Frankie1969
Adventurer
I spent way too much time devising this, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that Elfcrusher et al have already been discussing a similar topic. Rather than numerical values, I came up with a set of descriptive criteria & keywords to compare RPGs.
Do you think this is a good framework? Do you agree with my assessments?
Recommendations can be genre, specific universe, and/or play style.
UPDATED 2019-July.
D&D:
Genre: fantasy (but sometimes modded for other genres).
Focus: fantasy combat, also social & exploration (skills).
Roll: d20+stat+prof+mods vs DC.
PCs: race, class, subclass, items. discrete spell lists. 6 stats + derived numbers. Also, background & personality traits.
Special: Inspiration Points earned for good roleplay of traits, expended for rerolls.
Advancement: 20 class levels with specified features, especially Hit Points.
Recommended for: Fantasy. Most of the content is based on magic.
Not recommended for: genres where combat is risky even for experienced PCs (e.g. Firefly).
FFG Narrative Dice (Star Wars, Legend of Five Rings, Genesys):
Genre: universal. specific settings add rules.
Focus: ???
Roll: symbol-sided opposing dice where plus/minus pairs cancel each other. circumstances add dice.
PCs: race, class, talents. stats + skills + derived numbers.
Special: plot chips that are expended then given to other side (PC vs enemies).
Advancement: talent tree.
Recommended for: SF&F.
Not recommended for: ???
Pathfinder (also Starfinder?):
Genre: fantasy (also Sci Fi)
Focus: combat, also social & exploration (skills).
Roll: d20+stat+points+mods vs DC.
PCs: race, classes, level, items.
Special: ???
Advancement: 20 class levels with specified features.
Recommended for: Fantasy, SciFi, Stargate?
Not recommended for: ???
Storytelling (nWoD - Vampire, Werewolf, Mage, et al):
Genre: modern supernatural (but potentially universal)
Focus: ???
Roll: Xd10 pools (stat+skill+modifiers) vs TN, each roll of 8+ is a Success, roll of 1 causes Drama.
PCs: stats (9 core + many derived), skills, features, virtue & vice.
Special: ???
Advancement: XP spent to increase stats, skills, features.
Recommended for: Modern Supernatural (specifically World of Darkness).
Not recommended for: "realistic" genres.
Fate (Dresden Files, Spirit of the Century, et al):
Genre: universal modular. Rule sections are designed to be added or removed.
Focus: dramatic narrative. Everything is abstracted. Players can explicitly modify scenes.
Roll: 4dF+approach (skill)+shifts (modifiers) vs ladder. Fate dice are {-1, 0, +1}. Ladder is a sliding success scale (-2 Terrible to +8 Legendary) of effects.
PCs: aspects (high concepts), approaches, stunts (special features). 1 stat (Refresh).
Special: Fate Points earned for good (or compelled) roleplay of aspects, expended to invoke aspects (bonus or reroll) or add narrative details.
Advancement: Refresh earned as XP, can be spent at Milestones to gain stunts or skills.
Recommended for: collaborative worlds.
Not recommended for: tactical combat.
Powered by the Apocalypse (Apocalypse World, Dungeon World, et al):
Genre: universal framework. Apocalypse engine builds lightweight rule sets with bespoke stats & features.
Focus: cinematic narrative. Players describe story actions via moves.
Roll: 2d6+stat vs 7 / 10. 7-9 is success with cost, 10+ is success.
PCs: classes with moves based on 5 stats (usually).
Special: varies by game.
Advancement: 10 levels with specified improvements.
Recommended for: Apocalyptic, ???
Not recommended for: ???
Savage Worlds (Deadlands, Interface Zero, et al):
Genre: universal. specific settings often add rules.
Focus: cinematic action.
Roll: dX+mods vs TN (often 4). Ability scores and skills are die sizes (d4 to d12).
PCs: skills, edges/hindrances (mods), gear. 4 stats, sometimes races, archetypes, powers.
Special: Bennies earned for creative roleplay, expended for rerolls.
Advancement: XP spent to increase die sizes, gain edges.
Recommended for: Action/Horror, ???
Not recommended for: ???
Cypher System (Numenera, The Strange, et al):
Genre: universal (but primarily aimed at human-level SF&F).
Focus: ???
Roll: d20 vs TN -edge -effort -mods. (effectively like D&D but counting in the opposite direction). Ability scores have 2 modifier components: Edge (constant) and Effort Pool (expendable).
PCs: "descriptor type who {focus}". Each keyword has associated skills & moves. 3 stats x2.
Special: Cyphers are one-shot boost items found and used during adventures.
Special: GM Intrusion stirs up the plot: earn XP in exchange for compelled difficulty.
Advancement: XP spent on stats, skills, or big one-shot boosts.
Recommended for: Numenera, The Strange.
Not recommended for: Superhero?
Hero System (Champions, Danger International, Fuzion, et al):
Genre: universal. Effect-based abilities reskinned as magic, super powers, tech, etc.
Focus: combat, also social and exploration (skills).
Roll: 3d6+OCV-DCV (combat value) vs 11, Xd6 - Defense for damage.
PCs: point-valued abilities & modifiers. 8 stats + derived numbers.
Special: Perks & Disads: point values for persistent story complications (NPC friends/enemies/dependents, compulsions, etc).
Advancement: XP adds to ability point total.
Recommended for: Superhero, players who like math puzzles ("EC, MP, or VPP? I'll make a spreadsheet...")
Not recommended for: non-combat focus.
GURPS (many many setting books):
Genre: universal. It's right there in the name.
Focus: tactical simulation.
Roll: skill vs 3d6 (low roll is better).
PCs: point-valued abilities & skills. 4 stats + derived numbers.
Special: ???
Advancement: XP adds to ability point total.
Recommended for: "realistic" genres.
Not recommended for: genres where combat isn't a big risk.
WOIN (OLD, NOW, NEW):
Genre: universal (fantasy, modern, SF)
Focus: action.
Roll: Xd6 (stat+skill+equipment) vs TN.
PCs: "descriptor career who {hook}" with skills, traits & exploits. 9 stats + derived numbers.
Special: Luck stat provides expendable dice pool.
Advancement: career grades (how many?) gain or improve skills.
Recommended for: ???
Not recommended for: ???
Do you think this is a good framework? Do you agree with my assessments?
Recommendations can be genre, specific universe, and/or play style.
UPDATED 2019-July.
D&D:
Genre: fantasy (but sometimes modded for other genres).
Focus: fantasy combat, also social & exploration (skills).
Roll: d20+stat+prof+mods vs DC.
PCs: race, class, subclass, items. discrete spell lists. 6 stats + derived numbers. Also, background & personality traits.
Special: Inspiration Points earned for good roleplay of traits, expended for rerolls.
Advancement: 20 class levels with specified features, especially Hit Points.
Recommended for: Fantasy. Most of the content is based on magic.
Not recommended for: genres where combat is risky even for experienced PCs (e.g. Firefly).
FFG Narrative Dice (Star Wars, Legend of Five Rings, Genesys):
Genre: universal. specific settings add rules.
Focus: ???
Roll: symbol-sided opposing dice where plus/minus pairs cancel each other. circumstances add dice.
PCs: race, class, talents. stats + skills + derived numbers.
Special: plot chips that are expended then given to other side (PC vs enemies).
Advancement: talent tree.
Recommended for: SF&F.
Not recommended for: ???
Pathfinder (also Starfinder?):
Genre: fantasy (also Sci Fi)
Focus: combat, also social & exploration (skills).
Roll: d20+stat+points+mods vs DC.
PCs: race, classes, level, items.
Special: ???
Advancement: 20 class levels with specified features.
Recommended for: Fantasy, SciFi, Stargate?
Not recommended for: ???
Storytelling (nWoD - Vampire, Werewolf, Mage, et al):
Genre: modern supernatural (but potentially universal)
Focus: ???
Roll: Xd10 pools (stat+skill+modifiers) vs TN, each roll of 8+ is a Success, roll of 1 causes Drama.
PCs: stats (9 core + many derived), skills, features, virtue & vice.
Special: ???
Advancement: XP spent to increase stats, skills, features.
Recommended for: Modern Supernatural (specifically World of Darkness).
Not recommended for: "realistic" genres.
Fate (Dresden Files, Spirit of the Century, et al):
Genre: universal modular. Rule sections are designed to be added or removed.
Focus: dramatic narrative. Everything is abstracted. Players can explicitly modify scenes.
Roll: 4dF+approach (skill)+shifts (modifiers) vs ladder. Fate dice are {-1, 0, +1}. Ladder is a sliding success scale (-2 Terrible to +8 Legendary) of effects.
PCs: aspects (high concepts), approaches, stunts (special features). 1 stat (Refresh).
Special: Fate Points earned for good (or compelled) roleplay of aspects, expended to invoke aspects (bonus or reroll) or add narrative details.
Advancement: Refresh earned as XP, can be spent at Milestones to gain stunts or skills.
Recommended for: collaborative worlds.
Not recommended for: tactical combat.
Powered by the Apocalypse (Apocalypse World, Dungeon World, et al):
Genre: universal framework. Apocalypse engine builds lightweight rule sets with bespoke stats & features.
Focus: cinematic narrative. Players describe story actions via moves.
Roll: 2d6+stat vs 7 / 10. 7-9 is success with cost, 10+ is success.
PCs: classes with moves based on 5 stats (usually).
Special: varies by game.
Advancement: 10 levels with specified improvements.
Recommended for: Apocalyptic, ???
Not recommended for: ???
Savage Worlds (Deadlands, Interface Zero, et al):
Genre: universal. specific settings often add rules.
Focus: cinematic action.
Roll: dX+mods vs TN (often 4). Ability scores and skills are die sizes (d4 to d12).
PCs: skills, edges/hindrances (mods), gear. 4 stats, sometimes races, archetypes, powers.
Special: Bennies earned for creative roleplay, expended for rerolls.
Advancement: XP spent to increase die sizes, gain edges.
Recommended for: Action/Horror, ???
Not recommended for: ???
Cypher System (Numenera, The Strange, et al):
Genre: universal (but primarily aimed at human-level SF&F).
Focus: ???
Roll: d20 vs TN -edge -effort -mods. (effectively like D&D but counting in the opposite direction). Ability scores have 2 modifier components: Edge (constant) and Effort Pool (expendable).
PCs: "descriptor type who {focus}". Each keyword has associated skills & moves. 3 stats x2.
Special: Cyphers are one-shot boost items found and used during adventures.
Special: GM Intrusion stirs up the plot: earn XP in exchange for compelled difficulty.
Advancement: XP spent on stats, skills, or big one-shot boosts.
Recommended for: Numenera, The Strange.
Not recommended for: Superhero?
Hero System (Champions, Danger International, Fuzion, et al):
Genre: universal. Effect-based abilities reskinned as magic, super powers, tech, etc.
Focus: combat, also social and exploration (skills).
Roll: 3d6+OCV-DCV (combat value) vs 11, Xd6 - Defense for damage.
PCs: point-valued abilities & modifiers. 8 stats + derived numbers.
Special: Perks & Disads: point values for persistent story complications (NPC friends/enemies/dependents, compulsions, etc).
Advancement: XP adds to ability point total.
Recommended for: Superhero, players who like math puzzles ("EC, MP, or VPP? I'll make a spreadsheet...")
Not recommended for: non-combat focus.
GURPS (many many setting books):
Genre: universal. It's right there in the name.
Focus: tactical simulation.
Roll: skill vs 3d6 (low roll is better).
PCs: point-valued abilities & skills. 4 stats + derived numbers.
Special: ???
Advancement: XP adds to ability point total.
Recommended for: "realistic" genres.
Not recommended for: genres where combat isn't a big risk.
WOIN (OLD, NOW, NEW):
Genre: universal (fantasy, modern, SF)
Focus: action.
Roll: Xd6 (stat+skill+equipment) vs TN.
PCs: "descriptor career who {hook}" with skills, traits & exploits. 9 stats + derived numbers.
Special: Luck stat provides expendable dice pool.
Advancement: career grades (how many?) gain or improve skills.
Recommended for: ???
Not recommended for: ???
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