Questions about which game systems have been used for a given purpose. Questions and answers must follow certain guidelines, see the tag wiki for the link.
11
votes
3answers
172 views
Are there any games that have an ecological setting?
In Tales from the Wood you play woodland animals, seeing struggles against humans from an animal perspective. I was wondering if there were any games that used ecological/climate change as part of the ...
11
votes
5answers
1k views
How to introduce a pen-and-paper RPG to family?
My brother and I have dabbled in D&D when we were younger. Also, at the last place where I worked, we had a weekly Pathfinder game session, which was fun.
Usually at our family get-togethers my ...
10
votes
4answers
480 views
Statless & diceless systems
Thanks to a couple of The Riddle of Steel sessions I had seneschaled, which didn't really use any dice or stat comparison, I started to ponder the idea of a statless system. I realize that it would be ...
11
votes
2answers
433 views
Where is D&D in the spectrum of RPGs?
Our gaming group has been using various forms of D&D for several decades now, and we've enjoyed it quite a bit, but we have zero experience with other roleplaying games. Seeing all the other ...
9
votes
7answers
457 views
Character-driven fantasy adventure with infrequent combat?
I'd like to try one-on-one RPGing with my partner and am looking for an initial high-fantasy adventure to get started with.
My original plan was to adapt the Fighting Fantasy gamebook, 'The Warlock ...
18
votes
11answers
4k views
Best story-focused, rules-lite, fantasy, non-class-based RPG? [closed]
I've been considering starting up tabletop RPGing again after a 13-year pause. During the time I did RPGing before, I mainly used Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (second edition). In retrospect I ...
8
votes
6answers
265 views
What game systems have a large number of adventures available for them?
One of the huge advantages of playing D&D (any edition) is that it has a truly huge base of adventures, both published and fan-made. Call of Cthulhu also has a reasonably large basis of both ...
6
votes
6answers
338 views
Tabletop RPG experience for someone only available for short interval at a time
Lately, I've been wanting to go back to the tabletop roleplaying. I have a few restraints though:
I know nobody who could play with me in my actual area.
With a quite active social life, I don't ...
2
votes
1answer
247 views
Dreyfus model of skill acquisition for skill advencements
Does anyone know of either any systems or have house rules that model skill advancement via the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition?
7
votes
7answers
242 views
System for Setting: Misfits
On the recommendation of one of my players, I'm watching Misfits, a British TV show about kids (Their ages aren't so far specifically stated; they're old enough to drink and young enough to live at ...
15
votes
2answers
255 views
Is there any other RPG that includes snailmail-writing as an integral component?
In De Profundis, an important part of the game is writing and sending letters to the other players. It's played in real-time with mail correspondence being the only form of contact between players. ...
6
votes
2answers
191 views
What Roleplaying Games Come/Came With a Video?
I've got a player for a one-off that I'm running at the weekend who says that he's roleplayed before, but can't remember what it was. All he can remember is that it came with a video and "had a box". ...
6
votes
2answers
179 views
Are there PnP RPGs based on Moorcock's “non-Elric” works?
As the title of the Q says.
Are there any PnP RPGs based on those works of Michael Moorcock whose (anti)hero is not Elric?
8
votes
4answers
244 views
Are there any other Beer & Pretzel PnP games along the lines of Paranoia? [closed]
Are there any other Beer & Pretzel PnP games along the lines of Paranoia? Silly games, or mold breaking games meant to be played over hours or at most a few game sessions as opposed to longer more ...
19
votes
10answers
519 views
RPG designed for irregular players/gaming?
Is there an RPG specifically and explicitly (as in: the developers stating this in the actual book) designed for parties whose members gather irregularly (there's always someone who can't make it) and ...
7
votes
3answers
866 views
What are the most popular/well known larp systems that meet our requirements?
We've got a local LARP group in my area and we've been struggling with getting a good set of core rules. We've borrowed for a few system, but none of them seem to fit exactly what we want to do. ...
17
votes
9answers
2k views
What role-playing games best emulate a non-mystical Old West setting?
I am interested in running an American Old West RPG/campaign that doesn't rely on fantasy/mystical or sci-fi/steampunk elements. What system do you recommend, and why do you think it captures a more ...
11
votes
7answers
389 views
Which systems can emulate battles against zombie hordes?
As popular culture has been saturated with zombies in recent years, I've gotten at least half a dozen ideas for zombie RPG campaigns. The main difficulty with using well-known systems for these, ...
17
votes
6answers
709 views
Realistic modern day combat system to model real life ambush
I came across a video (helmet camera) of an Taliban force ambushing US infantry troops in Afghanistan. This is a link to the video of ambush: Combat in the First Person, Spc.Michael Gannon guides us ...
10
votes
7answers
420 views
What table-top games are best-suited for online play?
The type of play I'm talking about here is using Skype as well as an online dice roller.
The differences between this kind of play and standard play is that it can be very chaotic, especially for the ...
6
votes
2answers
67 views
Recreating a narrative like Leinster's Gateway to Elsewhere in a game
Murray Leinster wrote a number of fascinating short stories. One that has caught my interest is Gateway to Elsewhere(Baen) being a story about the nature of dimension travel through what amounts to ...
10
votes
1answer
431 views
What are the differences and similarities between Pathfinder and Fantasy Craft?
Pathfinder or Fantasy Craft?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of these two unofficial D&D 3.5 "upgrades" compared to 3.5 and each other?
What kinds of play/groups are they more fit for? ...
8
votes
3answers
163 views
short campaign with well defined characters
I am about to leave my home country and since I haven't been playing any RPG recently, I would like to play for the last time with my friends. I don't really have much time to prepare a game of my ...
16
votes
6answers
579 views
Dragon Player Characters
Are there any good rpgs where the player characters are dragons?
I am familiar with the old D&D supplement "Council of Wyrms", but that was just screwing with some basic D&D stats and trying ...
11
votes
4answers
388 views
System for Setting: Joe Abercrombie's The First Law
If you're a fan of gritty fantasy, you've probably already read (and re-read?) Joe Abercrombie's The First Law. If you haven't, you ought to.
Now. Click on those links and drag out your wallet. Or ...
9
votes
4answers
201 views
Effective game mechanics for handling conflicts with spirits
A very effective set piece can be conflict with the spirit world. A nice example of the kind of thing I am thinking of is from the 1982 Conan film, where the wizard opens a gateway to the spirit ...
11
votes
3answers
4k views
Working (unofficial) pen and paper rpg adaptation of Mass Effect?
Just out of curiosity: Do you know of a working pen and paper adaptation of Bioware's Mass Effect franchise? I think there's no such official publication (though there might be one in the works, who ...
9
votes
3answers
2k views
Game of Thrones (D20/Tri-Stat) vs Song of Ice and Fire RPG: which has the most substantial setting information?
Of these two game lines for the Song of Ice and Fire series of novels, Game of Thrones by Guardians of Order, or Song of Ice and Fire RPG by Green Ronin, which contains the largest amount of ...
12
votes
6answers
373 views
Regional Resource Management and Trade Rules
I've been looking at TSR's old Birthright setting lately, searching for an easy way to quantify trade between political entities. I'm thinking about ways for a city or region or planet to develop ...
6
votes
5answers
294 views
I am looking to expand my game library. What indie game should I purchase that best features non-standard rules? [closed]
I'm looking to expand my game system library, and I would like to tap the hive mind to find funky, offbeat core rules or settings.
What system should I add to my game library that best features ...
7
votes
5answers
340 views
Game-within-a-Game Cross-Genre Ideas
I've started running the starter adventure on Eclipse Phase. I have an idea for our first full-length campaign, but it's a little complicated. I need a (relatively) simple game to play the part of a ...
9
votes
6answers
788 views
Systems with a dice mechanic that handles very easy and very difficult tasks
I'm looking for a system that has a dice mechanic that supports a particular type of realistic feel. In particular, I'd like to find a system where any task could potentially be rolled for without ...
6
votes
3answers
103 views
What system would be the most interesting to run as a recorded, solitare Let's Play?
This question inspired by Veriax's Let's Play of Oblivion.
His LP involves a remarkably high level of role playing while travelling around the CRPG of Oblivion. I believe that a well-recorded LP of a ...
8
votes
10answers
795 views
Non-heroic Post-apocalyptic systems
I am slowly preparing to start my first campaign in a non-DnD setting, and I wanted to start something in a post-apocalyptical setting. I have thought about using modern d20, I like that there are ...
5
votes
2answers
147 views
System or resources for a campaign about governing a city/village
One of campaigns I used to GM was centered around governing a small, elven village (it was D&D3.5 campaign but it shouldn't really matter). I thought about rules as they were needed, but it was ...
7
votes
8answers
860 views
RPG system based on Diablo?
What pen and paper system would come closest to the advancement mechanics of the computer game Diablo - in particular class advancement with a talent/ability tree?
21
votes
16answers
2k views
“Learn a new RPG a year”: Which systems are a must-know? [closed]
I'm fairly new at this, having just started playing on a Dragonlance 2nd Ed. D&D campaign, and DMing on a 4E adventure. As a programmer, I'm aware of the dictum "Learn a new language every year". ...
8
votes
4answers
621 views
What game system is best suited for running a campaign based on EVE Online?
The game system would need to (at least) handle the following well:
detailed rules for space combat (especially movement in space and damage to ships)
highly customizable ships (preferably offering ...
14
votes
6answers
4k views
Any games with a Magicka-like (experimental/combination-based) magic system?
I really like the exploratory/combining elements of the magic system in the computer game Magicka. Can anyone recommend a tabletop game with a similar system?
The system is based on obtaining ...
7
votes
8answers
468 views
Which systems do you find most realistically model progression through skills?
The role-playing systems I've played so far seem to either provide a mostly artificial skill system progression, or ignore skill progression entirely.
I'd like to learn about, and maybe try playing, ...
10
votes
3answers
2k views
How does the Cortex System RPG differ from more traditional RPG rulesystems like D&D and nWoD?
We're starting to get that bug to try switching up our RPGs for a bit of variety. I've heard that a popular system, known as "Cortex", is used in several settings which our group would be enthused ...
2
votes
2answers
132 views
Systems that use ability tests with a descriptive result applied by GM interpretation?
Thinking about a number of questions on here that have been to do with ability test modeling, I was thinking that there would be a lot of potential in a system that, rather than operating on a ...
18
votes
2answers
1k views
What are the major differences between Vampire: the Requiem and Vampire: the Masquerade?
As the title states, I would like to know the biggest changes between the two systems, both mechanic-wise and story-wise. Why should I choose one over the other?
(And please, don't use "Vampire: the ...
6
votes
5answers
424 views
How do you port Dark Sun from AD&D to another system?
I really like Dark Sun; its depiction of a whole world gone bad is just amazing. Unfortunately I don't think that the AD&D rules are well suited to it -- a little too high fantasy to deal with ...
16
votes
13answers
1k views
Which role-playing systems might be best suited for use over a road-trip?
Four of us will be in the car for roughly 10 hours, for a road trip that will probably take 12 hours or so to complete. It occurred to me that we could try to spend the time doing a role-playing ...
2
votes
3answers
244 views
Which role playing games/systems are being successfully used with/have been successfully adapted for use in virtual reality systems? [closed]
Which table-top games have been adapted for use in a virtual-reality emulator, such as Second Life?
That is, I'm looking to find out about table-top games which have been adapted/are being played ...
14
votes
4answers
567 views
Is there a pen and paper rpg adaptation of Half Life?
Just out of curiosity: Do you know of a good (un)official pen and paper rpg adaptation of the famous first person shooter computer game series Half Life?
I know there are games/systems in which a ...
6
votes
3answers
268 views
What system or sourcebooks should I use to run a pre Roman, Celtic Britain campaign? [closed]
Someone I know, wants to run a campaign in Celtic Britain. He normally uses Pathfinder but is looking for something more appropriate to the background.
4
votes
7answers
685 views
What systems exist with rules that fit on a single page (or so)?
I was reading the Overview of OSR Games and as many of the linked-to systems I could fine. Most of them seemed sort of ho-hum, in that they all had about the same kind of complexity as one of the ...
7
votes
2answers
663 views
Rendering Final Fantasy Tactics Advance as a tabletop RPG
The setting of Final Fantasy Tactics (Advance) is remarkably compelling from a tabletop standpoint. By suggesting that the party are playing reconstructions of self-characters who can change jobs via ...
