Recommendations Please: Rules-Lite Modern Game?

[Dragonhelm]

I know nothing about it. Does it fit a modern setting do you think?

Neil, I didn't realize that was you at first. Teach me to post when I'm half-asleep.

C&C really is sort of an old-school D&D system. Though not d20 per se, it does borrow from d20 as well as prior editions of the game.

That being said, it could be adapted to a modern game quite easily. The key bit of work would be in character classes. Equipment should be able to be adapted fairly easily.

The key mechanic is d20 + ability score modifier + class level (if class level is appropriate). You don't use class level if it isn't appropriate. For example, a rogue would use the above mechanic for picking pockets, but a fighter would only use d20 + ability score modifier since fighters don't pick pockets.

C&C is a very freeform system. It doesn't have anything like skills and feats, but you can add those in easy enough. It's designed for house ruling.

I should also mention Prime ability scores. Base difficulty for rolls is 18, but if an ability score is a Prime, it's 12. Think of it in terms of natural talent vs. training. A person who has an 18 INT is naturally smart. If INT is his prime, he's had some education to go along with it.

I would think that being as freeform as it is, it would allow for a very cinematic style of combat. The only limitations would be the imagination. Players would say what their character does, the Castle Keeper (DM) would set the difficulty, and you roll for success.

I think it would be a good system to use for a Modern game. It would require a little work in regards to classes, but any edition of D&D (including d20) is easily adaptable to the system. Plus, it's open to all the house ruling you want.


As an aside, I will also say that True20 is an excellent system as well. You can get a PDF of just the rules (if you don't like the Blue Rose setting) from RPGNow.

If you have any more questions on C&C, let me know.

Now the question is, how do I get to the U.K. so I can join in on the game? Sounds like a blast!

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

Hrm. I was seriously un-impressed with True20, myself, for modern gaming. The class balance was created around a trifecta of fantasy archetypes, and nixing the FX class tends to leave things a hair lopsided. Everything was TOO simplified, and characters became TOO one-dimensional in their skill choices ... you get X skills, they're always at max ranks, you get no other ranks in any other skills. This leads to situations where Bob is great at X and Sally stinks at X and in all the investigative games I've played, it's been more fun to see the players each have a variety of skills that often overlap so that they can "aid another".

That said, I've found it very useful in my own Modern games to, instead of going to a different system, selectively remove rules and add new ones. Just a handful.

For a faster, more cinematic combat, with added interest:

• Remove AoOs.
• Allow moving and shooting/hitting without the Spring Attack/Shot on the Run feats. Everybody can do it.
• Give additional bonus feats (1st, 4th, 8th, etc works well for me)
• Use Action Points for "Anything Cool". This is a major interesting rule in my games ... if there's a rule that doesn't cover it, but it sounds cool, give me an AP and we'll make it happen.

Be free with the giveth and the taketh of Action Points. We use Ben's Grim Tales rules for APs, which spreads them out a little more and makes them more useful. He also suggests using them as a sort of game-table currency ... which works wonderfully. Player A does something really cool ... give him an AP. You need to railroad somebody to make the story more fun ("Your car got stolen." etc) ... shoot them an AP to cover for it.

Use APs for these things to make them more interesting and speed up game play.

• Take out rolling to confirm critical hits. If it's a threat, and it hits the AC, the player or GM can spend an AP to confirm (GM characters don't have APs, so you GIVE the player an AP to confirm against him)
• To do anything cool not covered by the rules.
• To use a feat for an encounter that you don't have.
• To succeed at something that might normally be under a complex series of skill checks, but which nobody feels like looking up the rules to.

Since APs are a finite resource, players can't just do anything "for free" ... most of the time they'll want to roll their skills and Aid Another (use that rule alot, even for tangentially related things ... SO HELPFUL.). Roll their combat dice, etc. But this way when it's the middle of a heated gunfight and somebody wants to belly-flop onto a desert cart and roll across the room two-fisting Berrettas ... just do it. Spend an AP. Maybe add a DC 10 Jump check into the mix for the sake of a tense moment ... if they don't have TWF, heck, spend another AP to pick it up for the combat and let loose the dogs of war John Woo style. Add some pigeons.

--fje

 

[Templeton580]

*

 

[Akrasia]

I strongly recommend checking out Eden's Angel game.

It uses the Cinematic Unisystem rules, which are simple, fast, and dramatic.

Even if you don't like the show, the Angel game can be used for almost any kind of modern game. It is close to a 'universal' rules kit.

 

[Denaes]

Angel/Buffy/Army of Darkness (Unisystem Lite) are pretty much the same rules set and would work well for modern.

Spycraft 2.0 if you cut out some fat would work wonders as there are no AoO's there. I'd just ignore the initiative system and play fast/loose with the skills rather than looking every damn thing up.

d6 Adventure (the modern one) Is pretty fast and light, but I'm not a fan of creating characters for it.

True20 works rather well. Great customization and quick & bloody fights.

AFMBE/Witchcraft/Armageddon are Unisystem (cousin to Angel, buffy & AoD's Unisystem Lite) is very rules light and a tad more conventional than Unisystem Lite. Great games, but a tad on the deadly side.

 

[Denaes]

That said, I've found it very useful in my own Modern games to, instead of going to a different system, selectively remove rules and add new ones. Just a handful.

For a faster, more cinematic combat, with added interest:

• Remove AoOs.
• Allow moving and shooting/hitting without the Spring Attack/Shot on the Run feats. Everybody can do it.
• Give additional bonus feats (1st, 4th, 8th, etc works well for me)
• Use Action Points for "Anything Cool". This is a major interesting rule in my games ... if there's a rule that doesn't cover it, but it sounds cool, give me an AP and we'll make it happen.

Sounds exactly like Spycraft 2.0. But that would fall under the "getting something new" and not "Modifying it".


I absolutely adore the Feats in Spycraft 2.0. A ton of feats which gives anyone in any aspect of the game room to grow without being confined to a limited path. It's really spoiled me for D&D.

 

[SweeneyTodd]

Okay, I was exactly in the situation the original poster is.

I switched over to FATE (http://www.faterpg.com/), and I was extremely happy with it. Those few times that we actually wanted to use rules to figure out what happens next, it was there for us, and the rest of the time it stayed out of the way.

One thing I like about the system a lot is Aspects, which are iconic things about a character. They work well as a way to incorporate the system into roleplaying.

It's a free download, so you may as well check it out.

 

[ragboy]

If you're not stuck on d20, Savage Worlds is an excellent rules-lite system designed for any genre. You can even download free test drive rules.

Those rules are darn cool. I had heard of SW, but didn't know anything about it... Verrry interesting...

 

[trancejeremy]

Well, let me suggest the D6 system. It's what I usually use for modern day games. (Though I also do like Spycraft 2.0).

 

[Breakdaddy]

Spycraft 2.0 *does* rocksauce, but if you are looking for simpler, then look elsewhere. If you are looking for more customizable, then give it a look, it's teh fire.