3rik
Legendary Pubber
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Thanks for checking it out. Like you, I don't know that the system will work for me and my group. I may pick it up at some point just for the reference material.Shooting Iron arrived today and I have thumbed through it. It is based on the OGL, it is class and level based, ascending AC, lots of special abilities for each class, and a skill system that you roll against a GM set DC. If that is what you want it looks like a decent version of that. I personally don't like class and level for more modern games so I probably won't get it to the table. There is a ton of background material in the book if you don't already have that covered. If someone was used to D20 games and only had a passing knowledge of westerns this looks like it would be a good game to go with.
Here is a review from Amazon that goes into more depth, it was posted by a reviewer named Brent Wolke
"Shooting Iron is the dark horse of Western RPGs. It's very likely you never heard of it, or seen it. I've only ever found it for sale on Amazon. What it lacks in fancy layout or overproduced art it makes up for it by packing in a walloping solid 244 pages of tight, lean, gaming material with a veritable treasure trove of extras to cover darn near anything you'd need to know or have a rule to cover. By the author's own admission, there are still elements missing - such as greater depth on Indians - and hoped to cover those elements in future books (though 3 years on, that looks like it isn't happening).
All that being said, it's not a rule's heavy system at all. In fact, chances are, you already know it quite well. Shooting Iron is built on the 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons OGL, with abundant streamlining and revised focus' on a straight, non-weird, old west. There are many Old West games built on the d20 system. This is the superior product.
There are the usual 6 attributes, and 8 tailored-to-the-old-west classess such as Cowboy and Gambler - must haves - but also less obvious classes like Pioneer and Townie. There is also an elegant skill system that has a light touch on the rules, but with vast implications to a character's knowledge and abilities.
The equipment section leaves you wanting nothing else to name. It's chock full of weapons and gear and everyday items, and I appreciate the rarity codes which handles whether Item A is likely to be found at an isolated fort (for example) for sale.
The combat section is less convoluted than the 3rd edition game it's based on, and takes nought but 2 dozen or so pages to cover and that includes optional rules.
There is a section on critters (and their stats) but an amazing thing is the section on horses with loads of random tables to determine an individual horse almost as if it was a separate character - complete with levels and abilities! A really nice touch!
The next 100 or so pages is all random tables for everything from the kind of encounters you might stumble across in the Alaskan wilderness, to the kinds of rolling stock attached to a train, to the chances a judge might be corrupt, to the make up of a cavalry unit. None of it is required for game play, but it stands ready to fill in blanks the moment a GM needs details he or she hadn't planned on. My absolute favorite part is - what is essentially - a hex crawling system to wander the wilds and see what you might encounter.
I will put this part in bold if I could: Even if you have no interest in the game itself, the last 100 pages are worth the price to get access to all the research the author has condensed into useful bits that can be used in any game.
The Nitty Gritty
Total Page Count: 244 Pages
Character Creation: 35 Pages
Game Mechanics: 21 Pages
Everything Else: 188 Pages
Judgement: I cannot recommend this one enough. It sits atop all other Western RPGs I own as my go-to game.
BONUS!: The fine people over at BoxToad Creations, using the OGL, created a beautifully produced adventure called The Quicksilver Express for Shooting Iron. It is a work of art. It clocks in between 32 to 62 pages depending on how you print it. It's free, and therefore a must have to go with Shooting Iron."
I just picked up a PoD copy of 3E to complement my 2E boxed set.I particularly enjoyed Boot Hill 3rd edition for its simplicity and setting up a straight western game.
Okay! Consider me very interested in this one.It's not the best western, but mine is being released to Gauntlet publishing's Patreon members this summer, then Drivethru this fall. It's called Ghosts of El Paso and it is a re-skin of the Between. The only supernatural elements are ghosts. It's based in historical El Paso around 1880 right before it becomes a boomtown. The town is being afflicted by a reoccurring "Blood Moon" curse and players are members of the vigilance committee who are trying sort out the hauntings and figure out the cause of the curse.
I had a blast with three different playtest groups and it has changed quite a bit from when I first started. In a nut shell, it just became darker and the player characters picked up more supernatural aspects (like cursed revolvers).
If you're interested, I go through the process, characters, and threats over in the Design & Development thread.
When it comes out, I'll definitely post links.Okay! Consider me very interested in this one.
And I love the Between too!
Thanks for the plug!Tales from the West is the deal of the day at DTRPG for $3
Awesome! Thank you very much!Just grabbed it, that was one I didn’t have. Now I need to get the print version from Lulu.
That looks cool! Let me know when you get it posted.No problem!
My own spooky western may end up on drive thru at some point. Currently it's for patreon supporters of Gauntlet publishing.
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It uses the PbtA mechanics from the Between.
It's a huge tome.So, I just went and ordered Haunted West in print and pdf...
I backed that Kickstarter and went all-in.What I consider to easily be the most authentic western rpg is Åskfågeln's Western IV. Although the backers of the crowdfunded project have the full game in pdf, it has yet to be released publicly, and with the death of an author/publisher, its timeline is still unknown.
The game offers three modes of play, depending on the realism each group may want: realism, campaign, and cinematic action.
A phenomenal setting and system that suffers only from not being released.
They are finally shipping the Freeway Warrior books, I backed the option that waited to ship them all at once, so they are slowly moving forward.What I consider to easily be the most authentic western rpg is Åskfågeln's Western IV. Although the backers of the crowdfunded project have the full game in pdf, it has yet to be released publicly, and with the death of an author/publisher, its timeline is still unknown.
The game offers three modes of play, depending on the realism each group may want: realism, campaign, and cinematic action.
A phenomenal setting and system that suffers only from not being released.
So Boot Hill 2E is still my favorite western rpg but you have to be ok with a game that is basically just combat mechanics. I’m fine just role playing all the social and other stuff but if you want mechanical support for activities outside combat (and gambling) you probably don’t want Boot Hill 2E except for historical purposes. Boot Hill 3E does have a decent skill system and looks like a pretty good game but I have never played it.I've heard good things about Print the Legend, which seems to be at least inspired by Boot Hill 3e. I've long wanted a straight western rpg that isn't overly crunchy. I've considered picking up Boot Hill 2 and 3e, but haven't yet, as I'm holding out for something newer, at least for now.
I own Print the Legend. It looks pretty good but something about the rules causes my eyes to glaze over. I'm sure it's just me and anyobdy else will be able to make perfect sense of it. I did put it up for sale/trade.I've heard good things about Print the Legend, which seems to be at least inspired by Boot Hill 3e. I've long wanted a straight western rpg that isn't overly crunchy. I've considered picking up Boot Hill 2 and 3e, but haven't yet, as I'm holding out for something newer, at least for now.
We did as well. And have not been the least bit disappointed in the product.I backed that Kickstarter and went all-in.
I would never claim it's the best, but I did release Smoke Wagon today
Yeah... that's what I meant.Combat uses a "count" system where different types of shots take differing amounts of time to fire. The round is six seconds long, divided into 6 1-second counts. A careful shot is an aimed shot takes place on count 6 in the round, a steady shot which is just leveling the gun and firing happens on count 3 and 6 with some sacrificed accuracy, a hip shot with further reduced accuracy takes place on count 2, 4 and 6 and fan-firing happens on each of counts 1 through 6 but at severely reduced accuracy. There are a few other bells and whistles but that is the main thrust of the system.
I missed seeing this, but good old ORtrail pointed it out to me.What can you tell us about your game? What's the system like?
Thanks for the questions!urbwar - I bought the game to check it out. Pretty straightforward, rules-lite game, but a couple of questions popped up as I read.
First, what is a point of By Hook or By Crook? It is referenced in the "Checks" portion of the rules and mentions seeing page 6 but I see no other references to it in the book.
Second, since the game is narrative and everything happens from the skill checks, no list of weapons or equipment is needed. If you attack, you simply either succeed, succeed with cost or fail, and the specific weapon used has little bearing other than narratively. Am I correct here? Basically you can say your character has a Colt Peacemaker or a Winchester 73 and they both do the same thing rules-wise?
Third, as a wild west game, there are certainly going to be gunfights. If a character shoots another, what happens to them? If the shot is successful, does the person who gets shot take 1 point of spooked? And if the shot is successful with cost, do both characters take 1 spooked and on a failure the shooter takes 1 spooked, or on a failure the skill just decreases as normal?
Is that the one that requires full poker hand use of cards?I'm a big old west genre fan and own a lot of the games listed herein. My faves are Sidewinder: Recoiled, Wild West Cinema, and Shotguns & Saddles.
I'm a player in a new Sidewinder: Recoiled campaign starting tomorrow over Roll20.
No, Sidewinder: Recoiled is a d20 game, based on d20 Modern. Just uses the typical set of polyhedrons.Is that the one that requires full poker hand use of cards?