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What Fantasy RPG Matches These Preferences
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<blockquote data-quote="aramis erak" data-source="post: 8762280" data-attributes="member: 6779310"><p>Needing VTT support</p><p></p><p>A list of the areas where each of the suggested games that I know fail to meet your requirements, and how.</p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Realism<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Burning Wheel (BW) is more literary in feel than realistic in feel.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">RuneQuest: defaults to everyone has a little magic</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dungeon Crawl Classics and other OSR games: the realism only comes from GM inputs, not the rules.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Warlock - given the rules simplicity, realism is solely via GM input.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hero System: system defaults to cinematic levels, but can be tweaked down.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rolemaster - The Crits alone kick this out of realism. There are a bunch of realism options, but none remove the insanely frequent & very brutal crits.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Dangerous - most of the games mentioned so far meet this<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hero System: Using normal characteristic maxima, very limited non-worn armor, and wielded weapons (rather than powers):<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">with 75 point PCs, Combat can be dicey (pun intentional)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">with 50 point PCs, every combat is going to hurt bad.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">OSR - most OSR games will fail to meet this at either mid (5+) or high levels (10+)</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Magic: Powerful && Unreliable && Dangerous to user<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">GURPS (Core, DF): It's all skill rolls, no serious risk to caster. A couple sourcebooks offer alternate magic.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Burning Wheel: Again, magic is mostly skills (unless using Magic Burner)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rolemaster: core rules, known spells are automatic - spend the points, it goes off. May require an attack roll.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">RuneQuest: core rules has magic for just about everyone. Make the skill roll and spend the points.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Most OSR games: magic is tech. Last I checked, DCC included.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Non-combat mechanics besides magic<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Most OSR games will fail here.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">With the exception of BW, none of the ones I know of those mentioned have <u>robust</u> social conflict systems. Most fall to the reaction roll and maybe a chance to modify it. Most have some rules for use of skills.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Medieval Feel<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rolemaster: More fantastic than medieval. No guns in core... </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Burning Wheel: human lifepaths are very late medieval to mid renaissance. Weapons lists include renaissance level firearms.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">RuneQuest - the rules presumption is bronze age.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Warhammer FRP (all editions): firmly Renaissance tech, and decent firearms.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Zweihänder: is to Warhammer FRP as Pathfinder 1E is to D&D 3.5; the tone and setting are equally as renaissance.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hero can do medieval feel, but isn't great at it. It can do a pseudo-medieval quite well.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ars Magica - while medieval in setting, the GM needs to actually enforce that... </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Warlock - It's a bit less firmly Renaissance than WFRP (Its clearest influence). The lack of any mechanical differentation of demi-humans can be help or hindrance on the feel.</li> </ul></li> </ol><p></p><p>Ones mentioned I don't know enough to add in above, and what I know:</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mythras - I know it's Mongoose RuneQuest adapted to be more like classic RQ, but I've not gone deep enough to know how adapted it is.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Since I mentioned MRQ, Legend (by Mongoose) is just Mongoose RQ with the overt Glorantha references removed.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hârnmaster - Core is very medieval. Skill system is broad, but shallow - I don't know it well enough to judge. I don't know the magic system at all.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Unicorn Hunter - this thread is the first time I've heard of it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Savage Worlds: cinematic/pulp tone. I don't have their fantasy companion. </li> </ul><p></p><p>I'd suggest that Warhammer 1E or 4E is probably the closest fit...</p><p>But Hârnmaster, GURPS, or BRP/RQ may work just as well.</p><p>Getting the optional rules right, RM can get where you appear to want, but it's got the mathiness issue. Hero likewise.</p><p></p><p>I once ran CORPS 2E (now sold in PDF as "CORPS v1") (by BTRC) as a fantasy game. It's very realism focused, rules on the lighter end of medium, reduced dice mechanics and a build your own powers magic/powers system. Combat is not only deadly, but non-magic healing is suitably slow... It was brutal. Lots of fun, but combat was deadly. </p><p></p><p>When you add robust VTT support, several of the survivors fail.</p><p></p><p><strong>Still, looking at the field, I'd suggest...</strong></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">BW - it's easier to just say no to the renaissance elements. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Against the Dark Master- it is streamlined from MERP, which was itself streamlined from Rolemaster, but definitely retains the parts of MERP I liked.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">CORPS v1 - (if in a toolkit mode) The core works quite well...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Savage Worlds (based upon the recommendations of it I've seen, and my own read, but not play/run)</li> </ul></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="aramis erak, post: 8762280, member: 6779310"] Needing VTT support A list of the areas where each of the suggested games that I know fail to meet your requirements, and how. [LIST=1] [*]Realism [LIST] [*]Burning Wheel (BW) is more literary in feel than realistic in feel. [*]RuneQuest: defaults to everyone has a little magic [*]Dungeon Crawl Classics and other OSR games: the realism only comes from GM inputs, not the rules. [*]Warlock - given the rules simplicity, realism is solely via GM input. [*]Hero System: system defaults to cinematic levels, but can be tweaked down. [*]Rolemaster - The Crits alone kick this out of realism. There are a bunch of realism options, but none remove the insanely frequent & very brutal crits. [/LIST] [*]Dangerous - most of the games mentioned so far meet this [LIST] [*]Hero System: Using normal characteristic maxima, very limited non-worn armor, and wielded weapons (rather than powers): [LIST] [*]with 75 point PCs, Combat can be dicey (pun intentional) [*]with 50 point PCs, every combat is going to hurt bad. [/LIST] [*]OSR - most OSR games will fail to meet this at either mid (5+) or high levels (10+) [/LIST] [*]Magic: Powerful && Unreliable && Dangerous to user [LIST] [*]GURPS (Core, DF): It's all skill rolls, no serious risk to caster. A couple sourcebooks offer alternate magic. [*]Burning Wheel: Again, magic is mostly skills (unless using Magic Burner) [*]Rolemaster: core rules, known spells are automatic - spend the points, it goes off. May require an attack roll. [*]RuneQuest: core rules has magic for just about everyone. Make the skill roll and spend the points. [*]Most OSR games: magic is tech. Last I checked, DCC included. [/LIST] [*]Non-combat mechanics besides magic [LIST] [*]Most OSR games will fail here. [*]With the exception of BW, none of the ones I know of those mentioned have [U]robust[/U] social conflict systems. Most fall to the reaction roll and maybe a chance to modify it. Most have some rules for use of skills. [/LIST] [*]Medieval Feel [LIST] [*]Rolemaster: More fantastic than medieval. No guns in core... [*]Burning Wheel: human lifepaths are very late medieval to mid renaissance. Weapons lists include renaissance level firearms. [*]RuneQuest - the rules presumption is bronze age. [*]Warhammer FRP (all editions): firmly Renaissance tech, and decent firearms. [*]Zweihänder: is to Warhammer FRP as Pathfinder 1E is to D&D 3.5; the tone and setting are equally as renaissance. [*]Hero can do medieval feel, but isn't great at it. It can do a pseudo-medieval quite well. [*]Ars Magica - while medieval in setting, the GM needs to actually enforce that... [*]Warlock - It's a bit less firmly Renaissance than WFRP (Its clearest influence). The lack of any mechanical differentation of demi-humans can be help or hindrance on the feel. [/LIST] [/LIST] Ones mentioned I don't know enough to add in above, and what I know: [LIST] [*]Mythras - I know it's Mongoose RuneQuest adapted to be more like classic RQ, but I've not gone deep enough to know how adapted it is. [LIST] [*]Since I mentioned MRQ, Legend (by Mongoose) is just Mongoose RQ with the overt Glorantha references removed. [/LIST] [*]Hârnmaster - Core is very medieval. Skill system is broad, but shallow - I don't know it well enough to judge. I don't know the magic system at all. [*]Unicorn Hunter - this thread is the first time I've heard of it. [*]Savage Worlds: cinematic/pulp tone. I don't have their fantasy companion. [/LIST] I'd suggest that Warhammer 1E or 4E is probably the closest fit... But Hârnmaster, GURPS, or BRP/RQ may work just as well. Getting the optional rules right, RM can get where you appear to want, but it's got the mathiness issue. Hero likewise. I once ran CORPS 2E (now sold in PDF as "CORPS v1") (by BTRC) as a fantasy game. It's very realism focused, rules on the lighter end of medium, reduced dice mechanics and a build your own powers magic/powers system. Combat is not only deadly, but non-magic healing is suitably slow... It was brutal. Lots of fun, but combat was deadly. When you add robust VTT support, several of the survivors fail. [B]Still, looking at the field, I'd suggest...[/B] [LIST] [*]BW - it's easier to just say no to the renaissance elements. [*]Against the Dark Master- it is streamlined from MERP, which was itself streamlined from Rolemaster, but definitely retains the parts of MERP I liked. [*]CORPS v1 - (if in a toolkit mode) The core works quite well... [*]Savage Worlds (based upon the recommendations of it I've seen, and my own read, but not play/run) [/LIST] [/QUOTE]
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