Recommendation: Modern Fantasy Little/No Combat

[Reynard]

I need a palette cleanser before I start a new D&D campaign and I have an idea for short portal fantasy wherein a retirement community gets drawn into Faerie and the PCs (family of residents or members of the staff mostly) will have to discover a way out before it is trapped forever. I want a system in which combat is essentially a fail state, though, and I want the magic and wonder of faerie to feel more horror like (think del Toror's Pan's Labyrinth).

Any suggestion is appreciated. Extra points if it is easy to get, preferably in PDF. Note that I do not like PbtA based games.

Thanks!

 

[Umbran]

I don't know many systems for which combat is intrinsically a failure state. I can think of quick ways to modify systems so that it is such, but that's not quite the requested brief.

 

[Reynard]

I don't know many systems for which combat is intrinsically a failure state. I can think of quick ways to modify systems so that it is such, but that's not quite the requested brief.

I am thinking of the level of "better not" that Call of Cthulhu sits in.

 

[Ath-kethin]

Remove healing magic and potions from D&D. There you are. No ody will get I to a fight if they don't have to.

 

[moriantumr]

Vaesen might suit your style. It has the mythical creatures, horror, and is designed for investigation to be at the forefront of an adventure. Combat can be extremely punishing, especially if investigation has been rushed or ignored. Bonus for having some of my favorite art in an rpg.

 

[Malmuria]

Changeling the Dreaming maybe?

 

[Reynard]

Changeling the Dreaming maybe?

I picked up the 20th Anniversary Edition when it was free at the start of the pandemic and am eyeballing it now. I kind of want regular human PCs though.

 

[John Dallman]

GURPS Lite plus GURPS Fantasy: Portal Realms should do it. Combat is quite deadly, and you've got specific support for portal fantasy. Mind you, most of that supplement is not GURPS-specific, and works with any RPG.

 

[payn]

Time to queue up some classic Sierra Adventure Games for inspiration.

 

[CubicsRube]

I havent played it, but might cthulu dark work for you?

I believe PCs automatically fail combat and the (very light) system is built around investigating the mythos, which could be altered to whatever weird science/magic is going on.