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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ratskinner" data-source="post: 6106002" data-attributes="member: 6688937">I would recommend FATE. The newest version (FATE Core) isn't out yet, but I bet you could find an electronic copy if you asked real nice. (Especially since it will be available for pay-what-you-want, soon anyway, IIRC) However, that's just a cleaned-up trimmed down version. The basics have stayed pretty much the same. (some terms have been dropped-unified.)I don't think I've ever seen a FATE character that didn't fit on one side of one page....handily.FATE Core handles any genre out of the box. It is a little abstract or narrative, but it certainly isn't anything deep-end indie strange. Characters have: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">skills, which broadly determine the kind of things they can do.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">stunts, which are particular things characters can do (sometimes breaking the "rules")</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">aspects, which are free-form descriptors of the character.</li> </ul>Aspects are one of the key features of FATE and drive most of its flexibility. I'd have to double this point to describe how aspects work (because they work for more than just characters.) Happy to do it in another post if you'd like. I have regularly started a game with PCs only knowing 2 aspects and their top 3 skills. They can fill in the rest as they need to.You only need to add subset rules (called Extras) if you want to focus on their topic for your game. FATE Core, for instance, doesn't even assume weapon/armor damages as default rules. Magic can be handled totally as narrative flavor, or you can bolt on an Extra subsystem so it works exactly as you want. In general, FATE is more about creating a story than simulating a world. I'd only add on a extra if I wanted that to be an important part of the story. Even a magic system is unnecessary, unless you want the nature of magic to be important.There's a discussion going on right now about how social skills are just about as powerful as combat skills. FATE uses the same resolution mechanics for all conflicts physical and social, and social consequences like "quaking in his boots" can be used during a physical exchange. No classes, so that's not a problem.There's also a current discussion on the main FATE list about whether or not GMs even have to prepare anything at all. (Answer: you don't, but doing so doesn't necessarily hurt.) The actions and results are handled very freeform and narratively, so its very open in that regard. The main FATE discussions seem to take place on its <a href="http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/FateRPG/" target="_blank">yahoo group</a>.There is a fantasy version called <a href="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/81022/Legends-of-Anglerre" target="_blank">Legends of Anglerre</a>, which has been expanded to be a little more D&D-ish in complexity. It might be more than you need, especially if you have a group of creative types coming into it. There are other varieties out there as well.I'd be happy to answer any other questions you might have about FATE.</blockquote>

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