Easy to learn rpgs?

[Wings of Peace]

Essentially what the title says. I have a group of people that I've both played with and DMed for in D&D 3.5 games. 3rd Ed wasn't hard for the players to learn but they also skimmed over a lot of the more nuanced mechanics like charging, grappling, etc. I think they would have a better time with a rules light system but I'm not very knowledgeable on what's out there.

Dice or diceless would be fine, I don't discriminate. The main requirements are that the rpg be capable of creating a midieval fantasy world and incorporate a magic system.

[Totally Guy]

There's just a basic set in PDF form at the moment but Dungeon World (http://www.dungeon-world.com/) by Sage LaTorra and Adam Koebel is a very intuitive game that does D&D style content really well.

Check out the character sheets to see what I mean.

[Yora]

RISUS, obviously. Can be explained in a minute.

[JellyPooga]

PERPS is a good one and, like Risus (also good), is free. Character gen involves writing a paragraph about your character and pulling "stats" out of it. All 1d6+Skill, get Target Number.

GUPRS is a very front-loaded system...character gen can be very nit-picky and statting NPC's can become tedious after a while...but is otherwise very easy to play. Have Skill? Roll under on 3d6. That's pretty much the entire system. GMing GURPS can be a bit of a trial if you're not good with juggling modifiers in your head or can't be bothered to look up the relevant mod, but as a player it's a cinch. Once, as a GM, you realise that you don't have to look up every modifier exactly and just make it up on the fly and have a reasonable idea on what effect a particular modifier will have, then it's also a dream to run.

Traveller is another easy one to play (2d6+Skill, hit TN for everything), but has the advantage of having a lot of good source material available for the setting, if you want it, but it's not forced on you either. Has a very nice (if somewhat restrictive, to some peoples minds) character gen method.

edit: Oops! didn't finish reading the OP before writing about Traveller...oh well, it's still a good system

[hamlet]

Define "easy to learn." There's "can learn it in 5 minutes flat" and then there's "can learn it over the course of a session or two." There's a number of either that are quite good.

If you like the D&D vibe, but want something similar, you might consider going back a generation or three. OSRIC is a bit simpler to learn, but still can get complicated. Labyrinth Lord is simpler still. Swords and Wizardry is also quite excellent. And all learnable in the span of one or two sessions except for some of the finer points.

Adventures Dark and Deep is very nice, but a bit intricate. Simple AD&D basics though.

If you want a newer game, tyou can pick up Hackmaster Basic. You can learn that fairly quickly, and it's astonishingly simple in the end. Well worth a look see.

As for ultra-simple, they've never quite been my cup of tea, so I'll leave those recommendations to others.

[Wings of Peace]

Define "easy to learn."

By easy to learn I mean no more than a session to get the general hang of things (save for a nuanced but unnecessary mechanic or two). I kept the original request vague because while I have faith in the players' ability to learn a complex system (like a 3.5 equivalent) I don't have faith in their desire to want/enjoy it. They themselves are new to rpgs outside 3.5 and so are uncertain what they themselves want.

[Yuki Akuma]

RISUS, obviously. Can be explained in a minute.

Ddamnit, that was my suggestion.

At least I have a link. (http://www222.pair.com/sjohn/risus.htm) :smallwink:

[Wings of Peace]

I've glanced over most of the rpgs here and I'm pretty intrigued by Risus. Can anyone who's played tell me magic using characters worked in their groups? I get the actual rules, but it seems like characters with cliches that feature open ended abilities like magic could have a significant advantage over characters that don't.

[Yuki Akuma]

It's true that characters with open-ended clichés like "Wizard" have a significant advantage in pure applicability - but so what? That means they'll never get the bonus damage from an inappropriate cliché. ;)

More seriously, it might be better to restrict them to something a little less open-ended. Like "Fire Wizard" or "Evoker" or whatever.

Alternatively, make magical clichés require that they be double-pumped - so they cost two character points for each die, meaning normally they're weaker, but in a life-or-death situation you can pull out the high-level spells you were conserving and save the day by double-pumping yourself into unconsciousness.

It can also be a good idea to define what exactly it is that those clichés can do. By all means, allow inventive interpretations, but if the cliché starts out as "cannot heal", then don't allow the player to use it to heal anyone.

[Wings of Peace]

It's true that characters with open-ended clichés like "Wizard" have a significant advantage in pure applicability - but so what? That means they'll never get the bonus damage from an inappropriate cliché. ;)

More seriously, it might be better to restrict them to something a little less open-ended. Like "Fire Wizard" or "Evoker" or whatever.

Alternatively, make magical clichés require that they be double-pumped - so they cost two character points for each die, meaning normally they're weaker, but in a life-or-death situation you can pull out the high-level spells you were conserving and save the day by double-pumping yourself into unconsciousness.

It can also be a good idea to define what exactly it is that those clichés can do. By all means, allow inventive interpretations, but if the cliché starts out as "cannot heal", then don't allow the player to use it to heal anyone.

The double pumping is roughly what I was thinking actually. One thing I'm unclear on, it says that in combat both parties "roll against their chosen cliche". Does this mean that the players know the cliches of each enemy and choose which cliche to attack?

[Yuki Akuma]

No, it means they choose which cliché to attack with. You roll against the cliché chosen by your opponent, not by you.

There's nothing wrong with the players knowing the clichés of the opponent (and in fact, it's more entertaining that way, as they'll get to hear the jokes :smallwink:), and with a smart enough attack they can 'choose' which cliché to attack anyway (but the monster might decide to go with an entirely inappropriate defense).

Also, monsters often only have one cliché anyway - Goblin (4), 3,872 Orcs (3), and so on.

[Knaight]

Fudge and FATE are both easy to learn, intuitive, and free. Qin is probably the best system on the market for medieval fantasy, provided that it is set in China. Warrior, Rogue, and Mage handles D&D better than D&D, and is also free.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

I will warn you that FATE's narrative conceit is a little hard to wrap one's mind around, although it'd probably go easier once you've played some Risus. (Cliches are like a slimmed-down version of Aspects, after all.)

I'll also submit that, for a D&D group, Old School Hack (http://www.oldschoolhack.net) is a fantastic game. It's streamlined, with nice little game design bits that make it more tactically interesting than old school D&D, but with none of the rules kludge that later editions picked up. Plus, players give each other Awesome Points for doing awesome things; these can later be spent to get bonuses.

[Knaight]

I will warn you that FATE's narrative conceit is a little hard to wrap one's mind around, although it'd probably go easier once you've played some Risus. (Cliches are like a slimmed-down version of Aspects, after all.)

It's easy to wrap one's mind around if one hasn't already been pushed towards another method of play, by, say, D&D.

[LibraryOgre]

Castles and Crusades is my usual suggestion. It's somewhat based on d20, but replaces skills and saves with attribute checks against a base DC of 18 (to which you add your attribute modifier, your level if appropriate to your character, and +6 if it's one of your "prime" stats).

It's fairly rules-light and flexible. It's easy to wing, and for players to be a bit creative with. For example, let's say you come to a 10' pit. The rules don't explicitly cover jumping (that I recall, and the book is all the way over there). The DM, on a call, says it's a Strength Check.

Fighter: No problem.
Thief: Can I use Dex, instead? I used to be an acrobat, after all.
DM: Sure, and add your level to it, since you're an acrobat.
Wizard: I calculate how much force I will need to jump across the pit. Can I make it an intelligence check instead of a strength check?
DM: What? No. That's stupid.
Fighter: <sigh> Can I CARRY the wizard across?

[hamlet]

Fighter: <sigh> Can I CARRY the wizard across?

Have had that happen many times, though my group typically uses the verb "throw" instead of "carry." Also known as "gnome tossing" nowadays.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

It's easy to wrap one's mind around if one hasn't already been pushed towards another method of play, by, say, D&D.
As the OP's group has. :smallwink:

[Knaight]

As the OP's group has. :smallwink:

Would that be the one they skimmed over and largely ignored? Because it seems to me as if there is still hope for them. :smallwink:

[Need_A_Life]

FATE is simple and once you've gotten used to the idea of aspects (which a lot of people apparently have a hard time with), it's a fairly intuitive system that flows quickly. You can probably give them the basics in a 10min info-dump or over the course of a session or two.

Savage Worlds is a fairly simple, rules-medium system too. Character creation can be taught and finished within 15min of sitting down at the table (I've timed it with three different groups), if people have a concept in mind and stay on subject (tried this with a dozen others).
You can probably teach them the basics of the system within a session, though the finer points take a while to learn and the initiative mechanic (using playing cards) take some time for some to get used to.

Of course, there's Paranoia. Each player is given a d20 and a character sheet. Tell them to generate stats in any way you like (point-buy, rolling, bribing the GM etc.). Start session.
If they ask for the rules, tell them: "Information about that subject is restricted for those of Clearance Ultraviole(n)t and above. Persistence in this matter is treason. Traitors must report for termination. Have a nice day, citizen."
:smallbiggrin:

Of course, a system need not be simple for people to learn it. I've seen two roleplay rookies do just fine in a Shadowrun 4E game, so don't underestimate them.

[Manateee]

Medieval fantasy Paranoia sounds like a trip. I approve!

[Story Time]

Puppies & Pawprints! Extremely simple and fun! :smallbiggrin:

[UserClone]

Apocalypse World/ Dungeon World. The basic gist is everything is about "to make a move, do the thing" and "if you do this thing, then make that move." Roll 2d6+ a stat. if your total is:
10+: Complete success.
7-9: Mitigated success. You did it, but it's gonna hurt you to get it done.
6-: :smalleek:

There. Now you already know half the game(s).

[Cieyrin]

Clay-o-Rama is easy to learn and could theoretically be medieval. Character Creation is "Here, this is your Play-Do. You got 20 minutes to make your character. Don't share with other players, they each have their own. You don't have to use all your Play-Do for your character, some can be used for missiles. Tell me when you're done."

Play is you can move, throw missiles if you got 'em, attack and then receive counter attacks. Special Abilities tell you how to use them, whether you can move an additional time, replace an attack, whatever.

You don't get much rules-lighter than that, unless you want to just tell cooperative stories, which is less an RPG at that point but really, can you get more epic than this?:smalltongue::smallbiggrin:


http://www.chatigre.dk/photos/MR/IMG_6832.JPG
http://psychocorp.net/articulos/salon_comic_granada_2004/imagenes/clayorama2.jpghttp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3366/4605431502_c58ea50d34.jpghttp://www.ebierzo.com/images3/clayorama.jpg

[Dead_Jester]

Not exactly high fantasy, and the Grimdarkness may not be to your liking, but WFRP (1st or 2nd) is very easy to learn and to play (d100 roll under system for damn near everything), and character creation literally takes 5 minutes if the players know what they want to play (or if you play it old school and randomly determine everything), although it tends to be brutal at low levels. Plus, the magic system in the 2nd version comes with integrated FUN.

Oh, and Cieyrin, what about this? BrickWars (http://http://www.brikwars.com/rules/2005/title.htm)

It's not an rpg, but if there ever was an excuse to get out the old Legos (or steal them from the kids), it's this! And it's actually a pretty great wargame :smallwink:.

[Cieyrin]

Oh, and Cieyrin, what about this? BrickWars (http://http://www.brikwars.com/rules/2005/title.htm)

It's not an rpg, but if there ever was an excuse to get out the old Legos (or steal them from the kids), it's this! And it's actually a pretty great wargame :smallwink:.

Oh man, excuses to get my Legos out of storage. Looks cool to me! :smallbiggrin: