I cheered out loud when you presented your first alternative to D&D. Yes! 13th Age is everything D&D might be, were it not for a plethora of dysfunctional legacies D&D just can't escape.
I'm currently exploring Dungeon Crawl Classics. I'm normally not a fan of class and level or of high fantasy but DCC does something really interesting with them, especially when it comes to magic.
To clarify your confusion about the current status of Earthdawn... It has come back to FASA, and is currently in its fourth edition after a successful Kickstarter. It can be found at www.fasagames.com. There is also "Earthdawn: Age of Legend" which is put out by Vagrant Workshop (licensed from FASA). This is a rules-lite version based on the Freeform Universal (FU) system.
Josh Harrison thanks- I knew smarter folks than me would know. I kind of like the huge Redbrick versions but I'll look into newer editions and see what's changed. I was aware of the Age of Legends rules lite version but was a little thrown by the concept of having to make my own dice (or modify fudge dice) but it looks intriguing.
This is a great explanation of Earthdawn! I played 1st edition for years. I'm in the process of converting over to 4th edition and I really like it. There are lot of nice improvements. I also play Age of Legend. You could customize the dice if you really want to, but it's not necessary. We play with generic D6's and the game runs really smoothly. The only thing is that you need to know which is your main die and which ones are the bonus or penalty dice, so it's helpful to use dice of different colors.
Chad Lare thank you! Age of Legends sounds intriguing I'll have to check it out. I'll have to do a proper overview of Earthdawn at some point to do it justice.
It's nice because you can still use any of the Earthdawn source material from FASA. It's a good way to get some Earthdawn games in even when your schedule gets busy, or to run a second campaign without all the work of running another full rules game.
Really looking forward to that! If I'd have the coin, I'd travel over and introduce you, even! :) I'm a HUGE fan of the game. :) After all, the UK isn't THAT far from Belgium. B)
My TOP 3 RPGs that aren't D&D: 1. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1st or 2nd edition. NOT 3rd edition. (I haven't received 4th edition yet). 2. Stormbringer 1st edition (Great game!) 3. Call of Cthulhu (nuff said. Great great game, as I'm sure everyone knows).
Mythras (a BRP clone with a better combat and initiative system) Conan 2D20 Traveller (the classic version) Shadow Run (3rd edition is the best for me) let's go retro and say Conan TSR hobbies edition with the red, yellow, and green "success grids." Good luck finding that one though.
@@swaghauler8334 was the Conan TSR in a box?? Cuz I have the old Conan TSR that came in a small box. It had an adventure module and the rules booklet and idk what else. Ive never played it though. I'll have to dig that out from all my old RPG stuff and check that out. I don't remember colored boxes on grids though, lol.👍
@@diaz5292 Yes it was. This is a game in the vein of Gamma World 3(?). On the back of the rule book is a "Resolution Grid" with a horizontal(?) Skill Level running on the bottom axis and Percentile Chance Rolled running in the vertical axis (these may be reversed). You rolled percentile dice and referenced the chart on the [potentially modified] Skill Level for the task you were attempting. You could FAIL (white result) or succeed with a Green (normal success), Yellow (special success), or a Red (critical success) based on your % roll. As I mentioned, Gamma World also used this in a later edition as well as a Super Heros game by TSR. They all had this Success Grid system for their base rules.
I lived through the mythical 80's and can assure you, we played games other than D&D. I even played some in the late 70's, a few systems that predated the gorilla. TSR's Forgotten Realm's and Dragon Lance tie-in's gave them the Mc'D's power in the industry which, it seems, they've lost somewhere over the past decade. Not necessarily a bad thing, I think. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big D&D'er, but I do like my alternative systems. Also, having been out of touch for a decade, it's a pleasant surprise to hear that FASA didn't buy the farm after the Battletech seemed to loose traction. Big fan of Shadow Run.
Aside from the basic and expert box sets, my earliest games were Role Master, Gamma World, and Space Opera - a game few people seem to remember. My friend had Traveler, Boot Hill, Runequest, and another game that escapes memory.
I cheered out loud when you presented your first alternative to D&D. Yes! 13th Age is everything D&D might be, were it not for a plethora of dysfunctional legacies D&D just can't escape.
I'm currently exploring Dungeon Crawl Classics. I'm normally not a fan of class and level or of high fantasy but DCC does something really interesting with them, especially when it comes to magic.
I picked that up, its pretty interesting, its very honest with its design goals
Check out 5 Torches Deep for a grittier 5e experience.
three more for you Palladium Role Master Fantasy Hero MERP Gurps
To clarify your confusion about the current status of Earthdawn...
It has come back to FASA, and is currently in its fourth edition after a successful Kickstarter. It can be found at www.fasagames.com.
There is also "Earthdawn: Age of Legend" which is put out by Vagrant Workshop (licensed from FASA). This is a rules-lite version based on the Freeform Universal (FU) system.
Josh Harrison thanks- I knew smarter folks than me would know. I kind of like the huge Redbrick versions but I'll look into newer editions and see what's changed.
I was aware of the Age of Legends rules lite version but was a little thrown by the concept of having to make my own dice (or modify fudge dice) but it looks intriguing.
This is a great explanation of Earthdawn! I played 1st edition for years. I'm in the process of converting over to 4th edition and I really like it. There are lot of nice improvements.
I also play Age of Legend. You could customize the dice if you really want to, but it's not necessary. We play with generic D6's and the game runs really smoothly. The only thing is that you need to know which is your main die and which ones are the bonus or penalty dice, so it's helpful to use dice of different colors.
Chad Lare thank you!
Age of Legends sounds intriguing I'll have to check it out.
I'll have to do a proper overview of Earthdawn at some point to do it justice.
It's nice because you can still use any of the Earthdawn source material from FASA. It's a good way to get some Earthdawn games in even when your schedule gets busy, or to run a second campaign without all the work of running another full rules game.
I love that you discovered TDE! Have you gotten into it by now? I'd love to see you giving a detailed review of the game system and the world!
Achim Steigert id love to at some point- i do have the almanac now...
Really looking forward to that! If I'd have the coin, I'd travel over and introduce you, even! :)
I'm a HUGE fan of the game. :)
After all, the UK isn't THAT far from Belgium. B)
My TOP 3 RPGs that aren't D&D:
1. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1st or 2nd edition. NOT 3rd edition. (I haven't received 4th edition yet).
2. Stormbringer 1st edition (Great game!)
3. Call of Cthulhu (nuff said. Great great game, as I'm sure everyone knows).
I've never played Stormbringer but heard good things about it, the other two are classics -good choices
Mythras (a BRP clone with a better combat and initiative system)
Conan 2D20
Traveller (the classic version)
Shadow Run (3rd edition is the best for me)
let's go retro and say Conan TSR hobbies edition with the red, yellow, and green "success grids." Good luck finding that one though.
@@swaghauler8334 was the Conan TSR in a box?? Cuz I have the old Conan TSR that came in a small box. It had an adventure module and the rules booklet and idk what else. Ive never played it though. I'll have to dig that out from all my old RPG stuff and check that out. I don't remember colored boxes on grids though, lol.👍
@@diaz5292 Yes it was. This is a game in the vein of Gamma World 3(?). On the back of the rule book is a "Resolution Grid" with a horizontal(?) Skill Level running on the bottom axis and Percentile Chance Rolled running in the vertical axis (these may be reversed). You rolled percentile dice and referenced the chart on the [potentially modified] Skill Level for the task you were attempting. You could FAIL (white result) or succeed with a Green (normal success), Yellow (special success), or a Red (critical success) based on your % roll. As I mentioned, Gamma World also used this in a later edition as well as a Super Heros game by TSR. They all had this Success Grid system for their base rules.
@@swaghauler8334 oh okay! Cool! Imma find that in my stuff and check it out! Thx!👍
I lived through the mythical 80's and can assure you, we played games other than D&D. I even played some in the late 70's, a few systems that predated the gorilla. TSR's Forgotten Realm's and Dragon Lance tie-in's gave them the Mc'D's power in the industry which, it seems, they've lost somewhere over the past decade. Not necessarily a bad thing, I think. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big D&D'er, but I do like my alternative systems. Also, having been out of touch for a decade, it's a pleasant surprise to hear that FASA didn't buy the farm after the Battletech seemed to loose traction. Big fan of Shadow Run.
RICHARD WOOLSONCROFT I know what you mean -I have a older friend who is a massive runequest fan and for him it's the first role playing game
Aside from the basic and expert box sets, my earliest games were Role Master, Gamma World, and Space Opera - a game few people seem to remember. My friend had Traveler, Boot Hill, Runequest, and another game that escapes memory.