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ZenoForce88
2013-11-21, 04:03 PM
Hello Playgrounders! Recently my group has tired of our usual games, and are seeking new systems!

What we Have:
Big Eyes, Small Mouth.
Basic Roleplaying
Call of Cthulhu
Mekton Zeta(To complex for us to understand)
Jovian Chronicles
Heavy Gear
Gear Krieg
Tribe 8
Dust Devils
D&D 3.5
Pathfinder
Eclipse Phase
Faery's Tale
Toon! The Cartoon Roleplaying Game
Mutants and Masterminds
Rogue Trader
Shadowrun
Rifts
ALL New world of Darkness
Monster Island
Legend of hte Five Rings
Giant Guardian Generation
FATE
d20 Modern/Future/Past
Avatar
All Flesh Must Be Eaten
Paranoia
MIB by West End Games
Ghostbusters by West End Games
Star Wars Revised Rules Edition(the d20 one, not the West End games one, and we refuse to look into Saga for the same reason we refuse to go into D&D 4E).
Furry Pirates
FATAL(WE don't play, just kinda read and laugh at it)
Simply Roleplaying Universal roleplaying System
Boot Hill 3rd Edition
and Pokemon Adventures
and the Action! System OGL.

What we seek:
Pretty much anything, within a few requirments.
It needs to be Classless, as in less like D&D more like Shadowrun in terms of character creation.
BUT It also needs to be simple, and easy to learn and teach(for you GURPS fans, please don't suggest it, we do not like it's complexity, and are very closed minded in regards to being talked into trying it :smallyuk:).

The Genre, really doesn't matter, so long as we can have an on going story in it.

Thanks in advanced!

CarpeGuitarrem
2013-11-21, 04:50 PM
So, you want something besides this? Hhhhhm, what's a good distinctive game to plug?

Night's Black Agents (http://rpggeek.com/rpg/11202/nights-black-agents) is a very interesting game that puts a cool spin on the spy thriller genre. The mechanics actively enhance spy investigations, it has good rules for chases (indeed, I would say that they're more detailed than the combat rules!), and you play a group of top-secret agents hunting down vampire conspiracies!

It's well-paced, and it does the investigation side of things a lot better than, say, World of Darkness. It also ratchets combat down so that it's not the central focus of the game. The core rules are actually very simple and elegant, as well.

Traveller (I personally recommend the Mongoose edition (http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/rpgs/traveller/traveller-core-rulebook.html)) is a classic sci-fi "traveling across the stars" game that just flows smoothly. The core mechanics are dead-simple, and character creation is a cool trip through your character's history.

Pendragon (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/81449/King-Arthur-Pendragon-Edition-51) (also known as King Arthur Pendragon) is a masterful RPG currently in its 5th edition, where you play Arthurian knights going on adventures; it's designed so that when your knight dies or retires, they have an heir who joins the party to continue adventuring. There's even the Great Pendragon Campaign, which covers over 80 years of Arthurian history.

(Also, do you seriously have a print copy of FATAL? How did you manage that?)

Glimbur
2013-11-21, 05:22 PM
I always end up recommending Wuthering Heights (http://www.unseelie.org/rpg/wh/index.html) and RISUS (http://www222.pair.com/sjohn/risus.htm) in threads like this.

Wuthering Heights is a very rules light system; I generally have fun with it by throwing a situation at the PC's. Maybe it's Monday and there is a ball Friday: find a dance partner. Maybe it's a murder mystery. Maybe you're in the Antebellum South and there's a political rally. Maybe... and so on. I do suggest changing the problem table to have more social and mental problems with fewer physical ones. PM me and I'll send a list I like.

RISUS is incredibly rules light. Characters are defined by cliches. And then you do things with them. Check it out.

As a bonus, these systems are free and legal online.

ZenoForce88
2013-11-21, 05:23 PM
Thanks CarpeGuitarrem!, I'll defiantly have to look at Traveller and Pendragon. Night's Black Agents wouldn't be all that good for us...our of the group only two actually have the ability to think in the frame of mind needed for an Investigative style game. It's part of why many of the things on that list hardly get played.

As for the FATAL Print...it was found at the very bottom of a big box of Game Books I got for like 5 bucks at a garage sell. It's so ridiculous I just couldn't part with it, for the comedic value that someone actually payed money to have it printed. XD

and to everyone else, keep them suggestions coming!

CarpeGuitarrem
2013-11-21, 05:24 PM
As for the FATAL Print...it was found at the very bottom of a big box of Game Books I got for like 5 bucks at a garage sell. It's so ridiculous I just couldn't part with it, for the comedic value that someone actually payed money to have it printed. XD
I don't know if you're incredibly lucky or cursed. :smalltongue:

Both. Probably both.

Zavoniki
2013-11-21, 06:07 PM
Cortex (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/58488/Cortex-Classic-System-Role-Playing-Game) is a pretty good and simple roleplaying game.

I would also suggest any the One Roll Engine games:

Monsters and Other Childish Things (http://www.arcdream.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=15)
Its small children with Eldritch Horrors. Whats not to love?

Wild Talents (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/78394/Wild-Talents-2nd-Edition)
Superheroes. Can range from the extremely gritty to cosmic gods.

Then there is also A Dirty World (http://www.gregstolze.com/adirtyworld/), REIGN (http://www.gregstolze.com/reign/), NEMESIS(Its free) (http://www.arcdream.com/dennis/NEMESIS.pdf), and some others that I know less about.

Morithias
2013-11-21, 06:37 PM
Fluxx.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=313190

You know how you basically want to roleplay, but don't super care about the crunch?

Well if you have a really open minded group, and a DM that can improvise well. Fluxx has two rules.

1. A player declares an action and the DM reacts to that action according to the rules.
2. If there is no rule for said action the DM makes one up.

It's REALLY good for games where you want to play sandbox, and it can be used for literally any setting.

Lorsa
2013-11-21, 06:42 PM
That list is quite impressive. How much roleplaying have you done if you've bored of all those systems?

Anyway, if you liked the TV series Firefly then you could try Serenity. It's a pretty simple roleplaying game, it's basically the first of the Cortex rule system games, suffer some first-baby issues but it has a great forum where you can get tons of useful information and fixes for it.

erikun
2013-11-21, 07:04 PM
What we Have:
Faery's Tale
Someone else who has seen and played Faery's Tale! That's good to see.

Anyways, I would first recommend the HeroQuest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HeroQuest_(role-playing_game)) roleplaying game. The 2nd edition is a very well-put together general system, much in the likeness of some forms of Fate. 1st edition is much more structured, but has a lot more material on the setting of Glorantha (one that I very much enjoy). Speaking of Glorantha, RuneQuest is another system you don't have on your list.

I am surprised to see that Burning Wheel has not been mentioned yet. The system itself plays very well, and it has a lot of very well thought-out concepts, from Lifepaths to Instincts to several other aspects. Mouse Guard is a similar and related system, although with characters taking the role of mice similar to Redwall or The Secret of Nimh. And if you like fantasy, then I have heard good things about Shadows of Esteren, although I haven't played it yet.

And finally, I'd like to mention Ryuutama (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/diamondsutra/ryuutama-natural-fantasy-role-playing-game) as something that looks rather interesting. It seems to share a theme similar to the Traveller system (and I'd recommend Mongoose edition Traveller as well) although you wouldn't be getting the system in your hands until April 2014, although PDFs previews should be earlier than that.

[EDIT]
If you want to move away from RPGs and into more storytelling games, then you can check out Fiasco (http://www.bullypulpitgames.com/games/fiasco/) and Once Upon a Time (http://atlas-games.com/ouat3/) as some fun time-wasters.

Amphetryon
2013-11-21, 07:06 PM
Seconding Burning Wheel and Pendragon as good options for your needs.

Cikomyr
2013-11-21, 07:06 PM
I discovered a system that fits all requirement you showed, meant for Chinese-style Wuxia games.

Qin : The Warring Kingdoms.

Shyftir
2013-11-21, 07:12 PM
Try Mythender. It's free on the internets, and you guys seem to be open to just about anything. So become dark demigods on a mission to destroy all gods. (They are pretty awful too in canon.)

Terraoblivion
2013-11-21, 07:25 PM
For a system closer to traditional wuxia than Qin, Legends of the Wulin is quite excellent. However, how easy it is to learn depends heavily on two things. One is how good you are at reading non-technical writing, some of my friends had a lot of trouble reading the book because it wasn't written in a technical enough language. The other is how good you are at improvising given how injury works. However, beyond that it is a pretty simple system, especially if you start off basic with just kung-fu, rather than heavy use of secret arts, and it is by far the system I've enjoyed playing the most.

CarpeGuitarrem
2013-11-21, 08:33 PM
That list is quite impressive. How much roleplaying have you done if you've bored of all those systems?

Anyway, if you liked the TV series Firefly then you could try Serenity. It's a pretty simple roleplaying game, it's basically the first of the Cortex rule system games, suffer some first-baby issues but it has a great forum where you can get tons of useful information and fixes for it.
There's also an up-and-coming Firefly RPG, but it won't be out for a time yet. Here's the link to pre-order it. (http://www.margaretweis.com/index.php/shop#!/~/product/category=5447006&id=29762279) It's like the Serenity RPG, but it's been improved significantly and given a different sort of style. I like it significantly better. It also lets you roll even more dice. :smallbiggrin:

I considered recommending Burning Wheel, but it's an involved system. The core is simple, and then it acquires a lot of involved subsystems. That tends to scare people off--and character creation is very detailed (especially if you have a need to understand everything that's going on).

A_Man
2013-11-21, 08:55 PM
http://www.bountyheadbebop.com/

The system known as BountyHeadBeBop is fantastic, using the simple i20 model (roll under). Very simple, classless (though there are psychics and fengshui users, anyone can be them), the psychic system is wonderful (and avoids remarkably overpowered Mage types).

The creator of the system is also remarkably good about helping people work on the game. He administers the site, and runs 'Test Spins' for people to understand how the game works.

CarpeGuitarrem
2013-11-21, 09:30 PM
http://www.bountyheadbebop.com/

The system known as BountyHeadBeBop is fantastic, using the simple i20 model (roll under). Very simple, classless (though there are psychics and fengshui users, anyone can be them), the psychic system is wonderful (and avoids remarkably overpowered Mage types).

The creator of the system is also remarkably good about helping people work on the game. He administers the site, and runs 'Test Spins' for people to understand how the game works.
I'll actually second this, yeah. It's a cool twist on the d20 system, and it works spiffily. Because it's roll under, you don't get crazy bonus-adding. And the fact that it's Cowboy Bebop-but-not-technically is pretty cool.

ZenoForce88
2013-11-21, 10:17 PM
I appreciate all the suggestions, and will defiantly have to look into them.

Though we honestly haven't played ALL the systems we already have. Due to one or more reasons, such as being to difficult for one or more of us to learn(or Teach the others), or because, well you know...because it was FATAL :smalltongue:

Morithias
2013-11-21, 11:23 PM
I appreciate all the suggestions, and will defiantly have to look into them.

Though we honestly haven't played ALL the systems we already have. Due to one or more reasons, such as being to difficult for one or more of us to learn(or Teach the others), or because, well you know...because it was FATAL :smalltongue:

I actually like Fatal's "your entire character is rolled randomly" mechanic.

Then I realize if I want to force myself or my players to play randomly rolled characters, we can play maid RPG.

Rhynn
2013-11-21, 11:36 PM
Some that haven't been mentioned yet:

Artesia: Adventures in the Known World. A fantasy world in early renaissance (in places), very intuitive system, comprehensive rulebook, some problems with magic (don't give PCs True Forms of spells, like, ever). Pretty much the best experience I've had with a new system and setting, completely awesome to play.

HârnMaster. Surprisingly simple system (3rd edition more so than Gold), very realistic, awesome setting (published "frozen in time": every single setting book describes the world on the first day of the year 720).

As a bonus for Morithias, you generate your character randomly in both of those games, although quite differently; in A:AKW, your ability scores (and much more) are determined by the circumstances of your birth: your lineages (maternal and paternal), the star sign you were born under, and the omens at your birth.

e: Although it should be noted that HM explicitly tells you to create groups that make sense (i.e. not obeying random rolls for social class and profession), and A:AKW says "roll or choose" in almost every instance. /e

As for RuneQuest, I heartily recommend the new sixth edition (http://www.thedesignmechanism.com/runequest.php). As a bonus, it's the same basic system as BRP. The big minus is that all the awesome setting books for Glorantha were printed in the 80s and 90s and are slightly hard to get by now. I count myself lucky to have gotten Moon Design reprints of some of the old classics. Fortunately, though, the more recent Hero Wars/HeroQuest setting books are perfectly compatible, and even more awesome; and there's endless setting material available online.

The Riddle of Steel is incredible but next to impossible to get your hands on by now. It has the single best system for ancient hand-to-hand combat (and integrates primitive missile weapons and early firearms well).

Twilight 2013 is a post-apocalyptic survival RPG with a heavy military emphasis, rules staged by complexity, and too much detail given to gear and equipment, but it has the best small-group firefight combat system there is.

Also everything free that's linked in my sig even though they're all class-based by definition; can't lose anything checking out free systems.

Firest Kathon
2013-11-22, 04:55 AM
For a very rules-light RPG, I can recommend Wushu (http://danielbayn.com/wushu/) (also, rules are avialble for free).

A more "serious" system is Das schwarze Auge (The Dark Eye), however most of the material is in German and to my knowledge there is only a small part of the rules available in German. The Wiki Aventurica (http://www.wiki-aventurica.de/) (English section (http://www.wiki-aventurica.de/wiki/En:Main_Page)) is a good starting point to get a look at the adventuring world.

erikun
2013-11-22, 03:24 PM
I actually like Fatal's "your entire character is rolled randomly" mechanic.

Then I realize if I want to force myself or my players to play randomly rolled characters, we can play maid RPG.
I'm pretty sure you can do the same thing with Traveller, which pretty much has to be better mechanically than Fatal.

Airk
2013-11-22, 04:30 PM
I'm pretty sure you can do the same thing with Traveller, which pretty much has to be better mechanically than Fatal.

Traveller is also automatically more awesome (read: Hilarious) because you can die in chargen. Which is really sortof fundamentally stupid and timewasting, but it's funny nonetheless.

I recommend:

Mouse Guard - Which is...apparently out of print? Or at least, impossibly expensive on Amazon. It's a "Light" version of Burning Wheel (Burning Wheel is also good, but might be too crunchy for you. It sure intimidates me!) set in the world of David Petersen's Mouse Guard. It's entirely classless, fairly straightforward, and just generally features a lot of very innovative rules (mostly from Burning Wheel, but many of them actually work BETTER in their smoother form.) - including a system involving Beliefs, Instincts, and Goals, which is tied back into your character's advancement. Very nice stuff.

Tenra Bansho Zero (http://www.tenra-rpg.com/) - Created in Japan and translated as the result of a Kickstarter project, this one has a couple of interesting things going for it. Firstly, it's got this crazy 'hyper asian' setting - imagine Mythic Japan, only with...futuristic weapons (but basically no other futuristic technology) and constant warfare. Next, it has this really cool cyclical power flow, where you earn 'Aiki' by good roleplaying (literally, everyone at the table can reward everyone else), which turns into 'Kiai' which is a cross between XP and 'fate points', but when spent, gives you Karma. And if you get too much Karma you turn into an 'Asura' - basically an evil NPC - so to remove Karma, you need to 'resolve' your characters Fates, which are their motivations and drivers, and thus help you roleplay...

Knaight
2013-11-22, 04:33 PM
On the more unconventional front, there's Microscope. It's a GMless, PCless collaborative history making game. Basically, you have a time line (bunch of note cards). You take turns adding things to it, whether these are eras (big chunks of time), events (portions of an era which are more detailed), and scenes. For the eras and events you narrate portions of history, but the scenes can be played out - in that you ask some really really loaded question*, set the scene, assign characters, and play the scenes out until the question is answered. It's a wonderful game, and you will generate an excellent setting for later use with it.

*For instance, "Why did the doctor of the New Russian Empire not treat the Tzar as he died?" or "Why did the New Portuguese Empire decide to develop chemical and biological weapons against their principles".

SouthpawSoldier
2013-11-24, 11:47 AM
Legend is a new system; still in progress. The PHB is free to download, and quite a good read. Still has classes, but multiclassing is easy and characters are incredibly easy to customize and make unique. Some great flavor options too. Check it out here. (http://www.ruleofcool.com/)

qwertyu63
2013-11-24, 12:52 PM
I have this one system that should work. It is very rules-lite and can be found... in this spoiler:

-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
Core Rules (The BF6 system):
-------------------------------------------
Players:
There are two types of player in the game: players and the gamemaster (GM). Each of these two types have different roles in the game. Players simply need to make and control one character, known as their player character or PC. The GM (and there should only be one) is in charge of the game, and it is their job make sure the game works. They control all characters other than the PC's (non-player characters or NPC's), and they also plan out the world and the basic stories in it. In the event of a rules dispute, the GM decides what happens.
-------------------------------------------
Tests:
When doing something with a chance of failure, you must roll a test. To do this, roll 1d6 and add on any bonuses or penalties you may have. The total is compared to a difficulty level chosen by the GM. If your roll was higher or equal to the difficulty, you have succeeded at your task. If your roll was worse, you have failed.
-------------------------------------------
Conflicts:
When doing something with someone else directly trying to stop you, you must roll a conflict. To do this, both characters roll 1d6 and add on any bonuses or penalties they may have. Highest total wins and gets things their way. In the event of a tie, re-roll. The DM may decide a minimum value is required to win the conflict, and if neither character reaches it then both fail. (This option is appropriate if one or both characters are doing something that would have been a test if a conflict were not being rolled.)
-------------------------------------------
Bonuses/Penalties:
Characters have two major aspects that affect how much they can do. These are their Boon and Flaw. These can be any trait the GM allows, but Boons must be positive traits, while Flaws must be negative traits. All tests/conflicts to which a Boon or Flaw apply receive a modifier as a result. Boons add 2 to the dice roll, while Flaws subtract 2 from the dice roll. In addition, if the character or someone helping them manages to create a situation that makes a test easier than it should be, they may add 1 to the dice roll. Inversely, a bad situation that makes things harder will subtract 1 from the dice roll. On top of that, if a character has a special item that would help them in a test/conflict, they may add 1 to the dice roll.
-------------------------------------------
Hazards:
Tests and conflicts can be hazardous, as declared by the GM. A test/conflict can be hazardous for one of many reasons; these include physical danger, mental assault or social conflict. If you fail a hazardous test, you lose 1 life point. If you are the loser in a hazardous conflict, you lose 1 life point. If a character starts a conflict, they may choose to make that conflict hazardous (this is how you can attack other characters).
-------------------------------------------
Life:
Each character has a base value of 3 life points. If you lose all three of these life points, you suffer a fate chosen by the character who took away the last life point (If a hazardous test takes the last point, the GM chooses your fate; the GM can veto a chosen fate and replace it). If you have less than your full 3 life points, you can rest for 10 minutes to recover 1 life point, but these 10 minutes must be undisturbed (sleeping counts as rest for recovering life points). If you have 0 life points, you automatically fail all checks or conflicts you take part in. Your life points can not go below 0.
-------------------------------------------
Difficulty level table:
Trivial: 1
Easy: 3
Average: 5
Hard: 7
Fiendish: 9
-------------------------------------------
Character Creation:
Get a piece of paper. Choose a name for your character and write it at the top of the paper. Select a boon and flaw for your character. Check them with your GM. Your flaw must be larger in scope than your boon. If they are approved, write them down on the paper. Character creation is done.
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
That's the whole thing.

I also second the recommendation of Risus, which is very fun.

Arcane_Snowman
2013-11-24, 02:26 PM
The Riddle of Steel is incredible but next to impossible to get your hands on by now. It has the single best system for ancient hand-to-hand combat (and integrates primitive missile weapons and early firearms well). As much as I like The Riddle of Steel, I don't think it conforms to the notion of easy to learn, the combat system is hideously complex because of it's simulationist nature. But that's the appeal.

Grod_The_Giant
2013-11-24, 02:57 PM
Fate Accelerated Edition looks like an interesting permutation of FATE-- instead of skills, you have approaches (my character has Good (+3) Forcefully!)

If you don't mind homebrew, you could check out my baby, STaRS (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=281582), which is designed to be fast, simple, and flexible. (I've had new groups of inexperienced roleplayers up and going in under 30 minutes, character creation and all).

Rhynn
2013-11-24, 03:46 PM
As much as I like The Riddle of Steel, I don't think it conforms to the notion of easy to learn, the combat system is hideously complex because of it's simulationist nature. But that's the appeal.

Not in my experience. It's all based on a single easy mechanic: choose how many dice to roll against a target number, count successes, compare, take difference. My players learned the combat system immediately on the first time playing. (And we used TFOB wrestling rules, too.) Teaching new players D&D 3.5 combat has been much harder.

It's not complex so much as it's deep: learning to fight well takes experience and thinking, because the maneuvers' effects are not obvious. Fortunately, you get a perfectly good experience even without using all the special maneuvers, like Feint.

Jack of Spades
2013-11-27, 12:01 AM
I guess I'll plug a local game, eh?

Turn of the Card (http://www.turnofthecard.com/) is rules-lite and actively encourages player creativity. It's actually been my group's go-to game for a year or more now. Downside is that it requires a Tarot deck, but those aren't hard to find. Very easy to hack to whatever you want it to be, genre-wise.

Burning Wheel and Risus are also great, although Burning Wheel probably has more need of a good GM screen than any other game I've seen.

There's also Savage Worlds, which a lot of folks enjoy. It's popular at cons because (once again) it can be almost anything. But more importantly, it's the current official home of the Deadlands setting, which is basically steampunk in the Wild West... with demons.

TroubleBrewing
2013-11-27, 01:34 AM
Burning Wheel has become my group's game of choice. You've got quite a few Sci-Fi games on that list, perhaps try BW's science fiction sibling Burning Empires.

Arbane
2013-11-27, 03:12 AM
If you can find it, Feng Shui is a good, fairly simple, high-action game based on Chinese Action Movies - everything from Hard Boiled to Chinese Ghost Story. I hear there's a new edition in the works, too.

CarpeGuitarrem
2013-11-27, 11:12 AM
Burning Wheel has become my group's game of choice. You've got quite a few Sci-Fi games on that list, perhaps try BW's science fiction sibling Burning Empires.
Neither of those are really "easy-to-learn" games, though, especially Burning Empires. Immensely rewarding when you learn them, however.

Scow2
2013-11-27, 12:23 PM
What we seek:
Pretty much anything, within a few requirments.
It needs to be Classless, as in less like D&D more like Shadowrun in terms of character creation.
BUT It also needs to be simple, and easy to learn and teach(for you GURPS fans, please don't suggest it, we do not like it's complexity, and are very closed minded in regards to being talked into trying it :smallyuk:).

The Genre, really doesn't matter, so long as we can have an on going story in it.

Thanks in advanced!
I'm not seeing Ironclaw or Savage Worlds on your list, which seem to fit the bill (Though maybe not so much Ironclaw)

Marillion
2013-11-28, 02:05 AM
I'll recommend 7th Sea. It's a roleplaying game for people who grew up on swashbuckling films, from The Court Jester to The Three Musketeers to The Princess Bride. It's set in an analogue of 18th century Europe, though some nations have been condensed into each other and exaggerated for simplicity's sake (Castille is mostly Spain with some Portugal, Eisen is Germany/Austria/Prussia, Ussura encompasses all of eastern Europe as well as Russia, etc). The difference is that magic is real, and linked to your heritage; Some Ussurans can shapeshift, some Castillians can control fire, the Vestenmannavanjar (Vikings) have access to Runic magic, and so on.

Combat is highly cinematic, and often very dangerous; you're rewarded for being creative in your attacks and/or witty banter, and your movement speed is "whatever's dramatically appropriate". The roll-and-keep system based entirely on d10s is intuitive. Character creation is fairly simple, but still fun. The NPCs are colourful and diverse; from the silly (Mad Jack O'Bannon, king of "Ireland") to the serious (Giovanni Villanova, "Italian" prince and evil mastermind) to the frightening (Mad Jack O'Bannon), there's plenty of fun to be had interacting with them or thwarting their plans. It's definitely got some rough spots (ugh chase rules) but they're easy enough to polish up or ignore entirely if you want. All in all, I've had years of great fun with this game.

Rakaydos
2013-11-28, 02:19 AM
I'm not seeing Ironclaw or Savage Worlds on your list, which seem to fit the bill (Though maybe not so much Ironclaw)

New edition Ironclaw or old edition?

New edition (Squaring the circle (http://www.sanguinegames.com/download/Ironclaw%20-%20Squaring%20the%20Circle%20Preview.pdf)) is a lot easier to play, IMO. Both are modified Dice Pool systems, but 1st ed tries to manage an open skill list, whereas Squaring the Circle shifts to a closed skill list and puts a greater focus on Gifts.

They also have made a scifi game usig the same system, Myriad Song (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/118669/MYRIAD-SONG---Role-Play-Adventure-of-Ten-Thousand-Worlds).

Jay R
2013-11-29, 01:17 PM
If you can find a copy, I recommend Flashing Blades, role-playing in France during the time of Richelieu and the musketeers. (And it's clearly based more on movies than on history.)

But if you can actually be bored with TOON, I really have no idea how to help.

TroubleBrewing
2013-11-29, 04:02 PM
Neither of those are really "easy-to-learn" games, though, especially Burning Empires. Immensely rewarding when you learn them, however.

Oh, no doubt, especially for BE.

Burning Wheel isn't hard to pick up from a conceptual standpoint, it just requires forgetting everything from every other system that isn't intuitive. If you go with your gut and do what feels right and fair, BW will work 90% of the time.

skyth
2013-11-29, 04:28 PM
I'd suggest Hero system. It's one of my favorites. Granted, it can be intimidating, but it actually flows pretty smoothly. However, it works best as a Super-hero game. Other genres are kind of forced to fit into the mold and it shows.

There is also Rolemaster (And Spacemaster for the Sci-fi version). Granted, this is a class-based game. However, the classes are more open. Anyone can learn any skill. It's just that some classes have to devote more resources to learning the skill. It's class-based about as much as Traveller is :) All the charts can make this intimidating, but once you learn it it flows pretty well. It can be a very deadly game as a level 1 goblin can possibly (though extremely unlikely) kill a level 50 Fighter in one hit.

Paranoia if you want to just run some one-offs :)

If you want to go Old Skool, there is always Star Frontiers and Gamma World. Star Frontiers does show its age though.