CourtFool's page

I do not have a lot of experience running Fate, but it has worked well for me. I do not believe Fate handles absolutes well. If I am immune to fire there are only so many clever things you can do with your fireball that are going to have any affect on me. Why do I even need to roll dice? And why do I need to spend a Fate Point to use my immunity to fire? If I run out, am I suddenly no longer immune to fire?

For me, personally, and this is simply a matter of taste, Fate is not crunchy enough. I do not mind handwaving equipment. That always bored me anyway. But I do like to know exactly how many languages my character speaks and who is best at Chess.

In Mother Russia, thread bans you!

It's contagious.

Politics isn't a Class skill.

Although not Fantasy specific,
FATE, FATE Accelerated, PDQ and PDQ#.

Hi. I'm CourtFool. I'm a poodle and I'm new.

Those 'fiddly bits' as you call them are often the difference between telling people what your character is instead of actually showing them what your character is.

Derailing: How much of this should be done in play rather than adding complexity? I doubt there is an answer here we could all agree to. I guess the often heard argument that universal systems don't do a particular genre justice grates on my nerves. I don't see the need for additional mechanics to make up for weak narrative.

What's going on here?!

I find Mutants & Masterminds to be a slightly more rules lite version of Hero System. 2nd edition will be very familiar to anyone with experience with D20 products. I have run a couple non-Supers one shots with it. It is very cinematic, so if you are looking for gritty realism, G.U.R.P.S. is your better bet.

Mutants & Masterminds
Hero System (Champions)
G.U.R.P.S.

All three handle Supers. G.U.R.P.S. is going to be a little more crunchy so the first two might better lend themselves to the pulp feel.

How about 'Fallen Angel'? Or 'Rebellous, But Good-Hearted Angel'?

FATE
and
PDQ and its derivatives.

Another suggestion for FATE Accelerated.
Atomic Sock Monkey's PDQ and/or PDQ#. You can fit a character sheet on a 3 x 5 card.

Be kind to animals.

Le Woof

Honestly, I've taught my little sisters to game and Pathfinder is hard for that, at least for me. I've been introducing younger kids to RPGs through FATE (sometimes accelerated edition sometimes CORE) and then graduating them to Pathfinder after a few adventures. I'm not saying you CAN'T teach your daughter through PF, I've just had more success with FATE. Entire way good luck with the little one :D

I agree that Pathfinder has a steeper learning curve. A rules light system that is not Class based would probably be a lot easier for kids to pick up and less work trying to stuff beloved characters into rigid archtypes.

G.U.R.P.S. is only slightly more complicated than Pathfinder.

I believe some of Killer Shrike's (killershrike.com) proposals for Magic using the Hero System could be ported into M&M with a little effort. I have never been happy with the Enchanter and Ritualist approach either.

Also, are you familiar with prodigyduck's spell list conversion?

Banned because this thread has gone on so long.

I have run a Western in G.U.R.P.S. and in Hero. In my biased opinion, both work superbly. I am also considering running one in Mutants & Masterminds 2e. There will be serious restrictions on Powers and I have toyed with tinkering with Initiative.

Fate/Fate Accelerated Edition: If you want to focus more on story and less on crunchy mechanics. Character creation is wide open.

G.U.R.P.S.: If you want some serious Simulationist fun. Plenty of supplements for Science Fiction settings.

Hero: Crunchy system that allows for just about anything. Some support of Science Fiction settings.

None of these systems come with a pre-fabricated setting. All three can handle Psionics without collapsing into a heap of unfun.

I would not recommend G.U.R.P.S. or Hero for a one off campaign. There is a high learning curve that is a hard sell for a one time thing. Both systems are better tailored to being consistent playing platforms across multiple genres. If you are going to learn them, you might as well use them again and again.

Yes, you still owe me $20.

I prefer 2e. I find the changes in Characteristics counter-intuitive. Powers moved even more towards Champions/Hero which makes them even more versatile but at added complexity. For me, the deciding factor is that 3e has even less granularity than 2e.

It is a solid system, but if you like 2e I see no reason to 'upgrade'

I love what you've done with the place.

John Kretzer wrote:

Old Man Henderson wrote:

MUCKLE DAMRED CULTIST!! 'AIR EH NAMBLIES BE KEEPIN' ME WEE MEN!?!?

I see somebody escaped from the old folks home again. I really do think old folks home should come elkectric fences and guard dogs. ;)

Jus' try it! Ain't be the first ugly-arse poodle I done in. *waves molotov threateningly*

There's never just one.

Seeing such real struggles is truly unbearable. If you cannot be equally privileged, please move to some third world country. You are bringing down the property values.

Most choices are easy to determine, we just do not like what is required of the right ones.

Sumo!

Don't cry. This is PbP. It happens. Frequently. Accept it. Embrace it. Don't hold back your cool stuff 'cause the campaign may never make it that far.

Good luck! I hope you find two great players.

For me, cheating is a betrayal of trust. I do not particularly want to game with anyone I cannot trust at least enough not to cheat on game that is supposed to be fun for everyone.

Disruptiveness is a little more gray. Your game, your rules. If your friend wants to run a 2e game, bully for him. At your table, you get to decide the rules.

•speechless•

G.U.R.P.S. and Hero System use 3d6 extensively. Honestly, I prefer the nice bell curve. The wild variance of a d20 can be very cruel if you are skill focused and you only get one opportunity to shine with that skill in a session.

Poodles too. Just sayin'.

Llamas: 0

See the discrimination inherent in the system?

Are you of another color?

Cosmo is the reason we can't have nice things.

Again, I stumbled into a gross generalization. My apologies.

One way to help alleviate the 'I have no idea how to respond to your idea' problem is to ask the player flat out what they hope to achieve. Using the octopus example, was it meant as a distraction? An obstacle? Did the player actually expect it to be able to attack the bandits?

Stalling gives you more time to think. Better understanding the player's desire may reveal the idea was not as crazy as originally thought. You may be able to tailor a result similar to the player's desired effect without breaking versimulitude.

The octopuses wild, frantic thrashing knocks down two of the bandits while the others stare in disbelief.

Ninja Boy fails to leap over the heads of his foes, but does manage to careen into two of them, knocking them to the ground.

Also, failure does not necessarily mean failure due to lack of skill. An unexpected variable crops up that causes the failure that otherwise would have been a sure thing.

A skilled climber fails a climbing check because the wind kicks dust into his eyes. An expert juggler fails a Performance check because a small boy accidentally bumps into him.

I do not think poor rolls should necessarily make the PC look foolish. Unless you want comedic relief.

They land at an inn where the nice lesbian couple raise a small brood of adopted children, one of whom is a fairly nubile lass.

My verisimilitude was utterly shattered when no one came on to Djorn! :P

Texas. Even if we start leaning blue thanks to the Hispanic vote, those same Hispanics are not likely to be any more in favor for equal rights.

I acknowledge that I am grossly generalizing Hispanics, but as a block, they tend to be Catholic.

Disturbance in the Force, I blame Cosmo for...hmmmm?

Still $20 short.

Yeah but it's kinda hard to hump them when they're punting you.

That's why I always go for the face.

Yay Man U!

Sorry. Man U games seem to be the only ones I ever get.

CourtFool wrote:

Oh yeah! Give it to me!

How's you?

Doing OK I guess. Just trying to stay clear of all of the monsters around here.

You know what we do with monsters, don't you?

Oh yeah! Give it to me!

How's you?

Scratches at the door.

Any thread I have ever graced.

I got dibs on Sebastian.

Uh...no.

Evil Lincoln
Kirth Gersen
Samnell
Sebastian