What is the best game system to run Ravenloft

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Ocule
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What is the best game system to run Ravenloft

Post by Ocule »

I currently run my game under 4e D&D rules, but i was strongly considering switching to an alternate system that has more material, and less conversion to keep up with the giant headache of what doesn't make sense or convert well to 4e. I was looking at pathfinder material to see if maybe that would be a better option. I would not be opposed to purchasing pathfinder to be honest.
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Re: What is the best game system to run Ravenloft

Post by Gonzoron of the FoS »

Personally, I use 3.0, with a mix of 3.5 and pathfinder stuff added in. I'm tempted to jump fully to Pathfinder, just because it's what most of the other campaigns I play in are. I think the 3.x system does an excellent job for Ravenloft, but there are many that disagree. (And truth be told, I haven't investigated many of the other options, simply because I'm happy with what I have in 3.x.)

But I'm sure the usual suspects will be around shortly to make the case for GURPS, L5R, 4e, 2e, Savage Worlds, nWOD, E7, tri-stat, etc. :)
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Re: What is the best game system to run Ravenloft

Post by Ocule »

So far i think keeping close to the d20 thing would be good, i do really like nwod but i wouldnt play ravenloft with it. It works better in a lower fantasy setting but i do love the mechanics. And i really just dont see l5r unless i was playing an oriental setting. Was thinking pathfinder/3.5 just because there is a lot of support and plenty of customization involving characters. Also no thac0, for the love of everything that is good in the world...

I dunno if it matters much but its an online campaign
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Re: What is the best game system to run Ravenloft

Post by Zilfer »

I have to agree with Gonzoron here that each system has it's pluses and minus' but i tend to just stick with the 3.x area. I'm still not sure about pathfinder myself but it seemed mostly possitive from what i was looking at so i may be mixing my game as well.

I have a mix of 3.0/3.5 books so i just try my best to make it work.

So i think it's going to come down to personal preference with which game best suits ravenloft. I don't really think 4e is suited to Ravenloft but i'm sure there are those that would disagree.

Edit upon seeing Thac0:

Isn't Thac0 just the number - from 20?

Because a Thac0 of 2 is equivalent to AC 18 in the newer systems. I always just took the "AC" of the person and then subtracted from twenty. Obviously -3 would be 20 - (-3) which is the same as 20 + 3 = 23 AC. <.< If the person know's their "plus to hit" than it's not THAT hard. <.< Anyways....
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Re: What is the best game system to run Ravenloft

Post by High Priest Mikhal »

3.x worked just fine when I still had a group going. 4e was too MMO-like and I've invested a lot of time and money into 3.x books, I know the system, and I know where to look when I don't know something off the top of my head. But that's just me.

Use whatever system works best for you. That's the best advice I can give.
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Re: What is the best game system to run Ravenloft

Post by Ocule »

Well i was asking because 4e feels like im playing an MMO, and getting a little tired of converting EVERYTHING that i need that made the setting unique. Im really considering dropping 4e altogether as an rpg.
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Re: What is the best game system to run Ravenloft

Post by Dion of the Fraternity »

If you're focused on a system that's similar to 3E but requires very little conversion:

Image

A single d20 is all you need.
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Re: What is the best game system to run Ravenloft

Post by HuManBing »

This thread in the General Forum has a round-up of a lot of different systems. Because it's in the General Forum, it gets buried fairly quickly, but there's some good discussion of strengths and weaknesses of generic vs. focused systems and what assumptions they support in gaming.

I did a quick study of a load of different systems back in 2008 (specifically because I did not want to follow WotC into 4th edition) and eventually settled on GURPS, but many others had much to recommend them.
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Re: What is the best game system to run Ravenloft

Post by alhoon »

5th edition of course!
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Re: What is the best game system to run Ravenloft

Post by Zilfer »

^getting a little excited are we?
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Re: What is the best game system to run Ravenloft

Post by High Priest Mikhal »

I'm not so sure about 5e. From what I've seen it's still too MMO-like for my tastes (which is the same complaint the OP has with 4e). But it's not out yet so I'll reserve judgment until I can read the core rulebooks. Giving sorcerers and wizards low-level at will spells is actually a good idea; once they run out of spells or spell slots they're screwed. Even clerics have half-decent non-magical combat abilities.

Really either 2e or 3.x is the way to go if you want truly classic D&D before WotC began ripping off Blizzard and WoW (who ripped off D&D to begin with).
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Re: What is the best game system to run Ravenloft

Post by Zilfer »

Isn't that the Irony though? That most things tend to go full circle?
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Re: What is the best game system to run Ravenloft

Post by Le Noir Faineant »

Gonzoron of the FoS wrote:Personally, I use 3.0, with a mix of 3.5 and pathfinder stuff added in. I'm tempted to jump fully to Pathfinder, just because it's what most of the other campaigns I play in are. I think the 3.x system does an excellent job for Ravenloft, but there are many that disagree. (And truth be told, I haven't investigated many of the other options, simply because I'm happy with what I have in 3.x.)

But I'm sure the usual suspects will be around shortly to make the case for GURPS, L5R, 4e, 2e, Savage Worlds, nWOD, E7, tri-stat, etc. :)
I conclude, too, that Pathfinder or NWoD's famous fantasy mod are by far the best roleplaying options in my experience.
I also ran a MotRD by the book rules, which was pretty decent, but from my experience, I prefer more flexible rulesets that put less emphasis on combat.

I can't really say that I have found adequate substitutes to simple d20 yet, though.
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Re: What is the best game system to run Ravenloft

Post by High Priest Mikhal »

Zilfer wrote:Isn't that the Irony though? That most things tend to go full circle?
It is, my friend. Usually it takes thirty years for a full circle, though (a repeat of the 80s this decade? :shock: Aside from heavy metal and rock, NOOOOO!!!!!).
Le Noir Faineant wrote:I conclude, too, that Pathfinder or NWoD's famous fantasy mod are by far the best roleplaying options in my experience.
I also ran a MotRD by the book rules, which was pretty decent, but from my experience, I prefer more flexible rulesets that put less emphasis on combat.

I can't really say that I have found adequate substitutes to simple d20 yet, though.
I'm not familiar with Pathfinder, but nWOD's systems work great if everyone doesn't mind losing levels (there are plenty of ways to simulate increasing power). There's also CthulhuTech's Framewerk which is a d10 system (core stats + a # of dice equal to Expertise = final roll with Threshold's determining difficulty). Then there's the pre-4e Shadowrun system (skill or attributes plus applicable dice pool rolled against a Target Number, modified up or down accordingly but never below 2 on a d6 roll; I can't recommend SR4 as the rules are just so cookie-cutter one can tell WizKids, and now Catalyst Labs, quit trying. :cry:).
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Re: What is the best game system to run Ravenloft

Post by Zilfer »

High Priest Mikhal wrote:
Zilfer wrote:Isn't that the Irony though? That most things tend to go full circle?
It is, my friend. Usually it takes thirty years for a full circle, though (a repeat of the 80s this decade? :shock: Aside from heavy metal and rock, NOOOOO!!!!!).
Le Noir Faineant wrote:I conclude, too, that Pathfinder or NWoD's famous fantasy mod are by far the best roleplaying options in my experience.
I also ran a MotRD by the book rules, which was pretty decent, but from my experience, I prefer more flexible rulesets that put less emphasis on combat.

I can't really say that I have found adequate substitutes to simple d20 yet, though.
I'm not familiar with Pathfinder, but nWOD's systems work great if everyone doesn't mind losing levels (there are plenty of ways to simulate increasing power). There's also CthulhuTech's Framewerk which is a d10 system (core stats + a # of dice equal to Expertise = final roll with Threshold's determining difficulty). Then there's the pre-4e Shadowrun system (skill or attributes plus applicable dice pool rolled against a Target Number, modified up or down accordingly but never below 2 on a d6 roll; I can't recommend SR4 as the rules are just so cookie-cutter one can tell WizKids, and now Catalyst Labs, quit trying. :cry:).

I haven't played the earlier edditions of Shadowrun but I love SR4A. :D
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