Purchasing suggestions..

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Hi all.. if you could recommend two purchases from the following list, what would they be? I've pulled this list from the many positive reviews I've read on this site for these products. I didn't include Grim Tales, Arcana Evolved, or Iron Heroes (all excellent), since I already own these products.

Conan d20
Mutants & Masterminds 2
Spycraft 2.0
Game of Thrones
True 20
Thieves' World
Blue Rose
Black Company

How would you rate your recommendations on how they deal with: 1) combat (I like armour as DR and an alternative to hit points e.g. damage save or reserve points, just to give you a taste for my preferences) 2) magic 3) fluff 4) adaptability to a low-magic, fantasy setting.

As a footnote, the game doesn't have to be 'gritty' (i.e. combat is exceptionally lethal, even to high level characters), but if it is, that's OK.

 

[Kirin'Tor]

Well, to preface my suggestions, I've not played/read _any_ of those books yet. However, I've heard very many positive things about the Atlantean Edition of Conan, and Black Company as a whole.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Well, to preface my suggestions, I've not played/read _any_ of those books yet. However, I've heard very many positive things about the Atlantean Edition of Conan, and Black Company as a whole.

I've heard good things about ALL of the above.. which is why I can't make up my mind as to which two I should purchase.

 

[arwink]

Conan would probably be my choice, given the list of things you wanted from the system at the bottom of your post, but the combination of MnM 2e and True 20 can handle almost any gmae concept I've come up with in the last couple of months with a little tinkering.

 

[Acid_crash]

Hi all.. if you could recommend two purchases from the following list, what would they be? I've pulled this list from the many positive reviews I've read on this site for these products. I didn't include Grim Tales, Arcana Evolved, or Iron Heroes (all excellent), since I already own these products.

Conan d20
Game of Thrones
Black Company

How would you rate your recommendations on how they deal with: 1) combat (I like armour as DR and an alternative to hit points e.g. damage save or reserve points, just to give you a taste for my preferences) 2) magic 3) fluff 4) adaptability to a low-magic, fantasy setting.

As a footnote, the game doesn't have to be 'gritty' (i.e. combat is exceptionally lethal, even to high level characters), but if it is, that's OK.

Those three above are the ones I've vote for based on the criteria you've listed. All three are amazing, do the job, and are damn fun.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

If it were me, I'd vote

Black Company
and
Spycraft 2.0

Not only are each of them pretty full, fun games in and of themselves, but each contains very nice pieces of rules-work that can be lifted for porting to other games.

But I'm a tinkerer. I like things I can make other things with.

--fje

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

But I'm a tinkerer. I like things I can make other things with.

Me too. I'm mostly interested in a good fantasy system, but if that system is easily portable to other genres (à la Grim Tales), even better.

 

[Vigilance]

My recommendations would be Conan and Black Company.

Chuck

 

[Stormborn]

My recommendations would be Conan and Black Company.

Chuck

Ditto. Based on both personal prefrence and what it seems you are looking for based on your first post.

 

[trancejeremy]

I would recommend Spycraft 2.0 and Conan. Simply because they are the ones I actually do own. (But I would be tempted to subsititute Thieves World for Conan, though I've only skimmed it at a store).

Both handle armor as DR; Spycraft uses the VP/WP system, Conan uses HP, but is closer to 1st edition D&D in the amount they give out

Spycraft doesn't have a magic system, and Conan's is sort of bare bones (they want you to buy their magic book for Conan). Having read through the Thieves Guild book, it seems they borrowed the magic system from Sovereign Stone.

Spycraft has no fluff in it at all, except maybe on the section on how to play various genres; Conan has plenty.

Spycraft probably could work for a fantasy setting, but I just don't think it's meant for it; you'd have to retool/change most the classes. It would also be a waste of the large gear section.

Conan should work fine.