the OOD
2014-07-19, 01:05 AM
I'm looking for a good system to run an x-files-ish game, and would love any suggestions from the playground
ideally the system would feature most of these features:
realistic character abilitys: gunshots will mess you up; you are a capable human, no more, no less
slow/subtle leveling: the game is about the unknown, and slowly gaining artifacts and knowledge, not the climb to level 20
freeform skill mechanics: the biologist, neurologist, and spectrum analyst, or any other field should all be possible characters, and most of the game will be skill checks
simple combat rules: combat should not be the sole purpose of the system, and skill-based combat would be ideal
easy to hombrew content: I am going to be making a wealth of creatures, and everything from cloning pods to uber-transmitters
if you have something that fits, of any other suggestions, let me know!
for technique, I am going to be prepping printed info about anything the players will encounter from the fields of expertiese that players have, so the players can read and share what they learn from skill tests
PC1 "I roll 16 knowledge(genetics) to study the tissue samples"
GM "after an hour in the lab, here is what you have learned"
*GM passes note*
PC1 "all the samples are identical, so they are probably clones, and they all share a mutation causing cystic fibrosis a genetic disorder commonly..."
PC2 "wait, clones?, seriously?"
different info would be prepped for the chemist to share if she examined the tissue, and same for all the other players.
besides that, I will be living every moment by the Three-Clue-Rule, and prepping good olde fashioned gumshoe-type trails as well, and giving the player plenty of time to learn enough about what they are dealing with to have a vague idea of what it might be before facing it seriously for the first time
ideally the system would feature most of these features:
realistic character abilitys: gunshots will mess you up; you are a capable human, no more, no less
slow/subtle leveling: the game is about the unknown, and slowly gaining artifacts and knowledge, not the climb to level 20
freeform skill mechanics: the biologist, neurologist, and spectrum analyst, or any other field should all be possible characters, and most of the game will be skill checks
simple combat rules: combat should not be the sole purpose of the system, and skill-based combat would be ideal
easy to hombrew content: I am going to be making a wealth of creatures, and everything from cloning pods to uber-transmitters
if you have something that fits, of any other suggestions, let me know!
for technique, I am going to be prepping printed info about anything the players will encounter from the fields of expertiese that players have, so the players can read and share what they learn from skill tests
PC1 "I roll 16 knowledge(genetics) to study the tissue samples"
GM "after an hour in the lab, here is what you have learned"
*GM passes note*
PC1 "all the samples are identical, so they are probably clones, and they all share a mutation causing cystic fibrosis a genetic disorder commonly..."
PC2 "wait, clones?, seriously?"
different info would be prepped for the chemist to share if she examined the tissue, and same for all the other players.
besides that, I will be living every moment by the Three-Clue-Rule, and prepping good olde fashioned gumshoe-type trails as well, and giving the player plenty of time to learn enough about what they are dealing with to have a vague idea of what it might be before facing it seriously for the first time