Hopefully none of the players are gonna read this; I know they're forum-averse, but you never know.
So anyway, as the title states, this is a Golden Girls game in the style of Charmed. Essentially, the PCs will be old ladies in a retirement community who are suddenly dragged back into their old duties as paranormal investigators and monster hunters. I'm gonna run it as you'd think: lots of jokes, light humor, but serious when needed. Death is probably off the table, but failure is imminent and expected. They're going to have a wealthy benefactor who is basically Jessica Fletcher, so add a Charlies Angels aspect as well. Each session will be episodic, with a clearly defined mission, wrapped up neatly in 60 minutes (or 3-4 hours). I'll probably pull plots wholesale from Scooby Doo, with the assumption the villain is actually a legit vampire, zombie, whatever.
I'm having some trouble with what system to use, though. I thought about GURPS or HERO due to the universal aspect, but those are both way too weighty for this sort of thing. I think I decided on the new BRP system, mostly because I can add magic and super powers easily as needed. Still, Silent Legions could work, as could the old Chill game or Cryptworld. However, since the PCs are probably going to manifest powers and abilities during a session they may never use again (classic crappy TV trope) I don't want to get bogged down in hard to use systems; so again BRP seems logical.
Anyway, suggestions would be appreciated. This will probably last a couple months before we start a new D&D game, so it needs to be fast and loose but mechanically interesting.
Well you could always use a system built around paranormal investigation and monster hunting, and modify character creation to reflect the increased age of the PCs.
Such as Hunter: The Vigil, Call of chulthlu / Delta Green, or if you hate yourself, GURPs.
Quote from: Brad on June 08, 2024, 08:59:04 PMHopefully none of the players are gonna read this; I know they're forum-averse, but you never know.
So anyway, as the title states, this is a Golden Girls game in the style of Charmed. Essentially, the PCs will be old ladies in a retirement community who are suddenly dragged back into their old duties as paranormal investigators and monster hunters. I'm gonna run it as you'd think: lots of jokes, light humor, but serious when needed. Death is probably off the table, but failure is imminent and expected. They're going to have a wealthy benefactor who is basically Jessica Fletcher, so add a Charlies Angels aspect as well. Each session will be episodic, with a clearly defined mission, wrapped up neatly in 60 minutes (or 3-4 hours). I'll probably pull plots wholesale from Scooby Doo, with the assumption the villain is actually a legit vampire, zombie, whatever.
I'm having some trouble with what system to use, though. I thought about GURPS or HERO due to the universal aspect, but those are both way too weighty for this sort of thing. I think I decided on the new BRP system, mostly because I can add magic and super powers easily as needed. Still, Silent Legions could work, as could the old Chill game or Cryptworld. However, since the PCs are probably going to manifest powers and abilities during a session they may never use again (classic crappy TV trope) I don't want to get bogged down in hard to use systems; so again BRP seems logical.
Anyway, suggestions would be appreciated. This will probably last a couple months before we start a new D&D game, so it needs to be fast and loose but mechanically interesting.
Ghost Hackers (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/es/product/214017/Ghost-Hackers)
My own and very much WIP The Gang Hack (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1N6FzRFC3Wr4wCmYpvJuIhT8C4xhxwCu8NYXotwbWApE/edit?usp=drive_link)
Monster of the Week. This is the sort of thing that PbtA actually does well.
Quote from: Brad on June 08, 2024, 08:59:04 PMI thought about GURPS or HERO due to the universal aspect, but those are both way too weighty for this sort of thing.
If I only knew this I'd say Savage Worlds. But the below argues against it, unless you rebuild characters every session.
Actually I guess that could work, if you leave one or two edges open every session, but it still relies on system fluency by the whole group.
Quote from: Brad on June 08, 2024, 08:59:04 PMHowever, since the PCs are probably going to manifest powers and abilities during a session they may never use again (classic crappy TV trope)...
What comes to mind now is Whitehack. Character shticks can be defined by players, they're open enough to find new uses but still defined thematically. And it's flexible for the GM as well.
Quote from: Brad on June 08, 2024, 08:59:04 PMStill, Silent Legions could work
I'm a big fan of Silent Legions, and it would give you some ruleset support for setting and adventure ideas. It doesn't strike me as hitting your light and humorous and one use powers requirements, but there's probably a way to hit all those beats as GM rather than leaning on ruleset. It strikes me that's what you'd be doing in BRP anyway.
Consider working through a Silent Legions campaign/setting workup whether you actually run it in SL or not.
Quote from: yosemitemike on June 08, 2024, 10:07:49 PMMonster of the Week. This is the sort of thing that PbtA actually does well.
I'd agree with this. MotW is one of the most well-developed of the PbtA games. The magic is pretty flexible, and anyone roll magic to represent a one-off power. The one thing is that there isn't an easy way to represent that the characters are all old ladies. If you use the standard playbooks, then they'll be roughly as physically tough as when they were young.
If you really wanted to emphasize the low physical stats, you could use the Buffy the Vampire Slayer system - which is lighter than BRP or most other generic systems. It is set up for paranormal investigators, and the PCs could all take low physical stats. It also has a pretty hand-wavey flexible magic system, which allows for one-off powers.
Brad, it seems to me you're asking for Call of Cthulhu.
The original Beyond the Supernatural RPG.
I lean towards GURPS because the breadth of the magic system matters in a game where everyone's a wizard.
Ars Magica or Mage the Awakened might serve as well.
TSR's Marvel Superheroes game had a fairly broad but simple magic system where you could cast general spell effects with a given rating.
I'd suggest D6 system but I dunno how much dialing in you would need to make it work...like is beating a guy with a walker melee combat, fighting, diplomacy, or a move action if you are are old and arguably demented enough to see ghosts?
You could do the old guy in a pickup version i guess, (instead of old lady in shady pines) where everyone thinks you are a korean war vet collecting a gov check that he blows on pill addicted prostitutes that love your medicaid and indian doctors, but the truth is when you pick the girls up on the first of the month you are actually going ghost hunting or bigfoot trapping...but nah, you're just a dirty old man with some whores if anyone asks. I'd go as far as to say part of your objective is to eliminate the supernatural without anyone finding out because they aint gonna believe you no damn how and will think your drug habit has gone too far and have you committed.
and then sumbitchin dracula pulls you over disguised as a state trooper...everyone knows the dui charge is the forces of evil trying to eliminate you by any means necessry but they wont say it because they will get down voted.
ICRPG
the master edition already has magic, and superpowers, a super hero system. it also has a lite lovecraft scenario with rules for the horror/madness effect and other items.
you could build up some monster, antagonist characters, some goals and objectives and hit the ground running.
the system is easy to learn and quite adaptable.
and cheap. take a look at the free rules pdf version for the basics.
+3 for Rose to distract a monster with a St Olaf story.....player must recite story in full. haha.
Quote from: BadApple on June 09, 2024, 06:08:29 AMBrad, it seems to me you're asking for Call of Cthulhu.
That would get my vote on it. If you stip out the Cthlulu mind melting 'unnatural insanity' and lean into the 'fune' of your setting, it would still work.
You may have to do a bit of home brew on magic and spells for them, but that isn't very difficult. I home brewed some lower bang spells from ole D&D / Castles and Crusades etc for my girls game.
Oh yeah, I also took out the 'unnatural' skill and expanded occult/religion skills. I use it as the skill(s) needed for their limited magic use - increase religion and study with someone of deep faith, and now you learn some limited miracle / read some ole Germanic tome dealing with early mix if Chrisitan and pagan beliefs, any you leant how to case 'It is Written' etc
Fiddle around with CoC a little like that, and you could have something that works.
Quote from: Omega on June 09, 2024, 11:00:23 PMThe original Beyond the Supernatural RPG.
I used to LOVE that game. My best friend in HS ran an amazing BSN game back in the day. It might be too crunchy for me now, but back in the day it was great.
Quote from: yosemitemike on June 08, 2024, 10:07:49 PMMonster of the Week. This is the sort of thing that PbtA actually does well.
I hate to sound like a noob but what system is Pbta / Monster of the Week ... What rule system does it use?
Quote from: Lurker on June 10, 2024, 10:03:41 AMQuote from: yosemitemike on June 08, 2024, 10:07:49 PMMonster of the Week. This is the sort of thing that PbtA actually does well.
I hate to sound like a noob but what system is Pbta / Monster of the Week ... What rule system does it use?
PbtA are games that are variants of the Apocalypse World system, like D20 games are variants of D&D. (It stands for "Powered by the Apocalypse".)
PbtA are rules-light class-based systems, where players choose an archetypal playbook, and roll 2d6 for various moves that activate when appropriate during game play.
Monster of the Week was designed to emulate TV series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural, with Charmed being closely related if not the same genre.
Since you've had suggestions for a bunch of systems, I'll add another one ;) Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's based on monster hunters, with a "monster of the week", and the show veered from jokes and light humour to serious, with failure being common.
The RPG captures that well, as well as having a system for using unique spells to deal with each problem, rather than spamming the same spell over and over again.
I've certainly no suggestions any better than already mentioned as far as systems used go, but I think your idea is a hoot.
"Blanche! Hurry up and get rid of that demon; "Matlock," is on soon and we've gotta stop by J&S Cafeteria* 'cause it's apple cobbler night and they run out of that green bean casserole quick too!"
* = it's a spot not far from where I live that old folks just flock to in droves. Food was, to me, not far removed from boot camp fare and I loathed when it came up as a destination suggestion when the kids were younger.
Quote from: jhkim on June 10, 2024, 10:24:16 AMQuote from: Lurker on June 10, 2024, 10:03:41 AMQuote from: yosemitemike on June 08, 2024, 10:07:49 PMMonster of the Week. This is the sort of thing that PbtA actually does well.
I hate to sound like a noob but what system is Pbta / Monster of the Week ... What rule system does it use?
PbtA are games that are variants of the Apocalypse World system, like D20 games are variants of D&D. (It stands for "Powered by the Apocalypse".)
PbtA are rules-light class-based systems, where players choose an archetypal playbook, and roll 2d6 for various moves that activate when appropriate during game play.
Monster of the Week was designed to emulate TV series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural, with Charmed being closely related if not the same genre.
Thanks, I'd never heard of it before
Urban Shadows is another PbtA game that specializes in the urban fantasy genre. It includes rules for both abhuman archetypes like vampires, werewolves, ghosts, etc and human archetypes like hunters, slayers, witches, etc. It doesn't have lore but is setting agnostic, so you don't have to worry about that baggage getting in the way.
This is amazing and I absolutely will want to see where this goes to completion. I'd love to see how this plays out.
https://www.rpgpub.com/threads/brindlewood-bay-murder-she-wrote-meets-the-occult.4415/
Brindlewood Bay advertises itself as Cthulhu meets Murder, She Wrote.
QuoteBrindlewood Bay is a roleplaying game about a group of elderly women—members of the local Murder Mavens mystery book club—who frequently find themselves investigating (and solving!) real-life murder mysteries. They become increasingly aware that there are supernatural forces that connect the cases they are working on and, in particular, a cult dedicated to the dark, monstrous aspect of the goddess Persephone will come to vex them.
The game is directly inspired by the television show Murder, She Wrote, but also takes inspiration from the works of H.P. Lovecraft, "cozy" crime dramas, and American TV shows from the '70s, '80s, and '90s.
Thanks for the suggestions, but any sort of PbtA game is right out; I hate that system with a passion.
That said, I took a serious look at my CoC 4th edition per a couple posts and that might be the way to go instead of using the new BRP due to being a bit more succinct. However, I think SAN is going to be "problematic" in the real meaning of the word since these are tough old broads who have been around the block more than once. They're experts in the occult but still relatively unaffected by it due to their unique nature. I guess I could always just handwave that part and ignore any sort of SAN rolls for normal monsters or whatever and only require it for something insanely monumental, although I don't even know what that'd be.
Quote from: Krazz on June 10, 2024, 03:24:10 PMSince you've had suggestions for a bunch of systems, I'll add another one ;) Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's based on monster hunters, with a "monster of the week", and the show veered from jokes and light humour to serious, with failure being common.
I was going to add BtVS which is, oddly, still available on DTRPG if you wanted to get pdfs.
There was, back in the day, a fan supplement adapting BtVS to Charmed. I doubt I still have it but it should exist still somewhere in the ether.
PulpHerb -- is this what you were thinking of? Charmed for Cinematic Unisystem:
http://www.peregrine.madasafish.com/charmedrpg/
The site assumes that you already have the Buffy RPG, but includes a bunch of stats from the series and suggestions for Charmed-specific rules.
I suggested the Buffy RPG back in reply #5, particularly if you didn't like yosemitemike's PbtA suggestion - and the Charmed adaptation presumably helps that.
That is not what I had in mind. This was a pdf floating around circa 2006. It might have the same material as I was never much of a Charmed fan and only saw it because it was designed to attach to BtVS.
As for a Buffy RPG, as I said that can still be bought on DTRPG as well as various second hand markets (and other places). There is also a fan Cinematic Unisystem corebook out there.
Quote from: PulpHerb on June 13, 2024, 05:15:16 PMThat is not what I had in mind. This was a pdf floating around circa 2006. It might have the same material as I was never much of a Charmed fan and only saw it because it was designed to attach to BtVS.
As for a Buffy RPG, as I said that can still be bought on DTRPG as well as various second hand markets (and other places). There is also a fan Cinematic Unisystem corebook out there.
Got it. Is this it, then?
https://i.4pcdn.org/tg/1377755926204.pdf
That's by Jeff Slick, and seems to be independent of Andrew Peregrine's site.
Here's a Cinematic Unisystem compilation book:
https://i.4pcdn.org/tg/1437098890776.pdf
You could hack Traveller. But then they may not make their Survival rolls...
Quote from: jhkim on June 13, 2024, 05:44:21 PMGot it. Is this it, then?
https://i.4pcdn.org/tg/1377755926204.pdf
That's by Jeff Slick, and seems to be independent of Andrew Peregrine's site.
Here's a Cinematic Unisystem compilation book:
https://i.4pcdn.org/tg/1437098890776.pdf
That's it, although looking it was just Unisystem Charmed instead of BtVS supplement specific. The problem with being an old man.
And that is the same compiled CU rulebook I have, yes.
Thanks.
Quote from: Svenhelgrim on June 14, 2024, 02:36:31 AMYou could hack Traveller. But then they may not make their Survival rolls...
Might as well go with Paranoia at that rate.
Quote from: Brad on June 12, 2024, 08:58:52 PMThanks for the suggestions, but any sort of PbtA game is right out; I hate that system with a passion.
That said, I took a serious look at my CoC 4th edition per a couple posts and that might be the way to go instead of using the new BRP due to being a bit more succinct. However, I think SAN is going to be "problematic" in the real meaning of the word since these are tough old broads who have been around the block more than once. They're experts in the occult but still relatively unaffected by it due to their unique nature. I guess I could always just handwave that part and ignore any sort of SAN rolls for normal monsters or whatever and only require it for something insanely monumental, although I don't even know what that'd be.
Rgr. Especially with the root of the game being 'tough old broads' . You could scrap the SAN element of the game completely, or go the modified DG route and have types of SAN loss that the PC is immune to - DG has 3 types of causes for SAN loss, Violence Helplessness Unnatural, and depending on character history or in game events you can get 'used to' that type of SAN effect and limit or negate SAN loss for that type (a soldier cop or hitman can be used to Violence, and isn't effected by scenes of Violence). You could take that and expand / modify the types and give the PCs immunity(ies) that fit their history.
Or again, dump the SAN element of the game totally. It is there to enforce the horror and mind melting reality of Lovecraft. In a 80s sitcom setting, no real need for it any way. Of course, it would be useful for those times the PCs have to cast a servant of Ba-el back into depths of Sheol and get to Denny's late for the Ole Bird Special and the cook over boils the broccoli to near mush and the canned cheese goop is cold and lumpy ... I mean all of that just might make the most stalwart of heroes snap. They might not need the SAN check for the monster, but the food ....
Quote from: Brad on June 12, 2024, 08:58:52 PMThanks for the suggestions, but any sort of PbtA game is right out; I hate that system with a passion.
That said, I took a serious look at my CoC 4th edition per a couple posts and that might be the way to go instead of using the new BRP due to being a bit more succinct. However, I think SAN is going to be "problematic" in the real meaning of the word since these are tough old broads who have been around the block more than once. They're experts in the occult but still relatively unaffected by it due to their unique nature. I guess I could always just handwave that part and ignore any sort of SAN rolls for normal monsters or whatever and only require it for something insanely monumental, although I don't even know what that'd be.
You could just drop SAN altogether.
Or...
You could just re-weight everything. Instead of SAN loss being an element of learning too much of the cosmic horror it could just be a weakening of resolve and loss of courage. Make it easier for PCs to regain SAN. Decrease the challenge of passing a sanity check.