RPG - Advice needed as I have no idea :(

[mqstout]

(Continued, ignoring other replies between my previous post and this one.)

The same is true for players, as they see the "rules for everything" stunting their critical early development. Even if you don't stick with Dragon Age, I consider it the *perfect* game to start with. (And, it was designed to fill just that niche, as an 'outreach and recruitment' product.)

There are lots of other RPGs to move in to from there, including D&D, Pathfinder, All Flesh Must Be Eaten and countless others. Playing a completely "middle of all the scales" RPG like Dragon Age will help your group to figure out what you do and don't like individually, and as a group, then you can make an informed decision from there what system you want to try next.

No matter the RPG system/rule set/etc you choose, TRY IT OUT using only the core role book(s) and none of the expansions or "splat" books. That will limit your loss when you find, "damn, it's just not as fun as it looked on paper".

Also, don't take the time to read the entirety of the books first; you generally can read portions of them without others until later (though if you decide to stick with one for the long haul, you certainly SHOULD go back and reread *everything*).

Example: D&D3/Pathfinder, each person can just pick a class, read what's relevant for that class, read the combat and exploration chapters, and play. The GM included. (Though he should pre-look-up everything necessary for what he's doing. "What's DR/2 mean on this monster's stat block?")

Exception: Dragon Age (and few others) are written in small, easily digested blocks that are crafted to be read entirely before go.

Exception: If running a prewritten adventure (which I recommend new GMs do), it's important to read the whole thing first so you know the story and tidbits that will be important when, etc.

[Emp]

Wow...Deadlands sounds awesome!!! Need to check that soon.

[samuraitrev]

I seem to remember mqstout had an idea about doing a sort of online RPG. How about a progress report MQ or a link to the thread. I for one would give it a go.

[mqstout]

Trev, my in-life campaign is piloting [for me] some of the "online roleplaying" tools, since one of my players moved out of town.

[Emp]

SovTech, could you help me out with Deadlands mate? What must I get to start, I find to many books now when I google it.

[SovTech]

@Emp: Yeah sure.

The company that is making deadlands is Pinnacle Entertainment:
http://www.peginc.com

Now before you invest into something this is the product line story. Pinnacle made Deadlands, with its own rule system, all in 1 book Deadlands Core Rules. They revised it in another book, and finally made Deadlands 2nd Edition (2 books Deadlands Players Guide PEG1100 and Deadlands Marshalls Handbook PEG 1101), as well as expansions number PEG1003 - 1040. Now, we play with the rules from this second edition, and really, second edition is very suimilar to 1st except it is a bit more balanced and better described in the books. But the story continues...

Then Pinnacle decided to go mainstream with their system and they made Deadlands d20, following the d20 system, (Core Rules PEG1110, and product line PEG1110 - 1117). However, it didnt really take, and at the same time they were working on a system for all of their roleplaying games that was named Savage World (d20 with some modifications as far as I can see). So they made:

Deadlands: Reloaded. This is their current product line, which starts with PEG10200 Deadlands: Reloaded, and which have some adventures out.

The funny thing about this product line thingy is that each new product line progresses the story so Deadlands 2nd Ed. is set in 1876, while Deadlands: Reloaded is set in 1879, and you can use any of the rulkes systems for any of the modules, adventures and expansions (it just takes a little modification).

Personally I would highly recommend getting the two books Deadlands Players Guide and Deadlands Marshals Handbook (2nd Ed.), as this system is very different from any other system, and uses great western roleplaying props, such as poker chips and playing cards. When a Hucksters cast a hex (spell) he or she has to draw a number of cards dependent on skill with magic, and form a poker hand and compare it to the difficulty of the spell. But if she draws a Joker in the cards she draws, the spell backfires (dealing with the manitous is dangerous business). Poker chips are used for a variety of purposes, namely rerolling dice, preventing damage and experience points(!). But, you as a GM gets themk as well(!). So when the players get lucky and kills your Archvillain in one stroke, you can prevent some of the damage by spending your own chips... Oh, you didnt ask for a long rules explanation

Anyways, maybe its just because we started using that system, or maybe its because I like that different rpgs use different rules, but I definetely recommend 2nd edition. The best reason for the other systems is that combat can be a bit tedious using both playing cards, poker chips and dice at the same time, but we dont mind.

@mqstout:

I agree wholeheartedly with just buying the core rules and nothing else before you know if the system and theme fit. For me, in both RPGs and board games theme and the story is very important, and the best games Ive tried (including LNoE and AD&D) is just that because the system makes a great foundation for the kind of story or theme the game has.

Cheerio,
ST

[ShastaHawk]

If you want to do modern zombies, I suggest giving GURPS, which stands for generic universal role playing system, a shot. It's one of the easiest rpg to play, with only four main stats to keep track of, and the game has been around for decades so it has hundreds of sourcebooks to choose from. Then there's All Flesn Must be Eaten from Eden Games IIRC. I never played it but I know it has a lot of sourcebooks for the game.

If you want to do a fantasy game, I suggest Pathfinder/D&D3rd over D&D4th