Quote from: Brad on June 13, 2024, 02:28:12 PM

Quote from: the crypt keeper on June 13, 2024, 11:40:13 AMMy vote goes to Mayfair's MEGS system used for DC Heroes 1e-3e. Besides the best system for supers I have used, it is certainly capable of serving as a generic game engine. Maybe not as polished as some of the newer games mentioned, but I am surprised it does not have a heartbreaker available by now.

MEGS doesn't really qualify as it is extremely well-known; I mean, it was used for the DC RPG for around 15 years. That notwithstanding, I guess if you hate life you could get Blood of Heroes and just pull the system from there for whatever you want to do.

Fair point. I do have tBoHSE and it is worn thin from my ongoing game. I take the lore section out and the horrible art and print up a spiral bound version for the table. Re-organized with shit where I want it.

Pocket Fantasy is another 1D6 based game, and free.

Pocket Fantasy RPG

It's a very small RPG, but actually contains all of the parts you need for an RPG. 

At its core the combat rules are an opposed roll.  You roll your combat skill that comes from your class, and the monster rolls their own.  Attacker minus Defender is the damage the defender takes. 

All other rolls are a 2-6 difficulty set by the GM. 

Magic is a bit weird.  Wizards get two spells per fight, using a list of six combat spells.  Out of combat a wizard can cast two spells per session.  They can make up any spell on the spot, but the GM has to approve it and set a 2-6 difficulty. 

Re-roll tokens are what separate the high level vets from the newbies. You get more tokens by rolling a pair of sixes in a row, or as GM rewards. These tokens do more than just let you re-roll bad dice rolls.  Each class has a use for them to fuel their signature abilities.  Wizards can cast another spell if the turn in a re-roll token.

With the additional classes and such there is quite a lot of options.  I think there are 14 classes and about the same number of races if you get the free expansions. 

True-D6 has now been released with a proper book, including art.

Also, two other games I want to recommend.

1.  Olde Swords Reign.  This is an OSR with some 5E bits, such as weapon traits. Its main difference is a proficiency bonus that you can use when rolling.  If your good at resisting poison for some reason, roll the save with proficiency bonus

The second feature is character customization.  You only get the classic four classes of Fighter, Rogue, Cleric, and Wizard.  However, with the customizations available you can be Illusionists or Paladins as you level up. 

It's also free.  Can't hurt to look when it costs nothing.

Author's Google drive to download OSR PDF

2.  Maze Rats.  I know there is a 2nd edition, but I still like the first one.  I don't actually play it, but use the hell out of all the random tables that the game has.

Cool thread.

Olde Swords Reign is pretty good.

Speaking of random tables, TBH 2e has some cool ones IIRC. It looks much more interesting than 1e.

Hyperborea is a cool game if you want AD&Dish stuff. Here is my review:

https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2024/04/hyperborea-players-manual-review.html

Also Fantastic Heroes and Witchery. Free, gonzo, very complete.

Not sure if any of these are obscure.

I like d6 stuff too - MiniD6 etc. Very versatile.

Quote from: Brad on May 23, 2024, 09:14:57 AM

Quote from: Zenoguy3 on May 23, 2024, 01:43:59 AMEABA
The logical conclusion of GURPS. Barely even a game, more a toolset for making games, but has an elegant way of quantifying basically anything you can think of and scaling it all together, and one of my favorite dice systems of all time, where you roll a number of dice based on your attribute and skill and keep the top three so that as you improve rather than getting higher and higher rolls, you just skew your distribution upward. I need to get a game in one of the published settings going, since with a supplement like that it's actually a full game.

Welp, I came in to say this but whatever! EABA is by far one of the best designed RPGs I've ever seen and it plays exceptionally well. Unfortunately, games like GURPS and HERO overshadow it, even with stuff like the CORPS supplement (which is easily the best X-Files style RPG setting ever). Anyway, I kinda feel bad for Greg Porter because he's an exceptional designer but never seemed to get the traction you'd expect. Contrast the BTRC catalog with the numerous trash takeoffs of PBtA...

Just to add something else, and I don't even know if this counts as "little known", but Atlantis Second Age seems to have just dropped off the map, even while having good writing, high production values, and excellent playability. I just don't get it.

You got me curious.  If I were to give it a look, what are the best supplement(s)?

Quote from: Mishihari on September 10, 2024, 01:59:54 PMYou got me curious.  If I were to give it a look, what are the best supplement(s)?

Guess you're talking about EABA, so I'll say both CORPS and Aethos are really good. Even if you never actually play EABA, both of those are worth the money to port to a different system.

Quote from: Eric Diaz on September 10, 2024, 11:32:36 AMCool thread.

Olde Swords Reign is pretty good.

Speaking of random tables, TBH 2e has some cool ones IIRC. It looks much more interesting than 1e.

Hyperborea is a cool game if you want AD&Dish stuff. Here is my review:

https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2024/04/hyperborea-players-manual-review.html

Also Fantastic Heroes and Witchery. Free, gonzo, very complete.

Not sure if any of these are obscure.

I like d6 stuff too - MiniD6 etc. Very versatile.

I got the full boxed set of Hyperboria for my brother last Christmas.  It's essentially AD&D 2nd edition with a single saving throw, and a "Fighting Ability" modifier. 

Fantastic Heroes and Witchery is a good OSR game.  I particularly like that "modern human" that somehow teleported to this fantasy world is a racial option. 

I would argue it isn't complete, though.  The game doesn't include a monster list or NPC's in their game.  It literally says to just use a monster book from "another game".

That's a bit lazy, but if that is ok with you, then I don't think it should matter what I say. It bothers me, though.

And I wholeheartedly agree that Mini-Six Bare Bones is the best version of D6 rules currently available. Everyone should give it a shot.  The PDF is free, after all.

Drive Thru RPG Mini-Six Bare Bones page

I wouldn't skip it.  It's free, so download already. 

Quote from: weirdguy564 on September 10, 2024, 10:54:35 PMFantastic Heroes and Witchery is a good OSR game.  I particularly like that "modern human" that somehow teleported to this fantasy world is a racial option. 

I would argue it isn't complete, though.  The game doesn't include a monster list or NPC's in their game.  It literally says to just use a monster book from "another game".

That's a bit lazy, but if that is ok with you, then I don't think it should matter what I say. It bothers me, though.

In most games I'd agree with you. I think FH&W has a good argument for getting a pass on that, though. The author knows for damn near certain that it's not going to be the first RPG his customer has bought, and probably won't be the first OSR game. You could argue that reprinting a bunch of BECMI monster stats would be a waste of time and space in what is already a very long book.

Lamentations of the Flame Princess also doesn't have a bestiary, but that's a bit of a different case. The intent with the LOTFP core book is that it's just something you buy to run LOTFP modules, which have the monster stats, and the attitude with LOTFP was that every monster should be unique and therefore there should be no generic stat blocs.

Quote from: ForgottenF on September 10, 2024, 11:16:53 PMIn most games I'd agree with you. I think FH&W has a good argument for getting a pass on that, though. The author knows for damn near certain that it's not going to be the first RPG his customer has bought, and probably won't be the first OSR game. You could argue that reprinting a bunch of BECMI monster stats would be a waste of time and space in what is already a very long book.

Lamentations of the Flame Princess also doesn't have a bestiary, but that's a bit of a different case. The intent with the LOTFP core book is that it's just something you buy to run LOTFP modules, which have the monster stats, and the attitude with LOTFP was that every monster should be unique and therefore there should be no generic stat blocs.

Yeah, especially since the OSR is an ecosystem. You don't only use a module advertised as compatible with Labyrinth Lord with Labyrinth Lord. You'll also use it with any other OSR system, or even the original D&D rules. If the whole idea is you can use material published from a variety of sources, why not lean into that from the start?