Lost Girl-style urban fantasy setting?

[GoblinGilmartin]

I've been watching a lot of Lost Girl (the Canadian supernatural mystery show), and I was wondering if anyone familiar with the series would have input as to what RPG would be the best option to play an LG style RPG?
In many respects I've noticed that it's really similar to the Dresden Files, but i wouldn't use the Dresden RPG because of how it handles too many things differently than Lost Girl (Everything being under the "Fae" category).

[AMFV]

New World of Darkness is almost identical to what I've read from that show, or at least has the ability to contain all of those same elements easily depending on which splats you include.

[GoblinGilmartin]

New World of Darkness is almost identical to what I've read from that show, or at least has the ability to contain all of those same elements easily depending on which splats you include.

I'll give it another lookover, but I don't really think so. Same problem. It divides things up a little too much. If there were some kind of unified urban fantasy system, that'd be great.

[AMFV]

I'll give it another lookover, but I don't really think so. Same problem. It divides things up a little too much. If there were some kind of unified urban fantasy system, that'd be great.

nWoD is a unified urban fantasy system. It all works from WoD, and there are enough materials in Hunter alone to account for almost anything supernatural you want. Furthermore you can transplant anything into one system from another, with only balance concerns to be had.

[GoblinGilmartin]

nWoD is a unified urban fantasy system. It all works from WoD, and there are enough materials in Hunter alone to account for almost anything supernatural you want. Furthermore you can transplant anything into one system from another, with only balance concerns to be had.

Gotcha, it just seems like a lot of work.

[AMFV]

Gotcha, it just seems like a lot of work.

Not really, the biggest issue is balance, or if you have a mixed player group, which is only an issue if one of them is a Mage (which is hard to integrate on account of them being so darn powerful), or a Promethean (Who are difficult to integrate on account of them having Disquiet and that whole Wandering thingee...) Although with a little modification Prometheans could work, and with very little modification and some Gentleman's Agreements so could Mages.

Really you can do most of it out of the box, the hardest part would be having some reason as to why the characters would work together. I've actually spent most of this morning researching nWoD crossovers and I'm fairly sure that it's not only completely doable (with the right group) but it's already been done.

Otherwise a universal system might suit you better, if you aren't comfortable with WoD, Mutants and Masterminds is good for low level supernaturals and can accommodate a wide variety of character archetypes without too many balance issues.

[GoblinGilmartin]

As far as I can tell, there is magic and spells, but no wizards.

[AMFV]

As far as I can tell, there is magic and spells, but no wizards.

Mage: The Awakening, WoD: Second Sight, and Hunter: Witch Finders all contain ways to play as Wizards of varying strength and power.

[GoblinGilmartin]

Mage: The Awakening, WoD: Second Sight, and Hunter: Witch Finders all contain ways to play as Wizards of varying strength and power.

No wizards in Lost Girl, I meant.

[AMFV]

No wizards in Lost Girl, I meant.

Oh, well you don't have to include Mages if you're doing a setting conversion, and Second Sight and Witch Finder are clearly not required. They don't need to be a part of the world just because there's material for them.

[Science Officer]

Why wouldn't you use the Dresden Files RPG rules? It's based on FATE, and thus is exceedingly flexible. I'm currently using it for a Bronze Age Conan-style Fantasy campaign, and that didn't take too much hacking. I can't imagine using it for a slightly different Urban Fantasy would be any more difficult.
Alternatively, you could start from FATE Core and perhaps incorporate some aspects of DFRPG that you think do fit the setting.

Granted, I've only seen one episode of Lost Girl, but it struck me as very Dresden Files like.
nWoD might also do.

[AMFV]

Why wouldn't you use the Dresden Files RPG rules? It's based on FATE, and thus is exceedingly flexible. I'm currently using it for a Bronze Age Conan-style Fantasy campaign, and that didn't take too much hacking. I can't imagine using it for a slightly different Urban Fantasy would be any more difficult.
Alternatively, you could start from FATE Core and perhaps incorporate some aspects of DFRPG that you think do fit the setting.

Granted, I've only seen one episode of Lost Girl, but it struck me as very Dresden Files like.
nWoD might also do.

That one's also probably a good fit, I've had it recommended very highly, although I've only read it briefly, I'm not a huge fan of FATE and the Dresden Files one looks pretty good.

You could also do a conversion of something like Buffy Unisystem (A really good roleplaying system) or Shadowrun (if you want something more seedy) either of those could work, although that's a lot more work than nWoD.

What tone of game are you looking for, what aspects do you want to preserve from the show?

[Mono Vertigo]

For what it's worth, Changeling: the Lost (a nWoD game) is about fairies - well, humans turned into half-fae creatures - that get magical fuel from emotions, dreams or pacts, masquerade as mundane humans, and deal with their own politics, all the while avoiding terribly powerful and capricious beings, the True Fae.
You're going to change the fluff in order to match Lost Girl better, but it should fit the bill quite well. There are tons of "races" of fairies with their own affinities and weaknesses and many magical tricks that range from undetectable to flashy.

[andresrhoodie]

I'm a fan of the show and will second changleling the lost.

Its not the exact same flavor, but its very similar and has more elements of traditional folkloric fae.

Gurps wouldnt be bad either though if you use the lower power options.

[AMFV]

I'm a fan of the show and will second changleling the lost.

Its not the exact same flavor, but its very similar and has more elements of traditional folkloric fae.

Gurps wouldnt be bad either though if you use the lower power options.

GURPS is pretty universal, although it can be really deadly really fast, so that has to be something you're comfortable with including in your game, really what system you want, depends more on what sort of game you're wanting to run, what kind of take you want to make on the story.

[Lorsa]

Unsurprinsingly there isn't any "Lost Girl" system yet. Not sure the show has been successfull enough for someone to do that.

There are any number of systems that with some fixes can be used for it, most have already been mentioned here (nWoD, Fate, Unisystem) and I guess Cortex deserve a mention too. There's a Supernatural Cortex game afaik, so urban fantasy is possible to do.

[CombatOwl]

Why wouldn't you use the Dresden Files RPG rules? It's based on FATE, and thus is exceedingly flexible. I'm currently using it for a Bronze Age Conan-style Fantasy campaign, and that didn't take too much hacking. I can't imagine using it for a slightly different Urban Fantasy would be any more difficult.
Alternatively, you could start from FATE Core and perhaps incorporate some aspects of DFRPG that you think do fit the setting.

Granted, I've only seen one episode of Lost Girl, but it struck me as very Dresden Files like.
nWoD might also do.

There's not even much reason to use Dresden Files. Just plain old Fate Core would handle it at least as well. DFRPG is great for doing Dresden Files. But if you're not bothering with the wizards, there's not much point in using it. Everything else is pretty much handled well already by the system.

Also, yes, Changeling: The Lost would handle that setting just fine too. It's not quite the same tone, but not far either. Admittedly, C:tL is mostly about magical torture victims somehow trying to avoid becoming just like the things that tortured them.

[LibraryOgre]

Apocalypse Prevention, Inc. might be a good fit, though I'm not familiar with the series enough. API's default is people working for the supernatural-concealing corporation, but there's room for other kinds of games. They've also got a Savage Worlds version, and an anthology to get you in the mood (you may recognize one of the authors in the anthology).

[skyth]

I'd say WoD fits the bill.

Btw, not everything is Fae (Garuda isn't Fae for instance).

Also, there are mages (well, humans that were called witches).

[GoblinGilmartin]

I'd say WoD fits the bill.

Btw, not everything is Fae (Garuda isn't Fae for instance).

Also, there are mages (well, humans that were called witches).

Well, the Garuda was a special case, there being only one and all.

I'll think over some of the systems mentioned, but I still feel like some of you are just seeing the word "fae" and automatically going to Changeling.

[andresrhoodie]

Well, the Garuda was a special case, there being only one and all.

I'll think over some of the systems mentioned, but I still feel like some of you are just seeing the word "fae" and automatically going to Changeling.

Well I wont speak for anyone else but I think thats because that game does a very good job of giving a framework for the story of folklore inspired fae living in a modern world and the various issues they may deal with.

Along with a darker and IMO more compelling theme then "i was born a fae and have hid my super powers forever because of politics".

i mean the show is good, the incredibly hot actresses and overt sex including girl/girl surely doesnt hurt when it comes to shoring up some fairly flimsy over arching plots... but hey, why not? Its entertainment.. so entertain.

And its actually a very deep, complex roleplaying game. IMO the most deep and narratively complex one out of the lot of the NWOD games because they fae arent inherently inclined to either good or evil. They just need to feed on and create emotions. Which is explicitly laid out as not harming the target in most cases.

More then any WoD characters then mages fae can choose their own destiny and place in the world.

[Mono Vertigo]

I'll think over some of the systems mentioned, but I still feel like some of you are just seeing the word "fae" and automatically going to Changeling.

In my case, I remember when the show first aired, it was discussed in the C:tL section of the old White Wolf forums, with people pointing out what they considered to be few differences and a lot of details in common. (It's up to you whether they were right or suffered from the "oh, a show about X, this HAS to fit in my favourite game about X" syndrome.)
So I'm not just relying on my first impression.

[skyth]

Well, the Garuda was a special case, there being only one and all.

It was a race, not a single being. Just most of them starved due to the light/dark truce.

[skyth]

I was just thinking that Champions could work decently. It can account for the variable powers of the Fae as well as their need to feed.

[GoblinGilmartin]

It was a race, not a single being. Just most of them starved due to the light/dark truce.

I watched the same show as you, I know that. The characters only encountered one.

UPDATE:
So, After everyone kept suggesting Changeling: The Lost, I looked into it, I checked out the books. Like I said originally, I don't see it. In WoD, the Fluff is too much a part of the Crunch to be able to separate it out by breaking everything down and rebuilding the game from the ground up. Contracts, seemings, glamour, none of these really hold a place in Lost Girl, except maybe the feeding off humans part.

Changelings aren't fae, they're mutated humans.

For those that disagree, do me a favor? Try quantifying a few of the characters for me, without reaching.

[Bombadil]

Might I suggest Mutants and Masterminds? I know that it is a superhero rpg, but I think that it could work. You just have to keep everyone stuck to their theme. There won't be much problem with balance between the characters since everyone is balanced together as the same class. It can be flavored however you like it too! The Wolverine style character could easily be used as Dyson. There is a specific power based on Rogue that could work for Bo. Kenzi is just a street smart human girl that can still keep up with the other characters. Or she could even be a sidekick.