RPG Systems

[Stygian Inquirer]

Hey guys, I was talking with another DM the other day and we started discussing RPG systems and I heard about Tri-Stat. Have any of you guys played it, and if so, how was it? What were the pros and cons? I have looked at it and I think that I will stay a d20 man but what do you guys think? Also, what other systems have you guys used and how were they not necessarily for Ravenloft, but in general?

[ScS of the Fraternity]

I don't know about TriStat, but there are two settings that I would recomend.

The Alternity setting was produced by TSR just before their collapse and take-over by Wotc. Alternity was a really neat system, which would later serve as a predecessor to D20. The system was designed to be rules for sci-fi adventures - with the innovation that the system was designed to function in just about every setting.
The rules for Alternity were very complex, but also had some simple areas. Attacks and skills were the same thing, which streamlined everything.
Alternity had three major settings, StarDrive, DarkMatter and GammaWorld. Both DarkMatter and GammaWorld were great hits.

Other than that, there was the Deadlands Setting.
Deadlands was a Pulpy fusion between Western Action and Slasher Horror. This setting combined the elements of traditional dice-roleplaying with poker-inspired rules - which really helped set the tone for the game. The damage system was based on gunfights, so it focused on seperate bodyparts rather than total HP.
Deadlands continues to this day, though its rules have been adapted into the more generic Savage Worlds setting.

[Steve Miller]

for a quick and dirty summary of the Tri-Stat system, visit this page at my website: http://www.geocities.com/nuelow/yuabesm.html

("Big Eyes, Small Mouth" was the original 'Tri-Stat' game.)

[kalavala]

I found a great engine for Ravenloft gaming several days ago. The name is Core Elements (Toolbox).

http://zombienirvana.sitesled.com/coree ... oolbox.PDF

[Corrupted_Loremaster]

Funny that you should mention Alternity, D20, Deadlands, and Savage Worlds all in the same post ScS. It always struck me that Savage Worlds was to Deadlands what D20 was to Alternity; a refinement of the basic ideas of the sytem.

Anyway, I know about tri-stat. It's fairly versatile, but other than that, nothing about it really catches my attention.

[Ronia Sun]

A good friend of mine is DM'ing a Silver Sentinels game, and we're using the Tri-Stat system. It's not bad, really. For folks like me who only started tabletop gaming recently and are used to d20 only, it takes a bit of getting used to, but overall it's easy to understand and easy to play.

Of course, dice karma is a booger with it, since the goal in Tri-Stat is to roll *low* not high. So, naturally, when playing Tri-Stat I always seem to roll 18s or natural 20s...(which, of course, almost NEVER happens when I'm playing a d20 game...)

As a side note, Silver Sentinels is a great example of a Tri-Stat game. It's like City of Heroes, only more interesting!

[Jakob]

I'm currently translating Blue Rose, a setting for the True20 System.

I'm actually deciding to implement many True20 mechanics in my future Ravenloft games, blending it with the d20 System.

Essentially, the True20 is a simplified d20Sys, with only the d20 used.
It is a much more narrative system, working wonderfully for more narrative settings (just like the Blue Rose setting or Ravenloft).

I think the True20 is out on OGL

EDIT: http://true20.com/index.php

[Jack of Tears]

As mentioned in another thread, I've played with the Serenity system and would certainly recommend it for fast, cinematic style games.

Savage Worlds, though it has been spoken well of, strikes me as no more simplistic or versatile than 2E dnd. (which, mind you, I got alot of mileage out of over the years)

Talislanta has a fantastic system, for it's setting. (which is absolutely fantastic - if ever you're looking for a fantasy setting that breaks many of the trite steriotypes, you will want to play this. Ravenloft, Planescape and Talislanta are my three favorite settings of all time) Character generation takes all of 5 minutes.

Rolemaster has a new system (HARP, I believe) which is supposed to be quite good, for those of you not wanting to play d20. From everything I've heard, if my group had not already perfected our own system, we'd likely be using this.

Deliria has a very enjoyable system ... with a unique feel, even if it isn't entirely new. Though the system was designed for the setting, I can easily see it being put to use in any low magic setting; where you want the magic that is used to be more than just a list of spells.

All Flesh Must be Eaten, by Eden Studios, has a very versatile and easy to learn system. Though their damage for firearms, as apposed to melee weapons, seems quite off.

That's about all I have for you off the top of my head.

[Jester of the FoS]

Tri-stat /BESM is fun and the books have a wide range of options. It is easily customizable for low to high powered games. You # of points chosen by the DM that you plug into you stats and then use to choose abilities (that you define) and traits along with weaknesses.
In the first game I played I was a rogue-ish character with illusion magic and a teammate was a monk who did insane damage but one of the other characters was a blue sparrow that could talk and shoot lightning.

And I agree that the Serenity system looks really fun and I'm kinda cuious if I could play a game of that sometime.

Another system no one talks about because WotC dropped the ball with it then let it die is the SAGA system. SAGA and Alternity really bridge the gap between 2E and 3E, only SAGA is a fun diceless system. Rules for using it in Ravenloft can be found in Dragon # 240 (IIRC).

[order99]

I've always liked the old TSR Amazing Engine system myself...very easily houseruled, not to mention very port-friendly to other systems that I enjoy borrowing from.