Worst RPG Ever?

[eatenmyeyes]

I spent a large amount on Rifts books before I realized that the rules were complete vomit. The setting is amazing and original. But it is ruined by stupid mechanics. So, I plan to sell them. Are there any takers?

3E, BESM (TriStat), and BeerEngine are by far the best.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Re: Re: Worst RPG Ever?

AD&D, either edition.

Definitely the worst RPG I have actually played is AD&D2. (I give AD&D1 a break because of the time period it was written, but 2e has no such excuse.)

I have to stand up for Paranoia. It has a certain hilarious mood to the game that you have to get the swing of. I understand why some people may not enjoy it, though.

I tried reading Dangerous Journeys. Even this rules wonk found it too painful to bear.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

2. FUDGE. I tried to create my own RPG. I really tried.

1. GURPS. (In David Spade voice) I have an idea. Let's create an RPG where we'll have a stack of rulebooks to aid in the creation of a character. This of course would take at least 3 hours to do so with a lot of min/maxing involved. Then will have combat rounds be 1 second long so that play will take a long time.
BLECH! (In the Comic-book-owner voice from the Simpsons) Worst RPG EVER.

Both of these RPGs are excellent for certain styles of play and horrendous for some styles of play.

FUDGE is great as the basis for a rules light system. What makes it different from most system is it is very coarse, so it feels ackward in a combat heavy game unless you are really comfortable with the system. This is a really good game engine to use for a game heavy with storytelling and a modest number of rolls.

GURPS is not the system for a GM who has to wage constant warfare with munchkins and powergamers. It is a pretty good system for a campaign balanced with respect to roleplaying and combat.

 

[sineater]

Maybe Boothill was a classic in others eyes which I have no problem. When I palyed it maybe I didn't give it enough time or it was the person running the adventure that thought we should get into lots of fights. In one session I went through 5 guys. So I told the group I've had enough. We did finally get rid of the person running the game he took to much to the liking of killing off characters in all the games he ran.

 

[MerricB]

GURPS is the worst... when used for anything but "realistic" play; I think it's pretty good for an average power level, but the moment a character has an 18 INT, the skill system breaks down horribly.

Hmm... I really detest Rolemaster as well; it seems to be a heroic system, yet instant death is too much a factor.

Cheers!

 

[Tsyr]

I spent a large amount on Rifts books before I realized that the rules were complete vomit. The setting is amazing and original. But it is ruined by stupid mechanics. So, I plan to sell them. Are there any takers?

3E, BESM (TriStat), and BeerEngine are by far the best.

Depends... what ya got, and what ya want for them?

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Maybe Boothill was a classic in others eyes which I have no problem. When I palyed it maybe I didn't give it enough time or it was the person running the adventure that thought we should get into lots of fights. In one session I went through 5 guys. So I told the group I've had enough. We did finally get rid of the person running the game he took to much to the liking of killing off characters in all the games he ran.

I suspected this was how it played out in your group. I'd suggest giving it another chance. For a game of its time period - the late 1970s - it is unusual in how it encourages roleplaying. Not through rules on character interaction, but in just how deadly combat can be. Watch a Western movie closely sometime; they often are not nearly as violent as the seem at first. Especially for ones made in the 1950s and on. Boot Hill simulates that very well.

 

[Drew]

I was going to go for either "Fantasy Wargamer" (maybe "Fantasy Wargaming"?)

Holy Crap! I can't believe anyone else has ever heard of this thing! I'm not sure where I got the book, but it somehow ended up in my hands. I passed it on to a friend (without his knowledge) and now he can't get rid of it. Its like a curse! The game was called "Fantasy Wargaming" and the cover proclaimed it "The Highest Level of All!" As I recall the game put a heavy emphasis on your character's astological sign. There were a number of disadvantages, but you simply rolled them at random. I know one of the disadvantages was "Homosexual." Yeesh...

The funny thing is, I can't recall anything about the actual system. I think it used % dice.

 

[SableWyvern]

Hmm... I really detest Rolemaster as well; it seems to be a heroic system, yet instant death is too much a factor.

I've never understood seeing this sentiment from d&d players.

A first level d&d character will generally be able to drop a clone of himself with two hits, often times one. At high levels you have insta-kill spells, allowing a single saving throw or die. In earlier additions, you even had insta-kill spells with no save at all (eg, death spell).

Anyone ever fought a beholder?

The only game I can recall that I would consider more lethal than any edition of d&d is the Aliens Adventure Game (which, back on topic, is also one of my votes for worst game ever).

Aliens Adventure Game:

Starting characters could be green recruits or 20 year battle hardened veterans - all based on random die rolls.

The advanced movement/initiative system could not be used if an alien was involved in combat.

Generally speaking, without armour, a hit to a limb incapacitated that limb, a hit to the head or torso killed.

Aircraft can only fire if they have initiative. In a spacecraft vs aircraft fight, the spacecraft always have inititiative. Yet they go on for some time about spacecraft vs aircraft combats, even though the aircraft can never, ever, fire a shot.

Introducing an original type of alien required drawing up a whole new combat matrix for it.

Characters were hopelessly specialised (eg, a dropship pilot would be well advised to do exactly what they did in the movies - wait on the ship while the rest of the party carried out the operation).

All in all, a game designed to sell based on the name, not its value as a game in and of itself.


Traveller: The New Era is pretty poor as well. It tried to do some really good things (the only game I've ever seen with rules for beaten zones for automatic weapons). Unfortunately, the mechanics ended up very unwieldy.

Other mediocre games:
WHFRP
Interstellar Elite Combat (nice concepts, too many big numbers - d100,000 anyone?)
Anything Palladium
World of Darkness (don't mind the system, hate the attitude)

The Best (in no particular order)
OD&D
3e D&D
Rolemaster (both RM2 and RMSS)
Silouhette System
Paranoia


But, its all just a matter of personal taste.

 

[Tsyr]

How about Shadowrun? One hit from a hold-out pistol can drop a decker or mage if they aren't lucky...