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View Full Version : What would be the best system to run a tabletop RPG set in a John Wick-like universe?



-Sentinel-
2019-12-03, 12:31 PM
So let's say I want to run a game in a universe similar to John Wick. Or even the John Wick universe itself. A world of gunplay, ruthless criminal politics and luxurious settings, where the profession of freelance hitman seems very common and even respectable.

I'm thinking that World of Darkness might be good for this. It's a system that is both simple and versatile, and include mechanics for gun use, kung fu, stealth, and calling upon your allies, retainers and contacts. Perhaps Shadowrun would be good too, if you remove the magical and futuristic elements.

Any other suggestions?

The Glyphstone
2019-12-03, 12:37 PM
WoD breaks down *hard* when you have mass combats though, especially if it's the sort of many-goons vs. one badass fights John Wick loves to deliver, because of how it splits dice pools/effectiveness when attacking multiple targets.

Shadowrun suffers from a similar problem, though to a much smaller degree. It might be the best crunch-heavy system i can think of for this idea though. Lighter, more cinematic options would be something like Savage Worlds (FATE isn't appropriate for this, IMO).

Amechra
2019-12-03, 12:40 PM
So let's say I want to run a game in a universe similar to John Wick. Or even the John Wick universe itself. A world of gunplay, ruthless criminal politics and luxurious settings, where the profession of freelance hitman seems very common and even respectable.

I'm thinking that World of Darkness might be good for this. It's a system that is both simple and versatile, and include mechanics for gun use, kung fu, stealth, and calling upon your allies, retainers and contacts. Perhaps Shadowrun would be good too, if you remove the magical and futuristic elements.

Any other suggestions?

Haha no.

You want something like Hollowpoint (http://www.vsca.ca/Hollowpoint/) that's actually built around this kind of stuff.

Quertus
2019-12-03, 01:54 PM
For John Wick, I'd think you'd want a system which clearly distinguishes between "heroes" and "mooks". Best systems I know for that are Mutants and Masterminds, and Exalted.

GrayDeath
2019-12-03, 02:17 PM
Savage Worlds.

Full Stop.











And let me add: No. You do NOT want to play anything "beyond normal world+Mystical Stuff thats also kinda fragile with O/NWoD Systems. Even Exalted needed quite a bit of seperation in hero/Mortal/Mook to make it work, and thats on a whole other Power Level.

kyoryu
2019-12-03, 03:20 PM
Haven't played Hollowpoint, but it seems custom made for this.

If you wanted to do the work, a PbtA skin could work really well, but I don't think one exists.

Beyond that, I'd probably go either Fate Core or Savage Worlds depending on how much I wanted to focus on plot and other stuff vs. combat.

Pilo
2019-12-04, 04:13 AM
Feng Shui can be what you are looking for.

Delta
2019-12-04, 06:43 AM
Savage Worlds.

Full Stop.

This would be my recommendation as well.

And the whole idea of using any WoD system for this is, to be honest, utterly bewildering to me, that's just about the last system that comes to my mind for a setting like this.

Guizonde
2019-12-04, 08:21 AM
how about COPS? it's built to parody action movies, after all. not too sure about its availability though. i remember it very easy to pick up...

Lapak
2019-12-04, 09:44 AM
Gonna add to the chorus of 'not WoD'. It's the right TONE for the setting, but mechanically not what you want. The only thing it brings to the table there is the idea of a 'how much of a monster have you become' trait to track where the PCs currently sit on the scale that runs from 'happy husband' to 'Baba Yaga.' And you could tack that on to any of the other recommended systems pretty easily.

Mr Beer
2019-12-07, 08:14 PM
I would use GURPS because that’s what I like. They have relevant supplements to do with action sequences and gun play.

John Wick have Weapon Master, Gunslinger, Combat Reflexes, Ambidextrous, Extra Attack and probably Guns! and Fist! bang skills. I think he’d be about a 400 point character.

Morty
2019-12-07, 08:55 PM
Isn't Wushu basically tailor-made for such high-octane righteous revenge action? I've never tried it, but I've had it pitched to me this way.

Arbane
2019-12-08, 01:54 AM
Feng Shui can be what you are looking for.

Yup. It's got all the Gun-Fu you could want, and it nearly invented mook rules.