Post-Apocalyptic Techno-Sorcerer Kings

[Bryan]

I have an idea for a campaign but don't know where to begin in terms of game system.

The campaign I have in mind is vaguely Sword & Sorcery but more Sword & Planet in nature. The idea is that in a post-apocalyptic world, a group of sorcerer-kings are vying for control except that rather than using magic, they are using Star Trek level technology and maybe some psionics on a world where most people are living a Bronze Age existence.

The techno-sorcerer kings can use tech gear, mutation, cybernetics, cloning, whatever to augment their minions.

So does anything like this already exist or is there a system people think would do well with it?

[MeeposFire]

Well there is a famous quote about how any sufficiently advanced technology will appear to be magic to those with less advanced technology so it could be possible to use for instance something with magic like Dark Sun and refluff all magic as aspects of technology.

[Pauly]

I have an idea for a campaign but don't know where to begin in terms of game system.

The campaign I have in mind is vaguely Sword & Sorcery but more Sword & Planet in nature. The idea is that in a post-apocalyptic world, a group of sorcerer-kings are vying for control except that rather than using magic, they are using Star Trek level technology and maybe some psionics on a world where most people are living a Bronze Age existence.

The techno-sorcerer kings can use tech gear, mutation, cybernetics, cloning, whatever to augment their minions.

So does anything like this already exist or is there a system people think would do well with it?

Gurps can do it with the right modules.

Well you can use Shadowrun if you want to include non-human races or Cyberpunk if you want humans only and a stronger emphasis on the tech. You just need to let the players know it is a custom setting.

One important question. Are the PCs going to be drawn from the local population or from the techno-king minions?

[DrMartin]

This is pretty much the premise to anomalous subsurface environment, an OSR adventure/setting

[hamlet]

Metamorphosis Alpha can do this.

StarSeige

Alternity will do it with ease.

Gamma World - this is pretty much what you're describing, though you might have to assign your sorcerer kings some specific abilities.

[Ventruenox]

The first setting that comes to my mind is Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars. It utilizes a lite variant of the 2d20 system used in games like INFINITY and Mutant Chronicles. Aside from some possible reskinning of races and NPCs to suit your game, it should suit fine. There is a free adventure on DriveThruRPG if you want to take a look.

[Mark Hall]

Thundarr, the Barbarian!

[Anublet90]

After browsing through the Dark Heresy rulebook (I'm not sure how many editions there are, but I think it was 2e?) I've been rather infatuated with it. I can at least say that there are rules for cybernetics, mutations, hacking, weapon modding (both ranged and melee), "psionics", and who knows how many gadgets. Tech-levels also range from wooden clubs and bows, to gunpowder weapons, to lasers, to plasma, and even has some chem-weapons. Lots of emphasis on social interactions too.

Many, many tools in the book, it looked really cool even though I was just skimming through it.

[Mark Hall]

Thundarr, the Barbarian!

damn you

The Not Ogre: be careful with such language! Use forum-appropriate language, like "Demon Dogs!"

[Calthropstu]

Wasn't Starfinder made with this kind of scenario in mind?

[hamlet]

Wasn't Starfinder made with this kind of scenario in mind?

Yeah, but it's not exactly a great system.

[NigelWalmsley]

The idea that magic is actually lost technology is very much something that D&D has leaned on (a lot of spell components are basically jokes about how what you're really doing is technological McGuyvering). Shadowrun could probably also be made to work, though it doesn't do very well with melee combat, which I would expect to be a problem for this kind of game.

However, I think your first step should be to explore what kinds of source material you want to draw from. What are some books, movies, or games that influence the tone you're going for? What kinds of stories do you expect to be able to run? Are the players Sorcerer Kings, their agents, or peasants? What rules you should use is a question that is heavily entwined with what kind of story you want to tell, because different rules support different stories.