Looking for an unusual system

[Thieves]

Is there a tabletop system that negates RP (and perhaps the story side) and focuses solely on the showdown between the rules of the system and the players' cunning? Like utilizing metagaming and hell-crazy 1st-level-bard-with-+25-to-diplomacy synergies and system tricks as its primary power?

No, I've never heard of anything like that in existence, perhaps you have. The point is my group treats D&D and RPGs in general as games rather than role playing tabletop social events. So far we've resorted to playing strategy games every odd time we'd play D&D. Then again, there's still something more personal, much more customizable about playing an RPG, even if discriminating the RP.

I know it sounds terribly chaotic, but my thoughts on the subject are so themselves.

Also, I recall once hearing about a system where the players act as otherworldly powers who target a single person and try to influence her in a magnitude of ways to do their bidding or to fulfil their historical role. Anyone know the name of this system?

tl;dr: Looking for a mainly metagaming, attack-the-rules gaming system (possibly non-existant). Being another hero, saving / destroying the world and accumulating magic items and gp not cool. Also looking for a system where players act as esoteric powers in order to influence the life of some historical figure (heard it exists).

[Kizara]

http://www.worldofmunchkin.com/

Sounds pretty close to what you are looking for.

[Kurald Galain]

Technically, any tabletop wargame would qualify, would it not?

But what you're looking for is probably more along the lines of Hackmaster. Originally a heavily-munchkinned parody RPG from the comic Knights of the Dinner Table, it was eventually released For Realz.

Also, Nomic.

[Temet Nosce]

Well, I can't think of anything that's precisely what you want but you might take a look at Rifts... or if you're a bit of a masochist, Synnibarr.

[Zeta Kai]

Must... resist... urge... to make... 4th Edition... D&D... joke... :smalleek:

[Person_Man]

Technically, any tabletop wargame would qualify, would it not?

Agreed. In particular, anything from Games Workshop tends to involve overly complex metagaming and bizarre abilities.

[LibraryOgre]

Well, I can't think of anything that's precisely what you want but you might take a look at Rifts... or if you're a bit of a masochist, Synnibarr.

Rifts is like that only if the group is like that.

That said, almost any game can be played that way. I'm in a Vampire: The Masquerade game that's played that way (not kidding). It is easier, however, with games that have a lot of crunch and variability... I'd say it would be far easier with 3.5 than 4e, for example.

[Tyrrell]

Rune (http://www.atlas-games.com/rune/index.php) is a competitive role playing game. The Game master position gets passed around the group (because it's easiest to rack up points as the GM) and once every player has had the opportunity to run the party through an encounter you can tabulate who won.

I've never played but from reading the rules it looks like it could come down to as much of an encounter building competition as a game playing competition.

[Altair_the_Vexed]

Also, I recall once hearing about a system where the players act as otherworldly powers who target a single person and try to influence her in a magnitude of ways to do their bidding or to fulfil their historical role. Anyone know the name of this system?


Sounds a bit like Nephilim (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephilim_(role-playing_game)).

[Thieves]

Thanks to everybody for their suggestions. I will try to check up on as many of these systems, though I can see that Rifts is pretty much in the usual RP vein, and Nomic, well, sounds intriguing, but perhaps complex to the point of near-nonenjoyability.

Wargaming, in the vein of Warhammer, is like you said, not entirely the aim here; what you would spend hundreds if not thousands of $ / Euro on is easily substituted with map-and-paper-tokens early 90's strategy game. Thanks for pointing Hackmaster, been looking for a humourous RP system for a long long time, even if it doesn't come in handy right now.

As for Nephilim - not sure if this is it, I'll check it, but I recall it having a slightly different flavor "in that tale I heard".

[Salz]

Early editions of Hackmaster (Kenzerco.com) prided themselves on players abusing the system, and having a DM vs. Player attitude.

The newest version I've heard changes that some.

[Tyndmyr]

Hmmm, paranoia?

It's definitely adversarial, though perhaps a bit too much on the silly side, and leaving too many things open to DM fiat to be exactly what you want.

Perhaps it could be played seriously, though. Ive never actually *seen* this, but hey, could happen.