Hello everyone!
I’ve had some issues with D&D 5E lately and would like to try something else. I’ve thought a bit about what I actually want from a new system and came up with this:
The RPG should
- be universal a.k.a. adaptable to different settings
- be able to include magic of some kind, preferably already offering that option by its default rules
- be balanced between different character archetypes/classes (if such exist)
- guarantee smooth and fast combat (specifically less complicated than D&D 5E)
- guarantee smooth play in general, no constant looking up rules
- encourage role-playing (not necessarily via rules, but IMO D&D 5E neglects RP by its rules being overly focused on combat)
- still offer as much customization options as possible
- be easy to modify if needed and easy to create homebrew content for (e.g. items, monsters)
- be suitable for one-shots as well as longer campaigns
- have an online tool or a clearly structured index to look up rules/other stuff
- already have some homebrew content available on the internet, as well as a platform to discuss rulings
Using the criteria above, I put together a list of potential candidates:
- Adventurers!
- AGE
- Apotheosis
- Cortex Prime
- Cypher
- Dungeonslayers
- Fate (Core, Accelerated and/or Condensed)
- Freeform Universal
- Fudge
- Genesys
- Hero System
- HeroQuest
- Ironsworn
- Low Fantasy Gaming
- Mini Six
- Old School Essentials
- PbtA (and/or more specifically Dungeon World)
- Prose Descriptive Qualities
- Risus
- Savage Worlds
- The Black Hack
- World of Dungeons
- Worlds Without Number
- Whitehack
However, I only read about each RPG briefly… and as you can see, the list is still very long. Do any of the systems named don’t fit what I’m actually looking for or meet the requirements listed above especially well? My goal is to bring the list down to 2-3 RPGs, ultimately choosing from them. Oh, and if you think there is another RPG that I haven’t named, but fits my needs better than all the others: Recommend away!
Many thanks for all your help!
EDIT: added suitability for longer campaigns as a desirable quality
i run a SWADE game, and the book indexes are great. Nothing online, but various VTT systems can be used as a database if you buy the content.
The SWADE rules are considerably simpler than D&D, and they have optional rules that you can mix-and-match to fit the mechanics better to your setting. For example, expanded fear and insanity rules for horror campaigns, or armor ranks for a sci-fi settings with mechs and spaceships, etc. It's especially fast in the combat department, I recently had a boss fight that lasted 2 rounds (took about 20 min IRL) because two players rolled well.
Cypher is great too, perhaps even better, but Cypher really requires an experienced GM. The rules are so general that you as the GM really need to decide for each roll what the modifiers should be, there's guidance but no specific systems for grappling, chases, overland travel, searching, nothing. So it can be really good and fluid and creative if you can pull it off as a GM (and the GM never rolls anything, giving you more time & energy to focus on your GM role), but an inexperienced GM will suffer.
Also consider games powered by the following system:
Ah I see you have it in the list, I'm referring to PbtA.
They are VERY rules-light, very roleplay-heavy, but fun. I've been a player in a *Monster of the Week" game for years, and it has been a blast.