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The game was similar to Palladium or Rifts as I recall, but I remember a rule-set detailing Tech-level vs Magic-level; the higher the tech the less it affects the high magic elements, and vise versa.

There was also an option of being half-dragon (as long as your tech level was low enough) and a possibility of cybernetics (as long as your magic level was low enough.)

It may have simply been a ruleset but I have been trying to hunt it down for literally years now.

I remember the half-dragon PC race as having wings and a breath weapon but I don't recall much more. The cyborg though, I remember being more of a gear set-up with options to replace limbs, etc. with a limit placed by how 'tech' you wish to go.

I think it was the 80s, in the UK. My recollections are mixed up with Rifts, but it's this tech vs magic that confuses things. I seem to recall Angels & Demons as PC races as well (special races like the Half-Dragon) on top of the usual elf, dwarf, orc, ogre(?) etc.... It was definately in print and I recall the pages being B&W, though I don't recall the cover. The level was PC dependent... you could have a high-magic PC & and high-tech PC face off and be unable to do much damage to each other while being lethal to magical & technological enemies respectively.

I also recall line art drawings on the pages, but no box-sets or hard covers.

Although TORG is a great suggestion (thank you Rob,) I've looked through the core source material now and there are a few points that don't resonate.

1) Having a high level in either tech or magic precluded high levels in the other. No character could have high scores in both, and it was linked to the character rather than any reality they may have been from.

2) Angel, Demon & Half-Dragon races were detailed in the source material (though I seem to recall Angels & Demons being like advanced standard races and Half-Dragons being a kind of prestige race later in the material, possibly as an example of futher possibilities.)

Everything else is similar and TORG had completely slipped my mind.

I recall the cybernetic/dragon aspects so clearly because, as a test of the rules, I recall trying to generate a Half-Dragon/Cyborg and recall having a VERY limited range of tech/magic levels to operate within to allow both race and cybernetics.

I haven't looked through some TORG sourcebooks yet, but I have a contact who's checking them for me, just in case it was a combination of rule subsets. I'm not sure the cybernetic rules were in the same book as the races.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Welcome to the site! Take the tour. Any idea what abilities the half-dragon possessed, like did it always have wings or was it significantly bigger than other PCs? Any bizarre cybernetics that might provide a lead, like bionic death ray eyes or a built-in toaster? Thank you for participating and have fun. \$\endgroup\$
    – Hey I Can Chan
    Commented Sep 5, 2017 at 0:17
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    \$\begingroup\$ Answer in answers not comments please. Comments are for improving the question, not guessing answers. \$\endgroup\$
    – mxyzplk
    Commented Sep 5, 2017 at 0:59
  • \$\begingroup\$ Hi mxyzplk. :-) No anwer has been given yet, only clarification asked for... is this OK? This is my first question here... should I edit the clarifications into the OP? \$\endgroup\$
    – Yang2k
    Commented Sep 5, 2017 at 1:01
  • \$\begingroup\$ @mxyzplk Is probably directing his comment either at the author of a now-deleted comment that provided a stealth answer rather than a proper one (which moderators detest) or preempting those who might; he's not scolding you. ;-) Please, update the question with whatever comes to mind. Also, there's no reason to signal edits and additions—the site has pretty robust editing features that let interested parties go through the question's previous iterations if they're interested. In other words, don't worry about it: you're doing it right. \$\endgroup\$
    – Hey I Can Chan
    Commented Sep 5, 2017 at 1:28
  • \$\begingroup\$ Yes, I am addressing a deleted comment that was guessing at an answer. Also, yes, edit clarifications into the question, and no need to signal edits, I've removed those markers. Consider editing the question into a more seamless whole, but it's fine as is. \$\endgroup\$
    – mxyzplk
    Commented Sep 5, 2017 at 4:05

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This sounds a lot like TORG a multiverse game by West End Games where tech level and magic level varies depending on the universe you are in. It was released in 1990 and there is apparently a new version due as well.

I played the original version (as a techno-ninja) and it was a quick, fun system that ended up being a bit Dr. Who like, but that was mostly our GM's influence.

TORG Rulebook

There were sourcebooks for different genre-verses.

There was a lot of scope for non-human characters; two of the sample characters are a werewolf and a lizard man. Characters had AXIOM (sort of like genre) skills that were keyed to different magical or technological levels, so a magical ability (Shapeshift) didn't work as well in a technological environment. A winged dragon is easily possible within the TORG game framework, there was a specific fantasy sourcebook which included options for fantasy races in that world.

So; why do I think it's TORG?

  1. Tech level vs. Magic level comparison/balance for characters.
  2. Yes you can play a half-dragon character as well as angels and demons and nearly anything you can imagine (Character generation is very flexible)
  3. Yes your character can have cybernetics, and only if your character has low magic.
  4. Released in 1990, so end of the 80's.
  5. Characters can have TAG skills (special skills) that are dependant on their race/type such as breath weapons, removable limbs, all very possible.
  6. Fantasy races are perfectly possible from the Fantasy Reality Area and can travel to other places.
  7. Was in print.
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    \$\begingroup\$ Added a breakdown of why I think it's TORG at the end. \$\endgroup\$
    – Rob
    Commented Sep 5, 2017 at 7:06
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    \$\begingroup\$ I played a bit of Torg in college (early '90's). The most memorable aspects for me for me were the mechanics - the possibility points, the drama deck, and the exploding dice on 10 or 20 of the d20. It might be worth mentioning these as ways the OP could determine whether this is indeed the game in question. \$\endgroup\$
    – Kirt
    Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 2:10

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