Top Games you've never run/played that you're considering playing, and WHY?

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tenbones

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Warhammer Fantasy/40k RPG - I have no excuse. Love the setting. Love the ideas in it - except for a a lot of the post 2e Age of Sigmar stuff. But whatever, I can fix all that in play. It's on the list.

Barbarians of Lemuria/Runequest 6e - Reading multiple threads about Barbarians of Lemuria + RQ6e have certainly whetted my appetite for a crunchier system than Savage Worlds fantasy for me. It's rising high on my list of things to run.

The Witcher RPG - this one is looming *very* large for me, simply because I'm a massive Interlock fan and always fantasized about running a fantasy-game using it as a chassis. With Cyberpunk Red incoming... I plan on drinking deeply of the Nu-Interlock Kool-Aid, but I have a serious "itch" to run Witcher natively... then use it for my own terrible purposes.
 
Trying to focus on D&D5e, Hero 5e, and Star Trek: The Next Generation here.

I've put nearly all my other games into storage. I've only kept out about 10 RPGs, which I intend to be all the RPGs I look at for the next two years, and that should be more than enough. Pretty much no old familiar games stayed out. It had to be something new, unplayed or played very little, or not touched for a couple of decades to stay out.
 
Not in any particular order, and subject to change as these are just off the top of my head:

  • Gamma World, mainly because I only just acquired it in the past year and haven't really read through it all the way yet. I would run it in a post-Apocalyptic world inspired by music videos like Rick Springfield's "Human Touch," Duran Duran's "Union of the Snake," and Tom Petty's "You Got Lucky." I've never played any edition of GW.
  • Flashing Blades set in the theatre world of Elizabethan England, with playwright PCs hustling their wares and clamoring for attention of the Queen and court. Not sure how feasible it would be, but a low-Wit PC fancying himself a Shakespeare or Marlowe would be a hoot and a half.
  • Lucha Libre Hero long-term ongoing campaign set in the psychotronic world of 1960s-1970s Mexican luchador movies. The primary barriers have been (1) unpopularity of Hero System and (2) getting players familiar enough with the genre to play it straight.
 
I'm currently getting a Battle Century G game going, which will be a first for that system.

Outside of that, there are a number of Japanese RPGs that I'd like to try oneshots with: Double Cross and Shinobigami being at the top of my list, that I haven't gotten to run before.

But I've also been super busy with work so :/.
 
Warhammer Fantasy/40k RPG - I have no excuse. Love the setting. Love the ideas in it - except for a a lot of the post 2e Age of Sigmar stuff. But whatever, I can fix all that in play. It's on the list.

I was in your shoes five years ago, then ran WFRP2 for two groups — Paths of the Damned with one group, a homebrew adventure with another.

It was so much fun, and I long to run it again. Arguably I’m on the same spot with Zweihänder in that I want to run it, but while I adore some changes, I’m iffy on others (combat looks difficult).

Barbarians of Lemuria/Runequest 6e - Reading multiple threads about Barbarians of Lemuria + RQ6e have certainly whetted my appetite for a crunchier system than Savage Worlds fantasy for me. It's rising high on my list of things to run.

These threads are always embarrassing to me because I have such a voluminous backlog of things I want to run.

Case in point: I have to confess I have yet to do anything with RQ6/Mythras. I also have only run ACKS at low levels, and haven’t used mass combat or domain management (not to mention the amazing Heroic Fantasy Companion’s alternate rules).

And these are two of my all-time favorite games! But right now, D&D5 seems to dominate the fantasy gaming niche with our extended group. (I think I can slip Mythras in for a gritty S&S or historical fantasy game, but ACKS may be a dash complicated; I’d play the nostalgia card.)

And with these two great candidates for S&S gaming vying for a spot, my dark fantasy PbtA darling The Sword, The Crown & The Unspeakable Power gets pushed further back, though I might yet pass it off on the novelty of PbtA (the PbtA-loving wing of our extended group has more or less imploded).

On other fronts, I have yet to run Savage Rifts and the reason it’s not on my horizon right now is that ironically, they’ve added so many bells and whistles to SW character creation that it has become almost as laborious as Palladium’s.

Work-intensive chargen also keeps Eclipse Phase collecting dust on my shelf. Such a good premise, but some weird design decisions (I’m thinking attributes).

It is also part of the reason I have never run my beloved Ninjas & Superspies, but the fact that the game’s aged so badly (in terms of world view, technology, understanding of martial arts, etc.) also weighs here.

And don’t get me started on Chronicles of Darkness. I adore running a WW-style urban fantasy sandbox but all of them seem dreadfully complicated to set up, especially Werewolf: the Forsaken which hinges so much on the spirit landscape (which in turn is closely linked to the physical and human landscape) and on pack territories. I might pull out one of the others yet; Vampire: the Requiem and Hunter: the Vigil seem particularly accessible to my GMing style.

Trying to focus on D&D5e, Hero 5e, and Star Trek: The Next Generation here.

I've put nearly all my other games into storage. I've only kept out about 10 RPGs, which I intend to be all the RPGs I look at for the next two years, and that should be more than enough. Pretty much no old familiar games stayed out. It had to be something new, unplayed or played very little, or not touched for a couple of decades to stay out.

Oh, I can see the logic in trying to narrow it down, though I’ve gone about it the opposite way.

As I attempt to get back on the gaming saddle, I’m sticking to known quantities: D&D (TSR/OSR and D&D5), CoC6, CT/MgT/Cepheus and Savage Worlds (other than Super Powers or Rifts).

When I wrap up one of these I might try my hand at the next tier: WFRP/Zweihänder, Mythras, CoD, the crunchier SW offerings.

Not in any particular order, and subject to change as these are just off the top of my head:

  • Gamma World, mainly because I only just acquired it in the past year and haven't really read through it all the way yet. I would run it in a post-Apocalyptic world inspired by music videos like Rick Springfield's "Human Touch," Duran Duran's "Union of the Snake," and Tom Petty's "You Got Lucky." I've never played any edition of GW.
  • Flashing Blades set in the theatre world of Elizabethan England, with playwright PCs hustling their wares and clamoring for attention of the Queen and court. Not sure how feasible it would be, but a low-Wit PC fancying himself a Shakespeare or Marlowe would be a hoot and a half.
  • Lucha Libre Hero long-term ongoing campaign set in the psychotronic world of 1960s-1970s Mexican luchador movies. The primary barriers have been (1) unpopularity of Hero System and (2) getting players familiar enough with the genre to play it straight.

Egads, if I add unplayed adventures and premises for games I’ve already played, this list stretches considerably further.
 
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There are quite a few that I've run/played only once or twice but I'd like to have a longer game. The ones I've never run/played:

Fate of the Norns - The system looks really interesting with the runes, the art is gorgeous and I love Norse myth.

Burning Wheel - Idly curious, haven't had a chance to read through it fully yet. I suspect it's not something I'd like long term, but I'd at least like to try since it seems very thought out and "consistent" for lack of a better word.
 
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One of the NWoD games... Hunter, Changeling, Forsaken... Vampire if I have to. I suspect I won't find anything special about the system but I've always been curious about the settings. It would take the right group though. Mostly I want to eventually run a Hunters game that runs on ideas I had while watching Supernatural... but I suspect that I'd be better off using Call of Cthulhu with NWoD setting material.

In a similar vein (hah!) I'd like to try Witchcraft for Unisystem. Which I expect I'll like more, mechanically, than NWoD... mostly because I read its magic system and liked it. Intrigue and noir-ish escapades between groups of occultists is how I'm seeing it.

On the crazier end... I'd really like to play (not run) the Anima RPG. It seems very baroque/complex... but I'm in the mood for something Final Fantasy-ish... and I don't think I want to try to grok Exalted. I want that mix of magic and tech (magitech) and... whatever the opposite of 'gritty' is... things are clean and pretty, even dangerous things.
In this case, the system's complexity is part of the attraction, actually.
Again, finding a group for that is difficult.

Oh, and Symbaroum... though I think I'd just as soon use Magic World or Mythras... but the setting is intriguing in a 'fantasy version of Roadside Picnic' sort of way. There is a BRP monograph called The Green that I could meld into it.
 
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Oh, I can see the logic in trying to narrow it down, though I’ve gone about it the opposite way.

As I attempt to get back on the gaming saddle, I’m sticking to known quantities: D&D (TSR/OSR and D&D5), CoC6, CT/MgT/Cepheus and Savage Worlds (other than Super Powers or Rifts).

I feel in a bit of a rut with the old standbys. For the past while, I just don't feel any energy when picking up the familiar systems. I feel like what I need isn't just a new campaign and a shift of adventuring focus, but a new and unfamiliar system to engage with and learn the details of.

Savage Worlds is currently in my #4 spot. I'm waiting for my Adventure Edition hardcover to arrive. I had learned Explorer edition, made some characters, and done some planning, but never played/run, so I've forgotten nearly everything. Rather than relearn it all just to have to update my knowledge when the new edition arrives, I'll just wait until the new version hits my hands and go from there.

I don't know if my plan will survive contact with reality. I'm notoriously bad to committing to resolutions. And the current version of me is very bad when it comes to doing work for fun. But, I will say that over the past couple of weeks that I finally got my "formal RPG" options whittled down to only a handful, I've felt much more interested and energized with them in a general sense than I have in at least a year.
 
The Warren. I love the idea of Watership Down: The RPG (which Bunnies and Burrows is not) but I just can't see any of my available players getting into the premise.
 
My stock answer to this sort of question until recently was "Cartoon Action Hour", but I have since run the game to that box is ticked. CAH had been on my bucket list for a long time. It has a clever system but I was always concerned the subject matter might not really get a lot of player-buying, except in ironic sort of way.
 
Traveller. I really want to run a sci-fi space game (not science fantasy).

I keep getting side tracked. That thread on favorite edition of D&D has me digging up all my old books and looking at new settings and OSRIC materials.
 
1) Symbaroum - I love the art, the setting, the aesthetic. Bit dubious on the rules, but I'm willing to give them a shot in play. I'd really like to run Davokar as a hexcrawl. I backed at the "give me everything Symbaroum" level for Symbar Mother of Darkness Kickstarter, and am looking forward to having it all in print.

2) 13th Age - I picked this up in a Bundle of Holding, then bought 13th Age Glorantha. I've never run or played anything Runequest/Glorantha and would like to see what I missed out on. I'm already quite familiar with BRP and would like to see 13th Age in play.

3) Tiny Dungeon 2E - I bought this when I was looking for a game to introduce my 9 year old son to roleplaying with. I ultimately decided to go with Hero Kids for that, but definitely liked Tiny Dungeon and the Tiny d6 system in general. I'd like to convert some D&D modules over and give them a shot with Tiny Dungeon.
 
1) Symbaroum - I love the art, the setting, the aesthetic. Bit dubious on the rules, but I'm willing to give them a shot in play. I'd really like to run Davokar as a hexcrawl. I backed at the "give me everything Symbaroum" level for Symbar Mother of Darkness Kickstarter, and am looking forward to having it all in print.
Add Symbaroum to my list as well. I am a big fan of the art and the setting, one of my brothers ran it for his group and said to be careful with certain player options, but I would still give it a go.
 
Waste World by Bill King - Never played because I've only ever found one supplement from the line at a tag sale, (The Shogunate) and never saw it on Drivethru. The name is actually kinda of misleading because the setting reads a lot more like a high powered post- postapocalyptic space opera of Romance of the Three kingdoms or at least it did to the kid version of me. Just as well I suppose no way it could live up to my expectations after all these years.
 
I ultimately decided to go with Hero Kids for that, but definitely liked Tiny Dungeon and the Tiny d6 system in general. I'd like to convert some D&D modules over and give them a shot with Tiny Dungeon.
How was Hero Kids?
 
Add Symbaroum to my list as well. I am a big fan of the art and the setting, one of my brothers ran it for his group and said to be careful with certain player options, but I would still give it a go.
My read-through of the book left me thinking the rules were a bit of an also thought. Almost like the art came first, then the setting, and finally the rules (though I haven't read the 'Advanced' rulebook they put out). IMO, except for the corruption effects, the magic system doesn't seem to match the mood set by the visuals.
 
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Add Symbaroum to my list as well. I am a big fan of the art and the setting, one of my brothers ran it for his group and said to be careful with certain player options, but I would still give it a go.
Having run it for a year I can say that most of the problems are with the exception based options, the mechanics of the core rules are perfectly solid, if minimalist* - but there are a lot of problem with the exception based options.

*As long as all players know to dump Accurate to 5.
 
Waste World by Bill King - Never played because I've only ever found one supplement from the line at a tag sale, (The Shogunate) and never saw it on Drivethru. The name is actually kinda of misleading because the setting reads a lot more like a high powered post- postapocalyptic space opera of Romance of the Three kingdoms or at least it did to the kid version of me. Just as well I suppose no way it could live up to my expectations after all these years.
I was a big fan of the original Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader book, and I worked in a store that sold this. I was excited about it, but I put off picking it up as I had a lot of gaming on my plate at the time. Then it just kind of disappeared off the face of the Earth. I feel a colossal sense of remorse whenever it comes up.
 
PbtA (Dungeon World, Sprawl, and Tremulous). My mind was blown when I read Dungeon World and I've incorporated some of the concepts into my regular games. I feel like I don't have the imagination or mental bandwidth to come up with evocative fiction for every god damn roll so I'd like to see how it works in practise before I try.

GUMSHOE (Trail of Cthulhu, Swords of the Serpentine) Like Dungeon World, incorporating concepts from Gumshoe improved my regular games. I've wanted to run a 1930's pulp-meets-horror Trail of Cthulhu game for years. I also like the evocative Cthulhu City setting but it takes a lot of work on the DM side to make it playable.

The only thing preventing me from running these systems is that I'd like to get a few games in on the player side first. Most of my players drive about an hour to meet for our games so it's unrealistic to schedule a casual one-shot to test out a new system.
 
How was Hero Kids?

It's been really good. My son's taken to it very quickly. The system is very simple, roll between 1-4 d6 against either a static target or an opposed roll, highest dice wins. The stats are real simple: melee, ranged, magic and defense. And you can add on subsystems to increase the complexity very easily, like skills and advanced combat. I started with a couple of the published adventures they put out, but then my son started making up elements of the story he wanted, kind of adapting the recovered memories thing from Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. So I just went with that and have been making up scenarios to go with what he's coming up with. Loving it.

So far, I've used battle maps that come with some of the published adventures, but I just recently acquired some of the WotC Dungeon Tiles Reincarnated and plan to use those and my Chessex battlemat. My son definitely needs the visual element for reference, not ready for theatre of the mind. I printed some of the standees they put in the published adventures, but then I found the WizKids Wardlings figures and got some of those.
 
I dunno. I play most games I like at least once. Arranging a solid campaign of such games is another matter. I've started up games of City of Mist and Scum & Villainy and desperately want to find a way clear to continue those games.

I have more than enough Supers RPGs, but I'd still like to take Spectaculars and the Sentinels RPG for a spin.

I'd also like to find the time and group to play the Yellow King RPG, but I am not sure if that will ever happen.
 
I'm toying with the idea of running a Genesys game. I've been looking for a system that can handle space opera, and this looks doable. I have to feel comfortable with a system before I'll run it, and so far this is the only thing I've found that feels right. (Which is ridiculous, considering how many systems I own. For some reason, I don't like any of them for space opera.) I realize the irony considering, you know, Star Wars...but I don't like licensed settings. So while I'll never run FFG's Star Wars, I'll use FFG's Genesys for space opera.
 
I need to run Two Fisted Tales 2E, which I just got. I love-love-loved the old game and it's been too long since I ran it. I also need to run Elysium Flare, which looks very cool! Unfortunately I keep making new games, and they need testing... sigh!
 
So many. But the big one is RuneQuest 3rd edition. I've had it since Games Workshop brought out their reprint of it. Never sold it, never played it. Even bought the Monsters, Griffin Island and Land of Ninja books for it. Mint condition for all 5 and a price too good to turn down.

One day, maybe.
 
Waste World by Bill King - Never played because I've only ever found one supplement from the line at a tag sale, (The Shogunate) and never saw it on Drivethru. The name is actually kinda of misleading because the setting reads a lot more like a high powered post- postapocalyptic space opera of Romance of the Three kingdoms or at least it did to the kid version of me. Just as well I suppose no way it could live up to my expectations after all these years.


Imagine Rifts, written by a much better writer, whose system is coherent, and who threw all he wanted into it--but not the kitchen sink. It's a wonderful game. Great system (for me. It's very much Talislanta's system of handling a d20.) You've got archetypes, including one alien, one robot, a wizard (psyker), a powered armor user, gene-modified people, a high tech samurai (also ninjas, but I can't recall if that's a core option or the Shogunate) and more. Every surviving Arcology is immense and has a different theme, so you get a lot of craziness in good fun. You also have a full on character creation system to build what you want. It also gives a solid reason why people from these opposing states might get together (outcasts, or simply trying to get by, and realizing its better to have an enemy you know and despite that will back you up in the wastes. Even if they don't like your homeland.) Space opera, not so much. It was once the central hub for a lot of travel "then something happened."

I've not run it because honestly, I've never had a group who knew about it, or who like length (possible) of chargen, having the supplements means having a lot of templates to grab and go. So they're useful, and I might pitch it next.

For me though, the one main game I want to play/run is Golden Sky Stories, and the very fact which makes me adore it--is kind of a "non-starter" for my primary face to face group (violence is always a loss, for the game.) For online play, my group had one person who stalled at "animal-spirits that are sorta cute anime people.)
 
Bushido. I've considered running it but that level of crunch is outside of my experience and gives me the fear.
 
Talislanta. I like the fluff. The system looks dead simple, and since I usually run the games, simple appeals to me. Also, it's all been made free. The magic system seems fun, too.

There are a lot of others on my bucket list, but taking the thread title literally, this is one of the only ones I'm actually likely to run, as opposed to just "wanting to".
 
Talislanta. I like the fluff. The system looks dead simple, and since I usually run the games, simple appeals to me. Also, it's all been made free. The magic system seems fun, too.

There are a lot of others on my bucket list, but taking the thread title literally, this is one of the only ones I'm actually likely to run, as opposed to just "wanting to".
If you run in I'll happily play.
 
Bushido. I've considered running it but that level of crunch is outside of my experience and gives me the fear.
The crunch of Bushido is fine for me. It's the layout and the way noth8ng is in a coherent order that stops me runni g that one. Which I've had for nearly 30 years...
 
If you run in I'll happily play.

Awesome. The system looks to me like it'd work well in pbp. I think I commiteed to running Recon 1e first, which should happen pretty soon. But Recon 1e is basically "TPK: The Game", so who knows how long it'll last. I will for sure let you know if/when I run Talislanta here.
 
Awesome. The system looks to me like it'd work well in pbp. I think I commiteed to running Recon 1e first, which should happen pretty soon. But Recon 1e is basically "TPK: The Game", so who knows how long it'll last. I will for sure let you know if/when I run Talislanta here.
Oh I'll add to that body count as well. Knock two games off my not played list!
 
By all accounts I *should* have been all over Bushido. It's another game that just sailed past me due to other commitments. L5R too.
 
Bushido. I've considered running it but that level of crunch is outside of my experience and gives me the fear.
By all accounts I *should* have been all over Bushido. It's another game that just sailed past me due to other commitments. L5R too.
Just wait till I start my "Let's Read Bushido from Fantasy Games Unlimited" thread! :tongue:
 
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