Anima Beyond Fantasy

Hi! I was just wondering if someone has an honest review of this game. So far I only know it d100 and it has a ridiculous amount of customization for NPC/PC alike and rules to create all sorts of creatures, magic, fighting styles and stuff like that, but that is what I've heard but I would like a review of sots from someone who has played it before on how difficult it is to learn or how complex and the setting to a certain extent.

I have several of the books, but to be honest I have never gotten around to playing it. The combat rules are way different than Pathfinder or D&D, as you use a chart and opposed rolls to see if you hit or not. Also, you roll initiative at the start of each round rather than just once per encounter. The game is a lot harder to learn than say BESM, but a lot simpler to learn than Exalted. I don't know if that helps. Personally I plan on picking up Psionics Unleashed and then using the campaign setting with Pathfinder.

Well I learned Exalted (to a certain extent) I do remember using a bucket of d10 per charm lol.

I read some of the fluff and the setting looks interesting enough to play on, but I will get my hands on a friends book since he has like 4 of them but right now I'll stick to the main one.

Care to elaborate more in the combat rules?

Well usually initiative should be rolled every round, but for simplicity sakes we just roll once per encounter now a days.

Thank you for the info and hopefully someone else might help me out with more info :)

If you want a deep combat simulator this game is great it has a lot of things such as arrows shot over certain distance hit on lower init counter attacks and weapon vs armor charts that you don't have in PF.

It is a lot to take in and a lot more to deal with when you look at magic and ki and summoning but all and all its kinda fun.

Honestly, I tried to get into it, but I couldn't. It's got a lot of what turns me off about games like Rolemaster and GURPS - too many charts, too many numbers, not enough streamlining. I'd love to give a more in-depth review, but I honestly couldn't get past the first fifty or so pages, and had to bail out to save my sanity.

I've run the game a few times. Combat is...short and brutal, or a slog-fest. It really varies, in my short experience. My issue with it is that it has so many rolls that are requires, especially opposed rolls, and so many charts, which causes headaches. But if you can get past that and the translation issues...I absolutely love it. The sheer ability to customize characters and the breadth of what you can manage in the system is amazing. I enjoy it, but I honestly don't think it can be run properly without the Bestiary.

I have no problem with the translations, as I'm native Spanish speaker.

So basically you need a GM screen to actually be able to pull this game off because of all the charts.

I'm barely reading into the classes, and just the character creation is amazing how you can really customize.

I confess I took a peek at the bestiary which there was none in the book to speak of, instead there was a create it yourself using this guideline which can be used also to create character races (Advanced Race Guide basically) and I surfed the forums and there is a ridiculous amounts of fan made creatures already that save time (at least most basic creatures from D&D are converted)

I like the Technicians (ki warrior) remind me of a weird mix between Magus and Psychic Warrior, but the sheer amount of Ki techniques is... ridiculous as well as the capacity of creating your own is nice.

I think all in all, if I can get a GM screen (with the important charts) the real deal is I think creating a character is a ridiculous long process and not because it's complicated it's just there are so many ridiculous amounts of options to actually create something.

Thank you all for your replies ^^

My experience with this is limited. I directed a few sessions for my group but had to drop it for lack of time. I tend to study new RPG systems as a hobby, even though I've only played significant campaigns with Pathfinder, D&D 3.x and some GURPS

SYSTEM:
I think the system looks like a mix of GURPS point based advancement with D&D classes.

Basically, your class tells you how much your different options cost.

You want to be a fighter that can cast? No problem, it will cost you more...

The combat system is not that complicated. Even with the rolls.. I found it pretty original.

The chart is only necessary for a few sessions. Then you learn the formula behind it and don't have to look at it anymore.

If I remember correctly, it goes something like this>

you roll a d100 and add your combat skill, you oponent rolls defense and substracts. If positive, you hit, if negative, you are open to a counterattack. If your enemy counterattacks, he has the roll difference as a bonus.

If you hit, you have to substract the armor from the difference. If there is something remaining, that's damage, expressed as a percentage of your base damage.

The chart is useful to get this numbers quick, but it not only unnecessary but also on 10pts increment, so you usually end up rounding. Better to learn the math.

I don't remember how critical hits worked.

Another thing is that it has SEVERAL subsystems. One for invocations, one for Magic, one for Ki powers, one for Psionics.

Each one different and interesting.

I think that the system gives you too many options and can be a little overwhelming, but it's worth looking at it.

FEELING AND SETTING
The game plays like a high fantasy cinematic anime. It is obiously infulenced by eastern concepts of honor, of fighting styles and by medieval fantasy seen through an eastern point of view.

More Saint-Seya than Tolkien.

The inclusion of christian mythos as campaing elements is a bold move, I like it.

I say that Anima is well worth a try, and may pick it up in the future.

Hopefully it will, but yeas the many subsystems (ki, magic, etc...) are a lot to digest and it is one of the few games were the GM screen really save you a ton.

I'm currently running an Anima campaign and it is the second one I've run. My players love the system. Here are my observations about it.

Some things in it can be VERY broken and easily abused so don't use it unless you know how to handle systems like that.

Grab a calculator and make things simple. My players don't have to worry about the math at all. They tell me their attack or defense, I plug it in, add the attackers roll, subtract the defenders roll and you have a result.

Design wise it looks like a streamlined rolemaster. Play wise it's pretty fast and fun with lots of options.

Initiative MATTERS. I have never seen any system where initiative matters so much. One on one who ever goes first has an almost overwhelming advantage.

If you want an over the top fantasy campaign then I highly recommend it. If you're looking for anything like realism or medium to low power go elsewhere.

Ok, so here’s my opinion. Been playing Anima: Beyond Fantasy for almost a year now religiously and I can honestly say most of the attempts here and elsewhere to pigeonhole the style and feel of the world and game style are wrong (no offence intended). The first impression is that of an Anime-style world converted into a table-top RPG but once you delve deeper into the setting you realize the complexity and completeness of the setting, if not it’s entire history. While there is a definitive Anime feel to everything I have run games with a White Wolf political feel using undead and supernatural organizations, I have run settings akin to the LOTR trilogy, and even a completely ingrained sci-fi game with plasma rifles and space travel isn’t outside of this setting’s scope. The only problem lies in that it’s designed for a certain amount of devotion or one hell of a keen mind coupled with a damn-near photographic memory (Here I state that even after a year of almost solid reading and memorizing there’re still aspect of the world that escape me.).

Larger-than-life action can be expected, but with a good GM such action is kept to a minimum because of the very nature of the world and the power of its organizations. There’re places on Gaia (the World of Anima) in which you can have your typical hack-and-slash dungeon crawl (Galgados), and then there are places where a horror/fantasy is more appropriate (Moth), and even places for those who prefer the typical kung-fu anime style of play (Shivat). Want traditional Japanese culture? Lanet’s your place. And for high politics and intrigue anywhere in the Coast of Commerce, the Holy Empire of Abel, or the Azure Alliance are for you.

Power levels in the game reach epic proportions, literally world-changing, with warriors capable of devastating entire armies in a single blow. This coupled with its vast feel placed into the hands of a traditionalist D&D player can only amount in chaos. Progression is meant to be slow and painful, with the idea that players are meant to earn their wings and that an adventure isn’t an adventure without risk. This isn’t to say that in a game where the players are set to destroy or re-create the face of Gaia that progression can’t be fast but that sort of thing’s better left to experienced GMs and players.

The System’s crunchy to say the least with a definitive rules-heave way about it. A key tool in GMing or playing anima is a Calculator unless you have a severely mathematical mind. Ascrap paper for notes and working out problems is also actually essential. With these, your Character Sheet, and a D% you’re set to play. The Combat system’s made for GMs who don’t mind doing most of the work. I’ve spoken to player’s who’s GMs have left them to do the maths and none of them really enjoyed the play experience.

While the system works with %Dice it’s not actually a %system. It just uses the numbers. Combat is Table orientated but once you have your head around the table you can do the working out all in your head. (Took me about a month and I’m not mathematically minded)
Character gen in the beginning could take a while, to be honest about a day per person, but this can be cut down by simply knowing what’s going on and experience to about 3 hours each. Character gen in Anima is meant to be in-depth so quick games are a practical impossibility with players inevitably becoming more attached to their characters due to the amount of work they’re expected to put into them.

The Core book is available for free download if you’re not lazy, and if you have the good fortune to be able to speak Spanish then a whole plethora of Book are available to you (It actually a Spanish game translated into English so the Translation’s actually a bit crappy but I’ve heard wonders about the Original Books, they’re almost poetry :-) )
If you’re having problem with ideas for feel, ask your players two vital questions: What’s your favourite Anime? What’s your favourite Fantasy series?
Combined the two and there you go.

This game is not for kids or once-off GMs who’ll both miss out on the complexity of everything in this world and who won’t get most of the subtlety of it. If you’re looking for a new game to start GMing but want something light and easy to work, This System Is NOT For You. IF you’re looking for a new game to start GMing and want something in-depth, interesting, and involved and takes you out of the kids pool and into deeper waters, This Game IS For You.

Oh, and the Art’s worth killing for…

So, to summarize, Anima is: Low Dice, Epic feel, high GM maintenance, All-encompassing, poorly translated but Uber-fun, Anime geared Table top game for Mature Players designed to get you hooked and keep you there.

There’s also a Card Game (Anima: Shadows of Omega) and a Table-top strategy (Anima: Tactics) (<-You can tell the Final Fantasy hint there)

Eldritch Dragonrider cyber-ninja Elven Inquisitor of Jesus Christ.

'Nuff said.

I would love to play Anima but I've never found a game.

As many have mentioned, the art is unbelievable and the character classes look fun.

If I have one reservation about the game it's the conspiracy bloat.

I'm reading through the main book and run into the first conspiracy, then the next, and another. Then there's a conspiracy manipulating a bunch of the conspiracies, and another. Then the conspiracy of super-awesome spacemen manipulating everyone shows up and I'm not even halfway through the backstory yet.

By this point I'm pounding my head against the wall trying to get the X-files/World of Darkness flashbacks to stop.

I want to play this game, heck, I want to love this game, but I'll also be wanting a GM who will treat the setting with a light hand.