What Game Rules should be my alternate for WotC products?

[TheAuldGrump]

As has been mentioned - True 20 is a very flexible system, based on using a d20 (go figure).

Spycraft 2.0 is branching into fantasy, though it may take a while for it to really become viable in that market. Though I, for one, am planning on getting the fantasy supplements as they come out, just to give some encouragement.

And there are a lot of really good alternative systems out there, just for D20 and D20 based OGL - from Elements of Magic to Hot Pursuit! to Iron Heroes and Arcana Evolved you can run games that hardly ever reference the D&D PHB. And, as again has been mentioned, Mongoose Pocket Player's Guide works just fine.

The Auld Grump

 

[Gallo22]

Tribe 8 RPG (not the band) from Dream Pod Nine (dp9.com) is fantastic. I call it a "sleeper" game. It's been out a while and never really took off, but it's probably one of the best settings i've ever seen for an rpg (IMO). Check out DP9's web site for more info.

Also, you can get the books pretty cheap on the secondary markets.

Gallo

 

[Monstrosity]

Another vote for Savage Worlds. I switched from D&D to Savage Worlds a few months ago and I've been having so much fun with it that I can't see myself returning to D&D anytime soon.

 

[BluSponge]

Savage Worlds
True20
Lejendary Adventure
Castles and Crusades
Unisystem (All Flesh Must Be Eaten, Armageddon, Witchcraft, etc.)

Tom

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

While I prefer classic D&D or C&C for my fantasy game, if you do go with Savage Worlds, be sure to check out the free downloads at Dragonsfoot, especially:

Advanced Dungeons & Savages
Dungeon Crawl!

 

[Geoffrey]

Mongoose's Conan RPG has a lot of products and a forum on Mongoose's web page.

 

[Wraith Form]

Castles & Crusades

I decided before I heard about the magazine cancellations to move to this, but hearing the news--it only fuels the fire. I really liked Dungeon, even at it's lowest point(s). And I really like the faster, looser-er spin on the rules (especially combat) that C&C offers.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

So, any suggestions for an alternate rules system as I contemplate a WotC personal boycott?

Your own imagination? I've been using it for years and it requires no pointless threats of boycotts.

 

[smootrk]

Your own imagination? I've been using it for years and it requires no pointless threats of boycotts.

I really didn't ask for snotty remarks. I really am hashing out a move away from this material, so if you don't have constructive suggestions, please refrain from posting.

The intent here, is to compile realistic alternatives, no harm there. Additionally, you will note that I am not trying to convince folks to boycott... hence the phrase 'personal boycott'. I am one who understands that there are countless other opinions that run contrary to my own, and I think those opinions are as equally valid as my own.

So, yes, I disagree with WotC's conduct, and yes, I am looking for quality alternatives. Take your trolling/threadcrap elsewhere. Everyone else here has been quite helpful.

 

[Wil]

Spirit of the Century is an awesome rules set. It's become my insta-favorite next to SilCore.

Next up would be Tribe 8, which I saw mentioned earlier. It is my favorite rpg setting of all time. In fact, I'm working on a conversion over to FATE 3.0 (the system Spirit of the Century uses). Note there's nothing wrong with SilCore - it's a great game system. It's just that I think SoTC would serve Tribe 8 very well.

Also on the SilCore plank comes Jovian Chronicles and Heavy Gear, both of which are very well done science fiction games. Yes, they both feature "mecha" but to me that's a bonus (and both games do it well).

Exalted 2e is, next to Tribe 8, my fantasy game of choice. My only complaint is that the system is too crunchy - but for a lot of people it works very well. In general the system works well, it's just that our game keeps getting interrupted and when we get back together no one (including me) can remember how to do anything. It's next up on my hit list of things to convert to SoTC.

Blue Planet is another favorite of mine. The game has a solid medium science fiction with some hard science fiction elements. I haven't gotten the chance to run the game, but the system is similar to SilCore - medium crunch level, well suited for modern to science fiction games.

Honorable mention goes out to two of BTRC's games, CORPS and EABA. Both are nifty little game systems with great support from the publisher. They're universal systems - CORPS is an older game and EABA builds quite a bit on ideas found in CORPS. They are both kind of on the crunchy end, but it's a good kind of crunch (i.e., it's logical/internally consistent, instead of crunch for crunch's sake).