Setting or System - whichever applies to you?

[Jhaelen]

For example, 13th Age is a great system, but it’s so attached to the Icons and the setting. It would take some work to adapt all into my new campaign.

Well, I guess, it depends on your setting, but I think almost any setting offers some more or less obvious candidates to replace the default icons. If you check out the various forums, you'll find several examples. Keith Baker himself even wrote an article about icons in Eberron

Theoretically, you could also get rid of the icons completely, although I think, it's too cool a concept to do that. If you go that route, you have to eliminate several of the class talent choices. It has the largest impact on the Chaos Mage, I think, because of their icon spell list. It's probably more work than identifying replacement icons for your setting, but still doable.

I don't think 13th Age is attached to the setting at all, except through its connection to the default icons. The only example I can think of is the Druid's Terrain Caster class talent, which includes 'Koru Behemoths', but that's easily ignored or replaced.

 

[Venley]

Setting all the way. Rarely known IPs, though I have played in Middle-Earth and Star Wars, but the setting has to be strong. Favourites are:

Harn (many systems are used, I have played with Rolemaster, Harnmaster, Fate; others use Savage Worlds, AiME, GURPS, etc.)

Glorantha (Runequest I-III, Hero Wars, Heroquest, likely another iteration of RQ/Mythras in the future)

Rokugan (L5R I-IV)

Al Qadim (adapted D&D 2e, adapted Rolemaster, adapted D&D 3e and 3.5e, D&D maxed out at level 6 with feats thereafter)

Kara-tur (Oriental Adventures)

Birthright (D&D 2e, 3e)

Middle-earth (adapted Rolemaster, adapted 5th ed)

Ars Magica & 17th century Ars Magica (all iterations of the rules)

various low-fantasy homebrew games (adapted Rolemaster 1st, 2nd and RMSS)

Traveller (original and Mongoose)

Star Wars (original and FFG)


I am 95% about a well-defined setting and only about 5% rules; I adapt the rules to the setting as needed, mostly dialling magic up and down.
The system is there to serve my players & I and the stories we create.