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TitusAndronicus
2011-07-31, 08:23 PM
Some time in the distant future, I have vague thoughts of building a campaign around a steampunk setting. This setting is really over the top, and has steam-driven devices for pretty much everything, from artificial limbs, to musical instruments. Computers, AI, communications devices, all are run by steam. The players should be able to describe just about any frivolous steam device for their equipment. For that matter, so should I.

The setting is really very ridiculous, so the system should be likewise fun to play, and not be taken seriously. However, as I'm new to running games, it should be fairly easy to run as well.

Das Platyvark
2011-07-31, 09:26 PM
For a nice, brutal game, I'd vote for Dark Heresy/Rogue Trader system, though there'll be some serious refluffing involved.
Storyteller is always nice, for a little less combat centric of a game.

holywhippet
2011-07-31, 10:26 PM
You could refluff shadowrun I suppose.

There's also Iron Kingdoms which is D20 based.

a_humble_lich
2011-08-01, 01:33 AM
If you know what you want for the setting, then I'd suggest a generic system. I like GURPS, which already has multiple steampunk books, but I recognize there is a bit of a learning curve. I've heard good things about Hero/FUDGE but I don't have experience with them. In general I feel if you have an idea for a setting it is easier to use GURPS than to try to refluff something.

dsmiles
2011-08-01, 04:58 AM
Consider Iron Kingdoms seconded. It's the best setting for fantasy steampunk out there, and a new Iron Kingdoms RPG is due out probably sometime soon. PP has the cover art up on their site (as of last week), so here's hoping...

TitusAndronicus
2011-08-01, 07:15 AM
I've been meaning to check out GURPS for some time now, this is my excuse to do it.

As for Iron Kingdoms, how enmeshed is the setting and the rules? I'm not really a fan of steampunk as a serious genre, and I don't really want to do a lot of ripping of setting out of rules. And just so I'm clear, Iron Kingdoms is D20, is it?

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

GodGoblin
2011-08-01, 07:27 AM
I used Iron Kingdoms pretty much just as a source book for 3.5 and it worked great, no need to use its own fluff.

I even played a gentleman assassin with a mechanical arm :smallcool:I believe the gun rules are rather good too.

Malfunctioned
2011-08-01, 07:33 AM
Look up PDQ#, the SRD is free to download online and it's very easy to learn, rules-light, fast paced system that encourages player interaction. It's designed for Swashbuckling settings but the system is very easily adapted like I did for my own Dieselpunk setting.

DukeofDellot
2011-08-01, 11:37 AM
Personally I'd use the FATE system for it.

It's pretty simple to run, and good for those games where you want to define things as you go rather than bog everyone down with complicated and over-detailed character creation. And it's free!

That failing, I'll add that if you're willing to put in the time for it, GURPS can be enjoyable, just be sure to build a few character templates (two or three is usually enough) get yourself familiar with the Gadgeteering rules.

Say Inventor (makes devices), Thief (steals devices), and Brute (Uses bigger devices, such as armor suits and big steam fists) as your character templates.

dsmiles
2011-08-01, 11:41 AM
I used Iron Kingdoms pretty much just as a source book for 3.5 and it worked great, no need to use its own fluff.

I even played a gentleman assassin with a mechanical arm :smallcool:I believe the gun rules are rather good too.The fluff is easily divorced from the crunch. Granted, I love the fluff, and would never play without it, but it's easy to do.

The firearms rules are...interesting. They're not the greatest rules I've seen for firearms, but they do what they're intended to do. They're just a little...clunky, if you get my meaning.

Burnheart
2011-08-01, 02:23 PM
Look up PDQ#, the SRD is free to download online and it's very easy to learn, rules-light, fast paced system that encourages player interaction. It's designed for Swashbuckling settings but the system is very easily adapted like I did for my own Dieselpunk setting.

Umm what does PDQ stand for? :smallconfused: I tried googling it but didn't get anything games related.

Severus
2011-08-01, 04:03 PM
While they both have learning curves, I think Hero is way better than GURPS having run long campaigns in both.

The main downsides to GURPS I think are:

The way health rolls work makes it hard for a GM to judge the difficulty of an encounter they're building. (when you go below zero health, you start making health rolls. It can be pretty random when someone actually drops).

That stat default rules need to be watched closely. You buy high stats and skill roll defaults become good. For measly xp, you can become godlike. (less of an issue in a game with super powers, but then you really want hero because it was born out of champions and models that way better).

Hero's downside is that you can build almost any set of powers and abilities. The first problem with that is that it takes a while to get comfortable with the system. The second problem is that the GM needs to set clear limits on what ranges of powers are acceptable. If you don't, you can end up with a badly out of control set of powers.

Of the two systems, I think GURPS is easier to get into and simpler, so you may prefer it for that and ignore its flaws. I think Hero is a much better system, but it is more complex and you have to spend some time mastering it.

Jude_H
2011-08-01, 04:48 PM
Umm what does PDQ stand for? :smallconfused: I tried googling it but didn't get anything games related.
It's a light generic rules system.

Check it out here (http://www.atomicsockmonkey.com/freebies.asp#pdq).

Tyrmatt
2011-08-02, 02:52 AM
Possibly I sound like a bit of a broken record with this but the Unisystem (it powers Terra Prima and All Flesh Must Be Eaten) has some helpful stuff for this with a bit of light refluffing. The system is instantly familiar to any RPG player and it's "Pulp Heroes" book offers the kind of Fifties Superscience which easily translates to steam-punk.

If you want something more complex though, you can't go wrong with GURPS. It has books dedicated to SP settings.

UrsielHauke
2011-08-04, 05:47 PM
I'm just modding Pathfinder for my Steampunk game, of course mine isn't nearly as over-the top.

Volthawk
2011-08-05, 07:51 PM
Mutants and Masterminds might work well, since the powers are just mechanical effects, and you make the fluff for them yourselves. I would think you'd be using a lot of Devices, though. Also, it's originally for superhero games, so over-the-top, ridiculous, not very serious stuff comes naturally.

beyond reality
2011-08-08, 12:05 PM
Umm what does PDQ stand for? :smallconfused: I tried googling it but didn't get anything games related.

The acronym stands for Prose Descriptive Qualities. PDQ is definitely a great system, although it's not in any way more suited for steampunk settings than any other universal system.

My personal steampunk system is Savage Worlds, the Mad Science rules from Deadlands Reloaded are especially fun but any of their gadgeteering systems works very well.

Of course "steampunk" doesn't really determine the system, that's the setting. To answer the question best it would depend on the action level of the game, how cinematic vs. realistic you want it to be and if there are supernatural elements you want to include and how you want those modeled. But if your main goals are simple and fun then Savage Worlds is great, PDQ is also good if you want to go simpler and faster.

CarpeGuitarrem
2011-08-08, 12:10 PM
The setting is really very ridiculous, so the system should be likewise fun to play, and not be taken seriously. However, as I'm new to running games, it should be fairly easy to run as well.
Risus (http://www222.pair.com/sjohn/risus.htm). It's easy-to-learn, easy to create characters for, utterly ridiculous, and very easy to run. All it takes is some very solid imagination.

EccentricCircle
2011-08-08, 12:45 PM
I don't know whether it would neccersarly be what you're looking for. and as its not out yet, at least here, i've not played it. but Cubicle 7 have announced Airship Pirates, a Roleplaying game based in Abney Park's world. it looks like it could be good for games in the mortal engines style of gritty dystopian postapocalyptic steampunk, but could well be applicable to more light hearted victorian gageteer style games, I guess we'll have to see.

http://www.clockworkandchivalry.co.uk/2011/06/first-airship-pirates-preview/

Cieyrin
2011-08-09, 03:09 PM
We have Iron Kingdoms in here but not Dragonmech? For shame, we need more Steam Mecha battles, with crazy Steam Powers working out the pseudo-science! Iron Kingdoms does have the better fluff written for it and is a great setting, it's true, but Dragonmech takes Steampunk in such a more awe inspiring and epic direction. I like running bits of both my games when I can get away with it, as the IK gun rules are fairly realistic and not that trying once you get the proper skills high enough.