Something Simple

[Atmo]

Hello.

I'm here today to ask a question: which games do you consider simple? What is 'simple'?

• Easy to learn
• Fast to play
• No Toughness checks

So, thoughts?

[darkmaster]

Why are toughness checks on your list? define toughness check. I'd say M&M is pretty easy, but damage is all about rolling toughness vs DC.

There's the Amber Diceless RPG you have a rank in the four stats, and if your number is higher than your opponent's number you win. Fun times.

Mouse guard isn't terribly complex, but there's a whole fistful of dice involved in any roll, but they're all d6s so you can probably find a couple around your house already.

I've never played it but apparently the Ghost Busters RPG is super fun and easy to get into.

[Atmo]

Why are toughness checks on your list? define toughness check. I'd say M&M is pretty easy, but damage is all about rolling toughness vs DC.

Personal problems with Toughness checks, independent of the system.

I'll go check those games, but i want more options.

[Avoraciopoctules]

http://www.oldschoolhack.net/

It's free, easy to learn, and easy to play. Large amounts of MTP, but the game makes a decent effort to channel it in a productive way.

Still has lots of problems, and though I like some stuff about the system it really begs for houseruling if you plan to run something that lasts more than a couple sessions.

[fectin]

Danger Patrol (http://www.dangerpatrol.com/)

[Krakatoa]

Dungeon World (relatively fast next to D&D at least)

13th Age (Not exactly simple but less complicated than 3.X or 4E D&D)

I've heard praise of Warrior Rogue & Mage, though never had a chance to play it myself.

Gamma World (the current edition) plays like a drastically simplified D&D

[Atmo]

http://www.oldschoolhack.net/

It's free, easy to learn, and easy to play. Large amounts of MTP, but the game makes a decent effort to channel it in a productive way.

Still has lots of problems, and though I like some stuff about the system it really begs for houseruling if you plan to run something that lasts more than a couple sessions.

Not so easy, then. :/

Danger Patrol (http://www.dangerpatrol.com/)

A little out of our "area of confort".

Dungeon World (relatively fast next to D&D at least)

No, playing like "ok, what you guys wanna do now? and i really mean it" doesn't works with my players: they only react, never act.

13th Age (Not exactly simple but less complicated than 3.X or 4E D&D)

It's on development phase, it isn't?

I've heard praise of Warrior Rogue & Mage, though never had a chance to play it myself.

Already try'ed, it's rules doesn't make sense so quick...

Gamma World (the current edition) plays like a drastically simplified D&D

I'll give a look.


More, give more systems, please.

[Avoraciopoctules]

http://www.oldschoolhack.net/

It's free, easy to learn, and easy to play. Large amounts of MTP, but the game makes a decent effort to channel it in a productive way.

Still has lots of problems, and though I like some stuff about the system it really begs for houseruling if you plan to run something that lasts more than a couple sessions.

Not so easy, then. :/

Please clarify, you want something with functional character advancement? How much difference do you want between starting and advanced characters?

http://www.basicfantasy.org/

This is a free AD&D hack, which cuts out some stupid stuff. Instead of thaco, you have a straightforward hit bonus. It should be simpler than 3.5 in several respects, and fighters might be more viable mid-term PCs.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Adventurer Conqueror King is basically similar from what I've heard and skimmed in PDFs, but it has better rules for Logistics and Dragons at higher levels.

[Atmo]

http://www.oldschoolhack.net/

It's free, easy to learn, and easy to play. Large amounts of MTP, but the game makes a decent effort to channel it in a productive way.

Still has lots of problems, and though I like some stuff about the system it really begs for houseruling if you plan to run something that lasts more than a couple sessions.

Not so easy, then. :/

Please clarify, you want something with functional character advancement? How much difference do you want between starting and advanced characters?

http://www.basicfantasy.org/

This is a free AD&D hack, which cuts out some stupid stuff. Instead of thaco, you have a straightforward hit bonus. It should be simpler than 3.5 in several respects, and fighters might be more viable mid-term PCs.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Adventurer Conqueror King is basically similar from what I've heard and skimmed in PDFs, but it has better rules for Logistics and Dragons at higher levels.

You yourself said that a good amount of rework was needed, and that is what i want to avoid.

We already "found" basicfantasy, and two of my players don't want to play this game. Sad.

Adventurer Conqueror King is a "fantasy heartbreaker", as some people says? If it is, that two will complain like two old hags with cats on their pants.

Gamma World, too, was rejected. I'm inclined to just wait for OVA Revised to avoid hanging that two with their underwear (they are good players and all, but, as a group, 'classic' d20 has gotten old for us).

[Ancient History]

Kobolds Ate My Baby

[Neurosis]

This is the stupidest fucking thread.

REFUSES TO COHERENTLY DEFINE WHAT HE WANTS

REJECTS ANY NUMBER OF GOOD SUGGESTIONS BY HELPFUL PEOPLE

HIDES BEHIND LANGUAGE BARRIER AND PEAVISHNESS

[/b]

[Avoraciopoctules]

You yourself said that a good amount of rework was needed, and that is what i want to avoid...
... as a group, 'classic' d20 has gotten old for us).

I wouldn't say "needed", depending on what kind of game you want to run. The attribute system only really becomes a problem if you start making up monsters that throw around save-or-lose effects, and characters can use their powers to do interesting things.

But you're going to need to give us a better idea of what kind of game you want to run if you want productive suggestions. We aren't going to take your hidden veto factors into account otherwise.

You've objected to stuff that isn't fantasy, and you've also objected to "classic d20". What exactly do you want?

[fectin]

Shennanigans. We got tricked into a game of Bring Me A Rock.

What are your actual requirements?

[Voss]

To be fair, that is a pretty simple game...

[Cynic]

Feng shui - fluid combat and mostly combat based.
Amber: Diceless and very easy to grasp.
Monopoly - You get to pretend to be inanimate objects and own properties. You don't have to think much. I think this works well for your players...

Deadlands is pretty easy as well if your players are willing to spend an entire session just making characters.
---

If none of these work then FUCK OFF.

[Avoraciopoctules]

You know what, let's try this from another angle. I've been looking for a new RPG system, TGD.

All the Exalted remake talk lately has reminded me of a game I've been running in meatspace. The PCs are superpowered revenants created from the bodies of dead heroes, and they've been tasked with cleaning up their (semi) post-apocalyptic fantasy setting of some of the threats to humanity's continued existence. The game system for now is a hideous cross between After Sundown and Fate, but I'd like to strip it down to something much simpler. Let me summarize the upcoming scenario:

So, the PCs are traveling to a dungeon. Specifically, it's the source of the spring that supplies a nearby city with water. Something has poisoned the water, infusing it with shadowy energy that corrupts the land nearby, letting in demons from the Dark World and causing the dead to rise from their graves. If you actually drink the tainted water, you go crazy/lose your memories/fall into a catatonic slumber/gain spooky Void-element sorcerer powers. The last one's pretty rare.

The source of the corruption will turn out to come from a powerful serpent-demon, who is sealed up at the mountaintop chamber where the spring bubbles up and has been dripping its venom into the water. This fiend's magical venom has the power to corrupt and destroy memories, and only powerful protective or purifying magic can shield somebody from the effects. Earlier, the party retrieved a Macguffin artifact with the power to protect them in a nearby city, but elected to leave it in the hands of the Rebellion against the Evil Emperor, since taking it with them would deprive the city of its chief defense against the blighted water. Even though they are undead, the PCs will take lasting harm from the memory-venom without the artifact's protection.

However, they will be partially shielded, since they stopped to help out a sun priest who is trapped in a temple deep inside the blighted lands, about a day's travel from the caves leading up to the spring. By wiping out the undead hordes nearby, the priest can redirect his energy from powering the temple wards to creating protective charms that will absorb dark magic aimed at them for a while. The scenario starts with the PCs defending the temple, then segues into the journey up to the spring and a showdown with Styx Wyrm or whatever it ends up being called.

The PCs will face the following challenges:
- Hack their way through dozens of zombies, without taking much meaningful damage.
- Take out flying demons that air-drop more zombies and blast at the heroes with lasers.
- Navigate through an underground labyrinth broken up by streams of lava and poison that may require special capabilities to bypass..
- Negotiate with maddened cultists, who may know some secrets that make finding and beating the dungeon boss easier.
- Solve or bypass puzzle rooms set up by aforementioned crazy cultists.
- Battle a boss monster with like 5 different powers that affect the tactical map.

This is a fantasy game about busting into dungeons and stabbing demon dragons in the face, but I want combat rules to be simple.

I also want to encourage PCs to try pulling crazy kung-fu stunts in combat.

Some useful powers should be basically at will, others should be on some kind of recharge schedule.

Meaningful out-of-combat abilities should be available, and it should be clear what they can be used for (I don't want to deal with “Hey, it says 'fire magic +2' on my character sheet, can I use the fire magic to fill the enemies with hot-headed rage so they attack each other?”).

[fectin]

It really sounds like you just want 3.x DnD. Everyone already knows it (which is pretty close to "simple"), and it does all the things you asked for except encourage stunting in combat.

If you want to avoid 3.x's usual shenanigans, you might try FantasyCraft. It's is significantly less simple, but it's also just a tricked out OGL engine, so still pretty familiar. There are still shenanigans, but they're less obvious and less crazytown.

I hear good things about Weapons of the Gods, but I can't vouch for it.

You might also consider poaching the Exalted system, if your players are more familiar with Storyteller engines. I'd suggest just making everyone Dragonblooded, even if you reskin everything. Do not allow mixed parties.

[Atmo]

This is the stupidest fucking thread.

Kobolds Ate My Baby

I will look for that.

REFUSES TO COHERENTLY DEFINE WHAT HE WANTS

REJECTS ANY NUMBER OF GOOD SUGGESTIONS BY HELPFUL PEOPLE

HIDES BEHIND LANGUAGE BARRIER AND PEAVISHNESS

[/b]

When 70% of the ideas where d20 games, then things get silly.

And i considered Gamma World, but 13th Age isn't avaiable.

You yourself said that a good amount of rework was needed, and that is what i want to avoid...
... as a group, 'classic' d20 has gotten old for us).

I wouldn't say "needed", depending on what kind of game you want to run. The attribute system only really becomes a problem if you start making up monsters that throw around save-or-lose effects, and characters can use their powers to do interesting things.

But you're going to need to give us a better idea of what kind of game you want to run if you want productive suggestions. We aren't going to take your hidden veto factors into account otherwise.

You've objected to stuff that isn't fantasy, and you've also objected to "classic d20". What exactly do you want?

I can't GM futuristic games (mental block) and some modern scenarios (i get lost easy). "Classic d20" means exactly that: any game that tries to be another D&D hack, which we are kinda exhausted to roll.

Shennanigans. We got tricked into a game of Bring Me A Rock.

What are your actual requirements?

Fantasy. No reference with comics (which i mean: no M&M, Hero or variants). Easy to learn, in one day of reading. No Toughness checks (it takes TOO LONG to someone gets bruised ingame, but everyone gets annoyed fast when dice start trolling us).

Feng shui - fluid combat and mostly combat based.
Amber: Diceless and very easy to grasp.
Monopoly - You get to pretend to be inanimate objects and own properties. You don't have to think much. I think this works well for your players...

Deadlands is pretty easy as well if your players are willing to spend an entire session just making characters.
---

If none of these work then FUCK OFF.

Amber was already quoted. Feng shui we don't know, maybe i'll call a friend to help us.

It really sounds like you just want 3.x DnD. Everyone already knows it (which is pretty close to "simple"), and it does all the things you asked for except encourage stunting in combat.

If you want to avoid 3.x's usual shenanigans, you might try FantasyCraft. It's is significantly less simple, but it's also just a tricked out OGL engine, so still pretty familiar. There are still shenanigans, but they're less obvious and less crazytown.

I hear good things about Weapons of the Gods, but I can't vouch for it.

You might also consider poaching the Exalted system, if your players are more familiar with Storyteller engines. I'd suggest just making everyone Dragonblooded, even if you reskin everything. Do not allow mixed parties.

You know what, let's try this from another angle. I've been looking for a new RPG system, TGD.

All the Exalted remake talk lately has reminded me of a game I've been running in meatspace. The PCs are superpowered revenants created from the bodies of dead heroes, and they've been tasked with cleaning up their (semi) post-apocalyptic fantasy setting of some of the threats to humanity's continued existence. The game system for now is a hideous cross between After Sundown and Fate, but I'd like to strip it down to something much simpler. Let me summarize the upcoming scenario:

So, the PCs are traveling to a dungeon. Specifically, it's the source of the spring that supplies a nearby city with water. Something has poisoned the water, infusing it with shadowy energy that corrupts the land nearby, letting in demons from the Dark World and causing the dead to rise from their graves. If you actually drink the tainted water, you go crazy/lose your memories/fall into a catatonic slumber/gain spooky Void-element sorcerer powers. The last one's pretty rare.

The source of the corruption will turn out to come from a powerful serpent-demon, who is sealed up at the mountaintop chamber where the spring bubbles up and has been dripping its venom into the water. This fiend's magical venom has the power to corrupt and destroy memories, and only powerful protective or purifying magic can shield somebody from the effects. Earlier, the party retrieved a Macguffin artifact with the power to protect them in a nearby city, but elected to leave it in the hands of the Rebellion against the Evil Emperor, since taking it with them would deprive the city of its chief defense against the blighted water. Even though they are undead, the PCs will take lasting harm from the memory-venom without the artifact's protection.

However, they will be partially shielded, since they stopped to help out a sun priest who is trapped in a temple deep inside the blighted lands, about a day's travel from the caves leading up to the spring. By wiping out the undead hordes nearby, the priest can redirect his energy from powering the temple wards to creating protective charms that will absorb dark magic aimed at them for a while. The scenario starts with the PCs defending the temple, then segues into the journey up to the spring and a showdown with Styx Wyrm or whatever it ends up being called.

The PCs will face the following challenges:
- Hack their way through dozens of zombies, without taking much meaningful damage.
- Take out flying demons that air-drop more zombies and blast at the heroes with lasers.
- Navigate through an underground labyrinth broken up by streams of lava and poison that may require special capabilities to bypass..
- Negotiate with maddened cultists, who may know some secrets that make finding and beating the dungeon boss easier.
- Solve or bypass puzzle rooms set up by aforementioned crazy cultists.
- Battle a boss monster with like 5 different powers that affect the tactical map.

This is a fantasy game about busting into dungeons and stabbing demon dragons in the face, but I want combat rules to be simple.

I also want to encourage PCs to try pulling crazy kung-fu stunts in combat.

Some useful powers should be basically at will, others should be on some kind of recharge schedule.

Meaningful out-of-combat abilities should be available, and it should be clear what they can be used for (I don't want to deal with “Hey, it says 'fire magic +2' on my character sheet, can I use the fire magic to fill the enemies with hot-headed rage so they attack each other?”).

A "smart" player of mine show that Exalted Kickstarter to his mom, and all that controversy about "rape ghosts" and things. She is a very reasonable woman and said that would give us a Ultimatum if we bring that to her house (that is where we play).

Weapons of the Gods, i'll search about it. I think i know FantasyCraft, but i don't remember too well; i'll search for it again.

Thanks for your help.

[Cynic]

I've reskinned M&M to be a typical Urban fantasy kitchen sink setting.

Also it hasn't been suggested but Fate or Fudge?

Have you also considered actually buying one of these games from amazon or by having your flgs/book store order it for you. There are also ebooks available. And I'm sure the Swedish Party website isn't a bad place to look either if you want free ebooks.

[Neurosis]

I can't GM futuristic games (mental block) and some modern scenarios (i get lost easy).

Well I'm sorry you're fucking retarded.

[nockermensch]

Hello.

I'm here today to ask a question: which games do you consider simple? What is 'simple'?

• Easy to learn
• Fast to play
• No Toughness checks

So, thoughts?

Atmo, I did some l33t internet sleuthing and have ascertained that you're a fellow brazilian. What's wrong with 3d&t for your group? I never played it, but it's anime based and people keep telling me it's a simple game.

Savage Worlds just got published here, and I keep hearing good things about it. "Simple" and "fun to run" among them.

Finally, there's Old Dragon. Those guys are doing a serious amount of noise in the local RPG scene, and I may have to check their work one of those days. Have you tried it?

[Atmo]

I can't GM futuristic games (mental block) and some modern scenarios (i get lost easy).

Well I'm sorry you're fucking retarded.

Sorry if i can't meet your expectations, i'll try harder from here on!

I've reskinned M&M to be a typical Urban fantasy kitchen sink setting.

Also it hasn't been suggested but Fate or Fudge?

Have you also considered actually buying one of these games from amazon or by having your flgs/book store order it for you. There are also ebooks available. And I'm sure the Swedish Party website isn't a bad place to look either if you want free ebooks.

Isn't that system with funny dice? Well, i'll talk with my players first, those dice can be hard to their heads...

Hello.

I'm here today to ask a question: which games do you consider simple? What is 'simple'?

• Easy to learn
• Fast to play
• No Toughness checks

So, thoughts?

Atmo, I did some l33t internet sleuthing and have ascertained that you're a fellow brazilian. What's wrong with 3d&t for your group? I never played it, but it's anime based and people keep telling me it's a simple game.

Savage Worlds just got published here, and I keep hearing good things about it. "Simple" and "fun to run" among them.

Finally, there's Old Dragon. Those guys are doing a serious amount of noise in the local RPG scene, and I may have to check their work one of those days. Have you tried it?

Hello, fellow... fellow? Our 3D&T games are going well, but we need something new to "spice the relationship", and to create new things for the characters (get f*ucked) find.

Savage Worlds... i think i don't know that, i'll put in my list. Old Dragon is a AD&D hack, we already know it and one of the players almost kicked me in the face when i said "this would be a good game to fill our quota"...

Pra resumir, são dois jogadores extremamente filhos da puta. Um não faz nada, só reage, o outro fica trollando os jogos direto, enfiando coisas do próprio mundo em histórias que nem tem como isso ser possível! Tem um terceiro, novato na mesa, que está conseguindo me fazer arrancar os pentelhos pelo cotovelo de tão IRRITANTE que ele é...

[nockermensch]

After seeing your spoiler, the best possible advice is "get better players". Are you from Rio? I can try to put you in contact with other players from here.

EDIT: If you want to chat in huehuehue-speech, feel free to PM me.

[silva]

Over the Edge.

atmo bichona. =P

[Atmo]

After seeing your spoiler, the best possible advice is "get better players". Are you from Rio? I can try to put you in contact with other players from here.

EDIT: If you want to chat in huehuehue-speech, feel free to PM me.

Nope, from Hellcife.

Over the Edge.

atmo bichona. =P