What is the best system for online play?

[paradisebunny]

A5E for FoundryVTT is streets ahead of regular DnD 5e- but it's still DnD. And being Foundry, the main focus is the map, with players cameras off to the side.
I always run with my webcam on, and I enjoy it when I can see my players, but I also understand that one of the pros of playing online is not having to worry about your appearance- few of my games have players that regularly use webcams.

There are a couple VTTs out there that cater to theater of the mind and "face to face" play, though I can't recall the names. I imagine PbtA stuff would be great on those.

I've heard of Ironsworn over the years but know nothing about it.

Interesting, I might have to revisit A5e, wasn't aware of its foundry implementation! 5e is really cumbersome with the whole dndbeyond importer business. I would also like to have more control over what options my players have access to rather than them going crazy on dndbeyond without noticing what options are allowed and which aren't. Always a pain to correct them after they have built their characters.

 

[paradisebunny]

The best Traveller game I've played in was via Discord, using the Travelling Light rules.

I've never played traveller, but I am becoming increasingly interested. What is the 1 sentence pitch vs other systems?

 

[paradisebunny]

Not really. There's a classic high fantasy world that exists in two different ages, all within a computer construct (that players themselves interface with via IRC chat). It's a very original setting and system.

I didn't mean in terms of setting, more in terms of "spirit" as in the internet is still mysterious and what one can do with hacking etc

 

[jdrakeh]

I've never played traveller, but I am becoming increasingly interested. What is the 1 sentence pitch vs other systems?

Well, for Travelling Light, the one sentence pitch is "It's concise, simple, and free - built upon the very popular Risus RPG designed by S. John Ross."

 

[jdrakeh]

I didn't mean in terms of setting, more in terms of "spirit" as in the internet is still mysterious and what one can do with hacking etc

Kind of, I guess.

 

[Autumnal]

Amber/Lords of Gossamer and Shadow. As long as participants are comfortable with their shared means of communicating, let it rip.

 

[innerdude]

Interesting! Think I have to give ironsworn another shot! How would you rate 5e?

I've played exactly 3 sessions of 5e ever, so not going to be much help on that front.

 

[Breaking Star Games]

IME, for the most part, its better to play in person than online. The minor trade-offs of more accessible shared online tools is usually not worth what is lost. But Pathfinder 2e with FoundryVTT, PF2easy and all the rules available at everyone's fingertips most certainly provides the best suite of online tools that makes combat and its extensive rules faster, easier and much more accessible.

I also like the games that use Google Sheets where all PCs' character sheets are on the same tab, so you can easily see how everyone is doing. I like it a lot as a GM and I feel more engaged in the tension of the game when I better understand the other PCs' rules and how depleted their resources are. There has been a few times where one player picked up on a rule that the character's player and the GM both missed and made the game better.