Specifically, which setting do you think would work for
MISS FISHER & THE CRYPT OF TEARS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...WACuw2uM8FdVSqsxl4qY
as minimum?

Isn't 1920's earth a setting in itself?

perhaps you mean what ruleset/game system to use?

I'd use D6 Adventure for that but I use D6 for everything though.

Call of Cthulhu, older editions can do it as it had built in the sleuthing and lethal gunfights and all that.

TSR's Indiana Jones RPG could handle it as well. Though that lacks the sleuthing element to a degree.

Those two would be my choices for running a mundane setting as they both can deal well with the mundane world of crime and mystery.

Another might be the old TSR RPG Gangbusters. Though that one I know very little of yet. But from what I have heard it could handle this sort of tale.

Another might be Mercenaries Spies and Private Eyes. This can handle it well and was the ruleset used as the basis for the Wasteland PC game I am told. It uses a heavily modified Tunnels & Trolls system and Micheal Stackpole wrote at least two of the adventures for it. One, Adventure of the Jade Jaguar is a solo adventure even in a similar vein to FB's other solo adventures.

And yet another is Justice Inc from the Hero system. Another I know little of but others seem to like its versatility.

Aaaand yet another is Adventure! The pulp era version of White Wolf's Aeon Superhero trilogy. Its a pretty good system and if you are familiar with any WOD ruleset then its fairly easy to get into. And isnt too hard even if you do not.

Most I've seen seem to be for the 30s and later.

The mechanics should certainly work across the time difference but the feel of the time frame is different.

Quote from: Greentongue;1119930Most I've seen seem to be for the 30s and later.

The mechanics should certainly work across the time difference but the feel of the time frame is different.

CoC and several others cover the eras from the 20s to 30s as thats the main time frame of many pulps. Though some span into the 40s.

The Phryne Fisher books are set in the same era, 1928 if I recall right based on her age and date of birth. Born 1900 and age 28? Depending on the books that could place her eventually well into the 1930s.

Mongoose Traveller.

Quote from: Greentongue;1119930Most I've seen seem to be for the 30s and later.

The mechanics should certainly work across the time difference but the feel of the time frame is different.

Of Omega's list CoC and Gangbusters are very clearly set in the late 1920s. That is the default time period for CoC and Gangbusters is set during Prohibition which was 1920-1933. MSPE is non specific to time frame (includes info for modern games, well 1980s anyway which was the present when published), and Justice Inc assumes a more generic 1920-30s period. Indiana Jones is specifically set in the 1930s, the three films being set in 1936, 1935 and 1938. I'm not familiar with Adventure.

Call of Cthuthu has added a Pulp supplement. Pulp Cthuthu if you want something more actiony than stock CoC. The mythos is easily stripped out of the game, and as mentioned it does assume investigation will be a major part of the game. There are numerous locality based supplements for CoC many, but not all are set in the 1920s and most are well regarded for their quality.

Gumshoe / Trail of Cthulhu would be another system to consider one that again puts a focus on investigations.

Spirit of the Century is a Fate variant set in the 1920s.

One of the members here has a Pulp blog Fists and .45s that covers pulp topics from the old west to the 1930s. He also has a Fists and 45s RPG which is pay what you want at DTRPG.


GURPS, HERO, BRP, Savage Worlds or any of the other generic systems can easily be adapted to the 1920s.

Savage Worlds, it's default gameplay is Pulp Adventure.

CoC looks like about the best fit for investigation focused games.
A lot more options available for more action orientated ones.

Is the occult really needed? Is there enough interest in mundane investigations?  
What about "Scooby Do" style where it only looks like occult?

For a more action-oriented game, I'd check out Hollow Earth Expedition, too. Perhaps with the Secrets of the Surface World supplement.

Edit: Scratch that. I just pulled my copy off the book shelf and see it's a 1930's game rather than 20's. Mea Culpa.

Quote from: Greentongue;1120041CoC looks like about the best fit for investigation focused games.
A lot more options available for more action orientated ones.

Is the occult really needed? Is there enough interest in mundane investigations?  
What about "Scooby Do" style where it only looks like occult?

No the occult is not needed at all. The system and gameplay can easily handle normal crime drama and street level crime fighting a-la the Green Hornet, Spy Smasher, etc. Just keep in mind that overall getting in a gunfight tends to be a bad idea as its nearly as lethal as Albedo's system.

White Wolf wayyyyyyy the hell back in its early days when it was still an omni-RPG magazine, had a mini module dealing with a mostly mundane murder case. It was fully possible to play that one as ezzentially a lethal Scooby Doo caper. Probably others.

Call of Cthulhu literally defaults to the 1920s. Get any edition other than the current one, and just ignore the Mythos stuff.