What system for Mass Effect style?

[SilverLeaf167]

The thread asking for ideas for a Mass Effect campaign got me thinking: what system would be good for running a Mass Effect styled campaign? I don't want it to be exactly Mass Effect, as I like homebrewing a lot by myself, but what system can easily support sci-fi technology, alien races, robots (preferably of many kinds) and some kind of psionic-resemblant powers? It should be fairly realistic, as much as possible for a setting like this.

[Sorcerer Blob]

When I think of this style of game-play, I think of the old d6 Star Wars. While "Star Wars" doesn't necessarily equate "Mass Effect" some of the d6 Space stuff (same system but without all of the Star Wars fluff) might just be what you are looking for. It has ships, robots, psionic-like powers, etc.

[Yora]

I say Star Wars Saga: Create new races, rename the force powers, and... no, you're pretty much done at that point.

[SilverLeaf167]

Hmm, I think I'll try Star Wars Saga if I ever do this. I'll look into the setting, thanks

[Yora]

I think it's no coincidence.

Mass Effect has been developed by the people who also did Knights of the Old Republic before, which were Star Wars d20 games. Mass Effect was their way of continuing such games without being bound to the Star Wars franchise.

The classes are not identical to the three base classes and three combinations found in Mass Effect, but the concepts are very similar. The Jedi class is very much combat focused unlike the psionic characters in ME. But I guess reducing Base Attack Bonus and Hit Dice fore more skills and a few additional force powers should do the trick.

[NX_Phoenix]

If you treat aliens as different morphs and psionics as biotics I'd say go with Eclipse Phase. It's more realistic than the others suggested and therefore a bit more on the lethal side, but I often hear comparisons tech-wise between Mass Effect and Eclipse Phase--which I personally agree with if you exchange transhuman tech for FTL/mass effect fields.

Regarding the previously mentioned ones, I'd recommend d6 Space. It's a good system and has the unbeatable price of free from DriveThruRPG.com.

[LibraryOgre]

There is a Mass Effect d6 conversion, and I think it works quite well; d6 is pretty much my favorite system for space-type games.

Since d6 Space is available for free, it's what I would go with.

[Carduus]

I put in another vote for Star Wars Saga, if you don't want to do some serious modding. I would say FUDGE, as my space opera game had that for years, but it has some serious downsides, especially in the range of lack of unexpected rolls or crits. We had to abandon it whole-cloth for some homebrew action.

[Urpriest]

The question is, though, do any of the proposed systems reproduce Mass Effect's social rules?

[DeadManSleeping]

I put in another vote for Star Wars Saga, if you don't want to do some serious modding. I would say FUDGE, as my space opera game had that for years, but it has some serious downsides, especially in the range of lack of unexpected rolls or crits. We had to abandon it whole-cloth for some homebrew action.

On that note, Strands of Fate can work out well for sci-fi.

[LibraryOgre]

The question is, though, do any of the proposed systems reproduce Mass Effect's social rules?

I don't consider a lack of those to be a big loss... they're fine for a CRPG, but aren't very robust for a TRPG.

[MurphysLaw159]

You could always go with the good old catch all of GURPs if you can get your hands on a copy. Just make sure that your players understand that if they pick up Biotic powers that it is a BIG part of their lives and that if they don't then the chances of them getting some later are slim to none.

[Alleran]

The Jedi class is very much combat focused unlike the psionic characters in ME. But I guess reducing Base Attack Bonus and Hit Dice fore more skills and a few additional force powers should do the trick.

The Vanguard class could function as a solid Jedi. The less combat-heavy ones (e.g. Adept) would probably be represented by Scout/Noble builds going into Force Adept/Disciple.

The question is, though, do any of the proposed systems reproduce Mass Effect's social rules?

Upper left blue all the way?

[Ramien]

If you can dig up a copy, I'd suggest Alternity. It's a little 'harder' sci-fi than Star Wars, and is pretty customizable from what I remember.

[SilverLeaf167]

Ok, I'm pretty sure I'm using Star Wars Saga. However, lightsabers might be a little too iconic to the Star Wars series, and I'm not sure whether I want to include them in my homebrew setting. What could I do to the Jedi class (Force is fluffed as psionics) and perhaps the Jedi Knight prestige class to make up for the loss of lightsabers, if I choose to ban them?

Also, a general DM question: in space campaigns, how do you stop adventurous players from wanting to visit every single planet possible? Giving them a time limit, or not giving them their own ship, rather working on a ship owned by someone else?

[Lapak]

Also, a general DM question: in space campaigns, how do you stop adventurous players from wanting to visit every single planet possible? Giving them a time limit, or not giving them their own ship, rather working on a ship owned by someone else?

Making it clear that every planet is a planet is usually enough. Unless they are going somewhere in particular, where are they going? Just touching down at some random point on the surface and assuming that the surrounding area will be relevant to them?

To put it another way, if they show an inclination in this direction, just make it clear that this is like saying 'we want to visit every building and house until we find something interesting' when they walk into a new city.

[SilverLeaf167]

Yeah, that sounds pretty reasonable. I'll just make clear to them that if they want the game to work, they'll go where they're supposed to. Not in a too railroady way, of course, they can still choose what they want to do: just no exploring random planets for no reason.

[Nachtritter]

Yeah, that sounds pretty reasonable. I'll just make clear to them that if they want the game to work, they'll go where they're supposed to. Not in a too railroady way, of course, they can still choose what they want to do: just no exploring random planets for no reason.

Why not? You could easily make it so that one out of every ten "random" planets has an otherwise unimportant little colony on it that either needs trade or has a minor problem on it, like the myriad villages in any D&D campaign. Let the characters explore if that's what they want - just make it clear that if they spend too much time away from the main quest, they'll lose ground to the BBEG.

[LibraryOgre]

Also, a general DM question: in space campaigns, how do you stop adventurous players from wanting to visit every single planet possible? Giving them a time limit, or not giving them their own ship, rather working on a ship owned by someone else?

Yeah, I'd just go with the "Yes, it's a planet" sort of thing. If they want to do prospecting, like ME2, make it available, but occasionally put time limits in (e.g., in ME2, if you do too much after the crew is taken, then you lose most, if not all, of the crew).

[GreyMantle]

If I had to write a ME hack, I think I'd build up from 4th edition shadowrun. You would obviously have to write up a lot of things yourself for spacecombat (or just use a different system altogether, I dunno), but SR4E is an incredibly solid and wellmade system that would do quite well at modeling the sort of shenanigans characters would get into in the ME universe.

[Katana_Geldar]

I played a Mass Effect game at a con and the guy had adapted Gamma World and used Star Wars minis.

I haven't played Mass Effect itself due to hardware issues on my PC.

[balistafreak]

The question is, though, do any of the proposed systems reproduce Mass Effect's social rules?

I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite thread on the Playground.

[SilverLeaf167]

Ok, I think I've pretty much gotten the story handled, but what about that lightsaber replacement I requested earlier?

[Othniel Edden]

What about gauntlets that the biotic could use to increase how hard they hit? Unfortunately melee combat is something that Mass Effect mostly does with out, but I could see different hand to hand and melee weapon styles being adopted for some close quarters ship to ship combat.

[Gralamin]

What about gauntlets that the biotic could use to increase how hard they hit? Unfortunately melee combat is something that Mass Effect mostly does with out, but I could see different hand to hand and melee weapon styles being adopted for some close quarters ship to ship combat.

Hand to hand combat? Sounds like you need to read up on Mass Effect 3 some .

I would recommend Saga if the heroes are supposed to be Spectre types. As noted, it's a good fit. If they are mooks, Shadowrun is probably a better fit.

[Othniel Edden]

Hand to hand combat? Sounds like you need to read up on Mass Effect 3 some .

I would recommend Saga if the heroes are supposed to be Spectre types. As noted, it's a good fit. If they are mooks, Shadowrun is probably a better fit.

Just looking at the Wiki. Trying to stay unspoiled on ME3 as much as possible, to prevent gabbing.

[Old_Nemrod]

Blades made from omni-tool shields? Can't cut like a lightsaber, but could still make melee worth it. Double if they are wearing any heavy armor since they come with some motorized joints.

GURPS and Shadowrun are the systems I'm trying to decide between.

[SilverLeaf167]

Lightgloves ftw!
Seriously though, gauntlets sound pretty cool, maybe they could have different abilities? For example, enhanced strike power, extreme heat, freezing, corrosion, electric shocks etc. How could I work that into the Saga system?

[Othniel Edden]

EMP effects against geth and mechs are pretty nifty as well.

[Old_Nemrod]

ME1 had cold attacks reduce enemy accuracy, heat did continuous damage over a couple rounds. Corrosion could weaken kinetic barriers, maybe lower AC for a couple turns? Electrical could do stun, limit the enemy to a single action per turn. As for the high damage strike, maybe double dice damage from it compared to a simple melee strike?

I've though about using Saga edition too. I'm just trying to figure a way to evolve the powers like the second one did. I'm thinking feats to upgrade the power and on the 4th feat make it evolve into one of two options. Thoughts?