That sounds very cool! The core book should cover most of this, but the supplements (which I've only skimmed so far) might help you craft exactly what you want: Action Flicks contains a setting called "A kind of magic" that's essentially a reskinned version of Harry Potter. A few new roles and tropes, as well as simple rules for magic. And of course "World of Killers" is all about a John Wick like setting of assassins. Most of it is about the setting (which might not apply directly to your idea), but there are some special rules around assassination, hunting targets, etc. Combining those two might do the trick!
(Disclaimer: I've only run Broken Compass, which uses the same core mechanic. I'm running Outgunned for the first time in January, but the overall flow should be pretty much the same.) No, I don't think this game would work well without dice. I'd say that it leans strongly into the "gamist" side, and the gambling-like reroll mechanic is a big part of the experience, leading both to tense rolls and interesting consequences. Dice rolls also closely interact with other game features, like the stress track (Grit), the Adrenaline meta-currency (which gives players some control over situations that really matter to them), etc. Note that only players roll dice, but not the Director. If you're looking for a game that focuses mostly on the narrative side, perhaps with only the occasional die roll, Outgunned likely isn't the right match.
Yes, both can cover this genre well. But they provide a very different experience. Savage Worlds tends to be more tactical in nature and is geared around miniatures (although you can absolutely play theater of the mind as well). The rules are more crunchy, both for character creation and during play. Lots of situational modifiers, rules that I can never remember for firing automatic weapons, etc. Even though it's touted as "fast, furious, fun", I find that in practice it's not all that fast. Overall, it's a fairly traditional system. A very solid and fun one, and a great way to mix things up if you're tired of d20 based games, for example - but still a traditional game. Outgunned is much, much more lightweight and loose when it comes to the rules, and with more modern game design. It focuses purely on capturing the high octane action vibe, without trying to simulate things with actual tactical rules. I find it much more relaxing to run as a GM, and the fact that all rolls are player facing really helps me focus on other aspects of the game. So ultimately, it really depends on what you and your group are after. If you want a tactical experience, Savage Worlds is a great option. If you want something that actually feels like an action movie, I'd go with Outgunned.
That was a great insight. Thanks a lot!
Thanks for the overview DH! I may have to pick this one up as I sat out on the KS.
@How2RPG: Happy to run a one-shot at some point (outside of the one at BSer Con) if you want to see it in action first.
@@DigitalHobbitRPGthat would be cool.
Thanks for the review, I was looking at this for a John Wickish series of one shots in a Harry Potter for assassins type of world.
That sounds very cool! The core book should cover most of this, but the supplements (which I've only skimmed so far) might help you craft exactly what you want: Action Flicks contains a setting called "A kind of magic" that's essentially a reskinned version of Harry Potter. A few new roles and tropes, as well as simple rules for magic. And of course "World of Killers" is all about a John Wick like setting of assassins. Most of it is about the setting (which might not apply directly to your idea), but there are some special rules around assassination, hunting targets, etc. Combining those two might do the trick!
How is the flow of actual play? It seems like alot of rolling dice.
Would you say that this rpg is possible to play without dice?
(Disclaimer: I've only run Broken Compass, which uses the same core mechanic. I'm running Outgunned for the first time in January, but the overall flow should be pretty much the same.)
No, I don't think this game would work well without dice. I'd say that it leans strongly into the "gamist" side, and the gambling-like reroll mechanic is a big part of the experience, leading both to tense rolls and interesting consequences. Dice rolls also closely interact with other game features, like the stress track (Grit), the Adrenaline meta-currency (which gives players some control over situations that really matter to them), etc.
Note that only players roll dice, but not the Director.
If you're looking for a game that focuses mostly on the narrative side, perhaps with only the occasional die roll, Outgunned likely isn't the right match.
Dice are a part of the system as it involves players rolling a small pool of six-sided dice which are commonly available.
How would you compare Outgunned to Savage world? It seems that both cover high adrenaline action.
Yes, both can cover this genre well. But they provide a very different experience. Savage Worlds tends to be more tactical in nature and is geared around miniatures (although you can absolutely play theater of the mind as well). The rules are more crunchy, both for character creation and during play. Lots of situational modifiers, rules that I can never remember for firing automatic weapons, etc. Even though it's touted as "fast, furious, fun", I find that in practice it's not all that fast. Overall, it's a fairly traditional system. A very solid and fun one, and a great way to mix things up if you're tired of d20 based games, for example - but still a traditional game.
Outgunned is much, much more lightweight and loose when it comes to the rules, and with more modern game design. It focuses purely on capturing the high octane action vibe, without trying to simulate things with actual tactical rules. I find it much more relaxing to run as a GM, and the fact that all rolls are player facing really helps me focus on other aspects of the game.
So ultimately, it really depends on what you and your group are after. If you want a tactical experience, Savage Worlds is a great option. If you want something that actually feels like an action movie, I'd go with Outgunned.