Systems to recreate Arcanum : Steamwork and Magica

[Cikomyr]

I am currently playing the old classic video game Arcanum. It's pretty good; I love the setting and the industrial revolution style. There is something to be said about wearing a period suit and a top hat for everything.

Half-orc swashbuckler totting a pistol? It's pretty cool
Half-orc swashbuckler totting a pistol in a suit? It's a James Bond/Robin Hood mix! :smallbiggrin:


Halfling with thief and talkative ability surrounded by thugs? He's the meek talkative figure.
Halfling in a suit with thief and talkative ability surrounded by thugs? He's a crime boss with his crew.


So I started researching for the RPG ruleset that inspired Arcanum.. and to my dismay, I discovered that the original "Arcanum" rpg had nothing to do with Steamwork!!! :smallfrown:

Someone knows a good RPG to use? And if any setting books were issued for more details?

[JeenLeen]

I don't know of any system off-hand, but I could see combining or refluffing a few mechanics.

World of Darkness seems to fit Arcanum if you want to perserve that, while you level up, you can spend those points on anything (skills, attributes, magic/tech).
oWoD Changeling has how the more Banal someone is, the less likely magic is to work on them. (It's more complicated, but that's the short version.) I could see having characters start at a given level of Banality, and the more magic you have, the lower it gets; the more tech, the higher. Have some percent fail mechanic when a magic-user interacts with a tech-user or tries to use tech.
I could also see the spell/technology chains be doing like skills. Instead of ranks 1-5 in every power, have it set to however you want the spells/tech to work. (I always found the schematics system for technology a little frustrating in Arcanum.)

On the other hand, I could see something D&D-esque (in part because Arcanum seems like that in its leveling scheme), with unlocking level x spells or level x tech as you level up. Maybe have a magic-user, tech-user, and mixed-magic/tech as 'classes'?
A percent failure chance similar to arcane spell failure sounds fitting.

I realize this isn't really what you are asking for, but it or something similar might work if nobody can suggest a system. What aspects of Arcanum do you really want to preserve? (In the above, I'm going for the magic-vs-tech mechanics.) If you want period wear/atmosphere, refluffing most systems could do that, I imagine.

[rorikdude12]

GURPS works, I guess.

[tensai_oni]

Controversial opinion: I don't like Arcanum. It's a really neat setting, but a really, REALLY bad game.

Fate/Spirit of the Century should have what you want. It feels classy and pulpy enough for the setting, and it has rules for making inventions. Only thing you really need to homebrew is magic and technology not working well together. But guess what - Dresden Files has elements of that too, and what system does Dresden Files the RPG use? Fate, of course.

[Anderlith]

Iron Kingdoms maybe?

[Cikomyr]

FATE is definetly a system that would work well. But on the other hand, Fate is extremely versatile and can work for EVERYTHING anyway.

Thing is; I am not sure if I like or dislike Fate's... .... blurness. I like the idea of the players getting pimped up gear as they go, but on the other hand, I don't like the idea of players dismissing fancy stuff for utilitarian. Like, why have a 6-shot colt when you can have a handcannon? Why wearing a tux when you can wear leather armor?

I guess FATE emphasize style over substance, which is probably what I want in the first place...?

And for the Magic/Tecnology stuff.. hmm.. you could give a dice penalty to use X on Y, where X is a power and Y is a subject, based on Y's rating. As to how to determine the rating? Bites me.


How about WFRP rule system? Could that work?

[Beleriphon]

Mutants and Masterminds is always a good choice. Given the fact that "magic" stuff and "tech" stuff would use the exact same system of deriving their effects there no specific player incentive to pick one over the other.

The fact that they don't interact well just means that you need to go with complications for the interaction. That basically means when players can't make the magic whatzit work because they're decked out in steampunk power armour they get hero points (which give opportunities for more awesome).

[Cikomyr]

Oh.. wait. Shadowrun! Isn't there a thing about cyberthing causing problem to magic?

[JeenLeen]

Oh.. wait. Shadowrun! Isn't there a thing about cyberthing causing problem to magic?

From my reading of the Shadowrun books, a lot of cyber-gear decreases your Essence stat, which in turn makes it harder to cast magic, but there's no direct magic-and-tech-cause-the-other-to-not-work-right. A powerful mage could ride in a tech'ed up train just fine, while in Arcanum a powerful mage is banned from riding in trains because their mere presence would break it. Likewise a tech-based person can attack a mage just fine, and I think even mages could get some tech without any danger of it not working right (just might be an unwise move or contrary to usual builds.)

Someone else could probably give more info. (Also, I'm basing this off... I think 3rd edition.)

[Kaun]

Iron Kingdoms should do it with little trouble.

[Project_Mayhem]

Interesting.

My group have playing through a tabletop version of the game hacked into Savage Worlds. It's a relatively modable system, and it didn't take much to make the magic/technology dichotomy work.

Off the top of my head, the main changes to the core system were -

Races. The DM customised them to fit the game better. Half Ogres were fudged to be a bit smaller for game balance (6-7 foot and bulky), but I think everything else was able to carry over.

Arcane backgrounds. Magic is covered by the Magic arcane background, and Technology by the weird science one. They run of Spirt and Smarts respectively. Each time you spend an edge on it, you gain access to another school, and your Aptitude goes up or down by one.

Aptitude is what we're using to represent Magical/technological affinity. At 0 you are mundane with no particular affinity, at 5 you are a fully grounded technologist, and at -5 you are a powerful wizard.

I'm not playing a caster (half ogre gentleman pugilist adventurer myself), so I'm not sure entirely how they interact, but I think that your aptitude counts as armour against the side you arent aligned with, and means tech is more likely to explode/magic is more likely to go haywire around you.