David Johansen
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- May 4, 2017
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We recently had a thread on medieval fantasy that got a good run, so, here's a new bone (or at least one with some meat left on it) to chew on.
With D&D being the first and most popular rpg everything since has been a reaction to it in some fashion. More authentically medieval is one common road that's virtually implied by D&D's roots in medieval wargames and it's lack of interest in presenting a medieval world. The general development of other fantasy role playing games is broadly, more realistic mechanics, more abstract mechanics, more medieval fantasy, more Tolkienesque (and the English professor does a summersault in his grave), more gonzo crazy shit, more powerful magic, more flexible magic, more authentic magic, and non -European settings.
Tunnels and Trolls had more abstract combat which went into great detail and complexity on weapon types, the setting (which we only glimpse) is more middle eastern, magic is more flexible and powerful.
Chivalry and Sorcery tries for more authentically medieval, more Tolkinesque (getting haunted is what I am), more realistic combat, and more authentic magic.
The Fantasy Trip is mainly a mechanical variation with super fast character creation, tactically interesting combat, and flexible magic. The setting is sketchy but resembles the American frontier more than any other historical period.
High Fantasy is pure rules and mechanics tinkering aimed at more mechanically satisfying handling of details with combat generating damage to the character, their armour, and their shield with a single roll. The setting in second edition is Mezo-American with renaissance technology.
Fantasy Wargaming, which is about half crazy man on a soap box rant and half game, aims for medieval and magical authenticity I'll leave it to the magicians to decide whether it succeeds.
Runequest is more gonzo, more realistic in combat, has more authentic magic from an anthropological perspective, and a non-European setting which might be taken as Babylonian but even that's a stretch. Storm Bringer is more gonzo and non-European.
Harn is more medieval but doesn't seem to shoot for magical authenticity at all.
Rolemaster is more Tolkienesque (go away oh ghost of elf fetishes past) and more detailed combat. On a side note, Arms Law is actually a combat total system like Tunnels and Trolls.
Dragonquest shoots for more authentically simulating fantasy literature in its character creation, monsters, and magic. Combat leans to realism but uses Fatigue as heroic toughness buffer points.
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is interesting in that it's really one of the more authentic medieval game, a filth covered world where superstitions are often quite correct and you're in more danger of being burned as a witch than cursed by one.
GURPS Fantasy shoots for more authentically medieval but has a very structured magic system that is more flexible but not in any way authentic.
While later editions of D&D never really shoot for more authentic anything, the monsters and magic items run to more gonzo, the combat to mechanical functionality (yes even first edition) but second edition's Forgotten Realms tries for a little more authentically medieval and a little more Tolkienesque (I cast "Oh Go Away" on the ghost). Dark Sun is more gonzo and non-European. Mysteria is odd in that different areas focus on different societies and points in history but draws heavily on Earth cultures. Al-Quadim is middle eastern.
That should provoke some discussion, though around here it will probably about preferred styles of socks by page three.
With D&D being the first and most popular rpg everything since has been a reaction to it in some fashion. More authentically medieval is one common road that's virtually implied by D&D's roots in medieval wargames and it's lack of interest in presenting a medieval world. The general development of other fantasy role playing games is broadly, more realistic mechanics, more abstract mechanics, more medieval fantasy, more Tolkienesque (and the English professor does a summersault in his grave), more gonzo crazy shit, more powerful magic, more flexible magic, more authentic magic, and non -European settings.
Tunnels and Trolls had more abstract combat which went into great detail and complexity on weapon types, the setting (which we only glimpse) is more middle eastern, magic is more flexible and powerful.
Chivalry and Sorcery tries for more authentically medieval, more Tolkinesque (getting haunted is what I am), more realistic combat, and more authentic magic.
The Fantasy Trip is mainly a mechanical variation with super fast character creation, tactically interesting combat, and flexible magic. The setting is sketchy but resembles the American frontier more than any other historical period.
High Fantasy is pure rules and mechanics tinkering aimed at more mechanically satisfying handling of details with combat generating damage to the character, their armour, and their shield with a single roll. The setting in second edition is Mezo-American with renaissance technology.
Fantasy Wargaming, which is about half crazy man on a soap box rant and half game, aims for medieval and magical authenticity I'll leave it to the magicians to decide whether it succeeds.
Runequest is more gonzo, more realistic in combat, has more authentic magic from an anthropological perspective, and a non-European setting which might be taken as Babylonian but even that's a stretch. Storm Bringer is more gonzo and non-European.
Harn is more medieval but doesn't seem to shoot for magical authenticity at all.
Rolemaster is more Tolkienesque (go away oh ghost of elf fetishes past) and more detailed combat. On a side note, Arms Law is actually a combat total system like Tunnels and Trolls.
Dragonquest shoots for more authentically simulating fantasy literature in its character creation, monsters, and magic. Combat leans to realism but uses Fatigue as heroic toughness buffer points.
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is interesting in that it's really one of the more authentic medieval game, a filth covered world where superstitions are often quite correct and you're in more danger of being burned as a witch than cursed by one.
GURPS Fantasy shoots for more authentically medieval but has a very structured magic system that is more flexible but not in any way authentic.
While later editions of D&D never really shoot for more authentic anything, the monsters and magic items run to more gonzo, the combat to mechanical functionality (yes even first edition) but second edition's Forgotten Realms tries for a little more authentically medieval and a little more Tolkienesque (I cast "Oh Go Away" on the ghost). Dark Sun is more gonzo and non-European. Mysteria is odd in that different areas focus on different societies and points in history but draws heavily on Earth cultures. Al-Quadim is middle eastern.
That should provoke some discussion, though around here it will probably about preferred styles of socks by page three.
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