First time poster. So please be kind.

I'm getting back into RPGs having last dabbled over a decade ago.  I recently purchased Dr. Who: AITAS, Terra Primate, and DC Adventures.  

Gaming background:
I started RPGs with Palladium books, specifically Robotech and Rifts, then moved onto World of Darkness.  Few times I've played D&D (one adventure of AD&D 2E, and two sessions of D&D 3E) and it's not my kind of game.  I've also played L5R 1E on several occasions and I found it enjoyable and fondly recall a Shadowrun campaign that was my best experience as a player, credit to the GM.

The first book I've ever bought was GURPS, don't recall which edition, because I loved the idea of a system where I can play any setting or type of genre possible but it didn't do it for me.

Which leads to my question...I'm looking for a system in which I can do what GURPS does and would like suggestions from all here.

No disrespect to GURPS but not GURPS.

I don't like static levels like Palladium and D&D.

Many posts mention that superhero game like DCAdv (M&M) can do it but I'm looking for something different.

Savage Worlds also interested me but the criticisms I hear is that it doesn't do well at higher power levels.  I might be wrong and if so please inform me.

Unisystem as I know it from Terra Primate and from what I've read seems like it might do the trick from lower levels like Buffy to higher levels like Armageddon.  I read about Beyond Human and if it ever comes out it might be just exactly the system I'm looking for though I have never used Unisystem.  

I read reviews of BESM (Tri-Stat?) because I felt anime does it all but can't get over the fact that it's only 3 stats.

Not interested in older systems like Basic or Hero System and interested in a newer system.  Last I played was back in 99, maybe?  So something after that.  I like the way game systems are going from what I've read online.

And if anyone suggests a homebrew (I'm assuming that means my own system) I am not good enough to do that from the ground up but understanding that no system is perfect I'm sure that I am going to have house rules to any system I choose from your suggestions.

Sorry for the long post but I wanted the suggestions to not go all over the place and let it be known somewhat clearly of at least what I am not looking for and understand that I will have to have to houserule things.

In a sense I am looking for a system where in one campaign I can do street level heroes and in the next campaign I can do giant mecha or supermen being gods in a futuristic earth, or a mixture of both or whatever.  

Thanks

oh and I also like to stick with a major publication if possible.  I understand that there are a lot of good indy rpgs and some of their systems can probably be universal but it's another weird restriction of mine.

There's the narrativey games like Fate, which you might like; they've influenced a lot of more recent game designs, and are pretty versatile in what they do; you need to get into the way of thinking, though. There are variants of the system's guts all the way up and down the power scale; I'd suggest looking at the Fate Core book, which I think is the most recent core version, but there are a lot of other games out there using versions of it, for example Atomic Robo (Adventure scientists fight evil, using SCIENCE!!!) or Icons (Essentially a rules update of Marvel Super Heroes).

Shadowrun has dissolved into a self-absorbed pile of defective wank. If you didn't like modern D&D's, you won't like it. On the upside, lots of older edition Shadowrun is available from DTRPG.

L5R is apparantly doing fine. Haven't ever played it.

For Unisystem, there's a game called All Flesh Must Be Eaten (Zombie game), which has received all the Unisystem rules attention for the last decade, so that's a good place to go for stuff if you like that system. The "licensed" games use a different version of Unisystem to the "generic" games, and the two aren't really compatible.

I know a Savage Worlds group who are apparently playing at high levels and perfectly happy with it, but I'm not in that game.

Quote from: TheNextDoctor;789229In a sense I am looking for a system where in one campaign I can do street level heroes and in the next campaign I can do giant mecha or supermen being gods in a futuristic earth, or a mixture of both or whatever.  

I think Savage Worlds is going to be your best fit tbh.

Mutants and Masterminds might also be a good contender, but you have already ruled that out.

Savage Worlds fits your bill best indeed. The explorer's version of the MRB can be had in print for just $10, and you can snatch conversions for free from SavageHeroes.com to see the possibilities of the system.

There is also the venerable Risus, which provides a very complete generic system in just 8 pages. In the category "bang per page", Risus is definitively the winner system.

If you are looking for something universal and not GURPS or Hero, take a look at Fate and Fate Accelerated. They've already been mentioned but I'd like second that.

Alternatively, there are a large number of games Powered by the Apocalypse, Apocalypse World,  Monster Hearts, Urban Shadows, there is currently a mecha RPG in development using the engine, Souls of Steel, so you can get a lot of mileage out of the rule set as long as you don't mind picking up a few PDFs.

There's also BRP. The core book is generic/universal, way less overhead than GURPS.
Simple intuitive system, no classes or levels. Covers lots of power levels... with options for making things play more 'cinematic'.
The BRP Mecha book adds in lots ideas for that sort of thing and Superworld is readily available as a PDF... as well as shedloads of other cool sourcebooks.

Quote from: Ladybird;789245For Unisystem, there's a game called All Flesh Must Be Eaten (Zombie game), which has received all the Unisystem rules attention for the last decade, so that's a good place to go for stuff if you like that system. The "licensed" games use a different version of Unisystem to the "generic" games, and the two aren't really compatible.

Yes, I'm aware of All Flesh Must Be Eaten and it's many supplements but it seemed like a big commitment to purchase or eventually purchase all those books.  Plus I'm more Planet of the Apes than The Walking Dead.

And are "licensed" games like Buffy rules so incompatible with "generic" unisystem games that a simple merging of the two can't happen?

Quote from: jadrax;789247I think Savage Worlds is going to be your best fit tbh.

From what little I know of Savage Worlds.  It seems that your attribute tells you what die you roll.  

e.g.
1= d4
2=d6
3=d8
4=d10
5=d12
6=d20

now does a Silver Surfer type character roll a d100 or 5d20s or something like that?

don't really know the system besides reading reviews online but that's something I don't understand and feel that it might not do better on higher levels.

Can you explain this to me?

thanks

Quote from: Certified;789255Alternatively, there are a large number of games Powered by the Apocalypse, Apocalypse World,  Monster Hearts, Urban Shadows, there is currently a mecha RPG in development using the engine, Souls of Steel, so you can get a lot of mileage out of the rule set as long as you don't mind picking up a few PDFs.

Never heard of Apocalypse.  Is the system similar to any that I might be familiar with or any basic info you can share about how the basic dice mechanic works?

Quote from: TheNextDoctor;789264From what little I know of Savage Worlds.  It seems that your attribute tells you what die you roll.  

e.g.
1= d4
2=d6
3=d8
4=d10
5=d12
6=d20

now does a Silver Surfer type character roll a d100 or 5d20s or something like that?

don't really know the system besides reading reviews online but that's something I don't understand and feel that it might not do better on higher levels.

Can you explain this to me?

thanks

There are several ways of handling superpowers.

The default way in the MRB is to treat superpowers as a form of magic. A super-hero has only one spell, but with a lot of power points behind it so he can use it very constantly. This is for low-powered super-heroes that are on par with other heroic but normal characters, like pulp characters as The Shadow.

If you want to go one step up from that, you could use the Hellfrost magic system. Spells with a duration don't run out there - a magic-user keeps it up as long as he concentrate on it. A super hero under that magic system would just have a load of buff spells that is effectively permanently active.

Finally, there is the Super Powers Companion, which adds a fully fleshed superpowers system for true supers. Characters gain points to buy super powers with, and a shopping list of super powers.

Someone who is extremely good in a natural ability (like Super-Strength) wouldn't roll a d100 - he would gain a flat bonus to his Strength rolls, which has a huge effect in SW. Even a simple +2 bonus makes failure extremely rare, and as it goes up raises are pretty much guaranteed.

Quote from: Skyrock;789253There is also the venerable Risus, which provides a very complete generic system in just 8 pages. In the category "bang per page", Risus is definitively the winner system.

hehe

Checked out Risus and while it's seems like a fun game to play I think it's a bit too rules-lite for what I am looking for

Quote from: Skyrock;789269There are several ways of handling superpowers.

The default way in the MRB is to treat superpowers as a form of magic. A super-hero has only one spell, but with a lot of power points behind it so he can use it very constantly. This is for low-powered super-heroes that are on par with other heroic but normal characters, like pulp characters as The Shadow.

If you want to go one step up from that, you could use the Hellfrost magic system. Spells with a duration don't run out there - a magic-user keeps it up as long as he concentrate on it. A super hero under that magic system would just have a load of buff spells that is effectively permanently active.

Finally, there is the Super Powers Companion, which adds a fully fleshed superpowers system for true supers. Characters gain points to buy super powers with, and a shopping list of super powers.

Someone who is extremely good in a natural ability (like Super-Strength) wouldn't roll a d100 - he would gain a flat bonus to his Strength rolls, which has a huge effect in SW. Even a simple +2 bonus makes failure extremely rare, and as it goes up raises are pretty much guaranteed.

Nice, it does seem that Savage Worlds is well supported with a lot of published material for varied setting and campaigns.  Is it safe to say that Savage Worlds is the new GURPS in a sense.

Have you had any issues running or playing Savage Worlds?

Quote from: TheNextDoctor;789262And are "licensed" games like Buffy rules so incompatible with "generic" unisystem games that a simple merging of the two can't happen?

iirc, the differences are large enough to make that not a trivial thing, but I've long since got rid of my copy of Buffy. You'd probably want one of each type of corebook to start with.

If you want more Unisystem for free, Witchcraft is a modern-day urban horror / magic game using the system.

QuoteNever heard of Apocalypse.  Is the system similar to any that I might be familiar with or any basic info you can share about how the basic dice mechanic works?

The Apocalypse engine is pretty cool, but it's one of the recent systems that's a reaction to games design crawling up it's own ass. It's highly archetypal / class-based; each game with the system is very customized to a particular thing, so there's a game about D&D-esque fantasy, post-apocalyptic scavenging, being soldiers, teenage romance, cyberpunk mercs, blaxploitation movies...
The dice system is 2d6+mods against target numbers of 7 (Partial success, it'll cost you something) or 10 (Actual success), but most of the time it tries to avoid dice at all, with explicit encouragements to talk about situations and follow the natural consequences of actions rather than roll dice.

Dungeon World can be read for free, online - here's a link to the SRD, which is like 99% of what's in the book you can buy - and it's probably the most widely-known and accessible of the games. Bits may seem ludicrously basic, but it's a good intro game as well as a reaction to the rules-obsessive nature of modern D&D's.

Hmm, thinking about it, "single core system pre-customised for the needs of a particular genre" is a much more common thing nowadays than "generic system for the GM to adapt".

Quote from: Ladybird;789277Hmm, thinking about it, "single core system pre-customised for the needs of a particular genre" is a much more common thing nowadays than "generic system for the GM to adapt".

I think that too and that's perfectly fine with me, actually preferred, as it gives me more perspective as to how the mechanics work as opposed to how I felt about GURPS.

But nevertheless I want to be able to port the system into a different genre.

Downloaded Witchcraft, thanks, now I have reading to do later.

And need to check out the Apocalypse engine.  

Took a quick glance at Fate and my first impression is that it's lacking in some familiar things like attributes.  Seems a bit like Risus in that way.

Are more generic or multi-genre systems usually come across as less rules heavy?

Savage Worlds, Unisystem, and DC Adventures doesn't appear to be rules-lite but capable of being a multi-genre systems.

Kinda like my complaint about BESM (Tri-Stat), which I admit didn't thoroughly read, having only 3 attributes to Risus and Fate not having any.

Check out GenreDiversion 3E! Converting games that use the earlier GenreDiversion i is a breeze.

Link:
Precis Intermedia :: genreDiversion Games

Pundit referred to the GenreDiversion 3E Manual as a "thinking man's GURPS".