Tabletop RPG Catch All

We had a lot of fun with it. Our GM didn't go the more subversive route and instead pretty much had us fighting in self-defense the whole time. It took a whole mission, 4 encounters I think, before we really got a solid handle on the rules. Most of our character choices (what there were) were made in the dark as far as the in-game effect they'd have. We ended up with 1 character using a strength and no one using weaknesses.

I think we'll continue for at least one more session. Some of the most fun was making up names/nicknames for the inconsequential NPC squadmates that existed only for color, such as: sh*tballs (KIA), Nutfire, Abraham Lincoln (KIA), Boogie Down (KIA), Marvelous Unicorn.

Thought I'd post in here first - I've got a collection of Palladium Fantasy/Rifts/Rifter books I'm not using anymore, and am interested in selling. With the exception of 1-2 books, this is a comprehensive collection through 2004 or so - over 100 books/manuals. If anyone is interested send me a PM.

Started a D&D 4E campaign today. My first time playing D&D like ever, despite having run the thing ever since the red box, through AD&D and 3E. Seems like the perfect just-for-fun weekday game.

I'm reading over the rules of a bunch of free, indie RPGs. Mostly award winners from indie-rpg.com. Love everything from One Seven Design that I've read so far (ghost/echo, agon, lady blackbird, danger patrol). Would love to try out any of these. 44: A Game of Automatic Fear sounds like a really interesting setting and story to tell, too.

Recently finished GMing a year-and-a-half long run of the new Vampire. Best game I've ever run, but due to the incredible players, not necessarily the system. There are a number of changes to the system that I ended up liking more than I thought I would. And some changes, I threw out the window from the get-go. All in all, an amazing time.

I'm about start playing in a short Star Wars Saga campaign, and then beginning a second Vampire story (same players & their characters).

I am still holding onto an In Nomine campaign, but don't know if we'll ever get around to playing it. I like IN a lot, but I refuse to run demons. ^_-

In Nomine - I always get the inspiration when reading the book, but the rules I've got appear to be just bonkers upon closer inspection. I think it's the first SJG edition, I'm under the impression that there was a much more sane version late on. Probably never going to run it, but I do love the book. That Spanish fantasy movie Don't Tempt Me (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0284491/) always struck me as a story told in In Nomine. If you haven't seen it, you should!

The new Vampire - strangely, I feel no interest in this, despite having played ridiculous amounts of the original, second edition, Dark Ages, Kindred Of The East and especially Revised. I just don't see any need for a new version, Vampire Revised is pretty much perfect in my books. Is there a good reason I might want to look at the latest one?

We tried to play In Nomine around 13 years ago. I think we got one session in, or part of one session. I honestly can't remember much about our attempt or why it fell apart.

I'd love to get a bunch of people together to read Good Omens and then try running In Nomine.

Dragonfly wrote:

I am still holding onto an In Nomine campaign, but don't know if we'll ever get around to playing it. I like IN a lot, but I refuse to run demons. ^_-

Is there another system you think might handle the setting better? I love the idea behind In Nomine from what I've read about it, but have never read the system itself.

Mixolyde wrote:
Dragonfly wrote:

I am still holding onto an In Nomine campaign, but don't know if we'll ever get around to playing it. I like IN a lot, but I refuse to run demons. ^_-

Is there another system you think might handle the setting better? I love the idea behind In Nomine from what I've read about it, but have never read the system itself.

I'm a huge fan of In Nomine as well (I love my first printing, single burning feather on black cover corebook) but the rules are really lacking apart from all the flavor.

After seeing what can be done using FATE for the Dresden Files, I think the over-the-top version of FATE seen in Spirit of the Century is a very good base to build the setting on top of.

Falchion wrote:
Mixolyde wrote:
Dragonfly wrote:

I am still holding onto an In Nomine campaign, but don't know if we'll ever get around to playing it. I like IN a lot, but I refuse to run demons. ^_-

Is there another system you think might handle the setting better? I love the idea behind In Nomine from what I've read about it, but have never read the system itself.

I'm a huge fan of In Nomine as well (I love my first printing, single burning feather on black cover corebook) but the rules are really lacking apart from all the flavor.

After seeing what can be done using FATE for the Dresden Files, I think the over-the-top version of FATE seen in Spirit of the Century is a very good base to build the setting on top of.

Has anyone tried GURPS In Nomine?

Tanglebones wrote:

Has anyone tried GURPS In Nomine?

I've read it, but not played. It looked like the mechanics hung together better than the original.

MikeSands wrote:
Tanglebones wrote:

Has anyone tried GURPS In Nomine?

I've read it, but not played. It looked like the mechanics hung together better than the original.

Mechanics are definitely much better, but I think it loses much of the flavor in return. FATE has Aspects and the tagging of them with Compels. That just sounds like a perfect fit for a game involving Angels and Demons.

I just started playing Trail of Cthulhu with a group, but we're ending it soon since two of our players are moving across the country and it was only a group of six to begin with.

We were playing it as gangsters set in 1930's Vancouver and I'm disappointed we probably won't continue the story.

Are there any RPGs for really small groups that still allow for a long campaign?

Mimble wrote:

I just started playing Trail of Cthulhu with a group, but we're ending it soon since two of our players are moving across the country and it was only a group of six to begin with.

We were playing it as gangsters set in 1930's Vancouver and I'm disappointed we probably won't continue the story.

Are there any RPGs for really small groups that still allow for a long campaign?

Burning Wheel seems to be geared for allowing a lot of creativity and buy-in from all the players, which would probably help the campaign's longevity.

Burning Wheel is very crunchy. There different sets of rules for different type of conflict and the rules are dense. Be warned.

Mimble wrote:

Are there any RPGs for really small groups that still allow for a long campaign?

Plenty - what sort of games are you interested in?

I'd say Trail of Cthulhu would go okay with three, to start with. You wouldn't be able to cover all the investigative abilities, but as long as the Keeper takes that into account in prep, there should be no problem.

I'd say most games work just fine with a small group. It's the crunchier ones that may have problems - I probably wouldn't play D&D with fewer than four. All of White Wolf's Storyteller games benefit from a small group. Trail Of Cthulhu should work okay, I'd say the old Chaosium Call Of Cthulhu would work even better.

I played in a Dragonlance game today using the Labyrinth Lord rules. LL is pretty much the 1st edition D&D rules with a few tweaks. We're playing one of the published campaigns. I can't remember which because I never really read any Dragonlance stuff before. All I know is I'm playing Flint Fireforge, I hate water, and am allergic to horses. We ended up crossing a lake in a boat, getting guided through a forest by centaurs, and talking to a unicorn forest guard thing, and then hitching a ride on pegasi so he wasn't to happy.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

We tried to play In Nomine around 13 years ago. I think we got one session in, or part of one session. I honestly can't remember much about our attempt or why it fell apart.

Painful Lughnasadh got in the way.

BadMojo wrote:
Quintin_Stone wrote:

We tried to play In Nomine around 13 years ago. I think we got one session in, or part of one session. I honestly can't remember much about our attempt or why it fell apart.

Painful Lughnasadh got in the way.

Oh! It figures.

With In Nomine, I didn't mind the system very much, but then, I was comparing it to my experience of running WoD rules. The system was never an issue... it's just kind of one of those games that needs a good, strong story from the gate, I think.

I'm not sure which edition I have, but it may be the first one. I actually helped playtest it with a former roommate, though he's the one with credit in a couple of the books. Geez, GM's want all the glory! I've never seen 'Don't Tempt Me', though now I'm intrigued. For me, the movie Dogma always seemed like an IN campaign! I tell all would-be players to see the movie for a good comparison. Especially since I like to add lots of humor in my games. (Despite running Vampire)

There are a lot of good stories you can run without letting the players play demons. To me, running demons is just a contest of who can out-horrify each other. No good teamwork, there.

Vampire:

jlaakso wrote:

Is there a good reason I might want to look at the latest one?

Mmm, hard to say. They simplified the clans and the basic disciplines, after they'd gone so ridiculously overpowered in the prior edition, sub-book franchise that it was really hard to suspend disbelief. The new WoD is more realistic, but I had to throw out the hardcore angst.

Reading the new Vampire, IMHO, makes a GM wonder why anyone would bother playing. If you're a vampire, you are an emotionless, whiny, selfish jerk who doesn't like others. Gee, didn't strike me as very fun to roleplay.

So, I tossed the 'tone', and put my own in place. However, gotta say, the WoD mechanics are still insane! I loathe the combat system and am considering seeing if I can find or craft an alternative. There's more math in a two-minute vampire fight scene than on a high-school calculus exam.

The new Vampire may fall prey to what the old one did - they're starting to create new sub-books for clans and such. But they also leave more room for creating your own bloodlines and disciplines. And the funniest addition to me: Vampire religions. No, really. That's the biggest change. Now, vamps have 'covenants', which are like cults.

We've had a blast. I would still recommend it, especially to math-comfortable GM's.

Gearing up to run a game of Seadog Tuxedo either this weekend or next. Really excited for that.

I've been looking a bit at the Cthulhu RPGs, both Call of Cthulhu and Trail of Cthulhu. While I like the universe quite a bit, and enjoy playing Arkham Horror, I'm curious what it is that makes these games so popular. What is it that makes them so enjoyable? Which one would I be better off getting? Would most of my RPG buddies have a good time with them? Thanks!

Cthulhu is unique because it's not a story of heroes. Well it can be, but running the game the way it's supposed to be run, all but one of the player characters perishes in an adventure (according to the original designer, Sandy Petersen). It's a story of mankind's struggle against insurmountable, unbeatable odds and going insane in the face of existential horror. You try to tell a cool story of perishing in a dramatic way, leaving a fine mystery for some other soul to delve into.

That said, I haven't really had a particularly high body count in my games. I just don't like to kill players. There have been quite a few retired characters, though.

It's also stories about very ordinary people, not heroes in any sense, running across things they just can't understand. This mix of the mundane and the utterly, colossally insane is very appealing to me. The game absolutely does not work with "hero types" (soldiers, martial artists, etc).

I've spent some of my best RPG times and some of the longest-running games running Call Of Cthulhu. It's pretty awesome, but decidedly old school. I haven't played the latest version - 5.1's been good to us. The insanity mechanics often turn the game into something approaching a dark comedy. I would recommend either taking the mad heroes in stride, not thinking about them too much, or changing the system into something more realistic. There have been awesome adventures and campaigns published for the game, just oozing atmosphere. I've had good success introducing non-players to RPGs using Cthulhu, as in a one-shot, you don't need to know anything about anything to play, just step into the horror fiction.

There are two equally great ways to play this game: the 1920s setting (with its many classic adventures) or the modern "you wouldn't believe it was released before the X-Files" setting of Delta Green. DG is pretty much the best scifi/contemporary/conspiracy/horror game out there, in any medium, period. It's not a standalone product, it's a setting/campaign/source book.

The one negative is heavy preparation necessary for the GM, as the typical Cthulhu scenario is an investigative one.

Trail Of Cthulhu does the modern RPG take on the same themes really well. The central mechanic of the Gumshoe system (you're not able to fail investigative skills, because that's just bad drama) may or may not be a problem for your thinking. I've written about the system a bit more here.

A major upside of Trail Of Cthulhu is easier preparation for the GM and modern mechanics. It's a really cool game. Any new Cthulhu stuff, I'd certainly run with Trail Of Cthulhu, possibly mixing with the Delta Green setting.

That seems like it covers the important stuff. Pelgrane Press are publishing some really good mysteries for Trail of Cthulhu at the moment, too.

I'd emphasize that it's important for everyone to buy into the likelihood of their characters going insane or dying for either game to really rock.

Also, glad you asked. These old but great games get way too few new players, I'm afraid. RPGs don't really age, even though some mechanics were just broken to begin with.

Wow, thanks for all the info. I think I'll give one of them a try, though I'm still not sure which. There are a core of players here who actively like the idea that their character can die, so I don't expect that to be a problem.

Trail of Cthulhu is much more recent and I dare say easier to get into. Call Of Cthulhu is probably a better bet if you've played a bunch of old RPGs, especially the Chaosium stuff (RuneQuest, Elric). It's very conventional. On the other hand, TOC does a better job of making the genre work for you.

Personally, I find Trail a lot nicer because it's one unified system of mechanics. Call is a lot messier, with different mechanical subsystems for different areas, so it's harder to keep track of everything.

Trail also has a system that enforces that in every mystery, the investigators are guaranteed to get the core clues they need to solve it. I really like this aspect, but some people don't. I find it means that you end up with more time spent thinking about what the clues mean, whereas in Call you can miss something important and end up spinning your wheels.