What rpgs are good for playing mad scientists

[Ameraaaaaa]

I've always wanted to play a mad scientist in a rpg but the only games that i know have special mechanics for them are genius the transgression, deadlands and pathfinder/dnd5e.

Pf and dnd both use spellcasting to simulate it which i hate on a conceptual level.

Both deadlands and genius seem to have cool systems for it but I'm curious to hear other potential systems where mad scientists would be fun. Feel free to comment on the systems I've mentioned.

[Kardwill]

I've always wanted to play a mad scientist in a rpg but the only games that i know have special mechanics for them are genius the transgression, deadlands and pathfinder/dnd5e.

Pf and dnd both use spellcasting to simulate it which i hate on a conceptual level.

Both deadlands and genius seem to have cool systems for it but I'm curious to hear other potential systems where mad scientists would be fun. Feel free to comment on the systems I've mentioned.

Some Fate games like Spirit of the Century and Atomic Robot are good for that kind of things. The gadgeteering rules are usually light (those are low-crunch games) but the Fate declaration system is just perfect for that (come up with some crazy theory -> make a science roll -> if the science roll is succesfull, your crazy theory is right, or at least right enough for you to exploit it)

[Wraith]

Savage Worlds has mad science as one of its main selling points - think pulp-era comic boots, all jet packs and wacky lazers, it's that kind of stuff.

SW also has an expansion called Rippers which is gaspunk/cryptid focused. The last time I used it, I played a Ripper Doc who spent his time removing organs from the werewolves, vampires and lovecraftian fish-men that we encountered and implanting them into the other PCs.....

[Ameraaaaaa]

Savage Worlds has mad science as one of its main selling points - think pulp-era comic boots, all jet packs and wacky lazers, it's that kind of stuff.

SW also has an expansion called Rippers which is gaspunk/cryptid focused. The last time I used it, I played a Ripper Doc who spent his time removing organs from the werewolves, vampires and lovecraftian fish-men that we encountered and implanting them into the other PCs.....

That's extremely cool! I wonder what the eyes of moth man would do? I should get that book sometime!

[Pauly]

For steampunk Space 1889 has really a good mad scientist/inventor section in the rules

[Batcathat]

As is usually the case when someone asks for a recommendation, my answer is Mutants & Masterminds.

The super power mechanics are quite flexible and can be applied as super science and they have a system for inventing things on the fly (though I've never actually tried it. It doesn't seem very complex, for better or for worse).

[Ameraaaaaa]

Some Fate games like Spirit of the Century and Atomic Robot are good for that kind of things. The gadgeteering rules are usually light (those are low-crunch games) but the Fate declaration system is just perfect for that (come up with some crazy theory -> make a science roll -> if the science roll is succesfull, your crazy theory is right, or at least right enough for you to exploit it)

I don't have those specific games but i do have fate core and fate accelerated. Would love to play fate again!

For steampunk Space 1889 has really a good mad scientist/inventor section in the rules

oh i just looked it up! Seems really fun!

As is usually the case when someone asks for a recommendation, my answer is Mutants & Masterminds.

The super power mechanics are quite flexible and can be applied as super science and they have a system for inventing things on the fly (though I've never actually tried it. It doesn't seem very complex, for better or for worse).

As a man who has m&m and is in a game of it (playing as a guy with variable but slow and very limited to just the immunity power) it does seem flexible. Tho imo from a quick overview of the inventing the fly rules it seems only for very weak abilities due to point cost adding to the dc. I guess it more focuses on signature gadgets which is fine but not as cool as just getting resources in game then actually crafting it's abilities to be whatever you want but needing to balance that power with stuff like resources, difficulties, reliability ect ect. Makes me feel like I'm really creating a machine and not just a removable ability.

However the system IS really good overall.

[Willie the Duck]

I believe they just released a Girl Genius game (standalone, but using the GURPS engine) which would be all about mad science.

Invisible Suns and the various Mage: the A_____ games has everyone playing one or another type of mage, with Mad Science/Inventor-themed ones being an option

[gijoemike]

The game Villains and Vigilantes or Might Protectors 3.0 has add-ons you can place on any power. This can turn anything into a gadget. But they also have a power that is inventing. It gives gadeteers and mad scientists a pool of points to just allocate to gear based powers some what on the fly. Just have to spend some time building the thing.

The system is SUPER crunchy which can be a turn off.

[LibraryOgre]

If I may toot my own horn...

HP Lovecraft Preparatory Academy (of which I did the Savage World's conversion) is a high school setting which includes mad scientists as a basic character, alongside witches, mutants, people who are friends with a little elder thing, dreamer-masters, and some confused normal kids.

[Ameraaaaaa]

Not gonna quote every message but just saying I'm loving all the recommendations! When i am available for a new campaign (already in 2 different ones) I'd love to play one of these!

[Psyren]

Pf and dnd both use spellcasting to simulate it which i hate on a conceptual level.

Technically PF alchemists and investigators aren't spellcasters - but if you really want to modify their flavor, consider the Scavenger archetype which creates customized miniature single-use gadgets and devices instead of brewing extracts. With the infusion discovery, you can make it so anyone in the party can use your machines as well.

[Lord Raziere]

there is a trait in Rocket Age Classic that allows you to be a gadgeteer and invent stuff on the spot, but its more of "planetary romance pulp sci-fi" rpg than anything else, its apart of it but not really the main show.

[Pauly]

oh i just looked [Space 1889] up! Seems really fun!
.

The setting is incredibly rich and it is a huge amount of fun. You can do straight history through to full blown Jules Verne type exploration of other planets. As an older reasonably successful system in its day game there is a lot of really good source material and supplements available. I haven’t played the new version which promises to be a far smoother system than the original rules.
I’ve never played or GMed a mad scientist type so I never went through the mad science rules in detail, but the mad scientist types I played alongside were fun and seemed to be of roughly comparable power to other types

[Grod_The_Giant]

Part of the problem is that your classic "invent all sorts of wondrous gadgets on a whim" mad scientist is an overpowered character. Unless you're careful, a game could devolve into the adventures of Professor Robot (and his lab assistants are also there) .

Makes me feel like I'm really creating a machine and not just a removable ability.

Yeah; m&m is wonderful for many things but it has a strong assumption that the status quo is being maintained. I think I remember working on a set of mad-scientist houserules a while back that would add more resource-oriented inventions; I can try to dig that up if you'd be interested.

[Ameraaaaaa]

Part of the problem is that your classic "invent all sorts of wondrous gadgets on a whim" mad scientist is an overpowered character. Unless you're careful, a game could devolve into the adventures of Professor Robot (and his lab assistants are also there) .


Yeah; m&m is wonderful for many things but it has a strong assumption that the status quo is being maintained. I think I remember working on a set of mad-scientist houserules a while back that would add more resource-oriented inventions; I can try to dig that up if you'd be interested.

Sure! I'm curious as to what said rules look like?

[Grod_The_Giant]

Found them. It seems I was overestimating my past self, though; they're actually not very comprehensive or interesting, I'm afraid. It basically boils down to having a second pool of power points (presumably shared with the rest of the party) to be spent on specific mad science inventions. Looking back on it... eight years later? (that can't possibly be right ) I think a better and more graceful way to go would be to sort of combine the optional Wealth rules with the Equipment and Inventor advantages to get something like...

Resources
In addition to the normal character-based power point pools, the group shares a single pool of Resources*. These function pretty much as normal power points that can only be spent on devices, minions, vehicles, and headquarters**. When you use the Inventor advantage, you can use said points to make the invention permanent. So, for example, if I invent an Antigravity Belt (Fly 1, Quirk -1: Speed 0; Movement 1 (safe fall); Enhanced Strength 4, limited to lifting) I make the design check normally, but when I make the construction check, I can choose--create a temporary gizmo that lasts for a scene, or spend 5pp from the group's Resource pool to have it last indefinitely.

The trick would be that if one of your inventions is lost or destroyed, those points are gone. Not like Equipment where it's assumed you can eventually replace the lost item, but a permanent decrease in your Resource pool. On the other hand, accomplishing things in-game should regularly result in more Resource points being awarded. Save a science lab from a villain, maybe they offer you 10pp worth of spare supplies they had lying around. Smash a robot and maybe you can salvage 5pp worth of usable circuitry. That sort of thing. Basically just a standard money system, but using the power rules to figure out how expensive everything is.


*A shared pool makes it feel less like it's one player giving handouts to their teammates.
**You could keep the 1 rank=5pp rule from the Variable power and Equipment advantage, but it's probably simpler to stick to a 1:1 ratio and just have a large Resource pool.

[Ameraaaaaa]

Found them. It seems I was overestimating my past self, though; they're actually not very comprehensive or interesting, I'm afraid. It basically boils down to having a second pool of power points (presumably shared with the rest of the party) to be spent on specific mad science inventions. Looking back on it... eight years later? (that can't possibly be right ) I think a better and more graceful way to go would be to sort of combine the optional Wealth rules with the Equipment and Inventor advantages to get something like...

Resources
In addition to the normal character-based power point pools, the group shares a single pool of Resources*. These function pretty much as normal power points that can only be spent on devices, minions, vehicles, and headquarters**. When you use the Inventor advantage, you can use said points to make the invention permanent. So, for example, if I invent an Antigravity Belt (Fly 1, Quirk -1: Speed 0; Movement 1 (safe fall); Enhanced Strength 4, limited to lifting) I make the design check normally, but when I make the construction check, I can choose--create a temporary gizmo that lasts for a scene, or spend 5pp from the group's Resource pool to have it last indefinitely.

The trick would be that if one of your inventions is lost or destroyed, those points are gone. Not like Equipment where it's assumed you can eventually replace the lost item, but a permanent decrease in your Resource pool. On the other hand, accomplishing things in-game should regularly result in more Resource points being awarded. Save a science lab from a villain, maybe they offer you 10pp worth of spare supplies they had lying around. Smash a robot and maybe you can salvage 5pp worth of usable circuitry. That sort of thing. Basically just a standard money system, but using the power rules to figure out how expensive everything is.


*A shared pool makes it feel less like it's one player giving handouts to their teammates.
**You could keep the 1 rank=5pp rule from the Variable power and Equipment advantage, but it's probably simpler to stick to a 1:1 ratio and just have a large Resource pool.

Thanks! It does seem simple in a good way.

[Psyren]

Starfinder has two more scientist classes - the Biohacker and the Mechanic - that don't use any spellcasting. You can even port these back into 3e/PF if you want.

[Pauly]

Some systems (*I can’t recall which systems are from which games) I have seen that reign in the effect of mad scientist inventions

1) Reliability. The more extreme and advanced the invention is the less reliable it becomes.
2) Made from unobtainium. Inventions are made from a scarce material. The more powerful the invention the more unobtainium is needed to make it.
3) Inventions are powered by [resource]. This resource is hard to come by. The more extreme the invention the more of the resource is needed power the invention. In some setting the power source is very rare but essentially infinite once you have it, in other the power is less rare, but depletes with use.
4) Time. It takes time to build inventions, time that is also needed to go adventuring.
5) idiosyncratic controls. If you’ve watched Forgotten Weapons on youtube the episodes featuring early developmental/prototype firearms showcase that the initial attempts to invent a type of thing often use controls and operating systems that are completely unintuitive. Someone else just can’t pick up and use inventions without serious risk of jamming, or worse, the device. There’s no manual, there’s no training system, the machine doesn’t have marking say what button does what.
6) the power of the inventions scale with the level of the scientist.

Just because a mad scientist can think of something doesn’t mean they
- have the resources to make it
- can make a fully functioning and reliable version
- have the power to run it
- be able to have someone else operate it.

Think of Ghostbusters. The backpacks are made from materials acquired from a major research university, powered by nuclear reactors, are wildly unsafe in the hands of trained users, and from what I remember have no markings on the controls. Anyone other than the inventors using them are likely to blow up 5 city blocks. The OH&S official turns off the power to the containment cells because he doesn’t understand the danger of turning off the containment cells. When they get successful they get busy and have less time to improve their equipment.

[hifidelity2]

A Grod said -

Part of the problem is that your classic "invent all sorts of wondrous gadgets on a whim" mad scientist is an overpowered character. Unless you're careful, a game could devolve into the adventures of Professor Robot (and his lab assistants are also there) .
.

However GURPS can be used - apart for the normal science skills you can have
Science! that the DM can let you use for creating weird things

Another way is using the Tech Level (TL). We are currently between (using the standard TL systems in GURPS) between TL7 and TL8 IIRC

However in one game my Character in a couple of areas had some knowledge skills at TL9 or TL10 - think genius that was years ahead of anyone else in his field and literally could not explain 1/2 of it to someone else as it was so ahead of how they understood the world

This allowed me to build things with a fully equipped lab (and time / materials etc) but I could use Science! to improvise from a junk yard

DM would set a DC number and depending on how far I failed was how many quirks it the device had

[HidesHisEyes]

I've always wanted to play a mad scientist in a rpg but the only games that i know have special mechanics for them are genius the transgression, deadlands and pathfinder/dnd5e.

Pf and dnd both use spellcasting to simulate it which i hate on a conceptual level.

Both deadlands and genius seem to have cool systems for it but I'm curious to hear other potential systems where mad scientists would be fun. Feel free to comment on the systems I've mentioned.

I think Uncharted Worlds is a good choice if you don’t mind sci fi and PbtA. Blades in the Dark also has the Leech class, which makes a good mad scientist (or mad engineer might be more accurate).

[Glimbur]

There is a fan made expansion to World of Darkness. Genius: The Transgression maybe. I have never played or even read it so I cannot attest to its quality, but I did not see it in the thread so I wanted to mention it.