What rpg system would you use for a 60+ session fantasy campaign?

[Autumnal]

60 sessions would likely take my "weekly" group about 2 years. I don't think I would find something like Fate Accelerated satisfying for that long.

I’m given to understand we’re different people. I like these threads where people get to share their opinions and not jump on others for being wrong. That said, this is a favorite example of mine in the campaign possibilities of Fate Accelerated, using Batman: Year One as an example:

The G*ddamn Batman (Batman Year One via FAE)

This post is inspired by DT Butchino’s (aka. “Sketchpad’) masterful examination of FAE’s character progression using Luke Skywalker as an ...

station53.blogspot.com

And one using Conan from age 15 to 45:

Character Highlight: Robert E Howard's Conan - Through His Career (FAE)

Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melanc...

station53.blogspot.com

Nobody - you, say - has to like this kind of maturation and development, of course. Stomp on me if I start suggesting otherwise. but I think there’s a lot of potential in it, and I like it.

 

[Reynard]

I’m given to understand we’re different people. I like these threads where people get to share their opinions and not jump on others for being wrong. That said, this is a favorite example of mine in the campaign possibilities of Fate Accelerated, using Batman: Year One as an example:

The G*ddamn Batman (Batman Year One via FAE)

This post is inspired by DT Butchino’s (aka. “Sketchpad’) masterful examination of FAE’s character progression using Luke Skywalker as an ...

station53.blogspot.com

And one using Conan from age 15 to 45:

Character Highlight: Robert E Howard's Conan - Through His Career (FAE)

Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melanc...

station53.blogspot.com

Nobody - you, say - has to like this kind of maturation and development, of course. Stomp on me if I start suggesting otherwise. but I think there’s a lot of potential in it, and I like it.

To be fair, a long campaign for me is a fleeting experience. I ran a 20 year, 3 edition D&D campaign, which is awesome. But I mostly love shorter experiences as a GM (from brief convention campaigns to year long things). As a player I am ambivalent.

 

[soviet]

It's a hypothetical question, with the following stipulations:

1. The campaign you'll be running will be at least 60 sessions long, more if you wish.
2. It's a fantasy campaign but the subgenre is whatever you want it to be. Heroic, grim-dark, military, whatever.
3. Can be any rpg system since the beginning of the hobby, out of print or currently published and you and your players have access to the materials.
4. Putting aside character death and character retirement in the course of playing, the intention is to run with the same characters for the entire campaign.
5. You have adequate time to read rules and prepare. Miraculous, i know... but for this hypothetical, you don't need to worry about that. You have the time.
6. Also don't worry about getting players - let's say you have them and they want to play and will learn the game if they don't already know it.
7. Let's say there's good online VTT support for whatever system you choose. I know, not realistic, but it's not a factor you need to consider if you would run this online.

So that's it. What system would you choose for a fantasy campaign of considerable duration given the stipulations above?

If you feel like you hate campaign durations of that length and wouldn't ever do this, good for you and there's no need for you to post in this thread. I'm looking for answer from people who might actually want to do something like this.

Thanks in advance!

I'm a big fan of Rolemaster 2 using the MERP sourcebooks and maps. I've run it a couple of times, never longer than 12 sessions but that was simply the circumstances rather than because it feel apart in any way. PC survival is potentially an issue, I got round this by giving each player a fate point a la WFRP1e - a 'get out of jail free' card that lets them ignore or survive a death or significant injury. I think RM2 is beautiful, its reputation for complexity is much overdone and it's really a well crafted system for full simulationism.

The other one on my list would be AD&D second edition. Complete guides optional, but probably not used. It's just a solid fairly light trad system with a lot of nostalgia value. I found slotting in the 1e DMG with its many random tables worked well also.

 

[Voadam]

D&D 5e. I want something where it is easy for the characters to get into pulpy fights but not die easily. I am also very familiar with the rules and tropes and feels it gives me the options I want for the most part.

My weekly 5e Carrion Crown campaign went for a year or two and was fantastic. My 5e Iron Gods campaign was irregularly weekly and lasted three years. It went great for me and my group.

I would do something similar with a different set of adventures again.

 

[Celebrim]

It's a hypothetical question, with the following stipulations:

1. The campaign you'll be running will be at least 60 sessions long, more if you wish.

D&D 3.0e would be my go to. I have extensive house rules tweaked to deal with the balance issues and cut down the content bloat of 3.5e and it is the most versatile and powerful game system I know especially over the long haul. Other choices would be BRP or a derivative (CoC, Pendragon), D20 Modern, WEG D6, maybe Traveller. I could conceivably run something in 1e AD&D but by the time I got through house ruling it would be very much D&D 3e wearing an AD&D dress.

2. It's a fantasy campaign but the subgenre is whatever you want it to be. Heroic, grim-dark, military, whatever.

Sure. D&D 3.0e.

Can be any rpg system since the beginning of the hobby, out of print or currently published and you and your players have access to the materials.

Sure. D&D 3.0e.

Putting aside character death and character retirement in the course of playing, the intention is to run with the same characters for the entire campaign.

D&D 3.0e. If the intention was to keep characters alive the whole time, I'd probably need to tone down the difficulty a bit and reward a bit more XP than I'm used to, but it's doable. Characters are really durable and at some point Raise Dead starts becoming viable as a solution. I feel like low difficulty melodrama works against the strengths of D&D, but at the same time I can't imagine most players I've played with over the years sustaining 250 hours or more of low stakes melodrama based on their love of self-expression and improvisational acting alone. You go for 250 hours or more, you need a lot of aesthetics involved to keep most groups interested.

Currently my WEG D6 Star Wars game is at 72 sessions but the lack of hit points is starting to make the game creak a bit, and I do think that is the single biggest reason why D&D systems just stand out for long running games. Hit Points are an amazing mechanic.

 

[Blue]

So if we're running a 60 session campaign with the same characters I need there to be character growth and progression. Which means either I want a skill based system or at least ten levels if we're using a level based system. And I'm ruling out most PbtA and FitD games here and Fate as although all are great games I'd prefer about a dozen sessions for campaigns. I'm also actively seeking out bulkier systems than I normally prefer.

This is a really good point that I hadn't considered when I posted my answer. Thanks for bringing it up.

 

[aramis erak]

So if we're running a 60 session campaign with the same characters I need there to be character growth and progression. Which means either I want a skill based system or at least ten levels if we're using a level based system.

Even 10+ levels doesn't guarantee character growth, only increased competence. It's a flaw of systems like Palladium and Arcanum, where level up raises everything known, and only select levels get new stuff. (I prefer Arcanum to Palladium fantasy, but they're very parallel designs.)

And I'm ruling out most PbtA and FitD games here and Fate as although all are great games I'd prefer about a dozen sessions for campaigns. I'm also actively seeking out bulkier systems than I normally prefer.

Not all systems are designed for long-term play.
And that's a good thing.

 

[Crusadius]

Initial reaction would be to run Warhammer 4E. Maybe Warhammer The Old World for its simpler system.

I’d also consider Legend in the Mist for a less grimdark game.

 

[Autumnal]

I was just distracted by the thought of Marvel Super-Heroes (FASERIP) or the Awfully Cheery Engine (Ghostbusters) for a campaign in the Old World, maybe even Enemy Within. Don’t mind me.

 

[Thomas Shey]

Hurm. So much of this depends on what I'm trying to do. If I'm trying for zero-to-hero, I'd probably go with Pathfinder 2e. If I want a more flat version of characters who only advance to a limited degree, probably something BRP based or maybe GURPS. Fantasy Hero would be a compromise case.