the GURPS system, for free.

It only covers playing mundane humans without supernatural powers, but that in itself still covers a wide range of people from throughout history. The GURPS Basic Set has a lot more detail - but most of that is optional and not needed for most campaigns.

3. Something that would be affordable to get started with (don't want to have to buy a lot of books, just in case it doesn't catch on with my group)

Well, GURPS Lite is free. I suggest running a horror adventure set in the modern day or a historical period with it - if the PCs don't have supernatural powers, this will be entirely sufficient.

The two books of the Basic Set do require some more investment, but it's a reasonable amount - and these two books cover a far wider range of genres than D&D.

4. Not minis centric

Not required, though if you want to use them, GURPS covers that too.

5. A system that can accomodate different genres (the pure fantasy of D&D is getting old)

That's where GURPS shines - it can cover pretty much any genre you can imagine, and does gritty and cinematic equally well. The only genre where I have my doubts about GURPS 4E is a campaign with characters of truly cosmic powers (like when they are actual gods), but anything apart from that is doable.

And like others have said, a large number of GURPS 3E worldbooks are available for $10 apiece at the moment - a great price for almost all of them. Most can be converted to GURPS 4E with a minimum of effort.

 

[Tharkun]

GURPS 4E

Unisystem

 

[Kafkonia]

Shurai flashes his secret Owns a Mekton Book decoder ring.

And then there were three.

Lights up a cigarette and speaks with Humphrey Bogart voice.

Make that four, sweetheart.

 

[iron-spyder]

There is also Morrigan Press' Omni System and Atlantis:the Second Age (which is the latest edition of the old Bard Games Atlantean System). You make your own role and the magic is very flexible. This is the system I am preparing to run here.

 

[BluSponge]

As far as running games goes, I pretty much stick to Savage Worlds these days. Play-wise, I'm open to just about anything. But if I had to make recommendations beyond SW, I'd say:

Lejendary Adventure
Unisystem (All Flesh Must Be Eaten, Buffy, Angel, Army of Darkness)
C&C
True20
7th Sea
Earthdawn
Legends of the Five Rings (if you are into Asian fantasy)
Castle Falkenstein
SAGA (Marvel Super Heroes, Dragonlance Fifth Age)

Games I've heard great things about but never played or run:

Spirit of the Century
Ars Magica
Mutants & Masterminds

Tom

 

[sniffles]

My favorite system of all time- but only beating out D20 by a hair- is HERO. I've yet to find a PC I couldn't create with it. The D20 offspring Mutants & Masterminds is very nearly its equal, and much less complex.

I was about to conclude there was no love here for Hero when I spotted this. Hero has rules for fantasy characters, and it's about the most flexible game system I've ever played. You can be anything you have the points for.

I'm also a proponent of RuneQuest, though only 2e - I've no experience of the new Mongoose edition. RQ 2e was relatively easy to learn and very flexible. It's a lot of fun to have a fantasy game in which any character can cast spells without having to take a hit to melee combat abilities. The same goes for Fantasy Hero.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Although M&M is very complete given its low pagecount (pretty much anything can be simulated), I wouldn't call it rules-light. It's about as complex as D&D, I'd say, and D&D is not rules-light.

My bad, I meant to say its kind of rules-light compared to HERO and Core D20.

 

[thedungeondelver]

Lights up a cigarette and speaks with Humphrey Bogart voice.

Make that four, sweetheart.

Four MEKTON players, not counting me?

I'm scared!

 

[Kafkonia]

My bad, I meant to say its kind of rules-light compared to HERO and Core D20.

Mr. Ruley's Big Book of Rules and the Rules on How to Use Them is rules-light compared to HERO.