Good system for Stealth and Infiltration

[nofather]

I have a player whose needs I've never really been able to satisfy well in DnD and its offshoots.

So essentially I want to broaden my net and try and find a game that is about (or at least has strong mechanics for) stealth and infiltration. All I can think of are video games, like Hitman, Tenchu, Metal Gear Solid and Thief. Not just killing, thieving too. The only game I can think of for that is Shadowrun. But using those as a basis, does anyone know a system that would support that?

If not, do you think it would be worthwhile to homebrew some things. Say, the more combat encounters (outside of essentials, if you were an assassin type) you got into the less experience you received?

Thank you.

[eggs]

Wilderness of Mirrors is a light, fun game for spy fiction that makes stealth a major focus of gameplay. But it's a pretty seriously group-oriented game, and it's designed to cover the whole spy fiction model - so not everyone's going to be creeping around in the shadows MGS-style.

I'm not sure about any games single-mindedly designed around Metal Gear Solid-type stealth.

[valadil]

I haven't played it yet, but I expect Spycraft to handle this well. It's d20 based but has some cool options for handling things that appear in movies but don't work so well in D&D. I think the way things like chase scenes work is that you and your opponent each pick maneuvers, roll some dice, and then consult the chart. Some maneuvers will have advantages or disadvantages depending on what your opponent picks. Repeat as necessary until you escape or get caught. Anyway, I see no reason why something similar wouldn't work for stealth and I'd expect stealth to be thematically appropriate for Spycraft.

In general I find stealth unsatisfying because it's easy to find an optimal solution and be patient. Stay somewhere you won't be spotted and wait for an opportunity. You could work in terms of initiative, but that would be tedious to play.

[Dsurion]

Well, on these very boards we have Kensen's Rogue: Clandestine Operations. I'm sure interest in the game would be appreciated.

[Eldest]

I was about to suggest Rogue, too. It's in development and Kensen has taken a bit of a break from it, but I have played/am playing a game of it and it is great fun, as well as being surprisingly good for PbP.

[Krenn]

I have a player whose needs I've never really been able to satisfy well in DnD and its offshoots.

So essentially I want to broaden my net and try and find a game that is about (or at least has strong mechanics for) stealth and infiltration. All I can think of are video games, like Hitman, Tenchu, Metal Gear Solid and Thief. Not just killing, thieving too. The only game I can think of for that is Shadowrun. But using those as a basis, does anyone know a system that would support that?

If not, do you think it would be worthwhile to homebrew some things. Say, the more combat encounters (outside of essentials, if you were an assassin type) you got into the less experience you received?

Thank you.

just how detailed a thieving campaign are you thinking? Hackmaster is a lot like D&D, but the thieving and con-man skills are a bit more flexible, about like 2nd ed D&D.

[Raum]

So essentially I want to broaden my net and try and find a game that is about (or at least has strong mechanics for) stealth and infiltration.

Are you looking for a game which simulates stealth mechanics or one which allows you to build a story around stealth? If you want the simulation I'd suggest trying Savage Worlds or Warhammer Fantasy Role Play - the former is good for action in general while the latter is a much grittier game where combat is often your last option...literally. If crafting a story of stealth and thievery is what you want some of the more narrative games come to mind. FATE is pretty good and has a variety of flavors to choose from. Wushu also works for short games.

[Jay R]

Almost any time you want to simulate an ability that other games won't handle, the answer is either GURPS or Hero Systems. Both have the flexibility to model any human behavior within their generic skill structure. Many people don't like Hero Systems because the flexibility and universality require the use of grade-school arithmetic. If you don't mind adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, and rounding during character generation (though not during play), the system works very well indeed.

[Autolykos]

I can second that. GURPS really shines in skill-heavy campaigns, and sneaky stuff certainly belongs in this category. The 3D6 used for skill checks give a nice bell-shaped distribution (before the math nerds start to cry, I know it's binomial), which makes the outcomes easier to plan. That's also why Shadowrun's dice pool mechanics work so well with the game's premise.
Haven't tried HERO yet.

[Vixsor Lumin]

Well, on these very boards we have Kensen's Rogue: Clandestine Operations. I'm sure interest in the game would be appreciated.

I was about to suggest Rogue, too. It's in development and Kensen has taken a bit of a break from it, but I have played/am playing a game of it and it is great fun, as well as being surprisingly good for PbP.

I'm gonna jump on this wagon and reccomend it to. Its very easy to learn and (in my opinion) a good stealth and combat mechanic.