New System to Liven Up a Dying Group with a Steampunk Flavor

[Tokuhara]

My D&D group is slowly wearing thin. Our gaming scene is becoming stale by the sound of rolling d20's and no roleplaying. It's scaring me and saddening me.

So I'm planning on trying out a new system, new scenery, and new paint. My players know nothing of steampunk, and we have played the following:

Marvel (Crap. Game degenerated into Mutant Rocket Tag with me, the new Sorcerer Supreme in-training trying to keep the peace)

D&D 3.P (Most common. Lead to the group degenerating into a screaming match between two players)

WoD (While short-lived, it was pretty much ideal. We talked for literally HOURS in character and just plain had fun)

I need something that won't be too tough to learn, promotes high-roleplaying, and has a distinctive Steampunk theme to change the scenery. My end result is hopefully the party in Steam-Powered Powersuits vs. Aliens with 50's-style Disintegrator Ray Guns (in this end result, cheesier the better)

Any bright ideas?

[Giarc]

Try Mage: The Ascension and have everybody play as Sons of Ether, specifically, the Adventurer subfaction. They do exactly what you want.

[Knaight]

Lady Blackbird is short, free, encourages role playing, and is basically awesome in every way. Go get it, play it, and probably play it again later.

[Tokuhara]

Try Mage: The Ascension and have everybody play as Sons of Ether, specifically, the Adventurer subfaction. They do exactly what you want.

My group enjoyed WoD, but the issue is that everybody doesn't want to play a Mage, so that could be problematic


Lady Blackbird is short, free, encourages role playing, and is basically awesome in every way. Go get it, play it, and probably play it again later.

I see. I'm not particularly looking for a one-shot pre-gen game, but more of a new system that my players haven't seen before. Plus, I kinda want to incorporate Aliens (like the 1950's Greys) into the setting as the BBEGs

[kyoryu]

I see. I'm not particularly looking for a one-shot pre-gen game, but more of a new system that my players haven't seen before. Plus, I kinda want to incorporate Aliens (like the 1950's Greys) into the setting as the BBEGs

Oooooh. X-Com, but with a Steampunk setting. Sounds all kinds of awesome to me!

[Tokuhara]

Oooooh. X-Com, but with a Steampunk setting. Sounds all kinds of awesome to me!

Yeah, but with Cheesey Ray Guns, Stereotypical Dialogue, and a "Holy ****, I think I need to change my undies" sized Mothership

[tensai_oni]

As usual, I suggest Mutants and Masterminds if you want more customization, or Spirit of the Century if you want more pulp.

[Thane of Fife]

Have you looked at Savage Worlds? I believe it's made for pulp, and if it can do Deadlands, it can definitely do steampunk.

[Selrahc]

WoD (While short-lived, it was pretty much ideal. We talked for literally HOURS in character and just plain had fun)

I need something that won't be too tough to learn, promotes high-roleplaying, and has a distinctive Steampunk theme to change the scenery. My end result is hopefully the party in Steam-Powered Powersuits vs. Aliens with 50's-style Disintegrator Ray Guns (in this end result, cheesier the better)


While I've not actually played it for real, if you liked the WoD and want something like it but more steampunky it sounds like Genius: The Transgression (http://sites.google.com/site/moochava/genius) might be right up your street.

I'd also give a shout out to Adventure, a part of White Wolf's Aeonverse. Again, I've not actually played it, but its a Steampunky pulp era game where players can be mad scientists, action heroes or the supernatural with a pretty diverse powers system. I think a lot of ideas in Genius the Transgression were culled from the mad science sections in Adventure. Might be worth a try.

[Aidan305]

Paranoia converted to a Steampunk setting can be fun (All Hail Friend Analytical Engine)

Another system I have a fondness for in that style would be Victoriana. Though I prefer the older 1st edition over the current 2nd edition, the flavour is still effectively the same. Essentially, what it boils down to is a Victorian-ified version of Shadowrun.

Spirit of the Century, using the FATE system, is a pulpy action-adventure style of game, though it tends more towards dieselpunk and mad science than Steampunk. It's still probably one of the best you can get for that Steam-powered armour vs Aliens with '50's Ray-guns though.

Deadlands: Steampunk, magic, and zombies in the Wild West

[houlio]

Paranoia converted to a Steampunk setting can be fun (All Hail Friend Analytical Engine)

Another system I have a fondness for in that style would be Victoriana. Though I prefer the older 1st edition over the current 2nd edition, the flavour is still effectively the same. Essentially, what it boils down to is a Victorian-ified version of Shadowrun.

Spirit of the Century, using the FATE system, is a pulpy action-adventure style of game, though it tends more towards dieselpunk and mad science than Steampunk. It's still probably one of the best you can get for that Steam-powered armour vs Aliens with '50's Ray-guns though.

Deadlands: Steampunk, magic, and zombies in the Wild West

I think all these are good suggestions. It might also be worth simply taking a break from your current long-running game to do one-shots or maybe just take a slight break from tabletop RPG's for a little while before getting back into the swing of things.

[Tokuhara]

I think all these are good suggestions. It might also be worth simply taking a break from your current long-running game to do one-shots or maybe just take a slight break from tabletop RPG's for a little while before getting back into the swing of things.

Here's the thing: it has been months since we played, so I'm hoping to save my group from extinction. Hence changing the game scene

[houlio]

Here's the thing: it has been months since we played, so I'm hoping to save my group from extinction. Hence changing the game scene

In that case, I'm going to plug Paranoia, since in my personal experience it is a really great way to get people into role-playing.

If it's not what you're looking for thematically, I would recommend running some other one-shot adventure at first, just so that people can get back into the hang of things. I find that it's necessary to stretch my figurative role-playing muscles before seriously working them, and it sounds like your group is pretty out of shape in this regard.

[Tokuhara]

In that case, I'm going to plug Paranoia, since in my personal experience it is a really great way to get people into role-playing.

If it's not what you're looking for thematically, I would recommend running some other one-shot adventure at first, just so that people can get back into the hang of things. I find that it's necessary to stretch my figurative role-playing muscles before seriously working them, and it sounds like your group is pretty out of shape in this regard.

I just talked to them, and no to Steampunk. So I'm thinking WoD Changeling game.

I have a good balance-y question: in an all Changeling party, would giving Dual-Kith (2-3 dot version) for free to the players for story reasons?

[Beleriphon]

I just talked to them, and no to Steampunk. So I'm thinking WoD Changeling game.

I have a good balance-y question: in an all Changeling party, would giving Dual-Kith (2-3 dot version) for free to the players for story reasons?

If everybody has it, sure why not.

[golentan]

No steam punk? Aww... I was going to suggest Alchemicals (an Exalted splatbook)... Same basic system as WoD.

If straight sci fi might be more appealing, might I suggest traveller? Pretty solid but simple ruleset, good fun, age of sail feel, and low tech worlds and psionics for people who like some fantasy in with their stuff.

Otherwise... yeah, changeling is a good play, IIRC. Seconding that universal merits are not unbalancing if it fits with your game.

[Chambers]

For a different type of game you might consider For Faerie, Queen & Country.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31GOuX-U4zL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Amazon link (http://www.amazon.com/Faerie-Country-Amazing-Engine-System/dp/1560765917). Wikipedia link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazing_Engine).

It uses TSR's Amazing Engine game rules which are pretty easy to learn, but are not the best. You could easily use the nWoD rules for the mechanics and use the FFQQ as a setting and sourcebook.

[Alejandro]

Make sure everyone is really interested and knows what they are getting into, if you do WoD. I played in a Mage game for a while, and one of my largest negatives was being bored over the fact that everyone in the party was a Mage, with one or another variation. Vampire felt the same way. But if it works for you, go for it.

[king.com]

I just talked to them, and no to Steampunk. So I'm thinking WoD Changeling game.


Im not super familiar with Changeling but wont it run into similiar problems as Mage (i mean theres more variety but still).

Maybe if you want to encourage the roleplaying in your group you play something like Call of Cthulhu or Dark Heresy, if your willing to look at a lower powered game. CoC has the horror element of WoD while Dark Heresy does it in a scifi setting (dont know if I can call warhammer 40,000 a member of any actual sub-genre unless Grim Dark counts).

[horseboy]

Well, if you know 3.x and wanted steampunk there's Iron Kingdoms. Giant steam powered robots beating up giant, four armed elephants.

I'd down vote WoD. 99% of the games I've ever played ended in a massive epeen waving contest. If you've already had one argument break out, it probably isn't worth it.

I'd go Chaosium's Call of Cthulthu. If you want to get to play your character for a while you take it slow and don't just charge in and kill things die horribly.