Lxcharon
So while I was out of commission this past month (hi again everyone) I started putting thought to something I feel a lot of GM's start moving to at some point in life, and that is making my own game system. I have quite a bit of tabletop rpg experience and have a world I want to create, but haven't found a system that I like for it yet, so I'm making my own! (I mean this will be a slow side project when I'm not working on my other more important projects) I think I have a pretty decent character creation and magic system down, but I'm having difficulty with the combat system.
So what are your favorite combat systems? Which one sets itself up as really fun? Or really thematic? Let me know!
(And don't worry Killervp, I actually looked to see if there was already a topic on this and couldn't find one.)
Comments
There are really two reasons:
1) There are only a few basic rules you have to know, and everything runs on those rules. I'm not much for overly crunchy combat.
2) Since the combat engine isn't really separate from the rest of the game (it runs on the same basic assumptions), you can mix things nicely. For example, if your PCs are in combat against a horrific abomination that they should be hesitant to look at or approach, the creature can use its "non-combat" skills to place an aspect on them that makes combat harder (maybe harder to hit or injure or similar). But if the PCs manage to get a specific holy artifact from the 8th century, it might mitigate that advantage with an aspect or stunt of its own. These aren't "special" rules, its just kind of how the system basically works.
Honestly, I used to play with developing systems, but after discovering Fate I always find myself asking "Why not just run it on Fate and make a few small adaptations?" It's sort of my default for everything.
~Weasel0
A Parade of Black | ShadowRunHack |
Where I play with CSS code
Just trying to help out.
twigs
"I met a traveller from an antique land....."
CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.
Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign
Inner Council Member
It's elegant. It's pulpy. And it's usually very quick. PCs still get to be badasses, but the combats don't take an hour or more to resolve.
Ptolus, City by the Spire - 2016 Campaign of the Year
"Please pay attention very carefully, because this is the truest thing a stranger will ever say to you: In the face of such hopelessness as our eventual, unavoidable death, there is little sense in not at least TRYING to accomplish all your wildest dreams in life." - - Kevin Smith
GURPS - GURPS Horror is one of the best horror games out there IMO - partly because character gen takes forever!
CoC - of course. nothing like a couple rounds from a .38 to kill a PC
Traveler - I've only played the older versions where starting PCs could die in character creation and you would have to start again! (does the newest edition still do this?) again you do NOT want to go through character gen if you can help it.
in terms of modelling debilitating injuries well, one of the best I was introduced to was a small press game called "stocks Lite":http://www.iworg.com/waste/ they had a an 'all action modifier' system instead of hit points or wounds that felt significant, and was so easy to keep track of (so long as you'r happy dividing one number by another)
oh and did you know that "KULT is being kickstarted":https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1037361623/kult-divinity-lost-horror-roleplaying-game-rpg again ?
Ptolus, City by the Spire - 2016 Campaign of the Year
"Please pay attention very carefully, because this is the truest thing a stranger will ever say to you: In the face of such hopelessness as our eventual, unavoidable death, there is little sense in not at least TRYING to accomplish all your wildest dreams in life." - - Kevin Smith
anyway if your going to play CoC 'Masks of Nyralathahotep' is the off the shelf campaign I would recommend. Make multiple PCs for each player at the start though....
KULT is great as well, but you may want to wait for the new edition
I love Horror games :)
I do enjoy the combat in Shadowrun Weasl0, I'll have to revisit it.
And I've totally backed KULT on kickstarter already NikMak! haha
Horror games are amazing. If you're a fan of horror NikMak have you tried Little Fears? You play kids and it can be creepy as fuuuuck.
Definitely play more horror UTM. The thing about horror is it relies entirely on the GM. There's no mechanics to rest back on that will convey horror unless the GM brings it.
~
The wars of man are nothing to the wars of Gods.
"Realm of the Six Gods":https://terrasia.obsidianportal.com/
If we're still going look at classic CHILL. (not the new CHILL but the original) simple, weird and if played right creepy as hell.
That said, I can't recommend Dread highly enough. The Jenga mechanic may sound gimmicky, but it genuinely ratchets up the tension at the table wonderfully.
Ptolus, City by the Spire - 2016 Campaign of the Year
"Please pay attention very carefully, because this is the truest thing a stranger will ever say to you: In the face of such hopelessness as our eventual, unavoidable death, there is little sense in not at least TRYING to accomplish all your wildest dreams in life." - - Kevin Smith
November 2012 CotM: Dresden Files RPG: The Emerald City
June 2016 CotM: Star Wars: Rise of the Infinite Empire
JUNE 2020 CotM & 2020 CotY: Mass Effect Accelerated
FEBRUARY 2022 CotM & 2022 CotY: Dresden Files Accelerated: Emerald City-Requiem
Current Campaigns: Traveller Osmium Buccaneers: Pirates of Drinax, Cyberpunk 2077 Accelerated
November 2012 CotM: Dresden Files RPG: The Emerald City
June 2016 CotM: Star Wars: Rise of the Infinite Empire
JUNE 2020 CotM & 2020 CotY: Mass Effect Accelerated
FEBRUARY 2022 CotM & 2022 CotY: Dresden Files Accelerated: Emerald City-Requiem
Current Campaigns: Traveller Osmium Buccaneers: Pirates of Drinax, Cyberpunk 2077 Accelerated
"Fate SRD - The Horror Paradox":http://fate-srd.com/fate-system-toolkit/horror-paradox
It talks a bit about the "theory" of horror, but from a mechanical standpoint there are basically three things you can do:
1) Lower the character's starting numbers for skills/refresh/etc... (Fate characters are pretty competent and resilient by default, so there is room to make them more vulnerable)
2) Use lots of "dark" Aspects and compel them frequently.
3) Since things will be harder, use the "succeed at cost" mechanic more often than outright failure when they fail a skill roll or similar. That way things don't grind to a halt, but the situation get progressively worse, and the players have to choose what sacrifices to make to keep going.
November 2012 CotM: Dresden Files RPG: The Emerald City
June 2016 CotM: Star Wars: Rise of the Infinite Empire
JUNE 2020 CotM & 2020 CotY: Mass Effect Accelerated
FEBRUARY 2022 CotM & 2022 CotY: Dresden Files Accelerated: Emerald City-Requiem
Current Campaigns: Traveller Osmium Buccaneers: Pirates of Drinax, Cyberpunk 2077 Accelerated
i.e. _"Sure, you can blast that xenomorph with the half-empty pulse rifle you found, but the rest of the hive is lurking around here somewhere and gunfire is awfully loud..._"
Then compel the PC's "Shoot First, Ask Questions Later" Aspect and THEN compel "Aliens Around Every Corner" scene Aspect!! >:D The player has the option to opt out of the compels, but if they take them then the tension ratchets up and they have more Fate Points to spend on doing awesome things themselves!
Limiting resources is my favorite way of amping up tension and horror. I am actually setting up a haunted house adventure for D&D right now and totally plan on limiting what the characters can do. Nothing gives me glee than watching my players who (in d&d) have gotten use to chopping their way through anything, come up against a foe that their weapons and/or spells don't effect.
And HumAnnoyd your star wars group sounds pretty awesome and varied. I love a good well rounded group.
~
The wars of man are nothing to the wars of Gods.
"Realm of the Six Gods":https://terrasia.obsidianportal.com/
November 2012 CotM: Dresden Files RPG: The Emerald City
June 2016 CotM: Star Wars: Rise of the Infinite Empire
JUNE 2020 CotM & 2020 CotY: Mass Effect Accelerated
FEBRUARY 2022 CotM & 2022 CotY: Dresden Files Accelerated: Emerald City-Requiem
Current Campaigns: Traveller Osmium Buccaneers: Pirates of Drinax, Cyberpunk 2077 Accelerated
Keelah Se'lai,
Keryth
"Shadows Over New York":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/shadows-over-new-york
"2013 Campaign of The Year":http://blog.obsidianportal.com/2013-coty-shadows-over-new-york/
"Campaign of the Month July 2013":http://blog.obsidianportal.com/shadows-over-new-york-julys-campaign-of-the-month/
Unlike Keryth, I find the combats are fairly quick, mostly because they are quite deadly. I do think using a turn tracking app has helped in some of the more complex combats.
Rolemaster I found to have long combats. Well, except for that time the party killed the big bag guy in one extremely lucky shot with an extremely lucky critical.
They are among us!
XCom: Defiance - Campaign of the Month November 2016
The problems with generating a character are now MOSTLY solved by using the GURPS template system. I can typically get a novice up and running in a simple adventure in 10 minutes but usually I sit down with the novice before the session starts and help them generate their ideal character. It usually works out really well.