The system(s) you always wanted to play...

[KineticDiplomat]

When it comes to RPGs, it seems like there’s loads of systems, something for every tastes. In theory. For those of us who aren’t tied in to a surprisingly hard core and large RPG group, it becomes difficult to find a game outside the “Giants in the Playground” as it were.

So, what are the systems that you always wanted to play - the ones that were fascinating but you could never get a group for, the ones you got through six sessions in one campaign and never saw again even though those six sessions were more fun than three dozen sessions in some others, you know the ones. The ones you maybe, secretly, still have the book for even though the odds of ever finding a group for it seem slim to none?

Let us know. I’ll start with an example:

Burning Iron: It uses the burning wheel mechanics for large scale political and military action to tell semi-feudal space opera as the PCs fight to prevent brainjacking worms from slowly infiltrating, seizing the institutions of power, and eventually leading a full scale invasion on the compromised planet. Alas, I’ve never played.

[Rakaydos]

Vital Hearts. It's a newer game by the people who did Ironclaw, for a .Hack/InuYasha/SAO "Other worlds" type game, particularly one where jumping between the real world and game world is a regular thing.

[Willie the Duck]

Blades in the Dark is a game that's been talked about a lot, has a small but vocal following, but I cannot get a game going with my groups.

[Faily]

Nobilis. Always wanted to play it, but man, it will be hard to find a GM for that. I don't even feel adequate enough to GM it.

[Burley]

Blades in the Dark is a game that's been talked about a lot, has a small but vocal following, but I cannot get a game going with my groups.

I really enjoy Blades, but it falls apart really easily. I'd like to think my group is pretty good at RPGs, but the games, in my opinion, relies on a serious and focused group. Success is a luxury in Blades and taking actions because it'd be funny can result in a failure that compromises the entire mission and the game becomes unfun really quickly when your crew has too much heat.

Even though it's a big-box game, and not quite a normal RPG, I've been champing at the bit to play Gloomhaven. It looks so good, but I can't afford to invest in it.

[Theodoric]

I'd still love to GM a WFRP Border Princes campaign.

[KineticDiplomat]

As a common theme, most of these systems sound like they need a comparatively mature/dedicated/socially adept group. Maybe that’s the limiting factor...

Re: Nobilis. I saw that in TvTropes and it sounds fascinating. Your entire group would have to be on the freakin money for it to work, but if it did that would be spectacular. Undermining the God of Clocks (or whoever) through clever design and fundamental re-imagining of reality? Glorious.

Re: Blades in the dark. Never heard of this before. Interesting looking conceit for sure. Given the number of “hanger” or “criminal” campaigns I’ve seen that didn’t get the feel right because the system was off, it could definitely be a good one.

Re: WFRP. Oh man. Ever since playing and then GMing dark heresy for a year, this has been on my list of ones to hit at some point. I’m thinking that given the popularity of the source and that it has lots of combat bits, it’s a strong contender to get a group together for.

Also, allow me to add another.

Blade on the Iron Throne. High risk, player skill influenced, accurate combat in a system designed for gritty low fantasy. Looks like a GMs dream for creating human scale campaigns where characters can still be protagonists without evolving into small gods.

[thorr-kan]

Marvel Super Heroes, the FASERIP version from the 80s. Got to play one short campaign; pure awesomeness. I'd love to play again.

2E ADND Al-Qadim. I played a bunch of it when it first came out; I haven't played since. I've read the entire setting multiple times now, and I love it even more. I love it enough to have DM's an on/off campaign for the last 15 years. But I want to *play.*

ETA: In Nomine, the SJGames version. Loved that community while it was active. Sad it's passed.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I really want to play Exalted 3e again, but I'd have a hard enough time getting my current groups comfortable enough with the rules to play, much less get someone to run it. Mage (any version) is in a similar boat.

I keep wanting to do some Fiasco nights, but those have never come together.

[Kadzar]

deadEarth (https://dysonlogos.blog/downloads-games/deadearth-resources/): a post-apocalyptic game of randomly-generated mutants, one of the most notable things about this game is how character creation is a long an sorted process where you rack up crazy mutations and might possibly die before you even start playing. The reason I never ran it is because there are no rules for NPCs or sample NPCs, so you have to use the same convoluted process for PC creation for each and every single NPC, and there's no character-builder tool out there as far as I'm aware. So not going to happen.
Dungeon World (https://dungeon-world.com/): I have a reasonable amount of experience playing in Apocalypse World games, and even some with a hack of Dungeon World (I think it was Freebooters on the Frontier (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/157011/Freebooters-on-the-Frontier)), but I haven't played Dungeon World itself, nor have I been able to run it, though I think I might be able to create the opportunity to in the future.
Fate Core (https://www.evilhat.com/home/fate-core/): I've had a couple of sessions of experience with the system, and also Dresden Files (https://www.evilhat.com/home/dresden-files-rpg/), but that was back in the D&D 4e era with a GM only really familiar with running 4e, so he didn't really grok narrative conceits like the Contacts skill, and we didn't end up using any Fate points really, I think because he built challenges to be able to be overcome by our skill levels alone. I think I could also run this one if I ordered a bunch of Fate dice.
Mazes & Minotaurs (http://mazesandminotaurs.free.fr/revised.html): a game that imagines what it would be like if the creator of the original roleplaying game had been really into Greek mythology instead of medieval fantasy. I like how it goes beyond creating just a single work of parody to over time having released several supplements and magazines to really properly recreate the cultural context in which D&D emerged over time, while creating a rule set that's actually quite different from it, with much more modern sensibilities about coherent design while still retaining the gonzo-style of early D&D.
Mutant Future (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/56282/Mutant-Future-Revised-Edition-noart-version) with The Metamorphica (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/115703/The-Metamorphica-Classic-Edition): I might be willing to sub out Mutant Future for another post-apocalyptic system, since really my whole idea here is to use the random tables from the Metamorphica to create wacky mutants, and ideally add in means to increase the incidence of gaining new mutations. Probably more suited for a short adventure, but a fun one, where we just see where the randomness takes us.
Songbirds (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/234978/Songbirds); I've read through this game several times and I'm still not quite sure I know conceptually what a player character is or what's going on with this setting. It feels like a poem written in the language of tabletop rpg rules. Really, the only thing I kind of don't like about it is how some of the rules reference out of game stuff,like objects that are in the room that you're playing in, or the state of inebriation of a player, though I suppose maybe drinking alcohol could be replaced with drinking something bad-tasting instead, or something like that.
any Star Wars rpg: Fantasy Flight, Saga Edition, D6, I don't really care that much about the specific system. i just have never played a Star Wars rpg and would really like to.
Talislanta (http://talislanta.com/):The game has a crazy world with tons of weird races and stuff, and the base resolution system is a neat thing where complete novices can fumble, but someone with enough skill basically becomes immune to fumbles unless they're trying something really difficult, and there are other nice design elements like that for a game of its age, though earlier editions especially have some weird rules, which may be confusing at first and not to everyone's taste.

Also, up until recently, Stars Without Number (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/226996/Stars-Without-Number-Revised-Edition) would have been on this list, but I've gotten a chance to run it recently (I had originally considered running Dungeon World for my group, but I felt it was too thematically close to D&D to be a break from our regular game). Granted, we didn't have too many sessions before we returned to D&D, but I got enough experience to say I tried it out, and I'm kind of glad I have some time to work things out before we return to it again, since I started it out as a one-shot that ballooned out into a few more sessions, so I'd like to nail down a few concepts of what our campaign is about before we get back to it.

[The Random NPC]

C°ntinuum: roleplaying in the Yet isn't a game I want to play, but it is a game I want to have played.

[KineticDiplomat]

How was Stars Without Number? Faithful traveler type thing or?

[Kadzar]

How was Stars Without Number? Faithful traveler type thing or?

Unfortunately I don't have any actual experience with Traveller to really say what's the same or different.

[Mordar]

In Nomine.

There's plenty I got a taste of, but what to play more, but I think this one is the game that is highest on my never-tried list.

- M

[thorr-kan]

In Nomine.

There's plenty I got a taste of, but what to play more, but I think this one is the game that is highest on my never-tried list.

- M
Oh, that's good! The original CROC version, or the SJGames adaptation from the late 90s?

[Mordar]

Oh, that's good! The original CROC version, or the SJGames adaptation from the late 90s?

The one that I knew was SJG...but I reckon I'd like either!

- M

[thorr-kan]

The one that I knew was SJG...but I reckon I'd like either!

- M
CROC is the original, French, parody game. The tone between it and SJG's version is...immense.

[Mordar]

CROC is the original, French, parody game. The tone between it and SJG's version is...immense.

In that case I'll take SJG first.

- M

[Illogictree]

Ah... so many I want to try, I'm sure I'll forget some!

Star Trek Adventures - This I'm sure I'd be able to find interested parties for, though I haven't shelled out the hard-earned cash for it yet.
Dungeon Crawl Classics - This... I think would take a certain frame of mind from the group to play. But something appeals to me about the "Play the hand you're dealt" style it has.
Dungeons the Dragoning 40K 7.5th Edition - A long-time entry on my bucket list. Of course appeals to my more gonzo sensibilities.
Dungeon World / Adventures on Dungeon Planet - I have run DW fairly successfully, it fits with my more improv style of DMing. I would just like to be a player in it for once. And maybe try Dungeon Planet, the pulp sci-fi hack.
Fate/FAE - Another system I want to give a try to, whether that's an established variant like Atomic Robo, Mindjammers, or Dresden Files; or something I've come up with myself. (Almost ran a one-shot in a setting of my creation, but it didn't pan out.)
13th Age - A lot of neat mechanics in this one that I would like to try out. And I REALLY want to do Eyes of the Stone Thief at some point.
Golden Sky Stories - I kind of want to try this one just as a contrast to everything else. A Studio Ghibli inspired, slice-of-life, magical realism, pastoral setting, and a diceless system that revolves around personal relationships? A nice change of pace! It's hard to find a group that would want to play though...
Lasers & Feelings - Trying to convince my IRL group to try this for a oneshot while our regular DM is away.
Ghostbusters - My interest in this comes and goes, but I kinda want to do it for a Hallowe'en oneshot.

As for ones that I'd like to take a second try at, FFG's Star Wars system and Starfinder top the list. I didn't get a good exposure to how SW was supposed to work (the guy running it at the 'con didn't use the threat/advantage system because it was "too complicated for beginners"), and I had a really bad experience with Starfinder (...I am NEVER going to touch the Solarian class ever again. And never taking the Captain role on a starship either.)

[MeeposFire]

My wife got the Dragon Age RPG while at a library convention but we have not gottne to play it yet. I would like to though.

Game seems like it could be fun though I worry that one of its cooler aspects (stunts) may also be limiting the system too much when you do not get to use them that it may make the system boring. Still going to give it a try to see.

[2D8HP]

What RPG's do you wish you had played but never got to?
My list would be:
1) King Arthur Pendragon
2) Castle Falkenstien
3) Post 1e AD&D editions of D&D


...Games I've never played but want to?
1) Pendragon
2) Flashing Blades
3) Castle Falkenstein (the setting just looks so fun!).
4) Dungeon World.
5) All the various other versions of D&D that I haven't yet played including the "retroclones", "homebrews" etc.
6) All the "Fantasy Heartbreakers"...


Well since than I played some 5e D&D, and I really like it, especially at first level (the additional abilities at higher levels confuses me).

Also, more than 30 years after I first bought the rules I finally got to play me some King Arthur Pendragon and...

...first the negatives:
Creating a Player Knight was much more of a chore than when I was a teenager, the "character creation mini-game" just isn't that fun for me anymore.

And the positives?

I loved it, best RPG ever!

I want more!

Now that I've tried it Pendragon still tops my "Want to play" list, even though there's others I want to try, except for the toil of character creation, it didn't disappoint.

[ShadowImmor]

C°ntinuum: roleplaying in the Yet isn't a game I want to play, but it is a game I want to have played.

I second this. Amongst other games I would love to play is Mage, Psionics: The Next Stage of Human Evolution, Blades in the Dark, Shadowrun (any Edition), a long term Exalted game (either 2e but probably 3e as it's not so confusing) Godbound, there are lots of games I want to play.

If anyone is interested, I'm willing to do a game swap here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?588867-Swap-a-Game!-Mage-20th-Anniversary), so if someone has a game system they really want to play in (the above ones I've all run games for, but not played in), even if it's one I'm not familiar with, I'm willing to learn it to run it.

Dan

[Silva]

Lots of games these days..

The Spire
Kult: Divinity Lost
Vampire 5e
Beyond the Wall
Masks: a New Generation
Runequest: Glorantha

[Duff]

Fate - I have the system and it looks fun. Prefer Dresdon Files but any would be fun I think.
Something recent in a post apocalyptic genre - I played Twilight 2000 a little and it was fun but a newer system would no doubt be easier to use.
Something PBtA - I know they're quite different, Dungeon World might be the best fit for the group I play with. But the basic concept is interesting and I have broad taste in genre and game style


I'm finally getting to play a 3 Musketeers era character I've wanted to play since early this Century! Victoriana is the system.

And Campaigns I want to play -

Pendragon running long enough to appreciate the generational aspect
Ars Magic running long enough that characters enter final twilight or die - so getting into Winter, rather than get bored or TPK in summer

[KineticDiplomat]

ShadowImmor, I'm not running any Shadowrun games right now, but if you don't mind internet gaming I know at least one consistent internet GM. Think he's doing PbP mostly these days, but he ran a three year weekly meetingcampaign. He lioves the stuff. If you're interested, I'll ask him if he running anything that has a gap.

[Jama7301]

Blades in the Dark is a game that's been talked about a lot, has a small but vocal following, but I cannot get a game going with my groups.

Seconded.

Also want to try:

Numenera - A friend told me about the game some, as the setting sounded cool.

Ars Magica - The troupe style play seems interesting and the building of spells seems fun.

Dungeon World/The Sprawl - These might get played soon, as I have been building one shots in them, but I'm constantly second guessing and scrapping stuff and starting over, even though I like the core. It's hard to get in the right mindset for building the encounters.

Maybe a Savage Worlds or Mutants & Masterminds.

Technoir is such a novel concept, in dealing with adjectives instead of numbers for damage, but I don't think I have a group that could work it.

[Mordar]

Oh, I remembered another - The Everlasting (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Everlasting_(role-playing_game)). Not sure if it had a prayer of being a good game, but the two books I bought were a lot of fun to read. Troupe style (Jama mentioning Ars Magica reminded me of it), options to play virtually any creature type from myth, legend or media, multiple resolution systems so you can pick what you like. Interesting ideas, an indie game with high production quality before indie games were nearly so big as they were to later become.

- M

[sleepy hedgehog]

Paranoia - My previous group in college was extremely PvE focused, and wouldn't have enjoyed the PvP half.
And my current group is online, where it seems like it would be harder to run

[Silva]

Something recent in a post apocalyptic genre - I played Twilight 2000 a little and it was fun but a newer system would no doubt be easier to use.
Something PBtA - I know they're quite different, Dungeon World might be the best fit for the group I play with. But the basic concept is interesting and I have broad taste in genre and game style


Apocalypse World! Apocalypse World! :smile:

[The Unborne]

Not so much a game I haven't played before, but...Naruto d20 for nostalgia's sake. It was the main rpg game that got me into PbP, but I can't seem to GM one satisfactorily to save my life.

[kyoryu]

So would someone be interested if I ran a Fate game?

[KineticDiplomat]

Alas, I am trying to get a Blade game of the ground, otherwise I would consider.

[Lord Torath]

Spelljammer. I really want to play Spelljammer.

Also Palladium's Robotech. Not because of the system, but because I'd love to play Robotech!

[MrSandman]

So would someone be interested if I ran a Fate game?

I'm nearly always interested in a Fate game.

[FaerieGodfather]

Pretty broad swath of non-RIFTS Palladium for me, especially TMNT&OS.

I have played some Barbarians of Lemuria, but not nearly enough.

I need to figure out... how to combine TMNT&OS with BoL. Or just wait until FERAL RPG launches.

I'd really like to play a game of D&D starting in B and ending in I.


Spelljammer. I really want to play Spelljammer.

If you want it bad enough to endure some very bizarre interpretations of the setting, maybe you should message me some time.

[thorr-kan]

Also Palladium's Robotech. Not because of the system, but because I'd love to play Robotech!
Oooh, nice choice!

1E Robotech and 1E Beyond the Supernatural. Got me interested in Palladium's stuff. I've never played, but I sure have mined it for ideas over the decades.

[Mordar]

Oooh, nice choice!

1E Robotech and 1E Beyond the Supernatural. Got me interested in Palladium's stuff. I've never played, but I sure have mined it for ideas over the decades.

I loved the Beyond the Supernatural book...it spawned several game ideas (in other systems) for me! In that sense similar to the Everlasting books I mentioned.

- M

[thorr-kan]

I loved the Beyond the Supernatural book...it spawned several game ideas (in other systems) for me! In that sense similar to the Everlasting books I mentioned.

- M
So very, very much so. I cannot count the hours I spent reading the ruins and ley lines and history section.

Fun fact: in 2005, my wife, myself, and a dozen friends started planning a trip to England. People wanted to see Stonehenge, but the number of tourists and security shot that idea down. I gleefully suggested Avesbury as an alternative. SOLD!

Spent a half-day wandering around a village inna stone circle with a 1000 year-old church because of a gaming book I bought as a teenager.

SCORE!

[xroads]

Savage World's Rifts. I own the books. But I cannot convince my friends to play the game.

Also Dark Heresy. Oh I've run the game. Great fun. But I've never played in it.

[Lord Torath]

Oooh, nice choice!

1E Robotech and 1E Beyond the Supernatural. Got me interested in Palladium's stuff. I've never played, but I sure have mined it for ideas over the decades.Ever check out the fan-made Third Invid War stuff by Dave Deitrich? Pretty cool stuff there! It's no longer up, but you might be able to find it on the Wayback Machine. Which is currently undergoing maintenance...

Edit: Wayback Machine is back up: www.steelfalcon.com/ (https://web.archive.org/web/2014*/http://www.steelfalcon.com/)

[thorr-kan]

Ever check out the fan-made Third Invid War stuff by Dave Deitrich? Pretty cool stuff there! It's no longer up, but you might be able to find it on the Wayback Machine. Which is currently undergoing maintenance...
www.stealfalcon.com was an old friend before it was relegated to the Wayback Machine.

I would choose to go a different route with my 1E Robotech RPG stuff, but it was a well designed setting, site, and materials.

[Corvus]

There are a few systems I'd like to try, mostly older ones that I didn't get to back in the day.

Ones like Ars Magica, Paranoia and a few of the 2nd Ed D&D settings; Dark Sun, Spelljammer, Planescape.

[Morgaln]

I've always wanted to try out Paranoia and Kult, but I never found a group to play with for those.

[Duff]

Oh, and another campaign I'd like to be involved in ...
Troupe style Battletech/mechwarrior (or maybe a different system). The party make up a platoon (or squad or troop or whatever) of tanks including PCs as the crew of each tank.
For example, each tank has 4 crew - a commander, driver, engineer and gunner. Each of the 4 players creates one character of each type and has one character in each tank.
Some adventures would be for one tank crew, some just for the engineers (or drivers etc) and some would be for an assortment - "Everyone choose a character to be in the bar when this happens..."

[Mordar]

How could I forget another "always wanted to play"...Mutant Chronicles.

Played tons of Doomtrooper, Warzone, the various board games...but never MC RPG. :smallfrown:

- M

[The Library DM]

Paranoia
The original Gamma World (TSR, not WotC).
Crimefighters! (Dragon Magazine— played once, wanted to play more. Great little system for pulp settings.)
DC Heroes (Mayfair, IIRC)— wanted to experience how the system worked, though I wound up going with MSH FASERIP.
Space 1889

Honorable mentions as semi-RPGs:
Heroquest
Warhammer Quest (original)

[Kadzar]

I remembered another system I wanted to play: Spellbound Kingdoms (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/63931/Spellbound-Kingdoms), a black powder fantasy game with a combat system featuring very different, dynamic fighting styles (the free combat primer (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/62332/Spellbound-Kingdoms-Combat-Primer?manufacturers_id=2727) gives a good idea of how it works. It also has things like inspirations that help in combat and that you can attack outside of combat in social situations so that your enemy becomes easier to defeat.

[iTreeby]

I got super pumped to play queens cavaliers, a Victorian clock punk setting where the rules of fashion dictated how effective your magic clothing was. It had lots of things I was interested to try. Unfortunately the author was having a bad time and it never reached print. It might be available for free online now but, my gaming group broke up.

[Amechra]

Nobilis. Always wanted to play it, but man, it will be hard to find a GM for that. I don't even feel adequate enough to GM it.

It's actually not all that intimidating to GM (3e, at least). Unfortunately, I lost my cheat-sheet that I handed out to my players in the shuffle of moving (that was two computers ago...) The rough part was character creation - people loved the lifepath thing, but then hit the wall of "Spend points on things and create your own powers. Handholding? Examples? Those are for lesser games!". Once we got into the game itself, people got into the swing of things.

I think Chuubo's has a better implementation of a lot of the rules concepts (advancement and character creation are much simpler, mundane intentions actually matter, etc), but I like Nobilis' setting more.

Give it a go - the world needs more Nobilizers!

---


Technoir is such a novel concept, in dealing with adjectives instead of numbers for damage, but I don't think I have a group that could work it.

Technoir actually runs really smoothly at the table. Like, silky smooth. I'd give it a shot (or, at least, try to generate some hype about it) - unless the issue is that you have a playgroup that doesn't like cyberpunk noir.

---

Anyway, I'd really like to actually sit down and play Makeyuu Kingdom one of these days. Ooh, and Unknown Armies (most of the people I've gamed with aren't as interested in weird horror as I am :smallfrown:). And Legends of the Wulin. Other than that, I have a list of indie games a mile long (still want to play Dogs in the Vineyard and Don't Rest Your Head...)

I also wish Dreaming Waters was finished (there's a draft floating around the internet - it's a really interesting urban fantasy/high fantasy game by the same person who wrote Nobilis. Too bad it doesn't really have character creation/advancement rules...)

[Jay R]

1. TOON. I've run it, but never played it.
2. Pendragon. Ditto.
3. Bushido.
4. Monsters! Monsters!
5. En Garde!

And, as the guiltiest of guilty pleasures:
6. Arduin.

[Jama7301]

Technoir actually runs really smoothly at the table. Like, silky smooth. I'd give it a shot (or, at least, try to generate some hype about it) - unless the issue is that you have a playgroup that doesn't like cyberpunk noir.


The main issue is that a lot of people I play with tend to be more "I do the biggest number and I need the numbers to go up" type of players. They take to dungeon crawls well enough, but some get bored when it's time for talking. Might end up giving it a go one day though. It's such a weird concept that I want to play around in.

[Lacco]

System(s) I always wanted to play? I always GM. But my list of games to play would look like this:


Riddle of Steel
Blade of the Iron Throne
Burning Wheel (ideally something with Duel of Wits)
Paranoia (Hands up, commie mutant traitor!)
En Garde! (I tried to start few games, but they never took off; too passive players, too much work)
Torchbearer (I'd so die in the dungeon!)
Traveller (system's not the reason - but it does its work)
Ryuutama (can't resist the cute-simple-walking RPG)
One Ring (who doesn't want to go hiking with hobbits?)
Reign (nice ruleset, love even the random character generation)
Hârn (not really for the system, but for the rulesets for Manors, etc.)
Broken Synapses (perfect for noir cyberpunk one-shot)
Aces & Eights (just for few duels & shootouts)
Twilight (the post-apocalyptic survival RPG, not the sparkly-desecration-of-vampire-literature)
TOON (I wanna play a sloth that is basically Wile E. Coyote!)
Pendragon (seems like good mix of knights and manors)
Don't Rest Your Head (love the horror vibe, did not really read the rules)
Ars Magica (for the troupe-style of play - and I like the idea of long-run decisions)
Blades in the Dark (I have the book, just skimmed it and it looked rather neat; it does everything I like about Shadowrun but without the "too much rules to run smoothly" part)


At certain times of my life I am also willing to run these, but this is not the time :smallbiggrin:

@Duff: love the idea with Mechwarrior/Battletech. I tried to convince my friends to run a bit more "long-term" game focused on building a mercenary company (starting small, going through battles, paying for repairs... the whole management schtick) but ultimately they just wanted to do arena battles. But troupe-style of play would suit this really nice.

[Particle_Man]

+n for Pendragon. It is on my bucket list, but . . .

Also, PDQ (in particular, Jaws of the Six Serpents, which I got to run as a one shot, but never played). I even made characters for it. Ah well.

[Silva]

Dogs in the Vineyard.
Polaris.
Bluebeard Bride.

[Telok]

I've run Paranoia, Traveller, Dungeons the Dragoning, non-FR D&D, Rifts, Champions, and several other things. I'd love to play all of those too.

I'd also like to play semi-decently DMed Pendragon, Elric, Warhammer Fantasy, Robotech, BattleTech, D&D 5e, etc. that lasted more than two sessions.

I'd love to play several of the OSRs, several more sci-fi games, Amber Diceless, 1e/2e Gamma World, and the various more narrative games that keep being regularly mentioned around here.

Alas, in my area for the past 20 years if it wasn't a d20/D&D knock-off, bog standard Forgettable Realms D&D, or a badly mangled module from a novice DM, I ran it.

[Amechra]

Dogs in the Vineyard.
Polaris.
Bluebeard Bride.

I'm with you on all of these. My issue with Bluebeard's Bride (and Unknown Armies, and Monsterhearts, and...) is that I primarily game with strangers.

And those kinds of games are risky with strangers.

[Silva]

I'm with you on all of these. My issue with Bluebeard's Bride (and Unknown Armies, and Monsterhearts, and...) is that I primarily game with strangers.

And those kinds of games are risky with strangers.
I agree they require a higher level of familiarity and trust among players, yes. Otherwise you risk stepping on issues that a player is sensible to and this could ruin the session for him/her, and to everybody by extension.

It's not so different from dealing with films, books or videogames with mature or controversial themes. I wouldn't reccommend Papers, PLease! or What Remains of Edith Finch to all my friends, even if I love those games. :smallwink:

[Knaight]

There's a few for me, that tend to fall into a few different categories. Category 1 is the rules heavy game that I don't want to GM because of the crunch but would love to play, and haven't gotten to because I'm pretty much a permanent GM. Category 2 is the small set of games where I probably have one run session, but enough sufficiently core players didn't like them that I'm out of luck. Category 3 is the ones sufficiently weird to be intimidating that I haven't gotten to yet. There's also a fourth category of recently discovered games that look really cool that I'd like to break out at some point, which don't apply. Yet.

Category 1
Burning Wheel - Burning Wheel is in a weird place for me. It's made of a bunch of things I tend to hate individually, but it still looks really cool and I'd love to give it a shot. There's just no way I'm running that thing.

Torchbearer - Basically the same deal as BW here, except that not only is it crunchier it's in a weird style that doesn't play to my strengths. The slow grind that wears down the PCs has never really been how I operate, which is actually part of the appeal here in the context of someone else running it.

Ars Magica - I've stolen basically every concept from this separately at some point or other, but I've never actually run it. There's some serious accounting that goes into some of the subsystems though, including experience. Plus the troupe play provides more as a player than a GM anyways.

Legends of the Wulin - LotW is an intricate system that does a lot of cool things, and it honestly isn't that complex. It's just a bit much to run off a pdf, and copies of the actual physical book always seem to run high.

Qin: The Warring States - I've technically done a tiny bit of this, and I'd actually be down to GM it given a group that would learn mechanics from a book instead of just learning (some of) them from me. In the context of handling all the mechanics for the whole group though it's just a bit too crunchy. Again, I've stolen large sections.

Category 2
Warbirds - I've GMed a little of this, but I want to run a proper campaign in it. It's also one of very, very few games where I'd want to use the setting and not just pilfer mechanics.

Smallville - I can make Cortex happen. I'm making Cortex happen right now (in that there's an ongoing game, I'm not actually running it for until next Thursday). I just don't have the group for this, and never have, it's too heavy on drama and too light on action.

Shock: Social Science Fiction - This is in the hard storygame side, and seems really cool. It's probably not something I'd want to play often, but sometimes just going for philosophical science fiction seems really fun.

Category 3
Nobilis - Jenna Moran is clearly brilliant, and she's clearly especially enthusiastic about some weird fringe subjects. That combines to form a fascinating game which is pretty intimidating to actually bring out to the table.

Chuubo's Marvelous Wish Granting Engine - This is arguably more of a category 2 in a lot of ways, but there's a very unorthodox structure there which looks like it would take some getting used to. There's a few other games I'd want to run first, to work up to it.

Bhailodam - This is just bizarre and uncomprehensible. A friend gave it to me because it was sufficiently weird that I seemed like the most likely person in the group to crack it, and I mostly have; it's just a bit much to keep track of. Absent several mechanically minded players to help out though it's still a bit much to bring to the table.

Grey Ranks - Grey Ranks is less weird and more unrelentingly bleak. The combination of that being a hard tone to strike and the seriousness of the material involved making me want to really do right by it if I do it at all has left this on the digital shelf, probably to never get brought out.

[Amechra]

Nobilis - Jenna Moran is clearly brilliant, and she's clearly especially enthusiastic about some weird fringe subjects. That combines to form a fascinating game which is pretty intimidating to actually bring out to the table.

Chuubo's Marvelous Wish Granting Engine - This is arguably more of a category 2 in a lot of ways, but there's a very unorthodox structure there which looks like it would take some getting used to. There's a few other games I'd want to run first, to work up to it.

Nobilis has two main obstacles to play: first off, character creation is a bit much (Gifts are a little too freeform, and the lifepath in 3e only really interacts with the Quest subsystem) and two, the XP system is the worst (it's horribly obtuse and basically seems like it was thrown in as an afterthought). The actual nitty-gritty parts of the system? You could probably fit it on two double-sided pieces of paper.

Chuubo's fixes both of those issues, and is less weird at the table than you'd think. Then again, I'm biased - the way the skill system interacts with resolution is basically my favorite thing ever, mechanics-wise.

---

As for Bhaloidam... man, I'd love to get a copy of the handbook for that - it sounds hilariously obtuse. Unfortunately, their site (which had free copies) is down, and the Wayback Machine only has non-functional snapshots.

[Misereor]

Dunno if it's even been invented, but I would like to try a swashbuckling game with a intricate, yet fast to play, fencing system/mini-game.
Rolling a D20 doesn't quite do it for me, if we're imagining Jack Sparrow vs. D'Artagnan. Perhaps a card system, or some special dice, or maybe even puzzle-quest like mechanics.

[Spore]

A Fallout game after the GURPS system. I never actively tried to do so but with the people in my vicinity that have played Fallout and KNOW its lore, it is a wonder we never delved into that. I mean we tried to get into my DM's favorite setting, Warhammer (via Fantasy and Dark Heresy) too but no one was truly inspired enough to do so.

[Taffimai]

Paranoia. I know nothing about the mechanics, and I am staying away from them until after I've been a player. For many systems I've hit the ground running and jumped right into dm'ing, but this one I believe you can only ever experience for the first time once, and I don't want to be spoiled for it.

Fate. I just don't quite "get" how to make effective characters or run adventures with this, but it's intriguing. I'm not confident enough to run it, so either I'd have to play it with someone who knows what they're doing, get a good written adventure, or read a successful pbp.

[rredmond]

Dunno if it's even been invented, but I would like to try a swashbuckling game with a intricate, yet fast to play, fencing system/mini-game.
Rolling a D20 doesn't quite do it for me, if we're imagining Jack Sparrow vs. D'Artagnan. Perhaps a card system, or some special dice, or maybe even puzzle-quest like mechanics.
I don't know anything about the system really, but I heard that Flashing Blades was a good Musketeer type of RPG:
https://www.fantasygamesunlimited.net/product-category/flashingblades/
According to a review it is a d20 based game: http://rpgreview.net/node/186
Though it does have rules for fencing: http://knights-n-knaves.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=10500

Hope this helps!

[Misereor]

I don't know anything about the system really, but I heard that Flashing Blades was a good Musketeer type of RPG:
https://www.fantasygamesunlimited.net/product-category/flashingblades/
According to a review it is a d20 based game: http://rpgreview.net/node/186
Though it does have rules for fencing: http://knights-n-knaves.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=10500

Hope this helps!

Definitely.
It's old, but looks very promising. I'm gonna pick up the rule book and see if it's something our group would be interested in playing.
Thanks a bunch, mate!

[Lacco]

Definitely.
It's old, but looks very promising. I'm gonna pick up the rule book and see if it's something our group would be interested in playing.
Thanks a bunch, mate!

Try out Riddle of Steel (or its successor Blade of the Iron Throne) with an open mind. The learning curve is impossibly steep if you try the whole combat system at once, but if you start with basic mechanics and start adding the advenced ones, you end up with fast-paced, mechanically deep and intricate, yet still very rewarding, deeply satisfying combat system.

With addition of Drama mechanics ("cool"/reroll points) and cinematic combat from Flower of Battle supplement you end up with fights straight from Three Musketeers/Pirates of Caribbean (think "duel at forge", not "threeway on mill wheel").

Advantage: basic combat mechanic can be learned in 10 minutes (initiative, combat pool, basic manuevers, wounds) of play; combats are relatively short (no "whacking at each other until one loses all HP") and very tense/exciting; easy to stat opponents; melee combatants and archers are the most interesting to play; perfect for duelling.

Disadvantage: you have to combine mechanics from 3 books to get to the ideal result; you have to do a few rulings (the books are quite old and have few points that are not addressed by RAW); bit more difficult to run large battles (GM has to keep track of lots of things - but can be done with the right preps); no working magical system (you can adapt one from the successor game); books may be a hell to get (no official source at the moment that I know of).

[FaerieGodfather]

Dunno if it's even been invented, but I would like to try a swashbuckling game with a intricate, yet fast to play, fencing system/mini-game.
Rolling a D20 doesn't quite do it for me, if we're imagining Jack Sparrow vs. D'Artagnan. Perhaps a card system, or some special dice, or maybe even puzzle-quest like mechanics.

I won't cast aspersions on the other fine recommendations, but you might also look at Honor + Intrigue. It's the most intricate combat system in any implementation of Barbarians of Lemuria, but as a BoL game it's guaranteed to be smooth and deadly.

[Kadzar]

Definitely.
It's old, but looks very promising. I'm gonna pick up the rule book and see if it's something our group would be interested in playing.
Thanks a bunch, mate!

I'm not really familiar mechanically with the other recommendations people have made for this, but I'll chime in and say that Spellbound Kingdoms (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/63931/Spellbound-Kingdoms) might be worth checking out. There's a free combat primer (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/62332/Spellbound-Kingdoms-Combat-Primer?manufacturers_id=2727) that demonstrates how it works. Basically, you pick a maneuver each round that determines your attack and defense and has other effects, and what maneuvers you have each round is determined by the style you're using and what maneuver you used last round.

[KineticDiplomat]

I’ll throw in again for Blade if The Iron Throne for all your fencing needs. Ripostes, winding and binding, beats, expulsions, hooks, master-strikes, halfswording, murderstrokes, grappling, overruns, simple yet effective reach mechanics, the ability to “seven samurai” it where you both attack at once (hint, the faster guy usually lives) and so much more...sword fights feel like sword-fights, not some boring D&D “rolls D20 while the cool kids with magic have fun”.

[Gringnr]

Albedo. The 1stvor 2nd editions, not the Platinum Catalyst version by Sanguine. I like the comic it's based on, and it's got a really fleshed-out setting and technology. Yeah, it's furry, and that's usually a no-go for me. But it's just so cool.

Alma Mater, the notorious High School roleplaying game. Just because.

The original Prime Directive, from Task Force Games. I really dig the mechanics. I'd love to get them to the table.

[Lord Raziere]

I really want to play Exalted 3e again, but I'd have a hard enough time getting my current groups comfortable enough with the rules to play, much less get someone to run it. Mage (any version) is in a similar boat.


This. so much this. my Exalted experience seems cursed to be almost purely hypothetical. and I doubt I'll ever play a game of Mage, Awakening or Ascension.

I also want to play Anima Beyond Fantasy. its the kind of anime I want to play. same with FFd20, Naruto d20, things like that.

I also second Nobilis, but not so much Chuubos. I'd have to understand Chuubos first. with Nobilis I can just be the Deceiver Excrucian edgelord/outcast character which, is not an uncommon archetype for me to play so it'll probably all flow from there.

I've had a few Fate games, but nothing long term, so I guess it counts.

I guess I'll throw Tenra Bansho Zero, OVA, and Shonen Final Burst in there as well.

Rocket Age, that'd be pretty good. 1930's Science! fun.

though to be honest, sometimes its less systems and more like specific characters I want to play but they didn't last all that long. it depends on my mood.

Edit: I looked at Mazes and Monsters from an earlier post. I like it better than actual DnD, its like the DBZA of DnD, its both loving and critical of its source material and improves upon on it in its own funny way.

[Morty]

Song of Swords is another spiritual successor of Riddle of Steel for those who want realistic martial combat. Whether it's better than Blade of the Iron Throne, I can't say.

[Lacco]

Song of Swords is another spiritual successor of Riddle of Steel for those who want realistic martial combat. Whether it's better than Blade of the Iron Throne, I can't say.

Blade of the Iron Throne is based on the old Sword & Sorcery tales, and the rules nicely reflect this. Song of Swords - at least the Beta which I was able to read through - is less focused; "generalist" fantasy. The advantages are that the authors clearly took the good basics from RoS and wrote more detailed rules (including the things that you normally have to make a ruling for or houserule in RoS). I like the Arc rules, although I'm not sure about their application. Definite disadvantages? Some of the good stuff (e.g. initiative) became even more complicated - and that's something already.

So, yes and no.

The rules are clearly more detailed, but in some cases it's not ideal. But when it's finished, I'll definitely buy it and try running it.

That said, you also have another successor game in beta - Band of Bastards / Sword & Scoundrel. The rules are done, they are obviously inspired with Burning Wheel in some cases (e.g. equipment).

I'm still staying at original RoS, heavily houseruled :smallbiggrin:

[Morty]

It's true that SoS seems to be more generalist, including allowance for different "power levels" and genres, than BotIT. That being said, SoS has changed a lot during the beta, including simplifying some of the rules, so what you read might no longer be accurate in the final version.

The magic supplement for SoS is still being worked on, though I think pretty clear to completion. The original RoS sorcery system is not... particularly usable in any real context.

[Lacco]

It's true that SoS seems to be more generalist, including allowance for different "power levels" and genres, than BotIT. That being said, SoS has changed a lot during the beta, including simplifying some of the rules, so what you read might no longer be accurate in the final version.

The magic supplement for SoS is still being worked on, though I think pretty clear to completion. The original RoS sorcery system is not... particularly usable in any real context.

The final version of SoS is available? I haven't checked the store, will do so soon. I had only the beta rules from their homepage.

You put that very mildly. The original system is very innovative, full of interesting ideas, but practically unplayable. The only thing that can be done is to transfer the BoIT system to RoS, which works pretty well - after all, the guys responsible kept it very close.

If we are talking about recommendation for swashbuckling/three musketeers-styled game, RoS would be my choice. The only thing you need to change for the game to work well is the priority table (race would become nationality, social standing would need some tweaks) - other than that you are ready to go. I already planned to run a game combining En Garde's "climbing social ladder" and RoS ruleset, but there were only 2 players interested - c'est la vie!

[kyoryu]

Anyone wanna do a Fate oneshot sometime Sunday, CST afternoonish?

[Lacco]

Anyone wanna do a Fate oneshot sometime Sunday, CST afternoonish?

That makes it past midnight for me (CET)... otherwise I'd be in.:smallfrown:

[Morty]

The final version of SoS is available? I haven't checked the store, will do so soon. I had only the beta rules from their homepage.

It's been officially released, yes. I got it from my Kickstarter pledge.


You put that very mildly. The original system is very innovative, full of interesting ideas, but practically unplayable. The only thing that can be done is to transfer the BoIT system to RoS, which works pretty well - after all, the guys responsible kept it very close.

The system was pretty much intended not work, as the author seemed to have some very firm ideas on magic being in any way balanced with anything. And the system itself was rife for abuse in its own right, like many spontaneous ones are. I'm not familiar with BoIT's magic, but I guess it pretty much has to be better.

[Lacco]

It's been officially released, yes. I got it from my Kickstarter pledge.

Well, I'm again late to the party. Will swoop by the store to buy a pdf - I liked the graphical side of the page, but even for me the rules were sometimes too much to follow.

And if I am correct, they ADDED some attributes... did they? Original RoS had 10 attributes - 5 physical, 5 mental. Plus 5 derived. Plus spiritual attributes (replaced by Arcs in SoS).


The system was pretty much intended not work, as the author seemed to have some very firm ideas on magic being in any way balanced with anything. And the system itself was rife for abuse in its own right, like many spontaneous ones are. I'm not familiar with BoIT's magic, but I guess it pretty much has to be better.

Well, I have the same idea - magic should not be balanced with martials on the level of "what can it do?". I mean, a "legendary warrior" should be able to defeat 2-3 opponents at the same time, should be able to defeat superior force using tactics, wit and crush enemies, see them driven before you... you know. On the other hand "legendary wizard" should be able to destroy castles, summon things better unnamed and cast curses so powerful they make princesses sleep for 100 years even when countered by other powerful wizards.

The idea however is, that if two players decide to play in campaign - and one makes the legendary warrior and the other a legendary wizard - they should both have their fun. So the legendary warrior takes his army and with help of his powerful friend wizard destroys enemy's castle, razes cities and then builds a kingdom with him as the king and wizard as the "power behind the throne". Or the other way around.


Anyone wanna do a Fate oneshot sometime Sunday, CST afternoonish?

Were you able to get some people?

If not, I would try putting an official request to recruiting thread - here most people miss it, but when I once tried recruiting for Fate there, I immediately got few people interested. And man, if you decide to go PbP, I'm definitely in :smallbiggrin:

[jjordan]

The Morrow Project - I loved the idea of helping post apocalyptic communities re-build. My friends just wanted to drive around in an armoured car shooting at mutants.

Villains & Vigilantes - But my friends were into Champions.

Rolemaster - I got to GM a game once and really enjoyed it.

[KineticDiplomat]

Blade's magic system is far more workable than RoS's - but it still isn't intended for D&D "I'm a fighter, you're a ranger, he's a sorcerer, we're all recently graduated turnip farmers, lets go fight giant rats!". Magic is Effin scary. It is meant to be scary. And rare. If you think Ten Who Were Taken and not Harry Potter, you get the idea. The book openly suggests sorcery is only marginally applicable for PCs because sorcery is not friendly, not known, and represents the sort of power that is often kept off screen as an existential threat.


But that's ok. because it's not a game about progression from 1-20 as you start fighting goblins and end saving worlds. It's a game about characters who are already badasses and mostly stay badasses throughout. You just have to accept there are entirely different calibers of badassery, and that the best way to kill a sorcerer might be stab them in the back (No HP...a knife in your eye will kill most any human) rather than line up and shout battle cries at each other.

[ElFi]

Polaris: One of the most unique and richly-imagined sci-fi worlds I've ever seen, with a huge degree of variety on character concepts and group playstyles. That said, character creation is really easy to screw up, the combat system is headache-inducingly complex, and I'm not really sure what player characters would do in the setting. "Firefly, but underwater" is the closest I've ever come to thinking of it.

Talislanta: Very clean and simple across-the-board d20 resolution mechanics, skill-based spellcasting that actually works, a very deep and thought-out world, viability and easy access to lots of character archetypes that fall outside the "warrior, expert, caster" triangle? Sign me up. Unfortunately my IRL group is drifting away from fantasy games these days, and it's a bit too niche to gain much traction on the forums.

Open Legend RPG: A very nice toolbox game system that you can adapt to lots of different settings and campaign styles, without the splatbook insanity of GURPS. I've tried and failed to start a few campaigns using this system for various real life reasons. Maybe someday.

Nobilis and Chuubo's: Two systems that definitely intrigued me on first notice, but that I haven't had much time to really investigate in depth. And like Talislanta, I worry that their niche nature will turn off the gaming circles I usually traffic with.

[Lady Tialait]

Dunno if it's even been invented, but I would like to try a swashbuckling game with a intricate, yet fast to play, fencing system/mini-game.
Rolling a D20 doesn't quite do it for me, if we're imagining Jack Sparrow vs. D'Artagnan. Perhaps a card system, or some special dice, or maybe even puzzle-quest like mechanics.

7th sea? That might be something you would be interested in.

[qstor]

Morrow Project, the newish Star Wars and Torg Alternity