What to buy next?

Undergod

I've been playing various D&D campaigns over about a year. I just started my own campaign there a while ago, using a rough hybrid of d20 modern and regular fantasy rules, and it's going fairly well.

I'm wondering which RPG books you guys would reccomend. I was recently told that Call of Cthulhu is coming out in paperback soon, which seems pretty cool, and I'm also thinking of getting GURPS Steampunk (if I can find it in Dublin) or d20 Past.

What do you suggest? I want to expand my general knowledge of different systems as well, because there's a lot of difference between the 3 different systems I've seen the rules for.

Sarky

I would normally suggest "All of them". It's a matter of taste, really. What kind of game do you like playing? Cthulhu is great for mystery/suspense/horror, D20 is great for mad over the top combat, and GURPS is really flexible and can be used for anything, although some folks think the magic system is bland, and preparing a game takes more time.

They're frankly all good. GURPS Steampunk may be hard to find since the move to 4th ed though, and the rulebooks (There are two now. Three, if you include the Magic book) are hardback and about 25-30 quid each. The basic rules are really quite simple, and any more detail (And the rules can cater for a LOT of detail) are purely optional, so the learning curve is good and you can tailor the game to suit what you want to run. Making characters is time consuming, and where most of the work happens, but once they're made things run pretty smoothly. I myself am am very fond of GURPS.

There's a "Lite" version of GURPS 4th ed on the Steve Jackson website for free. It gives you a very good idea how the game works, but lacks most of the advantages, disadvantages and skills of the rulebooks proper. Just download it, get 3D6, and you have pretty much everything you need. There's a TONNE of sourcebooks and supplements out there like Steampunk. Most of them contain very few rules, actually, they're mostly background fluff and interesting little points and details on which traits a certain character type might display. Most of what I know about Nazi Germany I learned from GURPS Iron Cross, for example...

You might try a look at Exalted, too. It's a very cool D10 based system with a brilliant setting. I played a couple of games (Last one was a great political game at Warpcon, but it is well equipped for magical martial arts battles so over the top it makes D&D look like real life!), and I like it quite a bit.

I've also heard good things about Fading Suns, which is about as close to Warhammer 40,000 as you can get without a lawsuit...

Undergod

I have the GURPS Lite downladed and printed off somewhere, it's way more flexible than d20 and more realistic (sorta) for skills progression and stuff, it looks pretty cool.

Is there anywhere you might be able to download a version of the Exalted rules? I've both d20 system reference dcuments off the Wizards of the Coast website, and I downloaded a beginner version of Cthulhu as well, is there any Exalted equivalent?

Sarky

http://download.white-wolf.com/download/

The second download "Exalted Quickstart" may be what you're looking for. There's a half decent outline of the background and factions there too.

If you want to get into Exalted, the best place to start is not actually the main rulebook, but the Dragon Blooded add on. It's got the most information on the world setting as most common people (and the Dragon Blooded, who are the most common Exalted and up til 5 years before gametime ruled Creation) see it. Each sourcebook deals with the same history, but from the point of view of the subjects, which is cool.

hairyheretic

Definately recommend Exalted. If you want to give it a try, Drive Through RPG are offering it as a free download at the moment.

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=1_8

I don't think the free offer has long left to go on it, so if you want it, grab it today.

Raphael

Woo, free thing!

*gets*

Maguined

Bought this game The Riddle Of Steel but have not gotten a chance to play it but in my humble opinion it seems to be a gem of a game well worth the money.

I bought it over a year ago and really wish i had the time to play it

Sarky

I bought the Exalted Dragon-Blooded sourcebook there, and I doubly recommend the game after reading through it. Fantastic stuff, huge scope, it's so big you could never really run a game that took in all the story, and all of it's pure gold. Love it.

nesf

Call of Cthulu rocks, but only if you're up for dark horror games.

Ever heard of A/State? It's done by Contested Ground Studios. Do a google for them

Got to pimp em, the writer's a mate.

Zillah

I can't reccomend Exalted enough, its outstanding. But you will need the core rules too. Which are free atm. Go!

Sarky

I "accidentally" bought the Abyssals book the other day.

Whoah. Now that's a sourcebook!

Undergod

Got Exalted Core rules, c/o ma good buddy Raph. Very... large. Very very large indeed. But a quick glance seems to confirm- it looks fun.

Sarky

It occasionally feels like Dragonball Z, only with better art and an actual plot.

Zillah

The best way I've ever heard exalted described is "Its the Bible done by Jackie Chan and John Woo"