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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Orc in the Playground
     
    RedWizardGuy

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    Feb 2016

    Default Anyone know a good mobster roleplaying game?

    Since I am getting a bit tired of running fantasy systems for my players, I thought a good old gangster campaign would make for some nice variety.

    I am planning on letting the players start as street punks, set up a sandbox for them to discover, throw a few situations at them, and see were it goes from there.
    What I'm ideally looking for is something with fairly lethal combat, mini-games for running various rackets, and some sort of companion system for superiors/underlings in criminal organizations.
    I was considering using Call of Cthulhu (non-pulp), but I'm not great at designing mini-games myself, so anything including that kind of thing would be a big plus.

    Any ideas or advice would be welcome.
    Last edited by Misereor; 2021-01-14 at 08:27 AM.
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    What is dead may never die, but rises again, harder, stronger, in a later edition.
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  2. - Top - End - #2
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    RangerGuy

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    Jul 2017

    Default Re: Anyone know a good mobster roleplaying game?

    I think there's a Blades in the Dark hack suited for that called Misbehavin'. Haven't read it myself, but as BitD it should be good for building up a criminal organization in a limited sandbox.

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Grod_The_Giant's Avatar

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    Oct 2006
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    Default Re: Anyone know a good mobster roleplaying game?

    STaRS would work well for a game like this! It's a rules-light system, with an emphasis on being fast and avoiding narrative-based mechanics. The key part for you, I think, is that the "conflict" engine is deliberately generic--it's designed to turn any challenge that could be a single check into a dynamic scene with tactics and back-and-forth action. It would be very easy to to use for protection rackets, con games, bank heists and the like. (The book includes plenty of guidance on how to do so)
    Hill Giant Games
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    STaRS: A non-narrativeist, generic rules-light system.
    Grod's Guide to Greatness, 2e: A big book of player options for 5e.
    Grod's Grimoire of the Grotesque: An even bigger book of variant and expanded rules for 5e.
    Giants and Graveyards: My collected 3.5 class fixes and more.

    Quote Originally Posted by Grod_The_Giant View Post
    Grod's Law: You cannot and should not balance bad mechanics by making them annoying to use

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Orc in the Playground
     
    RedWizardGuy

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    Feb 2016

    Default Re: Anyone know a good mobster roleplaying game?

    Thanks for the feedback.
    One of my players found a mini-game for running rackets, so we'll probably just merge that with CoC rules, as we are all familiar with those already.
    Have to say though, that I find it really odd that such an iconic period hasn't been more developed in roleplaying games.
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    What is dead may never die, but rises again, harder, stronger, in a later edition.
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  5. - Top - End - #5
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Grod_The_Giant's Avatar

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    Oct 2006
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    Default Re: Anyone know a good mobster roleplaying game?

    I think you largely get stuff like Call of Cthulu, Hollow Earth Expedition, and Atomic Robo-- things that add a supernatural element to the 1920-40s pulp.
    Hill Giant Games
    I make indie gaming books for you!
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    STaRS: A non-narrativeist, generic rules-light system.
    Grod's Guide to Greatness, 2e: A big book of player options for 5e.
    Grod's Grimoire of the Grotesque: An even bigger book of variant and expanded rules for 5e.
    Giants and Graveyards: My collected 3.5 class fixes and more.

    Quote Originally Posted by Grod_The_Giant View Post
    Grod's Law: You cannot and should not balance bad mechanics by making them annoying to use

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Troll in the Playground
     
    ElfPirate

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    Oct 2014

    Default Re: Anyone know a good mobster roleplaying game?

    A quick search turned up Gangbusters, which might be what you're looking for.
    Quote Originally Posted by MaxWilson View Post
    I've tallied up all the points for this thread, and consulted with the debate judges, and the verdict is clear: JoeJ wins the thread.

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Orc in the Playground
     
    RedWizardGuy

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    Feb 2016

    Default Re: Anyone know a good mobster roleplaying game?

    Quote Originally Posted by JoeJ View Post
    A quick search turned up Gangbusters, which might be what you're looking for.
    I saw that, but I've been unable to determine if it had the rules for running rackets I was looking for. (I'm much better at rules retention than design :p )
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    What is dead may never die, but rises again, harder, stronger, in a later edition.
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  8. - Top - End - #8
    Troll in the Playground
     
    ElfPirate

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    Oct 2014

    Default Re: Anyone know a good mobster roleplaying game?

    Quote Originally Posted by Misereor View Post
    I saw that, but I've been unable to determine if it had the rules for running rackets I was looking for. (I'm much better at rules retention than design :p )
    I haven't read it so I don't know, but it's only 99 cents for the PDF, which might be worth taking a risk on.
    Quote Originally Posted by MaxWilson View Post
    I've tallied up all the points for this thread, and consulted with the debate judges, and the verdict is clear: JoeJ wins the thread.

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Orc in the Playground
     
    RedWizardGuy

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    Feb 2016

    Default Re: Anyone know a good mobster roleplaying game?

    Quote Originally Posted by JoeJ View Post
    I haven't read it so I don't know, but it's only 99 cents for the PDF, which might be worth taking a risk on.
    *facepalm*
    I saw it as 15 bucks for the PDF
    Yeah, I might just go ahead and take that risk... :p
    Thanks!
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    What is dead may never die, but rises again, harder, stronger, in a later edition.
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