Yu Gi Oh RPG

[Blackhawk748]

Ever since Yu-Gi-Oh has been put on netflix ive had it on the brain. Hell me and my buddies have gone back to playing the card game again. So now im looking for a (preferably tabletop) Yu-Gi-Oh RPG as i think it would be a blast. So if anyone knows of an official or homebrewed one id love to hear about it.

[Sith_Happens]

The immediate problem I see with such a thing is, are you going to actually play the card game when the scenario calls for it? If not, how does dueling work?

[Nahro]

To be honest playing the card game as substitution for combat could be awesome - as long as its a small enough group to get everyone involved all the time.
The Thing is though - the DM would need to have all the "enemy" decks on hand - and be able to play it, even then it could get overwhelming when you need to play multiple NPCs at once (like a 2v2 matchup).

You could add some RPG "Feats" to involve the RPG rules with the Card Game (dont know much about YuGiOh TCG, but something like draw an additional Card at your first turn, get f.e 200 Additional LP at the start of the Game and so on)

The interactions with NPCs and the Story could resolve in like any other RPG with dice Rolls.


Another Approach would be to create "Booster Packs", before the start of the Game - let every Player get x Booster and make their starter Deck out of this (before they decide any character traits & abillities)
Then let them win Money/Ante cards by dueling other NPCs.

Money can be spend on additional Booster - that you build beforehand. This way you kinda get to cotrol the merits of which cards are to be played, and can balance your NPC encounters a little better. Also you can give out special cards, similiarly to loot in DnD or so.

Still a lot of work for the potential DM, and may need some testing tbh

[Comet]

Not an expert, but I'd think actually playing the card game by the rules would be the worst way to simulate what goes on in the tv show.

[dysprosium]

One of these days I'm going to get around to actually putting my homebrew class on here. It could be exactly what you are looking for.

[Anonymouswizard]

An idea:

In Deadlands Hucksters cast magic by essentially imagining a contest of Will as a game of poker, represented by the player drawing a number of cards based off their casting roll, and making the best poker hand they can. This system could be used to determine a system to represent duals.

Spoiler: example system

Show

Each player has a deck of 10-40 cards, which is representative of their character's deck. This deck must be shuffled before every dual. NPCs have a deck of 10 (or whatever number you think is appropriate) cards, and a hand size of 1 to 10.

Before the dual the PC must make a luck roll, which determines their hand size, and all participants must make a dueling strategy roll, which determines how many of those cards they can use. They must then use up to their maximum 'combo size' to try and creates stronger monster than their opponent (including fusion, synchro and xyz monsters), with the monster with the highest attack/defence (based on it's mode) "wins" the dual for it's owner.

And a life point system to simulate more lengthy duals.

[JeenLeen]

I thought up some homebrew for a Yu-gi-oh game a while ago. Roughly like nWoD. Ended up losing interest, but I remember the basics:

A PC has stats similar to nWoD. Basic attributes, health, and skills. They also have a special 'Sanity' or some such stat. It should probably be tied to their willpower and be a numeric amount.
PCs can fight physically, but this should probably happen rarely to fit the theme of the game.

When in a duel, if it's a shadow game, damage inflicted to the player in the duel also damages the player's sanity. You lose the duel if you lose the game (reduced to 0 life (? forget what's it's called)) or if your Sanity is reduced to 0 (you get KOed, which is the same as forfeiting.)

I could see some feats or special powers. For example, "Heart of the Cards" lets you (OOC) search through your deck and place whatever card you want on top, to emulate how Yugi so often draws exactly what he needs despite usually (if not always) having horrible decks. Or even a "Rule of Cool" power (maybe usable a few times per story) which lets a player change how a card works for cool effect.

---

As for how to make this work as a table-top game and be fun, I'm not so sure. It would slow things down a lot to actually play the duels in-game, and leave anyone out of a duel rather bored. I do like the idea of having to use base starter decks instead of letting players make their own decks from scratch, as that equalizes the playing field a bit more.

[Anonymouswizard]

I'm actually having an idea for a full system now, including stats, skills, special abilities, both "quick duals" and "plot duals", and shadow games. I'm going to try writing this up, and maybe posting it in the homebrew forum.

[Rater202]

To be honest, it would work better if you go by the fluff of the game.

The Duelists are magic users doing battle with one an other by casting spells and summoning monsters, conjuring magic items, and setting traps*

So in an RPG, you're either in the modern day or Ancient Egypt, or some Fantasy+Scifi Kitchen Sink world playing as some caster, with a class and level system determining your specialty int he kinds of spells you cast, what kind of monsters you prefer to summon, and have alevel to determine how powerful the monster you summon are.

Do something like a prestige class or the NWoD's Z splats to cover people who specialize in a specific archtype or group of archtypes.

State the monsters with abilities based on the powers they demonstrate in the cardgame

*If this sounds like Magic: the Gathering, well, there's a good reason for that:When the game first appeared in the Yu-Gi-Oh Manga, it was essentially Magic with the serial Numbers filed off and the mana mechanic dropped for expedience

[dysprosium]

I have to agree with the sentiments that this is a heavy bookkeeping class. There are a lot of things to keep track of along with the duelist.

It was for D&D 3.5 which of course can already be a heavy bookkeeping system.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

An idea:

In Deadlands Hucksters cast magic by essentially imagining a contest of Will as a game of poker, represented by the player drawing a number of cards based off their casting roll, and making the best poker hand they can. This system could be used to determine a system to represent duals.

Spoiler: example system

Show

Each player has a deck of 10-40 cards, which is representative of their character's deck. This deck must be shuffled before every dual. NPCs have a deck of 10 (or whatever number you think is appropriate) cards, and a hand size of 1 to 10.

Before the dual the PC must make a luck roll, which determines their hand size, and all participants must make a dueling strategy roll, which determines how many of those cards they can use. They must then use up to their maximum 'combo size' to try and creates stronger monster than their opponent (including fusion, synchro and xyz monsters), with the monster with the highest attack/defence (based on it's mode) "wins" the dual for it's owner.

And a life point system to simulate more lengthy duals.

I would concur with this: use the existing card game rules as a starting point. Strip them down and make them into the means of resolution. Not a full duel, but rather a minigame that evokes the mechanics.

[Sith_Happens]

Not an expert, but I'd think actually playing the card game by the rules would be the worst way to simulate what goes on in the tv show.

And using any kind of RPG mechanic would be the second-worst way, considering that the challenge to the hero always comes from a specific card or combo that does blah blah blah. Kind of hard to represent that without actually involving the TCG.

An idea:

In Deadlands Hucksters cast magic by essentially imagining a contest of Will as a game of poker, represented by the player drawing a number of cards based off their casting roll, and making the best poker hand they can. This system could be used to determine a system to represent duals.

Spoiler: example system

Show

Each player has a deck of 10-40 cards, which is representative of their character's deck. This deck must be shuffled before every dual. NPCs have a deck of 10 (or whatever number you think is appropriate) cards, and a hand size of 1 to 10.

Before the dual the PC must make a luck roll, which determines their hand size, and all participants must make a dueling strategy roll, which determines how many of those cards they can use. They must then use up to their maximum 'combo size' to try and creates stronger monster than their opponent (including fusion, synchro and xyz monsters), with the monster with the highest attack/defence (based on it's mode) "wins" the dual for it's owner.

And a life point system to simulate more lengthy duals.

...This, on the other hand, is about halfway to working. Still doesn't enable the "How will you overcome the villain's OP monster" scenario, but that might be a necessary sacrifice to make anything remotely functional.

[Blackhawk748]

To be honest, it would work better if you go by the fluff of the game.

The Duelists are magic users doing battle with one an other by casting spells and summoning monsters, conjuring magic items, and setting traps*

So in an RPG, you're either in the modern day or Ancient Egypt, or some Fantasy+Scifi Kitchen Sink world playing as some caster, with a class and level system determining your specialty int he kinds of spells you cast, what kind of monsters you prefer to summon, and have alevel to determine how powerful the monster you summon are.

Do something like a prestige class or the NWoD's Z splats to cover people who specialize in a specific archtype or group of archtypes.

State the monsters with abilities based on the powers they demonstrate in the cardgame

*If this sounds like Magic: the Gathering, well, there's a good reason for that:When the game first appeared in the Yu-Gi-Oh Manga, it was essentially Magic with the serial Numbers filed off and the mana mechanic dropped for expedience

Honestly i figured that this was the best way. Basically you play the Legendary Heroes episodes and play a fairly normal D20 game. Though honestly a few of the other suggestions have been fairly interesting.

[Rater202]

Honestly i figured that this was the best way. Basically you play the Legendary Heroes episodes and play a fairly normal D20 game. Though honestly a few of the other suggestions have been fairly interesting.

I've already got a basic class system set up-You get one Generalist "Duelist" class, and then one Class for every Type of Monsters(Except for Divine Beast, because an entire Class for four monsters is all kinds of stupid"

Like Generalist, Dragonmaster, Technomancer, Beast Lord, Necromancer, bla bla bla, etc etc.

If you specialize, then when you summon that type of monster, it's a little bit stronger than when a generalist summons it(of if you encounter it in the wild) but the other types a just a teensy bit weaker. You can maybe get a bit more mileage out of support spells for you type. As you level up, you might get a few extra abillities for your monsters beyond whats on the statblock-Maybe a Necromancer Duelist who is level five or higher, his Zombie Type monsters get back up at half strength the first time their destroyed, or something like that.

No Multiclassing, you either specialize in something or you don't.

And like, prestige classes are things like, some are general like everyone can get it "I'm awesome at Fusion Summoning!" "Xyz is My Game!" or maybe you're really good at setting traps.

Then Others are based on class: Generalists Might get Archetypes like the Neospacions, where there's multible types of monster in the Archetype. Necromancers might get the "Skull Master" Prestige Class or what have you that specializes in the Weight Archetype(Skull Servent, King of the Skull Servents, the weights) Maybe a "Master of the Blue-Eyes" thing for dragon users, that kind of thing.

[(Un)Inspired]

Oh My God

LARP it.

LARP it so hard.

Have card duels using actual cards with their rules being the only mechanics. Otherwise play entirely free form.

You're going to need some hair dye and vinyl.

[TheCountAlucard]

You're going to need some hair dye and vinyl.

And hair gel. And gold spray paint. And belts. A ridiculous number of belts.

[Blackhawk748]

oh my god

larp it.

Larp it so hard.

Have card duels using actual cards with their rules being the only mechanics. Otherwise play entirely free form.

You're going to need some hair dye and vinyl.

1, 2, 3, lay on!!!

[Friv]

If I were to use Yu-Gi-Oh as an RPG, I would do it in Cortex Legendary (the system used for Marvel Heroic Roleplay).

Your traits would be:

* Style: [Brute Force, Cunning, Thoughtfulness]. These cover both your style of play, and your abilities outside of the card game, so a Brute Force character has physical strength and uses big, dangerous monsters, whereas a Cunning character can manipulate people and plays traps and conditions.
* Distinctions - Three catchphrases or descriptions of you that can be used for good or bad.
* Power Set One: Deck. This power set has a couple of dice in it to refer to specific ways you tend to use your deck, and SFX named after individual powerful cards. It's only used in games.
* Power Set Two: Heart. This power set gives you a set of connections to other people or ideals that you can call on, with limits based on situational problems, and would probably be where millenium items would go for SFX. It's used in and out of games.
* Specialties: Specific skills that you have. Generally only used outside the card games.

And done.

[Blackhawk748]

If I were to use Yu-Gi-Oh as an RPG, I would do it in Cortex Legendary (the system used for Marvel Heroic Roleplay).

Your traits would be:

* Style: [Brute Force, Cunning, Thoughtfulness]. These cover both your style of play, and your abilities outside of the card game, so a Brute Force character has physical strength and uses big, dangerous monsters, whereas a Cunning character can manipulate people and plays traps and conditions.
* Distinctions - Three catchphrases or descriptions of you that can be used for good or bad.
* Power Set One: Deck. This power set has a couple of dice in it to refer to specific ways you tend to use your deck, and SFX named after individual powerful cards. It's only used in games.
* Power Set Two: Heart. This power set gives you a set of connections to other people or ideals that you can call on, with limits based on situational problems, and would probably be where millenium items would go for SFX. It's used in and out of games.
* Specialties: Specific skills that you have. Generally only used outside the card games.

And done.

Intriguing, i should look into this

[Sith_Happens]

Oh My God

LARP it.

LARP it so hard.

Have card duels using actual cards with their rules being the only mechanics. Otherwise play entirely free form.

You're going to need some hair dye and vinyl.

And plastic Duel Disks.

And belts. A ridiculous number of belts.

"Do I have enough yet?"

Intriguing, i should look into this

As should I.

[Blackhawk748]

And plastic Duel Disks.

Waaaay ahead of you there

[TheCountAlucard]

If you base it off the anime but want to use the official card game, you're going to need a "screw the rules" stat to pull off the various Catapult Turtle Flying Castle Gambits that they perform on the show, like summoning a bunch of monsters in one turn, having one of the opponent's Equip cards give you a terrain advantage even after the monster it's equipped to is destroyed, and of course blatantly cheating without getting immediately disqualified for it.

If you're working off the American dub, you'll additionally need a "heart of the cards" stat that lets you put the cards you want on top.

[Rater202]

Waaaay ahead of you there

I've got the Blue Scythe Shaped Orichalkos Duel Disk and the Duel Academy Disk.

Though they need new batteries.

If you base it off the anime but want to use the official card game, you're going to need a "screw the rules" stat to pull off the various Catapult Turtle Flying Castle Gambits that they perform on the show, like summoning a bunch of monsters in one turn, having one of the opponent's Equip cards give you a terrain advantage even after the monster it's equipped to is destroyed, and of course blatantly cheating without getting immediately disqualified for it.

If you're working off the American dub, you'll additionally need a "heart of the cards" stat that lets you put the cards you want on top.

Catapult Turtle's Special ability allows you to sacrifice a monster to inflict half that monster's attack points as direct damage to your opponents life points.

In other words, that scene in the Anime was just how they chose to roleplay Catapult Turtle's effect in that specific scenario.

[Mando Knight]

If you're working off the American dub, you'll additionally need a "heart of the cards" stat that lets you put the cards you want on top.

Topdecking would be like Protagonist Power #1 in any RPG about playing card games.

[Blackhawk748]

I've got the Blue Scythe Shaped Orichalkos Duel Disk and the Duel Academy Disk.

Though they need new batteries.

Ive got the Battle City one, and it too needs new batteries.

Honestly i may just call the power Screw Your Rules

[weckar]

I've got the Blue Scythe Shaped Orichalkos Duel Disk and the Duel Academy Disk.

Though they need new batteries.

Catapult Turtle's Special ability allows you to sacrifice a monster to inflict half that monster's attack points as direct damage to your opponents life points.

In other words, that scene in the Anime was just how they chose to roleplay Catapult Turtle's effect in that specific scenario.

No excuse for the Swords of Revealing light Supporting Castle of Shadows (was that the name) bull. Spell cards do not work that way.

[Rater202]

No excuse for the Swords of Revealing light Supporting Castle of Shadows (was that the name) bull. Spell cards do not work that way.

1. Castle of Dark Illusions.

2. Fluff for Swords of Revealing Light is it freezes mionsters in place. Is why can't attack en stuff.

3. Spellcards not working that way is irrelevant the entire scenario is how they fluffed the special effect of an effect monster. If it were a diferant Scenario, it would have been fluffed differently.

[weckar]

Swords disappeared, Castle crashed to the ground. That's a crunch change, not a fluff interpretation.

[dysprosium]

Part of the reason why that all happened that way was the actual card game had not been created yet.

All of the duels in the Duelist Kingdom arc were plot based and not based on the game rules.

[Blackhawk748]

Part of the reason why that all happened that way was the actual card game had not been created yet.

All of the duels in the Duelist Kingdom arc were plot based and not based on the game rules.

Which is why the show acted more like MtG than modern Yu Gi Oh, also it was just plain cool.