What game system have you tried that made you go WOW!

[kitsune9]

Hello Gamers!

So, you're at a con and you're in the dealer room. Or maybe you're at your FLGS browsing the rpg books. Or you might be in a used bookstore. Somehow you pick up X the RPG, go home, read it, and go, "WOW! This game is totally awesome!" What game was that and what was it that made you jump up and down?

Quick rules though: The game must not be D&D and it's billion editions/incarnations/variants/wannabe variants. We 95% all play D&D in some shape or form, but I'm looking for other games.

Double-bonus points: If the game is more obscure.

Triple-bonus points: If the game is more obscure and is still in print/pdf.

Happy Gaming!

Oh, me? Warhammer FRP was my game. Totally loved the gritty feel of the game, the artwork, and the ability to go completely mad while fighting the horrors of undead and the minions of Chaos. I ran a campaign for a whole year as that was my game of choice and I have a ton of WFRP 1e and 2e books.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

For me it was Champions/Hero back in '85.

Effects based design - you buy a generic "Blast" and define it as fire, lightning, eyebeams, magic bolt or whatever. That meant that any character you could envision stylistically you could play (assuming it fit the GMs world).

Point based system - I'm one of those that detests any randomness in character creation.

Disad system - pretty standard (or even outdated with the approach Hero uses) but to my 18 year old self it was amazing.

Speed chart - the way combat timing is handled is one of the most unique things about the system.

And back then it's defualt genre was Superheroes which is my favorite genre.

It's still my primary game 24 years later, and I still play it weekly.

 

[Mallus]

Recently? Spirit of the Century. I haven't played it yet, but the character generation system made me go "wow, my group should use this for every game we play!"

 

[kitsune9]

For me it was Champions/Hero back in '85.

Effects based design - you buy a generic "Blast" and define it as fire, lightning, eyebeams, magic bolt or whatever. That meant that any character you could envision stylistically you could play (assuming it fit the GMs world).

Point based system - I'm one of those that detests any randomness in character creation.

Disad system - pretty standard (or even outdated with the approach Hero uses) but to my 18 year old self it was amazing.

Speed chart - the way combat timing is handled is one of the most unique things about the system.

And back then it's defualt genre was Superheroes which is my favorite genre.

It's still my primary game 24 years later, and I still play it weekly.

I agree which is why I like have the Hero 5th edition on my bookshelf and am looking forward to 6th edition. I have played a few games of Champions and one game of Fantasy Hero that I think of and really enjoyed the games immensely.

 

[ExploderWizard]

There were two that come instantly to mind:

Tales from the Floating Vagabond

It Came from the Late Late Late show

Good awesome silly times all around.

 

[coyote6]

Like Mallus, reading SotC's character creation was a "Wow!" moment. Back in the day, Champions; more recently, Mutants & Masterminds (especially 2e). Exalted's setting has some make-my-head explode stuff.

 

[kitsune9]

Like Mallus, reading SotC's character creation was a "Wow!" moment. Back in the day, Champions; more recently, Mutants & Masterminds (especially 2e). Exalted's setting has some make-my-head explode stuff.

Tell me a bit more about Exalted. Was there mechanics or setting fluff that made your head explode?

 

[Gothmog]

WHFRP2- when it came out a few years ago, we had given up on D&D. I picked up the core book, and was immediately in love all over again with WHFRP. We played a ton of the 1st edition back in high school, and this was the same game, just updated and with more innovations. Its still a favorite among my group.

Deadlands. If any game is 100% pure, undiluted awesome, its Deadlands. In either the classic or Savage Worlds versions, its a ton of old west supernatural fun (just avoid the D20 version like it was a hangin' judge!).

Call of Cthulhu BRP. Yep, its an oldie, but its incredible. Some of the most memorable RP sessions we've ever had have been with CoC over the years, and playing Horror on the Orient Express and the Masks of Nyarlathotep campaigns were incredible sanity-blasting fun!

All Flesh Must Be Eaten. Zombie survival horror doesn't get any better than this, and the sourcebooks for extra settings and twists on zombies are awesome reading as well as tremendous fun to play!

Kult. Probably the best and most disturbing horror RPG of all time. Its not something for the faint at heart, or if you have strong religious beliefs. The underlying setting and metaphysics are incredible from a gaming perspective, and its a lot of fun if you have players who are willing to immerse themselves in the game.

The new Hunter game. The old Hunter was cheesy- too much Buffy, not enough horror. The new Hunter is incredible, and the sourcebooks have been top-notch. I've played in a Hunter game, and it feels like a cross of Millenium and Fringe with monsters thrown in. Awesome stuff.

Finally, Dark Heresy is freakin' amazing. I love the WH40K universe, and the Inquisition is one of the more "colorful" institutions in that setting. I've run two campaigns using Dark Heresy, and each one was a ton of fun (incidentally, they both ended horribly for the PCs with daemon possession and execution for xeno contamination by other Inquisitors, but then again- it is WH40K). The players loved it, and how dark and desperate the universe is. We can't wait for Rogue Trader!

 

[LostSoul]

For me it was Sorcerer. Not picking up the book and reading, but actually playing it.

It's obscure and still in print - do I get triple bonus points?

 

[coyote6]

Tell me a bit more about Exalted. Was there mechanics or setting fluff that made your head explode?

More of the setting fluff than the mechanics; the mechanics are an updated version of the old WoD mechanics, with some twists, so they were mostly familiar.