Systems You'd Recommend & One-Shot Ideas

[Worgwood]

My usual gaming group has two rotating GMs (myself and one other guy). We recently freed up one of our mutual days, and we've been discussing using the time to take turns running some one-shots. We'd like to use the opportunity to branch away from the games we normally play, which include D&D, Shadowrun, Eclipse Phase, and the World of Darkness line, and try out role-playing games we don't normally - to see what's out there that we like and what we don't. Does anyone have any games they'd like to recommend? We're willing to try just about anything - we've got Crab Truckers on our watchlist, for instance!

In particular, my fellow GM would like to run a highly-tactical, combat-heavy one-shot in the style of Rainbow Six Siege, with an emphasis on cover, concealment, stealth, high-lethality gunplay, and unique gadgets. Setting doesn't matter and we don't particularly mind if there's psionics, magic, or other unusual powers. However, we're interested in trying out all kinds of systems.

Also, if anyone has any particularly interesting ideas for one-shots, particularly if they'd go with a game we haven't tried, I'd be interested to hear them!

[birdboye713]

I'd say that FATE Core or FATE Accelerated are really good systems to do basically anything, it has more of a focus on improv and puts more of the game into the hands of the players.

[Grod_The_Giant]

The Jailbreak one-shot for Unknown Armies was one of the single coolest RPG sessions I've ever played. It's an all-for-one sort of thing: 5 escaped prisoners, 2 hostages, and 2 hapless farmers trapped together in the farmers' isolated house by a horrific storm. But is any of that what it seems? It's Unknown Armies, so all kinds of horrific **** could be lurking just below the surface...

[Lapak]

I have always thought that Paranoia is excellent for one-shots: you can suffer 'death' without getting left out of the rest of the session, the players have a chance to get any sore feelings or inter-party conflict out of their system in a safe environment, and the DM can run it anywhere on the spectrum from 'disturbing dystopia' to 'screwball laugh-fest' depending on what kind of a break the group needs.

[LordCdrMilitant]

I'm a big fan of the FFG 40k systems [Dark Heresy, Deathwatch, etc.]. Combat generally feels pretty crunchy and fairly lethal.

Traveller is fun, though combat frequently feels very awkward, like a slap fight with fists wrapped in bubble wrap.

[TheFamilarRaven]

Crab Truckers is awesome. But I don't think it can be played more often than "once in a blue moon". The game practically necessitates making each scenario more ridiculous than the last which is incredible but also a little exhausting.

I'd suggest Savage Worlds. Fairly lethal (you only have 4 hitpoints), and if you restrict armor it can be downright deadly to get hit.

Currently, my group uses that system to run a game where everyone is from a different point in time and we've all been recruited to be Timecops. The setting is such that whomever happens to be GMing that week can add to the world.

[olskool]

If you're looking for a one-shot or limited session game that varies from D&D, I'd recommend Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu. You will only be able to play a handful of sessions before your Investigator dies or goes insane anyway.

[farothel]

I quite like Legends of the Five rings. I've only played 3rd and 4th editions and not 5th. I think there exists in 4th edition a starter box with simplified rules and a one-shot adventure that you can try out.

[Worgwood]

Thank you all for your suggestions! I'll definitely look at Paranoia and Fate Core, and I'll talk to my fellow GM about Savage Worlds and FFG's 40k systems - if they're heavy on the crunch and high on the danger, they might just suit the sort of game he wants to run. I might run a game using whichever system he doesn't.

The Jailbreak one-shot for Unknown Armies was one of the single coolest RPG sessions I've ever played. It's an all-for-one sort of thing: 5 escaped prisoners, 2 hostages, and 2 hapless farmers trapped together in the farmers' isolated house by a horrific storm. But is any of that what it seems? It's Unknown Armies, so all kinds of horrific **** could be lurking just below the surface...

I actually went and looked this adventure up, and it looks like a lot of fun - my group usually like to make their own characters but I think they'll be happy with. I think we'll probably end up running this one! I also took a glance at UA itself - I haven't exactly sunk my teeth in, but the system and setting both seem pretty interesting, so I'm hoping I like how it plays.

If you're looking for a one-shot or limited session game that varies from D&D, I'd recommend Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu. You will only be able to play a handful of sessions before your Investigator dies or goes insane anyway.

I've always had my eye on CoC, but I'm afraid I'm not great at creating or running games of mystery, and it seems like a waste to use the CoC brand on an action-heavy game. I'll look into it, though!

I quite like Legends of the Five rings. I've only played 3rd and 4th editions and not 5th. I think there exists in 4th edition a starter box with simplified rules and a one-shot adventure that you can try out.

I actually think I might have a copy of L5R 4th edition in storage, funnily enough - I'd forgotten about it until you mentioned it. I will say, it's never struck me as the sort of game you could play as a one-and-done, as I'm often told it's very heavily geared towards politicking, scheming, and that sort of thing. On the other hand I've always wanted to give it a go, so I might see if I can find a copy of the starter box!

[farothel]

I actually think I might have a copy of L5R 4th edition in storage, funnily enough - I'd forgotten about it until you mentioned it. I will say, it's never struck me as the sort of game you could play as a one-and-done, as I'm often told it's very heavily geared towards politicking, scheming, and that sort of thing. On the other hand I've always wanted to give it a go, so I might see if I can find a copy of the starter box!

It is all that, but that doesn't mean you can do a one-off in that world. You just don't have the full political experience, but with people who are new to the system and the world, it might be better to keep that part a little lower at first anyway (depending on your group).

And character creation doesn't take all that long (it's quite lethal, so having to make a new character does happen), especially if you limit everyone to Bushi characters for instance.

[Rhedyn]

Both Stars Without Number and Godbound have free PDF versions. It's good stuff and worth the read.

[talonhawk01]

If you're looking for a good combat, Iron Kingdoms RPG by Privateer Press is really good. It leaves a lot of the social interactions in a gray area, but it has a pretty nifty character building system.

[Mendicant]

Good on you checking out Paranoia. It's a great time and it's amazing for one shots.

[Reynaerde]

I'd say that FATE Core or FATE Accelerated are really good systems to do basically anything, it has more of a focus on improv and puts more of the game into the hands of the players.

Came here to suggest FATE as well. The system includes a great way to get characters involved with each others straight from the start, which really helps in a one shot. Make sure you get some post-its and poker chips ready before you start...

If you want to go a bit more into the indie RPG corner, have a look at My Life with Master (you all play henchmen who just want to be loved, great for one-shots) or something like Dogs in the Vineyard.

[kyoryu]

Fate is a great system, and definitely one I love and am heavily invested in. It is a great system for one shots in general.

But, it’s a fairly poor system for the type of play described by the OP. I’d suggest Savage Worlds in this case.

[Kaptin Keen]

Everyone should play Earthdawn, at least for one campaign, if they can get their hands on the rules.

In case you have no idea, it's the real-fantasy counterpart to future-fantasy Shadowrun. It's also Shadowrun's twin in that it's excellent in every way except they let the intern write the actual rules (which is nonsense - letting the intern write the rules would generally be a mountainous upgrade for basically every system I ever read).

[Mutazoia]

For something highly tactical, I would recommend either Top Secret SI or Twilight 2000. SI lends itself well to a Rainbow Six or Splinter Cell style one-shot (or complete campaign), while Twilight 2k will get you crawling through bombed out cities and running firefights where every bullet counts (because you might not be able to get any more).

Both games can be highly tactical and work well with either a run-and-gun scenario, or a covert insertion style game.