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View Full Version : DM Help Basic/freeform-y system



thedanster7000
2016-12-04, 05:20 AM
I'm planning to run a pirates game for some friends and I'm not sure what system to use. I want the rules to have leeway so it can be amusingly character-driven (think Yogsquest hero dice abilities) but to also be balanced enough so that no-one feels weak or that the enemies are pathetic non-threats. So far I've basically experimented with messing with 5e and Open Legend but haven't thought of anything so far that's made me think, "That'll work well".

At the end of the day I could run it freeform but I think the players will enjoy it a lot more if they succeeded through a set of rules (although they'll only see their character sheets and rolls so I could just improvise most of it anyway).

So to sum up, I need an appropriate/edited/combined/brutally-mashed-together system that:

Runs quickly and is straightforward.
Allows for rampant improvisation without any one player taking the spotlight.
Has combat that is fast but still feels reasonably substantial to a newbie player.
Will let me make each of their characters unique and not feel outshone by another.
Is fun.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Koo Rehtorb
2016-12-04, 08:16 AM
Do you specifically want a pirate game or will a generic fantasy game do?

If generic fantasy is fine my suggestion is always Dungeon World for all your simple rules light needs.

Amidus Drexel
2016-12-04, 01:38 PM
You might give Feng Shui a look - it's an action-movie style game, and it definitely makes for fast and exciting combat. None of the mechanics are all that complicated, and it's one of the better systems I've seen for "cinematic" fights and the like. You'll probably need to narrow down what character archetypes and skills your players can pick from to fit the setting (take out the future tech and the magitek, probably), but there's still plenty of variety.

Bohandas
2016-12-04, 03:19 PM
The most freeform system I'm familiar with is Toon by Steve Jackson Games. I haven't played it enpugh to be able to say how balanced it is though.

Illogictree
2016-12-04, 04:59 PM
An even lighter system that's even more free-form-y is Risus. I've never personally gotten a chance to try it out, but it seems like it would fit your needs. As the name implies, it's not particularly serious, though you can certainly play it as seriously as you like - you define your character by cliches and assign a rating to each, which is the number of d6 you roll when you're using the cliche. When you make a roll, you use the rating of an appropriate cliche... or an inappropriate cliche if you can describe it in a really entertaining way. There's more to it, but that's the gist.

The rules are available for free online and they're only 4 pages long, so just google it if you're interested.

Jay R
2016-12-04, 05:48 PM
I recommend Flashing Blades (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/585/Flashing-Blades?term=Flashing+Blades&test_epoch=0&it=1)with the High Seas (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/716/Flashing-Blades-High-Seas?it=1) expansion. It's based on piracy in the 1600s Caribbean.

There's no magic. It's a game based pretty much on swashbuckler movies, set in the time of the musketeers.

The basic classes are Rogue, Soldier, Gentleman, and Noble. The expansion adds Sailor, Marine, Pirate, and colonial versions of the base classes. The Advantages and Secrets make each character unique.

The biggest weakness of the game is that it was written in the 1980s, and assumes all PCs will be males. For a game set in Europe, I invented the class Actor for one player.

But in the Caribbean, a woman could be involved in pretty much any class, even if you cared about historical accuracy. And of course ignoring history ends that problem entirely.

Combat is quick and fun, and a character's skills (and available weapons) are based on what combat styles he or she learned - Spanish Style, Italian Style, Old Style, Cavalry Style, French Style, Shipboard Weapons, etc.


... not feel outshone by another.

I can't promise this with [I]Flashing Blades, or with any other system. The game doesn't allow one PC to overwhelm another PC by the mechanics, but a clever player who learns the rules well will do better than somebody who isn't and doesn't, just like in poker, chess, or any other game that has a meaningful decision component.

You make choices about your character that actually affect things. This means that it's possible to make poor choices.

Beleriphon
2016-12-05, 11:55 AM
I'm going to second Risus. Its dead simple.

Characters might look like this in a viking game (typical arrangement of attributes is 4, 3, 2, and 1):

Ragnar the Rhyming Raider
Raging Viking 4
Nordic Iambic Pentameter Master 3
Awesome Sailor 2
Fancy Dancer 1

Alfred the Alliterate
All-father's Adored 4
Awesome Auguries 3
Amazing Armament 2
Astonishing Abs 1

That's it, five lines per character.

Incidentally Alfred the Alliterate was hard to create because it requires so much alliteration.

Flickerdart
2016-12-05, 11:58 AM
You can't go simpler than Roll for Shoes (http://rpg.stackexchange.com/tags/roll-for-shoes/info).

Beleriphon
2016-12-05, 03:42 PM
You can't go simpler than Roll for Shoes (http://rpg.stackexchange.com/tags/roll-for-shoes/info).

That's really funny. I like that a lot, its driven by failure and silliness.

Knaight
2016-12-05, 03:55 PM
There's always the generics, this time sticking to the lighter end of the scale. I'd use Fudge personally - it sounds like it fits your style, and while it can be bulked up to GURPS levels it absolutely doesn't have to be. Plus it's free.

Grod_The_Giant
2016-12-05, 04:24 PM
How 'bout my homebrew system, STaRS (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?361270-STaRS-the-Simple-TAbletop-Roleplaying-System-5-0)? Characters are built around ten attributes, and task resolution is 1d10, roll-under-your-attribute-to-succeed-- all on the player side, so you instantly know if you succeeded. Difficulty modulated by 5e style Advantage and Disadvantage, largely. Basic conflict rules that can be used for environmental dangers as well as fights, with just Attack/Overcome, Aid and Complicate actions to keep track of. Special powers are largely self-defined, and priced based on versatility.

thedanster7000
2016-12-06, 02:58 AM
How 'bout my homebrew system, STaRS (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?361270-STaRS-the-Simple-TAbletop-Roleplaying-System-5-0)? Characters are built around ten attributes, and task resolution is 1d10, roll-under-your-attribute-to-succeed-- all on the player side, so you instantly know if you succeeded. Difficulty modulated by 5e style Advantage and Disadvantage, largely. Basic conflict rules that can be used for environmental dangers as well as fights, with just Attack/Overcome, Aid and Complicate actions to keep track of. Special powers are largely self-defined, and priced based on versatility.
Yeah, I've seen this before and like it, however it's a tad in-depth for what I'm envisioning this to be. Might have to run a different game with it some time, hope your publication goes smoothly; you did a good job.

I'm taking a closer look at Risus, it seems to fit the bill excellently.

Kobard
2016-12-06, 04:44 AM
Fate Core or Fate Accelerated, depending on your preferences, may work. All rolls amount to four action types: attack, defend, overcome, or create an advantage. You can either go the Fate Core route and have (customizable) skill lists or the Fate Accelerated route that replaces skills with ranked approaches (e.g. forceful, sneaky, careful, flashy, quick, clever). Character creation essentially takes the form of aspects, which operate similarly to what people have described for Risus. You create a High Concept (e.g. rebel princess, smuggler with a heart of gold, jedi knight in training) but you also have a Trouble (e.g. who needs a plan?, wanted in three star systems) that acts as your character flaw and a means of furthering story compels (and Fate points). You generally have three more aspects, but those can be generated later. Stunts are like feats that allow for further customization.

Another, albeit more dated alternative, is Green Ronin's True20, which basically amounts to the free form version of the d20 system. It's rules were tied to 3.X d20 system, but it would not be too difficult to update to 5e's assumptions (e.g. bounded accuracy, advantage/disadvantage, ability saves, etc.), if that's your preference.

Also, check out Savage Worlds. I don't have too much familiarity with it, but it commonly gets mentioned under similar circumstances.

Grod_The_Giant
2016-12-06, 08:08 AM
Yeah, I've seen this before and like it, however it's a tad in-depth for what I'm envisioning this to be. Might have to run a different game with it some time, hope your publication goes smoothly; you did a good job.

I'm taking a closer look at Risus, it seems to fit the bill excellently.
If STaRS is too crunchy than yeah, I'd go with Risus too, though combat may be TOO abstract.

EDIT: Also, I suggest BADASS, which has been sitting in my gaming folder waiting to be used for a while now. It's basically "b-rated action movie: the game."