Which pulp adventure-style RPG's are out there now?

Savage Worlds is a generic system that is designed to work well with pulp settings.

There is also the AFMBE! supplement Pulp Zombies, though you would need the main rulebook. Strong focus on zombies though, obviously.

Chaosium is supposed to be putting out a pulp supplement for d20 COC as well.
 

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I would use 'Pulp Heroes', but I'm slightly biased (check the link in my sig to see why ;)). I've also played a pulpish Call of Cthulhu game using the Chaosium BRP rules (which was very easy to do). After all, a pulp game is usually more a question of attitude and style than rules (as long as said rules allow you the option of high-adventure action - otherwise you are using the wrong system ;)). The GURPS Cliffhangers book is a must buy. It is a great source for any game system.

I've heard mixed reviews of 'Forbidden Kingdoms' (either you love it or hate it).

I haven't tried any of these games from this company, but you might want to check out:

Luftwaffe 1946 by Battlefield Press
http://www.battlefieldpress.com/luftwaffe1946rpg.htm

Also coming soon by the same company... Pulp Fantasy:
http://www.battlefieldpress.com/pulpfantasy.htm

Cheers,
Tim
 

d3 said:
There is also the AFMBE! supplement Pulp Zombies, though you would need the main rulebook. Strong focus on zombies though, obviously.

All Flesh Must Be Eaten rocks!!!! Sorry, any game that crams so much zombie goodness gets two very large zombie thumbs up in my books. :cool: The 2nd edition printing will have d20 conversions notes. One of the mini-campaigns, in the main rule book, is called "Mein Zombie" - Nazi zombies in WWII (just to bring this post back on subject - sorta ;)). Fun stuff.

Cheers,
Tim
 

Let me second the call for Savage Worlds -- I haven't played it yet, but the rules look pretty fun, and solid, and low-maintenance, and flavor-rich. :) It's claim to fame is giving each character a few shticks, and allowing heroes the ability to pull off outrageous feats, while being rules-light enough to run anything from a two-man brawl to an engagement with 40 people on each side, and a whole game can be played inside of a couple of hours.

It's rules-generic, but its original setting was for a pulpy kind of game.

www.peginc.com if you want to find out more.
 

A new version of Two-Fisted Tales was announced on rpg.net recently. PDF version as well as some sort of print edition available on rpgmall.com. The game is being released by Spectre Press (spectrepress.com)

Chris
 

On the Non-d20 route, Feng Shui functions very well as a pulp system.

In particular I recommend their Seal of the Wheel and Fist of the Righteous suppliments, both of these concentrate on adventuring in the 19th century.

Seal even includes some cool conspiracy stuff.
 

I think for "Fist of the Righteous" you mean "Blood of the Valiant". Very good supplement, particularly if you've watched Once Upon A Time in China, Fong Sai Yuk, etc.
 

haiiro said:

- Pulp Cthulhu should be out sometime in 2003. Regular CoC can be pulped up pretty easily (sort of like regular CoC investigators :D).

I second that. In one of my less sober moments, I used CoC w/ paintball guns... Don't underestimate my 98 Custom BEEEYOTCH!

Nothing like taking a paintball marker to a Cthonian...
 

The 1960's book for Spycraft has been mentioned, but I should also point out 'The Hand of Glory' for Spycraft. While it's set in the present, it's all about two-fisted action against occult nazis hunting for ancient mystic relics. It's got half-tracks in it :). It also has the explorer class, which is definite Indian Jones-in' for Spycraft :D. Here's the first 5 levels (it's a 20-level base class).

- - -
Explorer
Whether in the steaming rainforests of Borneo or the concrete jungle of downtown New York, some agents cannot resist the call of discovery. Many organizations field agents who circle the globe in search of places and phenomena beneath the notice of their technological colleagues. These individuals bring a wealth of experience with exotic locations to any team, as well as a steady hand in the face of bizarre circumstances.

Abilities: Most explorers fancy a bit of rough and tumble, so decent Strength and Dexterity can be very helpful. The most pressing ability for any explorer, however, is unquestionably Intelligence, the source of wits he stakes his life upon during every mission.
Vitality: 1d10 plus Con modifier per level.

Class Skills
The explorer’s class skills and key abilities are:

Class Skill (Key Ability)
Balance (Dex)
Boating (Dex)
Climb (Str)
Cryptography (Int)
Cultures (Wis)
Drive (Dex)
First Aid (Wis)
Gather Information (Cha)
Handle Animals (Cha)
Jump (Str)
Knowledge (Int)
Languages (Int)
Listen (Wis)
Mechanics (Int)
Open Locks (Dex)
Search (Int)
Spot (Wis)
Survival (Wis)
Swim (Str)
Tumble (Dex)

Skill Points at 1st level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features
The following are class features of the explorer.

Starting Feats: The explorer begins play with the following feats.
Armor Group Proficiency (Light)
Weapon Group Proficiency (Melee)
Weapon Group Proficiency (Pistol)

Connected: An explorer comes to know a wide variety of people through his travels. Once per session, he may spend an action die to seek out an individual with whom he has dealt positively in the past. Seeking this acquaintance out requires 1d6 hours. The acquaintance has one skill of the agent’s choice with a number of ranks equal to one-half the sum of the agent’s level + his Charisma modifier (rounded up).
Unlike allies gained through the faceman’s backup ability (see the Spycraft Espionage Handbook, page 23), the explorer’s acquaintance is only considered friendly (rather than helpful) and must be compensated for any services rendered.
The explorer may use this ability even in remote locations, so long as there are at least 40 people within a 25-mile radius around the explorer when he declares the ability use (e.g. an Antarctic research base near the South Pole or a nomad camp in the midst of a desert).
This is the explorer’s core ability.

All Over the World: The explorer never ceases to wander the globe, honing his skills and nosing around in new places. At 1st level, he gains the World Traveler feat. All prerequisites for this feat — including minimum skill ranks and agent level — are waived.

Direction Sense: At 1st level, the explorer receives a +2 bonus with any roll to navigate from place to place, regardless of the skill being used. This bonus also applies when performing the “Shortcut” maneuver as a predator in a chase (see the Spycraft Espionage Handbook, page 188). This bonus increases by +1 at 4th level and by an additional +1 every four levels thereafter.

Bookworm: The explorer has unparalleled research skills and can frequently just ‘walk up to the right part of any library’ or ‘flip open a book to the right page’ with spooky accuracy. Starting at 2nd level, the explorer may reduce the amount of time required to conduct any research — whether using books, a computer, or other means. This ability may only affect researches that would otherwise take 10 minutes or longer. At 2nd level, this ability divides the research time required in half (rounded up).

Bonus Feat: At 3rd level and 5th level, the explorer receives a bonus feat from either the basic combat or fringe feat trees. (The Fringe feat tree was introduced in the Archer Foundation Chamber Book.) He must still meet all prerequisites for the feat, including minimum ability scores and base attack bonuses.

Uncanny Dodge: Starting at 4th level, the explorer gains the ability to react to danger before his senses would normally permit him to become aware of it. He retains his Dexterity bonus to Defense (if any) when flat-footed or being attacked by an invisible adversary (though he still loses his Dexterity bonus to Defense if immobilized).
This ability is identical to the uncanny dodge ability possessed by the fixer, and a multi-classed agent may add his explorer and fixer levels together to determine the effectiveness of this ability (though he may only gain the ability once).

The Explorer
Code:
     Base  Fort	Ref	Will	Def	Init	Budg	Gadg	
Lvl  Att   Save	Save	Save	Bon	Bon	Pts	Pts	Special
1    +0    +1	+2	+1	+1	+1	1	0	All over the world, connected, 
     	      						direction sense +2, starting feats
2    +1    +2	+3	+2	+1	+2	2	1	Bookworm (1/2 time)
3    +2    +2	+3	+2	+2	+3	3	1	Bonus feat
4    +3    +2	+4	+2	+2	+3	4	2	Direction sense +3, 
           							uncanny dodge (Dex bonus)
5    +3    +3	+4	+3	+3	+4	5	2	Bonus feat

Hope this helps :),
 

I saw a coooool looking RPG called NOIR a few years ago that I am still kicking myself for not buying. It recreated the wonderfully dark world of film noir 1930s/40s. Prolly out of print and the company out of business by now.

And don't forget TSR's GANGBUSTERS, which was a great deal of fun and had decent module support as well as detail and price lists for 1920s equipment.
 
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