What systems are people playing these days?

[Brasswatchman]

Corollary to this thread - back when I was programming said tracker, I was trying to cover as many initiative systems that I could think of. This led me to realize I didn't really have any clue what systems people are playing these days aside from 4e and d20.

This leads me to ask - is anyone playing a game in a system that isn't d20-based right now? If so, what system or systems are you using? And how does initiative (or whatever the equivalent mechanic is) work in those systems? I'd appreciate the help.

[Brasswatchman]

(P.S. - Alternity and Shadowrun 4/3 are out, I'm afraid. They were just too differently mechanically for me to be able to fit those in. Also, I believe I have White Wolf covered - someone correct me if I'm wrong, though.)

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Until I had to move, I was playing Adventure Quest:Jaern(no relation to the computer game, FYI), where the party and the DM roll 2d6 opposed, all on the same side act simultaneously.

[Kallisti]

Corollary to this thread - back when I was programming said tracker, I was trying to cover as many initiative systems that I could think of. This led me to realize I didn't really have any clue what systems people are playing these days aside from 4e and d20.

This leads me to ask - is anyone playing a game in a system that isn't d20-based right now? If so, what system or systems are you using? And how does initiative (or whatever the equivalent mechanic is) work in those systems? I'd appreciate the help.

GURPS 4e. GURPS is a really, really great system. It does a lot of things better than 3.5 or 4e D&D, although I still love both. GURPS initiative is based of Basic Speed. Basically, character move in order of Basic Speed, and roll off for ties. It's simple and elegant, but has no element of randomness.

[CockroachTeaParty]

Well, before I moved, I was playing 3.5 D&D regularly. Now, I'm very alone...

[Brasswatchman]

Until I had to move, I was playing Adventure Quest:Jaern(no relation to the computer game, FYI), where the party and the DM roll 2d6 opposed, all on the same side act simultaneously.

Huh. That's interesting. So was it the total of 2d6, or was it success-based, or what?

[Brasswatchman]

GURPS 4e. GURPS is a really, really great system. It does a lot of things better than 3.5 or 4e D&D, although I still love both. GURPS initiative is based of Basic Speed. Basically, character move in order of Basic Speed, and roll off for ties. It's simple and elegant, but has no element of randomness.

Ah, was wondering how GURPS works. So, basically, it's like Chaosium's Basic Roleplaying System in that initiative is ability-based. That's interesting. If I might ask, what dice do you roll for ties?

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Huh. That's interesting. So was it the total of 2d6, or was it success-based, or what?

2d6 opposed, +1 for each succesive round you've lost init, ties go to the PCs.

[Brasswatchman]

Well, before I moved, I was playing 3.5 D&D regularly. Now, I'm very alone...

Sorry to hear that. If it's any consolation, I'm having a hard time getting a group together these days because all of my friends who are into RPGs are moving away.

[Kylarra]

In addition to the standard D&D stuff, Scion.

Initiative for scion is a Wits (stat) + Awareness (skill) roll, opposed by everyone else to determine what tick you start on.

[Temet Nosce]

Spirit of the Century (just finished up), which uses FATE 3 which is based on FUDGE. Initiative is a fudge roll (basically four dice with + and - sides) that you add a skill (Alertness I seem to recall) to, and determine the results (which are labeled in phrases like Good, Great, Superb, and Legendary (for +3, +4, +5, and +6). You can also apply an "aspect" which is basically something about the situation which could motivate your character (I.E. if your character had an aspect tied to being paid, and was doing mercenary work that required making the roll) to either reroll or add +2 to the roll.

[Brasswatchman]

Initiative for scion is a Wits (stat) + Awareness (skill) roll, opposed by everyone else to determine what tick you start on.

(runs off and takes a look at the Quick Start Rules.)

Okay, looks like it's success-based, right? I'm sorry to say that I don't think I can cover it. Thanks for mentioning it, though! I appreciate it!

[Raum]

Savage Worlds, which I recommend...however it uses a deck of cards for initiative. May not be something you wish to include in your tracker. :)

[Temet Nosce]

I somehow completely missed that this thread was to get more games onto your init roller. Fudge in plain dice is 4d3-8.

[PirateMonk]

Ah, was wondering how GURPS works. So, basically, it's like Chaosium's Basic Roleplaying System in that initiative is ability-based. That's interesting. If I might ask, what dice do you roll for ties?

GURPS uses d6s for everything.

[Glimbur]

Wuthering Heights. Something has gone horribly wrong if it comes to initiative.

That said, duels are opposed Rage checks.

Full rules available free and legal here.

[Brasswatchman]

Wuthering Heights. Something has gone horribly wrong if it comes to initiative.

Oh, dear God. Someone went and made a Gothic fiction roleplaying game. I'm either amazed or horrified. Maybe a bit of both. :D

[valadil]

I'm doing two GURPs games, Mage, and occasional 4e Living Realms games. There was some talk of trying Pathfinder next. I'd also like to run some demos of a system I'm writing, but that doesn't count.

[bosssmiley]

Wuthering Heights. Something has gone horribly wrong if it comes to initiative.

That said, duels are opposed Rage checks.

Full rules available free and legal here.

How very... French.

It certainly bespeaks a unique and carefully cultivated derangement.

Some original rules were not translated; in the French version, you'll find rules about large battles, psionic powers, vampyres, martial arts and more ...

I do like the Problems table though.

29-31 - You are honest
32-35 - You are in love with someone from your family (Mother, Brother ...)
41 - You play the bagpipes (1 hour a day)
57-59 - You dress improperly
78 - You are a foreigner (French, German...)
80-81 - You are obsessed by the occult

You are four times as likely to have squicky incest desires as to be a bagpipe player or foreigner. Also, alcoholism and drug addiction are social faux pas equivalent to dressing improperly or playing the piano.

This man's unashamedly Gallic worldview worries me on the profoundest levels. I begin to think Michael Moorcock's "Hawkmoon" saga was less a satirical fantasy, and more a blueprint of what must be done to France...

On-topic: Labyrinth Lord. 1d6+Init mod. Rolled each round.

[Lamech]

Rolemaster. Its IIRC roll 2d10 and add all your assorted bonuses (quickness mainly).

[Project_Mayhem]

Planning to run Cthulhu when all the players get back from all their silly backwater countries.

[Winterwind]

ShadowRun (3rd edition, d6-pool based system): d6+Reaction attribute+modifiers (both additional dice and fixed numbers). For every multiple of 10, you get another complex action/two simple actions for that turn.

DeGenesis (German postapocalyptic RPG, 2d10 based): Order determined by value of Initiative skill, no dice involved. People can spend Action Points before each round to increase their Initiative rating for this round.

Call of Cthulhu (d100 based): ...you know, we have combat so rarely there, I have totally forgotten how initiative was determined in that system.

A fantasy RPG I created myself with friends (d100 based): Order determined by value of one ability score, fixed.


Other systems I play or played, but either freeform only or so long ago I've forgotten how exactly their initiative systems worked: World of Darkness, Fading Sun, KULT, Endland, The Dark Eye, MechWarrior RPG. Might be forgetting some.

Oh yeah, and recently also D&D 3rd edition.

[Kurald Galain]

This leads me to ask - is anyone playing a game in a system that isn't d20-based right now? If so, what system or systems are you using? And how does initiative (or whatever the equivalent mechanic is) work in those systems? I'd appreciate the help.

Well, yes. Paranoia comes to mind (which doesn't have initiative, at least not when we play it).

Whitewolf has already been mentioned.

There's also 2E, which works on 1d10 + a modifier for the weapon or spell you're using, and low goes first.

[golentan]

I'm playing traveller. The basic mechanic is 2d6 + ability + skill + DM (dice modifier, really difficulty). 8+ succeeds, or highest succeeds in an opposed check.

So initiative is actually 2d6 + Dex + Tactics Skill Check Effect + Leadership (sometimes). If someone is ambushed, the ambusher has an automatic 12 on init.

[Diamondeye]

3.5 and 3.5 only.

[Morty]

We used to play 3.5 D&D. Recently, I've ran a WFRP 2ed adventure, but the system doesn't seem to have enthralled my group, so I'm wondering what should we try next. Maybe, GURPS, maybe Shadowrun or World of Darkness. Attempts to run Call of Ctulhu in our group would have disastrous results, so though I'm tempted to try it, I won't. Perhaps I'll manage to cobble enough together in my system to run an adventure or two, though it's d20-based.
As far as initiative goes, I have no idea how it works in any of the systems I'd like to play, but in WFRP, you simply roll a d10 and add an attribute.

[YPU]

4e Mutants and Masterminds and savage worlds as wel, tough that is probably hard to script using cards and all.

[LibraryOgre]

Monday game: 4th edition D&D.
Thursday game: Pathfinder
Sunday game: Vampire the Masquerade
Intermittent game: Ninjas and Superspies, Rifts, or Systems Failure

Play by post games: Shadowrun 4e, Palladium Fantasy, Rifts, Nightbane, Robotech

[Mastikator]

Used to play a lot of Drakar och Demoner, some D&D 3.5e and also tried getting a little into Dark Heresy.
But it's hard to get the group to... meet.

[JeenLeen]

Was playing D&D 3.5.

Soon starting Mage: The Ascension.
From what I recall, which might be mistaken, Initiative is done by rolling a dice pool of d10s determined by Alertness (an ability) and Dexterity (an attribute.) If you have 1 Alertness and 3 Dexterity, you roll 4d10.

A cool thing about the system is that the lowest init declares what they plan to do first, but act last. So the person who wins init gets to plan their move knowing what everyone else is doing. (A person with low init can change what they do, but it gets a penalty.)