What's the best system for a more light-hearted heroic fantasy? Something like Belgariad, Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, Dragon Quest, and so on.
I'm currently considering Ryuutama, but I haven't looked into it much. D&D 5e is also on the table, as is Dungeon World and Savage Worlds.
>>47339313
Bump for interest.
A simple TRPG that plays like an old JRPG would be great.
Savage Worlds does a good job at this, because of the notoriously whacky shit that tends to happen.
Depending on how capable you want your players to be, you might want to start them off with a few XP or tweak the combat a bit, because especially early on fights can quickly turn into stunlocks for one or two players.
>>47339342
I don't necessarily want it to -play- like an old JRPG, but just to feel like one. (Unless that's what you meant.)
Basically, I want players to be skilled and capable and to not get easily killed or crippled. I want exploration and adventure to be a big part of the setting, alongside combat and roleplaying.
That's why I was leaning towards Ryuutama, it really seems to capture the old JRPG / classic fantasy feel.
>>47339380
I'll have to check out Savage Worlds in actual detail. I'm only passingly familiar with it.
How would you recommend tweaking combat? Any expansion or additonal material I should look into for a fantasy setting?
>>47339313
I'm using Strike! for all my non-serious shit with combat in it, but it's got deliberately non-grindy, barely increasing non-high numbers (way more so than 5e).
>>47339690
Haven't heard of this. I actually like systems that keep their numbers low, so that's fine with me.
How do you like it? How does it handle noncombat stuff?
>>47339620
Savage Worlds used to have a Fantasy Companion, but I think this is contained in the Gentlemen's Edition Core Book now. Might want to look that up.
Other than that, it's been a long time since we played Savage Worlds, so I can't really give you houserules, sorry. You should just have an eye on the recovery system, since it can potentially get frustrating.
Over all, I can really reccomend the system, though, since it's incredibly easy to homebrew with and has a good amount of pregenerated content and subsystems to use if you so desire.
>>47339755
Thanks, I'll be looking into it. I appreciate the advice and assistance!
>>47339620
>How would you recommend tweaking combat? Any expansion or additonal material I should look into for a fantasy setting?
Not the guy who recommended it, but here's my list:
Use the Savage Armory fan supplement for weapons. There's a fantasy companion as well which is official but it's not really needed.
I remove skills; you just roll the associated stat (but edges related to skills remain, just improves)
I fuse strength and vigor, and have all (both ranged and melee) damage/vigor rolls key off of that (you can carry/use heavier bows/crossbows/guns with higher STR), and all attack rolls and your dodge for both melee and ranged key of off your finesse (ranged is kinda BS strong in SW otherwise).
OP, I'm going to cast my vote for Savage Worlds as well. It's cheap, ten bucks for the core book, and a hard copy, no less.
The combat is quick and rewarding, and between the general buffs PCs get and the bennies (tokens that you spend to reroll dice), they don't go down easily. The system assumes that most enemies go down in two solid hits, unless they're meant to be important (which means they get the same stuff PCs get, and then some). Initiative changes every round, so it keeps things dynamic.
As for fantasy settings, their Fantasy Companion has a lot of your standard D&D bits in it, and their Evernight setting is pretty unique.
>>47339800
Mind explaining why you did these changes?
>>47339801
Lots of votes for Savage Worlds, which is surprising me, to be honest! I knew it was a possibility but there seems to be a lot of love for it.
How do you guys like Savage Worlds for noncombat stuff? I like battles - who doesn't - but I don't want that to be the entire focus of the campaign. Yet so many systems focus 99% of their energy on combat.
>>47339755
If I understand right, Gentleman's Edition is just a German publication, right? Like it's not an actual new edition, it's just a German version printed by a German company affiliated with Pinnacle.
>>47339736
>How do you like it? How does it handle noncombat stuff?
You roll a d6 for the chosen skill, you get a degree of success depending on the roll, modified by being trained or untrained in the skill.
It's very simple, probably too simple even. However, there's a number of subsystems for non-combat, one I especially like called Team Conflict. I heard the out of combat part was inspired by Burning wheel/Mouseguard, so you maybe want to check those out.
>>47339843
I'll be honest, I think non-combat is where it's weakest. It comes down mostly to roleplay and your basic skill resolution mechanics (which is just beat Target Number 4, plus/minus modifiers). Pic related is literally all the core book has to say. Now it's good and concise, but it's nothing particularly amazing.
>>47339946
Hm, alright. It doesn't need to be super complex mechanically, but I was just hoping that characters would have interesting tricks outside of combat as well as inside it.
>>47339843
>Mind explaining why you did these changes?
Savage Armory: the weapons have 0 balance in the core book. I guess they were going for simulationist? but then why is the katana doing 2d6+2 AP 2? It's just stupid all around, with big two handed weapons being really shafted.
Skills: I just found it too fiddly for too little benefit. Edges and drawbacks already cover the rules system well, you can just hand out more of those and make ones that are skill related instead of fucking around with skill points.
Strength+Vigor because each does too little by itself, especially if ranged weapons exist, and especially for skills.
Also, while the "marathon runner" and "strongman who can't take a punch" are existing archetypes, I think hindrances and edges are especially great at modelling that instead of having those stats as seperate fucking over the "warrior" types who need 3 stats to function well.
>>47339886
Also, on top of skills every character receives a number of tricks they can use, and complications they can invoke for fate points so you got some stuff to do.
It's very narrative, probably PbtA and FATE inspired.
>>47339856
Might be, I only ever bought it around here in LGSs, so I thought they had the Slim Softback and Thick Hardback with Extra Content everywhere.
Dungeon World is actually a lot better than thisncrap. Savage worlds is a war game and cannot compare to the depth of narrative that dungeon world offers, it is much better for fantasy and allows far more creativity than a savage worlds game ever could.
>>47340004
This does seem interesting. I skimmed through the book and it seems like a good mix of the best parts of PbtA and Fate, with combat that reminds me of D&D. I'll consider it!
>>47340103
I like Dungeon World, but it has its issues. It handles narrative mechanics well, but it just never felt interesting enough to me or my players.
>>47339313
I'm using Ryuutama right now for a basic hack-and-slash, although most of the rules aren't really made for combat. I'd just stick with whatever system you know best and tweak the rules to fit the kind of game you want.
>>47343621
Yeah. Is the combat fun at least? I (as the GM) am not aiming for lots of combat, but if it can't handle at least a good amount of it, it might be better to move away from Ryuutama.
>>47343794
If you're worried about it there are 'Picnic Rules' that simplify the combat, otherwise they're not too difficult. If you've played any turn-based JRPG then you already 'get' it; I personally am using an alternate combat rule because I think it will be more engaging for my players.
>>47343904
Oh, I'm fine with the combat being complicated, I was just curious if the combat played well. I did notice that it seemed tougher to get narrative into it.
You're using alternate combat ruels?
>>47339313
Despite the controversy and junk, Dungeon World is super easy for light hearted heroic fantasy. Characters feel powerful right away, monsters are scary but killable, cinematic battle scenes and exploration.
Savage Worlds is probably fine too. Haven't used it for fantasy though. Just cowboys and zombies.
I've heard good things about Barbarians of Lemuria too.
>>47344123
I want to like Dungeon World, but I've had a mixed time playing it. Might have been because of my group though. I should give it another shot.
>>47343979
>You're using alternate combat ruels?
Crimson Ryuujin can use the Longbow Artefact to give players the chance to dodge attacks with their [DEX+INT] stat instead of their initiative score. I included it because I had heard problems about high initiatives being game-breaking, and my players are all used to 5e anyways.
>>47344211
Ha, no way.... I was literally just thinking that that seemed better! Glad to hear it's good.
I'm thinking of going Crimson or Green, if I do Ryuutama.
>>47344277
I'm still fine-tuning it but all the rules are pretty flexible, I'm sort of new to DMing in general so the low complexity has been a plus from me.
>>47344442
Yeah, I approve of that too.
>>47340103
gr8 b8 m8
>>47344123
>Despite the controversy and junk, Dungeon World is super easy for light hearted heroic fantasy. Characters feel powerful right away, monsters are scary but killable, cinematic battle scenes and exploration.
Came here to say this. So THIS.
>>47344137
Could be. Having run a lot of it, my #1 recommendation is to not ignore the GM rules. Talking to my players, the best sessions of DW that I ran for 'em were the ones where I pressed those rules and things hard. The sessions where I just kinda ignored the GM parts and sorta went with the flow like I would another RPG ended up feeling mushy and drawn out.
I should see if they want to do DW again, it's been a while, and our current game is kind of losing steam.
>>47347583
>The sessions where I just kinda ignored the GM parts and sorta went with the flow like I would another RPG ended up feeling mushy and drawn out.
Yeah, that's pretty muchh exactly what happened... I was hoping my instincts for a good adventure would make it work well, but what you said makes me realize I don't think I got them to roleplay enough, and so on.
Thanks for the advice!
>>47339313
>Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser
Light-hearted and heroic? Did you actually read any of this? The Twain are dogged by tragedy every step of the way. What about what happens after they steal Death's mask? Fafhrd's religious conversion and subsequent torture?
Yes, the Fafhrd & Grey Mouser stuff is humorous, but I think it is way too dark to be considered light-hearted. Way more bad stuff happens to the Twain over the course of those books than happens in any DQ game.
That said, there have been Faf & Mouser adaptations for AD&D (decent), Runequest (pretty decent) and Savage Worlds (very pretty, but I don't know the system very well).
