All Fantasy RPGs will be compared to D&D and every discussion about a Fantasy RPG will involve a person asking, "Why don't you just play D&D?" It gets very, very tiresome.
The only fantasy I could see argued is Runequest, as it has a much deeper MEANINGFUL lore, and it actually effects the mechanics and role-playing. In D&D the lore feels like meaningless fluff for DMs who don't want to use their own or different BETTER lore. Played 3e up to 5e& pathfinder over the past 20+ years and have not played a single game that stuck to the "official" lore. And if one did, it was VERY nuanced and didn't matter in the grand scheme.
That being said, I'm much more into sci Fi, cosmic, folk, western, horror, post apocalyptic, military, etc. I'm still in a D&D group(that I run one shots of different games for sometimes),but when the campaign is over, even our DM wants to move to something else.
It’s especially tiring because many D&D players will complain about some aspect of D&D, but just stare when you suggest they try any of the 50 other fantasy games released in the past year which fix that issue and 8,000 other things.
I don’t know whether they are evil or incompetent. There doesn’t seem to be a week that passes that they avoid tripping over their own stupidity when it comes to the ttrpg community
@@mohnkern I worry that some people use incompetence as a shield to hide their malice behind. After all, we have that maxim about seeing malice as incompetence instead. Maybe incompetence might as well be seen as a type of malice.
If I have to choose one Genre that I am going to be playing for the rest of my life, I am going with Post-Apocalyptic. Post-Apocalyptic has all the flavor, you can have a raging maniac swinging a two handed sword next to a VW Beetle in a location that is on the uncomfortable side of familiar.
Plus, your chances of experiencing a post-apocalypse/post-collapse world are far more likely than waking up and there being magic and elves. Maybe thats not the bonus I first imagined....but whatever, I too am Post-Apoc 4 Life.
It’s a really hard call. Each genre, even fantasy has its own attraction. And then there are the sub genres. Horror - Cthulhu is radically different from Horror-Alien or Horror - Vaesen
My Cyberpunk campaign setting had enough of a flavor to it worked out where it had areas of the earth and mars that were basically a wasteland with mutants and such. Or even a very 'old west' vibe on Mars where there were outlaws and mining, etc. Along with the typical densely populated urban sprawl, it all kind of works well together.
As an indie creator of an actual fantasy rpg, I love your channel and I will continue to watch because of what you bring to the table. Keep up the good work!
You are easily my favorite internet contrarian. I run a campaign for the game that shall not be named, but your content offers so much insight on ways to play TTRPGS in general that I can't help but click for your takes on other stuff. Love the channel man, love the brand, love the content. Keep being our salty uncle who speaks nothing but truth.
Exactly! That's why I'm here too 🙂He roped me in with some Gamma World content that I was going to use as inspiration for my "that game" campaign. While I don't watch EVERYTHING, I do watch a lot of his material for the insights, and inspiration. @RPGElite / SoS ~ keep up the great work, Sir!
Excellent video! The game that shall not be named is like going to Starbucks and getting an Americano every day of your life. It's a classic, for sure, but there are SO MANY other options to make your experience more enjoyable and full of flavor! All you have to do is pull something from the vast menu of options. Always keep it real my friends!
See, I would have likened Fantasy more to choosing one coffee shop, but you can have any beverage they serve. "Welcome to Fantasy Grinds! How would you like your Fantasy today?" "Can you make me a Noble-Dark with a shot of Post-Apocalyptic and a squirt of Super Humans for flavor?" "Sure! Would you like that with Elves or no Elves?" "Eww... definitely no Elves. They are too sweet." "Well, if you prefer a more bitter Elf, we do offer Eldar..." "Do they come with lasers, or swords?" "Whichever you prefer." "Ok, add in a little bit of Eldar with lasers AND swords." "Sounds great! We'll have that ready for you in a jiffy!"
I respect all your reasons. I personally mostly like Pulp fantasy, Sword & sorcery like Conan. I am also into science fantasy like Heavy Metal (movie and comics) and straight sci-fi. However I will try almost any genre if it sounds interesting. I do have to say it is nice to finally find a channel that specifically doesn't stick to the game that shall not be named, it does get way to much coverage on TH-cam especially the 5th edition. I also completely agree people should try new systems and it is depressing that very few do in this hobby or at least thats my experience. I tried to get people to try Call of Cthulhu for the longest time, I still have my quite substantial collection butnits so hard to get a game. Anyway keep up the good work!
*THANK YOU* so much for this policy. Fantasy is fine as a genre, but the vast majority of all TTRPG channels are overwhelmingly or completely devoted to it. You, _Seth Skorkowsky,_ and _How to be a Great GM_ are the only channels I can think of offhand who _aren't_ totally dominated by it. It's kind of like if 99% of all food vids were about pizza. That's not a knock on pizza, pizza can be really good. That's not even a knock on pizza vids, many probably offer some great pizza-making tips, and some of those tips can probably even be generalized to non-pizza foods. Heck, I'm sure there are all sorts of clever ideas for how you can challenge your pizza-making skills by folding a slice in half for a "taco-style experience" or whatever... But FFS, _maybe I want a little variety._ And if I have to hear about Pizza Hut one more time I'll puke. As fate would have it, this morning I watched a Feb 29 video from _Dungeons & Discourse_ which made a pretty good point: That Game is the 800 lb gorilla with all the marketing and name recognition behind it, and the yt algo is pretty punishing of videos that don't perform, so creators are heavily pressured to focus on it. Even channels which cover other games (an increasing number since the OGL scandal) seem to focus on _alternatives_ which are still firmly within the fantasy genre. Which is all to say: you're making a principled choice which is probably hindering your channel's growth, but which is ultimately good for the hobby as a whole. I see that, and I appreciate you.
Agree thar fantasy is played out but I would further qualify that by saying high fantasy is the genre that's played out. That's why if I had to choose one game that i run currently, I would go with Forbidden Lands. I love the low magic, brutal feel of the game. If I could pick one game that I ever played, it would be Hunter The Reckoning. Loved that game and the group I played with. Sadly, no one seems to play that anymore.
@@mohnkern Oh, absolutely. I honestly don’t remember how I found _RPG Elite,_ but I’m guessing I was pretty far down some rabbit hole. Tbf there are a lot of non-D&D channels, but you reeeaaally have to go looking for them. There are a numbers of channels I follow about Palladium, Savage Worlds, etc… but most of them are probably under 10k subs (many are probably closer to 1k)… and even then, my recommendations are _STILL_ almost entirely D&D!
@@ChrisIavarone Yeah, that’s a really good point, and even within high fantasy, much of it is firmly grounded in a very particular take on Western European mythology. A genre within a genre within a genre within a genre. I’m truly not a hater, I just want some variety. And I don’t want creators to be unduly punished by the algorithm for providing variety.
Dude! Gamma World was a blast! I played a burly yet agile Thresher Shark humanoid while my bud played a Squirrel humanoid and another player was a bat dude. We had a lot of fun with that campaign. I played a lot of Palladium back in the day. Rifts, Ninjas and Super Spies, they even had a superhero game that was pizza and beer worthy. Played the Star Wars rpg as well with a ridiculous amount of six siders.😂 Werewolf the Apocalypse was another fave. Cyberpunk was a staple as well, even though our characters would rarely live past three gaming sessions.😅 Legend of the Five Rings was a lot of fun as well. It is good you are showing love to the underdogs. Many are sadly underrated and underplayed. It is shocking how easily the masses are programmed by marketers. Sheeple make up the majority of the populace, unfortunately.
I enjoy your channel. Got me into Traveler, and I've been enjoying it. To answer your question, I'd have to pick Mausritter. Character creation is very quick, and the rules are simple and easily modified.
I'm a Pathfinder player but I like your channel because I also like games like Traveller and Cy_Borg and Kids On Bikes and Lancer and Mutant Year Zero. It's pretty easy to find channels that talk about the game that must not be named or Pathfinder or World of Darkness or Warhammer or Call of Cthulhu, but outside of those "big 5" most other games just don't get the fanfare they deserve
Love it. This is actually the way I feel completely. I LOVED Top Secret back in the day, love Twilight 2000, and a few other moderns or future/space, but playing fantasy just waxes and wanes with me.
I actually love sci-fi games. I think the reason they struggle in TTRPG games is that fantasy is more about wish fulfilment and personal exploration. It's why the best spell in 5E is wish. While sci-fi games need to focus on building a brighter future or acting as a warning against flawed human wishes. Since most people fail to think beyond their own wishes fantasy wins out with the less creative crowd.
For me the evergreen genre if rpgs is Fantasy. Its what i always come back to. It was my first and it is special. I am quite diversified in my tastes though so it isnt a matter of any kind of lack of imagination or unwillingness to branch out thats for sure. Ive got these in house now but played much more. Pathfinder 1e D&D 4e D&D 5e Dungeon Fantasy powered by Gurps Mouse Guard 2e AD&D 1e Old School Essentials The Burning Wheel Torchbearer 2e Dungeon World Swords & Wizardry Castles & Crusades Shadowdark 13th Age Star Wars the Roleplaying Game Mongoose Traveller Sentinel Comics Roleplaying Game Shadowrun 20th anniversary (4e) Shadowrun 2e Mutants & Masterminds 2e Call of Cthulhu 7e Gurps 4e Savage Worlds Adventure Edition True20 ICRPG
I made my own rules based on Cyberpunk 2020/RED. Mostly CP2020, but I also took the parts I liked about RED. So, if I had to pick one system, it would be my own😀I shared the first few versions online, but now it's been a long time since then. I'm using so many names of Gear and Cyberware from the two games thatI can't even share it with anyone. Need to file of the serial numbers... and make the rules easily readable for anyone besides me.
I started with WFRP, and I could stick just with that if I had to, I love that world and it's as expandable as your imagination can take it. D&D struck me as kind of generic and silly as a kid, "American fantasy" which has no moorings. And even though they're both fantasy the Warhammer world and the Forgotten Realms have less in common than Star Trek and Star Wars do. I started listening to D&D/Pathfinder TH-cam a couple years ago (F20 as Ken and Robin call it) and it's not just a different kind of fantasy, it's like a wildly different culture of play and philosophy. They're vexed by problems that don't even seem like real issues to me (initiative?) and are deeply fascinated by things that don't even seem worth noticing. But I've enjoyed learning more about how that side of things, even though it's only reinforced my existing feelings about that side of the genre.
Your question of the day just had me staring at the wall in thought for a bit. lol That's a tough question! I love so many different genres for different reasons and feelings of joy they bring to me. I just get too bored if I stick with only one for too long! Great video, sir!
And thank you for the breath of fresh air! We need more non-fantasy channels, and especially non-"that game" channels. Glad you're here and all the best.
It’s cool you got your niche, and your advice is solid and sincere for any game. Most solid advice is applicable to any game in some way or form. I love variety. Variety good, people need to widen their horizons to many more setting types and games.
QotV: I'd pick science fiction. Within that realm, you can have just about anything! Time travel, intergalactic war, reality-bending multiverses, superpowers, past/present/future settings, various -punk styles, horror, mystery, and much more. Sci-fi gets can be as broad and as deep a genre as the limits of your imagination.
I started with "The Game that Shall Not be Named” in the late 70’s and 80’s, but quickly expanded into a number of different directions: Traveller, Aftermath, Star Trek RPG, etc. Fast forward to 6 years ago and started my family on “That Game”, but I have to say I was completely reinvigorated moving into Traveller. It’s a genre I’m more familiar with and much easier for me to be creative with. Love the system and was sad when your Traveller series ended. QOTV: definitely sci-fi. Maximum flexibility!
I'm not sure I can answer your QoD. There are several game genres that I just love, and it'd be impossible to choose one if it means excluding all the others. Much easier to ask what genres I could never play and not shed a tear over it. And, hey, High Fantasy is at the top of that list. I make the distinction because I like Urban Fantasy, as long as it isn't "modern D&D." (cough cough Shadorun cough). And I like some Low Fantasy (a la Conan). I even don't hate Science Fasntasy, again, as long as it's not "D&D in space." Or "Pathfinder in space" -- looking at you, Starfinder. But yeah, I play lots of Horror, Investigative, Superhero, Science Fiction and its multitude of sub-genres.
A great set of reasons for why you chose to focus on other genres, which comes through with your enthusiasm for some of those early genre-defining games. I look forward to your other video when you hit your goal, and you got at least one more towards it with this video.
Love this vid my man! Raw and honest. My experience resembles yours pretty closely with some exceptions. I started with the Ampersand game in 1977 but tried other things when I was lucky enough to come across them. I found my go-to alternatives to Ampersand in 1982 with Villains and Vigilantes and even more so Star Trek The RPG by FASA. I really expanded after that with Ghostbusters, Star Wars (WEG D6), TFOS, Mekton, and the only Fantasy game I like. Ars Magica. I always return to Star Trek. Nowadays its Star Trek Adventures (entering the 8th year of our campaign soon). I too love Supers RPG (primarily Champions 4th ED). I also collect Japanese Tabletop RPGs. If I had to chose one forever game I guess it would be Star Trek but damn, that sounds like a fate worse than death. I love diversity in games. Looking forward to your next video.
I actually have a role-playing game I’ve been designing and it is actually very much based upon what Dave Arneson created. technically his world was science fiction, but perceived as fantasy. A lot of people don’t know that. For example Blackmoor the world sits in a galactic map where you can actually fly around in spaceships. I’ll be demoing the game at DaveCON. Think science that is so advanced that it is imperceptibly equivalent to Magic. There you go
Thanks for the video, Servant! While I appreciate your dedication to covering unsaturated topics and steering hard away from fantasy, I for one would love some content from you on TOR 1e. Will it ever come here? Probably not. But I'd sure watch it if it did!
I appreciate that! But you are correct. It’s not coming on the channel not only for the reasons I mentioned, but that is my relaxation game away from the channel. Yes, it’s all relaxing, but when I’m done playing a session, that’s it. No video editing, thumbnail posting. It’s just on to the next one. 👊🏿
As much as a fantasy and dark fantasy person I am and love the system. I adore monster of the week by evil hat productions. Very easy system. I literally can have a plot hook on a 3x5 notecard, and can run a 4 hour game. It's a breath of fresh air to do a fast supernatural game where even a novice can easily grasp this system. I get your reasoning. We like what we like. I like my meta humans and super powers but I love the atmosphere of knights and the culture atmosphere. As cliche it may be, it's how we spin the tales we tell. Keep up the fantastic work brother 👏
I appreciate your No Fantasy, with One Ring being the borderline exception. I played the game that you won’t mention, and defended it during the satanic panic of the late 70s/early 80s. Then in maybe 1984 I saw an ad for actual witchcraft paraphernalia in the Dragon magazine. It was marketed as “play aids” but I could see what it was. I quit instantly. Looking at the previous six years there were concerns that I was trying to ignore and they were frowned upon in the games I DM’ed, but they were red flags: 1) an increasing emphasis on sorcery, 2) easier to play evil characters than other genres, 3) deities and demigods. Those are not really a part of One Ring. My two cents why I avoid the fantasy/magic genre.
maaan I simply love this channel. All your videos are engaging. To answer that QUESTY-OHN: Cyberpunk genre, hands down, to switch if needed with a dark-themed urban fantasy
For the question, I'll try other genres, but I will always go back to fantasy, like returning home. Other genres also have more appeal to me when there's a fantasy element to them. If I had to give a reason, it's that Fantasy lets me escape the modern world and connect to Nature more than any other genre. Nature, Divinity, and the deeper essence of the universe.
I gotta choose science fiction myself. My love for science fiction games began in 1977 with classic Traveller. I still play it today. I will play in fantasy games but they are not my favorite to run or play.
Single genre of RPG I'd stick with the rest of my life? Easy, science fiction. Besides... It's easy to fit so many cross-genre concepts into an SF game...
So, back in the early 80's me and my buddies played all sorts of stuff! Among the most memorable were Star Frontiers, Car Wars, Top Secret, Gamma World, MERP / Rolemaster, and of course "the game that shall not be mentioned". While we dabbled in whatever new "genre of the month" was released, or tried out new things at the local game store or CON, we always returned to "the game that shall not be mentioned". Not because we were brainwashed, but because we absolutely loved the genre. To this day I still do. Not to say that I wouldn't play other genres (jeez, I'll play darn near anything at least once), but Fantasy is where my heart dwells. QotV: Fantasy, hands down. You can change the rules or the manufacturer, or the color of the box, but I could play Fantasy RPGs for the rest of my days.
I’m not sure Fantasy is played out, but there’s a lot of repetition of themes. I’ve been looking at Dragonbane, Forbidden Lands, and Symbaroum. They seem to have unusual perspectives on the genre
QotV: if I had to be limited to one genre of TTRPG, it's sci-fi, preferably space opera (like Star Trek, but specifically Alternity's Star*Drive), but post-apocalyptic and cyberpunk elements would also be slick AF.
I'm a big fan of indie RPGs, and designing games, so I am trying to create the perfect system for me! It's a superhero RPG, and still pretty early in development, but it takes elements from my favorite games and mixes them in a way that I find really fun :)
Only picking one... Man. Sophie's Choice! I think it'd have to be scifi. Love Traveler, love Numenera, love old Trek. Cypher System could run anything from Expanse to Star Trek so that'd be the granular answer.
The One Ring RPG really is top shelf stuff, I've always wanted to run it. Some of my favorites are Call of Cthulhu, Dark Heresy/Rogue Trader/Deathwatch, and various Palladium mash-ups, like I'm possibly going to be playing a Nightbringer character in a Villians campaign pretty soon, but my only previous exposure to their stuff was RIFTS. I've always wanted to learn about Traveller but I never knew anyone who played it lol. If I had to pick just one type of TTRPG, IDK if this is cheating, but horror is gonna be my pick, like it could be sci-fi, fantasy, I don't mind, just gimme the horror games of I have to pick one type.
Fantastic Four was one of my favorites as well, also Green Lantern. Avengers was a book much like Justice League, you got all your favorite heroes in one book, so it was economical, sometimes that .75 was all you had as a kid.
Honestly, I hadn't really noticed the lack of fantasy content. I was just looking for unique voices in the RPG TH-cam-iverse, and I found what you said different and interesting. QotV: I still gotta stick with fantasy. Doesn't have to be the Game We Don't Name, but it's like a favorite hoodie - it's familiar, it's comfy, and I know it'll fit with my style.
Rarely do I subscribe after one watch but you got it. I do mostly play and write fantasy RPGs but I love alternatives. I'm almost always the one to recommend a different game to my group. One genre for the rest of my life? I guess it would technically be fantasy. I'd play in the game I'm writing (play as in referee, I rarely actually sit on the player side of the DM screen). It's a typical Viking themed fantasy with some eldritch horror and Hellraiser vibes splashed in.
I would have to choose Sci-fi, but mashed with odd settings, I run Steampunk/Weird West games (kinda like Deadlands) I’ve tried a few times to run a Super Hero game, but I find it to be one of the hardest settings to do. I still have Marvel Superheroes game What do you suggest to do to make a Super Heroes game last & not be “The Villain/Monster of the week”?
Hello sir! Do you know the game ''Gangbusters''? With it's 1st edition in the early 80's and a final 3rd ed in 1990, it was a classic cops vs gangsters game set in the 1920's during the prohibition,it was published by tsr and would make a great game to cover on your retro friday. Peace :)
QOTD If I had to choose only one genre, I would probably pick scifi, as I can do a lot with that and it subgenres. Option B would be supernatural horror/urban fantasy like World of Darkness.
I didn't know about Gamma world until Zi watched your channel looking for cypher system stuff. Now I own a gamma world 8th edition and I'm looking forward to running it after our Numenera campaign ends.
In a way it's sad that so many roleplay gamers equate the fantasy genre with D&D when there are so many greater fantasy rpg options available, like The One Ring, that are not D&D.
@@RPGElite by and large Table Top was not a thing in the Caribbean or at least in the island I lived on - Dominica. No gaming shops. You depended on ordering online, which could be spotty or the charity of overseas family. I had a friend who was able to get the requist die and most of the things we sourced by printing. Props were built at our woodwork class. The unmentioned gaming system wasn't popular though known during the late 90s to early 2000s. Now I do currently play the unmentioned, but I also play the other systems.
I generally refuse to run or play 5e. One exception was someone who ran a Kobold character game which was a blast. I tend to focus on Free League, Monte Cook, and Modiphius RPGs.
Just came across this particular entry. Loved the content and commentary. You and I were probably a similar age when exposed to rpg's in the 80's, so some of this is definitely a nostalgia trip. I never did the Marvel superhero rpg but purchased "Villians and Vigilantes" back then. Did you come across that one as well?
While my group has mainly been playing PF2e I'm fortunate that they all enjoy trying new games. So far our favorites have been Savage Worlds (SWADE), Alien and Traveller.
I'm mostly into fantasy, but the principles of gaming that you share are relevant to any RPG. I'll keep coming back. As for whether I have a game this week, I actually do. It will be the first playtest of my homebrew Christian easy-play rules; the players will be a family group of adults and children, none of whom has ever played an RPG before.
I have a theory that I can take some of my old MERP stuff and mod it so The One Ring can run it. My boxed set is still in the shrinkwrap. Too many other projects in progress.
I enjoy your channel, I like variety in gaming and agree...no need for another D&D fantasy all the time channel, especially if it's not your passion. I love gamma World and of course comics and grew up on the Marvel and DC rpgs as well as Villains and Vigilantes.
Could not agree more. Closest thing I like to Fantasy is Shadowrun. And then mostly because I think Dragons are neat bosses. I also been playing ttrpgs since the early 90s and not once have I played that-which-shall-not-be-named. I loathe it when people assume when I talk about ttrpgs I'm talking about bows, spells, and goblins. No.
I have them both. I will cover Cyberpunk sometime in da future. As far as Battletech goes, it tends to be a very popular discussion over on the Leet Squad Guilded server. If you're interested you can go to the first link in any of my videos in the description and there is a sign up link. You have to be part of the Leet Squad in order to apply for the Guilded server and then you can discuss Battletech until your heart is content. I personally don't play Battletech, but it's on the list. 👊🏿😉
Thanks for sharing. I agree folks who only want to play one-genre (usually one system) are really missing out. Personally, I luv me some Gamma World, Star Frontiers, Traveller, Villains & Vigilantes, Traveller 2300AD. I appreciate your comments about fantasy not being your cup of tea. However, fantasy is the largest genre and there has been a lot mechanical innovation coming out of there recently which has translated over to non-Fantasy games e.g. ICRPG: The Waste Is Not Kind; EZD6: Wasted World; Mutant Crawl Classics. Have a great day!
First, great video I could not agree more. Second, the main reason I am a fan of supers over fantasy is supers games, if designed well are by their nature able to mimic other genres. Please note I am not saying that they are "Universal RPGs", most I have played from FASERIP to modern rules have issues when looking at what I call "Scope and Scale". FYI FASERIP did this better than many modern games. If you run human level characters against humans, or supers against supers/kaiju most games work great. When you want to run a human against a super or a kaiju in most systems will have some issues. While there should always be some tension in running those kinds of games, and while being clever will help tilt odds, there is always that moment where the human would need to roll a "critical success" just to survive the encounter. RAR Black Widow would just die (based on most rules) if needing to dodge a kaiju. I get that the player of Black Widow should be playing her smart and using other things to increase her advantage, I know it may be my fault as the GM that I do not help with guiding the player to a "deus ex machina" that allows her to win the day. In the end I feel like most modern games around supers fail on keeping high tension on street level heroes against kaiju (overpowered villains, heck Superman is a "kaiju" when he goes bad). I am constantly searching for a modern better answer, but I seem to fall back to FASERIP, which has some new kickstarters out there if you are interested.
Love Marvel FASERIP but couldn't get my group at the time to play it. Why? They were too entrenched in Champions. They didn't see the need to change supers games.
The one "overly infamous RPG riding on the very fumes of the misplaced nostalgia derived from that actual infamy," that one? Rather glad honestly. I played it in the late 1970s even on into just a few years ago, with large gaps where I quit gaming completely because that game is just not great. Famous, yeah. Infamous moreso. Really too easily found at the below average gaming table. Some of my worst overall experiences came from groups playing that game. Yeah, I can skip over hearing about it. Much happier not hearing about it.
I loved Top Secret, Star Frontiers, Traveller, of course started in 1977, so the game not to be mentioned hooked me in. I love them all, preference is anything genre wise.
honestly I like playing anything that isn't D&D*, but whenever I think of a game I want to run, it almost always comes down to some variety of fantasy RPG (*I still like AD&D 1e and Moldvay/Cook Basic)
It would be great if you made videos giving advice and tips for running superhero games. Especially for people who are afraid or don't know how to do it (like me). I've been trying to run or play a superhero game for 3 years, But for me it is very difficult to create a concept for a character, or even when I have it I end up thinking about it a lot because "what if my concept is not appropriate for the genre?". I never have this problem with fantasy and science fiction, it's only with superheroes that I have this problem. And I'd better not even tell you how I'm doing trying to plan a superhero campaign. And even more than what I like about fantasy and science fiction, is the possibility of playing characters that are not or do not look human, something that with superheroes I can't help but disassociate with "flying human" or "super strong human" or "green human". I don't know why it's so difficult, and even more so, there aren't as many tips or guides to do this as with fantasy. It would be great if someone with experience could give their advice to try something different without fear. (I would love to play Gamma World because of the type of characters I could play, but my group isn't interested in post apocalypse /:)
As a fellow old Avengers comics fan, I understand running in the other direction when it got big. When things appeal to the mainstream, they must have mass appeal, so oddball things get erased and stories get more bland and dull. The things that made it great get erased and it becomes a pale shadow of itself.
While I do like myself some D&D from time to time, I get it. It seems to have been made the axis around which all other (fantasy) RPG's are hung. So, currently I am converting my own Dark Sun 5th edition D&D stuff, but finishing that is way off. Actually playing? Genesys narrative dice (of course). So underrated, not without its flaws, but great fun. Recently finished Star Wars, also from Fantasy Flight Games. I do agree, that people tend to stick to what they know (usually D&D) and seem fearful to scoot over to something new and *shudder* different.
This is another reason why I like Savage Worlds as a game system. Its setting agnostic so if my players are feeling like they want fantasy we can do that. If they want super heroes we can do that too. Sci Fi or Cyberpunk? Its got that covered and it does it all fairly well. I personally love Fantasy as a setting because there are lots of directions you can go with it without getting bogged down in the standard "fantasy" tropes.
I’ve been shifting away from fantasy TTRPGs for about 6 years now, corresponding to a shift in my fiction production and consumption. I’m down for your brand.
This is the first time I've encountered your channel and it sounds very interesting. As for myself, if I had to pick just one genre forever, it would be sword & planet style science fantasy. Think along the lines of everything from Barsoom to Flash Gordon, to He-Man. There's just something about fur-clad barbarians running around with battle axes in one hand and ray guns in the other that clicks for me in ways nothing else ever has.
I also had a copy of the Advanced Marvel Super Heroes from the '80s. And I loved it. UNTIL I started messing with Palladium's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game and got introduced to Heroes Unlimited. From that point on? I was a Heroes Unlimited guy - lower power levels, more "realistic" settings, and crunchy skill sets.
Have you checked out Frostgrave? Really interesting single player skirmish game where you can play through a campaign all on your own or while competing against another player.
QoTV: Superheroes is definitely number one. My runner up is Sci-fi though! Honestly as far as content I’ve consumed goes (tv, movies, etc.) Sci-fi is on the top of the list as far as quantity and my favorites. To name my favorite series ever, Stargate SG-1 (Atlantis was pretty good too), and Firefly are my favorite. I think if I grew up in a time when comics weren’t low quality I would have been a much bigger comic book fan, I still have some but not a lot. I’ve researched the bigger things that went on in the past comics, but haven’t had the luxury of reading them myself.
My RPG history is kinda like that too. Started with the three little booklets, introudced the game to my dorm floor, but haven't played hardly any more of that specific brand after the first few years. Too many other RPGs to count since then. If I had to pick a single genre, it would probably be modern fantasy - kinda cheatin' I suppose, since I include stuff from Dresden Files to Monster Hunter International to Hellboy-type stuff and more, it's a pretty broad genre. A specific game is a really hard call. For a long time it was Hero System, but that faded some years ago. Now, it might be Savage Worlds, or the Cortex system, both which flexible enough to cover all kinds of settings.
I do not like Fantasy that much either, besides Ravenloft theme. But I use Vaesen to do Ravenloft modules. But the new freelague Dragonbane is a great unique system. It is a blast to play. It is a hard core game.
SUPERHEROES! I was glad that Cypher System had at least 3 different superhero settings. I recently quit the system because of the creators, and i didnt have much luck getting a group anyways. But Index Card RPG also has a superhero setting built in, and I just bought it physical. As a Christian, I think there are things in ICRPG that im going to need to houserule right away. I'm even planning to mark inside my copy. But the superhero setting looks great! And I also helped fund HEROIC, coming soon.
All Fantasy RPGs will be compared to D&D and every discussion about a Fantasy RPG will involve a person asking, "Why don't you just play D&D?"
It gets very, very tiresome.
Yeeeeeep! Especially since there are so many fantasy game systems that just do it better!
The only fantasy I could see argued is Runequest, as it has a much deeper MEANINGFUL lore, and it actually effects the mechanics and role-playing. In D&D the lore feels like meaningless fluff for DMs who don't want to use their own or different BETTER lore.
Played 3e up to 5e& pathfinder over the past 20+ years and have not played a single game that stuck to the "official" lore. And if one did, it was VERY nuanced and didn't matter in the grand scheme.
That being said, I'm much more into sci Fi, cosmic, folk, western, horror, post apocalyptic, military, etc. I'm still in a D&D group(that I run one shots of different games for sometimes),but when the campaign is over, even our DM wants to move to something else.
It’s especially tiring because many D&D players will complain about some aspect of D&D, but just stare when you suggest they try any of the 50 other fantasy games released in the past year which fix that issue and 8,000 other things.
And that's one of the reasons i hate DnD
Final point: Hasbro is becoming more clearly the "evil empire" of gaming.
With too many examples of villainy.
I don’t know whether they are evil or incompetent. There doesn’t seem to be a week that passes that they avoid tripping over their own stupidity when it comes to the ttrpg community
@@mohnkern
I worry that some people use incompetence as a shield to hide their malice behind.
After all, we have that maxim about seeing malice as incompetence instead.
Maybe incompetence might as well be seen as a type of malice.
@@Skeloric Fair point.
Definitely evil. They sicked the Pinkertons on someone like a year or two ago
If I have to choose one Genre that I am going to be playing for the rest of my life, I am going with Post-Apocalyptic. Post-Apocalyptic has all the flavor, you can have a raging maniac swinging a two handed sword next to a VW Beetle in a location that is on the uncomfortable side of familiar.
Plus, your chances of experiencing a post-apocalypse/post-collapse world are far more likely than waking up and there being magic and elves. Maybe thats not the bonus I first imagined....but whatever, I too am Post-Apoc 4 Life.
It’s a really hard call. Each genre, even fantasy has its own attraction. And then there are the sub genres. Horror - Cthulhu is radically different from Horror-Alien or Horror - Vaesen
I really like Monte Cooks genre books. There are 6 or 11 depending on what you count
My Cyberpunk campaign setting had enough of a flavor to it worked out where it had areas of the earth and mars that were basically a wasteland with mutants and such. Or even a very 'old west' vibe on Mars where there were outlaws and mining, etc. Along with the typical densely populated urban sprawl, it all kind of works well together.
I don't disagree with you! However, I'm going Fantasy. ...the trick is that I spinkle a heavy dose of Post-Apocalyptic into my Fantasy ;-)
As an indie creator of an actual fantasy rpg, I love your channel and I will continue to watch because of what you bring to the table. Keep up the good work!
Much appreciated!
You are easily my favorite internet contrarian. I run a campaign for the game that shall not be named, but your content offers so much insight on ways to play TTRPGS in general that I can't help but click for your takes on other stuff. Love the channel man, love the brand, love the content. Keep being our salty uncle who speaks nothing but truth.
Glad you enjoy it! 😊
Exactly! That's why I'm here too 🙂He roped me in with some Gamma World content that I was going to use as inspiration for my "that game" campaign. While I don't watch EVERYTHING, I do watch a lot of his material for the insights, and inspiration.
@RPGElite / SoS ~ keep up the great work, Sir!
Excellent video! The game that shall not be named is like going to Starbucks and getting an Americano every day of your life. It's a classic, for sure, but there are SO MANY other options to make your experience more enjoyable and full of flavor! All you have to do is pull something from the vast menu of options.
Always keep it real my friends!
@erkling4016 Heck, there are other drinks than coffee and other places than Starbucks, lol. 😉
See, I would have likened Fantasy more to choosing one coffee shop, but you can have any beverage they serve.
"Welcome to Fantasy Grinds! How would you like your Fantasy today?"
"Can you make me a Noble-Dark with a shot of Post-Apocalyptic and a squirt of Super Humans for flavor?"
"Sure! Would you like that with Elves or no Elves?"
"Eww... definitely no Elves. They are too sweet."
"Well, if you prefer a more bitter Elf, we do offer Eldar..."
"Do they come with lasers, or swords?"
"Whichever you prefer."
"Ok, add in a little bit of Eldar with lasers AND swords."
"Sounds great! We'll have that ready for you in a jiffy!"
I respect all your reasons. I personally mostly like Pulp fantasy, Sword & sorcery like Conan. I am also into science fantasy like Heavy Metal (movie and comics) and straight sci-fi. However I will try almost any genre if it sounds interesting.
I do have to say it is nice to finally find a channel that specifically doesn't stick to the game that shall not be named, it does get way to much coverage on TH-cam especially the 5th edition. I also completely agree people should try new systems and it is depressing that very few do in this hobby or at least thats my experience. I tried to get people to try Call of Cthulhu for the longest time, I still have my quite substantial collection butnits so hard to get a game.
Anyway keep up the good work!
Thank you for the encouragement. 👊🏿😊
*THANK YOU* so much for this policy. Fantasy is fine as a genre, but the vast majority of all TTRPG channels are overwhelmingly or completely devoted to it. You, _Seth Skorkowsky,_ and _How to be a Great GM_ are the only channels I can think of offhand who _aren't_ totally dominated by it.
It's kind of like if 99% of all food vids were about pizza. That's not a knock on pizza, pizza can be really good. That's not even a knock on pizza vids, many probably offer some great pizza-making tips, and some of those tips can probably even be generalized to non-pizza foods. Heck, I'm sure there are all sorts of clever ideas for how you can challenge your pizza-making skills by folding a slice in half for a "taco-style experience" or whatever... But FFS, _maybe I want a little variety._ And if I have to hear about Pizza Hut one more time I'll puke.
As fate would have it, this morning I watched a Feb 29 video from _Dungeons & Discourse_ which made a pretty good point: That Game is the 800 lb gorilla with all the marketing and name recognition behind it, and the yt algo is pretty punishing of videos that don't perform, so creators are heavily pressured to focus on it. Even channels which cover other games (an increasing number since the OGL scandal) seem to focus on _alternatives_ which are still firmly within the fantasy genre.
Which is all to say: you're making a principled choice which is probably hindering your channel's growth, but which is ultimately good for the hobby as a whole. I see that, and I appreciate you.
Agree thar fantasy is played out but I would further qualify that by saying high fantasy is the genre that's played out. That's why if I had to choose one game that i run currently, I would go with Forbidden Lands. I love the low magic, brutal feel of the game. If I could pick one game that I ever played, it would be Hunter The Reckoning. Loved that game and the group I played with. Sadly, no one seems to play that anymore.
I love the pizza allegory roflmao
There is a reason for it. If you run an rpg channel without D&D content you end up at the bottom of the search list for any rpg content
@@mohnkern Oh, absolutely. I honestly don’t remember how I found _RPG Elite,_ but I’m guessing I was pretty far down some rabbit hole.
Tbf there are a lot of non-D&D channels, but you reeeaaally have to go looking for them. There are a numbers of channels I follow about Palladium, Savage Worlds, etc… but most of them are probably under 10k subs (many are probably closer to 1k)… and even then, my recommendations are _STILL_ almost entirely D&D!
@@ChrisIavarone Yeah, that’s a really good point, and even within high fantasy, much of it is firmly grounded in a very particular take on Western European mythology. A genre within a genre within a genre within a genre. I’m truly not a hater, I just want some variety. And I don’t want creators to be unduly punished by the algorithm for providing variety.
Honestly I ran a handful of westerns with a hack I made for into the odd. I love that stuff
I mean - if you are only going to like one "type" - I must say you picked the best!
Dude!
Gamma World was a blast!
I played a burly yet agile Thresher Shark humanoid while my bud played a Squirrel humanoid and another player was a bat dude.
We had a lot of fun with that campaign.
I played a lot of Palladium back in the day.
Rifts, Ninjas and Super Spies, they even had a superhero game that was pizza and beer worthy.
Played the Star Wars rpg as well with a ridiculous amount of six siders.😂
Werewolf the Apocalypse was another fave.
Cyberpunk was a staple as well, even though our characters would rarely live past three gaming sessions.😅
Legend of the Five Rings was a lot of fun as well.
It is good you are showing love to the underdogs.
Many are sadly underrated and underplayed.
It is shocking how easily the masses are programmed by marketers.
Sheeple make up the majority of the populace, unfortunately.
To answer your question.
I think it would be fantasy but I really like supernatural games too like “Beyond the Supernatural “ .
I enjoy your channel. Got me into Traveler, and I've been enjoying it. To answer your question, I'd have to pick Mausritter. Character creation is very quick, and the rules are simple and easily modified.
Traveler was awesome!
I'm a Pathfinder player but I like your channel because I also like games like Traveller and Cy_Borg and Kids On Bikes and Lancer and Mutant Year Zero. It's pretty easy to find channels that talk about the game that must not be named or Pathfinder or World of Darkness or Warhammer or Call of Cthulhu, but outside of those "big 5" most other games just don't get the fanfare they deserve
But to answer your question - it's GURPS. You can do anything in GURPS
Love it. This is actually the way I feel completely. I LOVED Top Secret back in the day, love Twilight 2000, and a few other moderns or future/space, but playing fantasy just waxes and wanes with me.
Nemo! Just saying Hi 👋
I love Twilight 2000 so much that i got the videogame!
Love many of your takes and, even if I don't, I love how they encourage me to think.
Gotta respect that. Kudos. 👍🏿
I actually love sci-fi games. I think the reason they struggle in TTRPG games is that fantasy is more about wish fulfilment and personal exploration. It's why the best spell in 5E is wish. While sci-fi games need to focus on building a brighter future or acting as a warning against flawed human wishes. Since most people fail to think beyond their own wishes fantasy wins out with the less creative crowd.
Oooo. Such a good point. 👍🏿
Thanks for laying this all out. I really appreciate that you stand your ground with what you enjoy and cover and get swayed by the rest of the world.
I appreciate that!
For me the evergreen genre if rpgs is Fantasy. Its what i always come back to. It was my first and it is special.
I am quite diversified in my tastes though so it isnt a matter of any kind of lack of imagination or unwillingness to branch out thats for sure. Ive got these in house now but played much more.
Pathfinder 1e
D&D 4e
D&D 5e
Dungeon Fantasy powered by Gurps
Mouse Guard 2e
AD&D 1e
Old School Essentials
The Burning Wheel
Torchbearer 2e
Dungeon World
Swords & Wizardry
Castles & Crusades
Shadowdark
13th Age
Star Wars the Roleplaying Game
Mongoose Traveller
Sentinel Comics Roleplaying Game
Shadowrun 20th anniversary (4e)
Shadowrun 2e
Mutants & Masterminds 2e
Call of Cthulhu 7e
Gurps 4e
Savage Worlds Adventure Edition
True20
ICRPG
One game and one genre for the rest of my life?
Shadowrun, fantasy cyberpunk.
14.54 - they know you mainly for RPG philosophy and "no fantasy" but ALSO - I would say - for your take on social issues
I made my own rules based on Cyberpunk 2020/RED. Mostly CP2020, but I also took the parts I liked about RED. So, if I had to pick one system, it would be my own😀I shared the first few versions online, but now it's been a long time since then. I'm using so many names of Gear and Cyberware from the two games thatI can't even share it with anyone. Need to file of the serial numbers... and make the rules easily readable for anyone besides me.
I started with WFRP, and I could stick just with that if I had to, I love that world and it's as expandable as your imagination can take it. D&D struck me as kind of generic and silly as a kid, "American fantasy" which has no moorings. And even though they're both fantasy the Warhammer world and the Forgotten Realms have less in common than Star Trek and Star Wars do.
I started listening to D&D/Pathfinder TH-cam a couple years ago (F20 as Ken and Robin call it) and it's not just a different kind of fantasy, it's like a wildly different culture of play and philosophy. They're vexed by problems that don't even seem like real issues to me (initiative?) and are deeply fascinated by things that don't even seem worth noticing. But I've enjoyed learning more about how that side of things, even though it's only reinforced my existing feelings about that side of the genre.
Your question of the day just had me staring at the wall in thought for a bit. lol That's a tough question! I love so many different genres for different reasons and feelings of joy they bring to me. I just get too bored if I stick with only one for too long! Great video, sir!
I feel ya. Glad I could at least get ya to muse for a bit. 😉
And thank you for the breath of fresh air! We need more non-fantasy channels, and especially non-"that game" channels. Glad you're here and all the best.
It’s cool you got your niche, and your advice is solid and sincere for any game. Most solid advice is applicable to any game in some way or form. I love variety. Variety good, people need to widen their horizons to many more setting types and games.
Twilight 2000, 1st or 2nd edition would be my one choice.
4th Ed is pretty worthy too if you haven't checked it out.
Sci-fi would be my pick, simply because with a GM you really could have that setting be anything.
QotV: I'd pick science fiction. Within that realm, you can have just about anything! Time travel, intergalactic war, reality-bending multiverses, superpowers, past/present/future settings, various -punk styles, horror, mystery, and much more. Sci-fi gets can be as broad and as deep a genre as the limits of your imagination.
So much love for Supers, loved me some Marvel Supers and DC, but my real first love was Villains and Vigilantes.
I started with "The Game that Shall Not be Named” in the late 70’s and 80’s, but quickly expanded into a number of different directions: Traveller, Aftermath, Star Trek RPG, etc. Fast forward to 6 years ago and started my family on “That Game”, but I have to say I was completely reinvigorated moving into Traveller. It’s a genre I’m more familiar with and much easier for me to be creative with. Love the system and was sad when your Traveller series ended. QOTV: definitely sci-fi. Maximum flexibility!
The WEG Star wars / D6 Space is still one of the best systems to me. What a classic.
I'm not sure I can answer your QoD. There are several game genres that I just love, and it'd be impossible to choose one if it means excluding all the others. Much easier to ask what genres I could never play and not shed a tear over it. And, hey, High Fantasy is at the top of that list. I make the distinction because I like Urban Fantasy, as long as it isn't "modern D&D." (cough cough Shadorun cough). And I like some Low Fantasy (a la Conan). I even don't hate Science Fasntasy, again, as long as it's not "D&D in space." Or "Pathfinder in space" -- looking at you, Starfinder.
But yeah, I play lots of Horror, Investigative, Superhero, Science Fiction and its multitude of sub-genres.
A great set of reasons for why you chose to focus on other genres, which comes through with your enthusiasm for some of those early genre-defining games.
I look forward to your other video when you hit your goal, and you got at least one more towards it with this video.
Thank you kindly and thanks for your encouragement.
Love this vid my man! Raw and honest. My experience resembles yours pretty closely with some exceptions. I started with the Ampersand game in 1977 but tried other things when I was lucky enough to come across them. I found my go-to alternatives to Ampersand in 1982 with Villains and Vigilantes and even more so Star Trek The RPG by FASA. I really expanded after that with Ghostbusters, Star Wars (WEG D6), TFOS, Mekton, and the only Fantasy game I like. Ars Magica. I always return to Star Trek. Nowadays its Star Trek Adventures (entering the 8th year of our campaign soon). I too love Supers RPG (primarily Champions 4th ED). I also collect Japanese Tabletop RPGs. If I had to chose one forever game I guess it would be Star Trek but damn, that sounds like a fate worse than death. I love diversity in games. Looking forward to your next video.
I actually have a role-playing game I’ve been designing and it is actually very much based upon what Dave Arneson created. technically his world was science fiction, but perceived as fantasy. A lot of people don’t know that. For example Blackmoor the world sits in a galactic map where you can actually fly around in spaceships. I’ll be demoing the game at DaveCON.
Think science that is so advanced that it is imperceptibly equivalent to Magic. There you go
Thanks for the video, Servant! While I appreciate your dedication to covering unsaturated topics and steering hard away from fantasy, I for one would love some content from you on TOR 1e. Will it ever come here? Probably not. But I'd sure watch it if it did!
I appreciate that! But you are correct. It’s not coming on the channel not only for the reasons I mentioned, but that is my relaxation game away from the channel. Yes, it’s all relaxing, but when I’m done playing a session, that’s it. No video editing, thumbnail posting. It’s just on to the next one. 👊🏿
As much as a fantasy and dark fantasy person I am and love the system. I adore monster of the week by evil hat productions. Very easy system. I literally can have a plot hook on a 3x5 notecard, and can run a 4 hour game. It's a breath of fresh air to do a fast supernatural game where even a novice can easily grasp this system.
I get your reasoning. We like what we like. I like my meta humans and super powers but I love the atmosphere of knights and the culture atmosphere. As cliche it may be, it's how we spin the tales we tell.
Keep up the fantastic work brother 👏
I agree tg
Hat should be covered also i want ti run a series of these
One of the genres of roleplaying game would be for me is sci fi.
you always speak very well and with a good cadence
this is fine
I appreciate your No Fantasy, with One Ring being the borderline exception.
I played the game that you won’t mention, and defended it during the satanic panic of the late 70s/early 80s. Then in maybe 1984 I saw an ad for actual witchcraft paraphernalia in the Dragon magazine. It was marketed as “play aids” but I could see what it was. I quit instantly. Looking at the previous six years there were concerns that I was trying to ignore and they were frowned upon in the games I DM’ed, but they were red flags: 1) an increasing emphasis on sorcery, 2) easier to play evil characters than other genres, 3) deities and demigods. Those are not really a part of One Ring. My two cents why I avoid the fantasy/magic genre.
The video is coming that addresses this. Stay tuned. 👊🏿
maaan I simply love this channel. All your videos are engaging. To answer that QUESTY-OHN: Cyberpunk genre, hands down, to switch if needed with a dark-themed urban fantasy
Glad you like them! Appreciate the love. 👊🏿
How do you feel about Conan style sword and sorcery fantasy?
For the question, I'll try other genres, but I will always go back to fantasy, like returning home. Other genres also have more appeal to me when there's a fantasy element to them. If I had to give a reason, it's that Fantasy lets me escape the modern world and connect to Nature more than any other genre. Nature, Divinity, and the deeper essence of the universe.
I gotta choose science fiction myself. My love for science fiction games began in 1977 with classic Traveller. I still play it today. I will play in fantasy games but they are not my favorite to run or play.
Single genre of RPG I'd stick with the rest of my life? Easy, science fiction. Besides... It's easy to fit so many cross-genre concepts into an SF game...
So, back in the early 80's me and my buddies played all sorts of stuff! Among the most memorable were Star Frontiers, Car Wars, Top Secret, Gamma World, MERP / Rolemaster, and of course "the game that shall not be mentioned". While we dabbled in whatever new "genre of the month" was released, or tried out new things at the local game store or CON, we always returned to "the game that shall not be mentioned". Not because we were brainwashed, but because we absolutely loved the genre. To this day I still do. Not to say that I wouldn't play other genres (jeez, I'll play darn near anything at least once), but Fantasy is where my heart dwells.
QotV: Fantasy, hands down. You can change the rules or the manufacturer, or the color of the box, but I could play Fantasy RPGs for the rest of my days.
yeah baby! The Avengers were awesome during that time. Galactic Storm, The Collectors, even the Bloodties cross over were all pretty cool
I have all of those. That Bloodties crossover was dope. And the twist of the Collectors...great storytelling. 👍🏿
I’m not sure Fantasy is played out, but there’s a lot of repetition of themes. I’ve been looking at Dragonbane, Forbidden Lands, and Symbaroum. They seem to have unusual perspectives on the genre
QotV: if I had to be limited to one genre of TTRPG, it's sci-fi, preferably space opera (like Star Trek, but specifically Alternity's Star*Drive), but post-apocalyptic and cyberpunk elements would also be slick AF.
I'm a big fan of indie RPGs, and designing games, so I am trying to create the perfect system for me!
It's a superhero RPG, and still pretty early in development, but it takes elements from my favorite games and mixes them in a way that I find really fun :)
All th ebest to you in that. 👍🏿
Only picking one... Man. Sophie's Choice!
I think it'd have to be scifi. Love Traveler, love Numenera, love old Trek. Cypher System could run anything from Expanse to Star Trek so that'd be the granular answer.
Post apocalyptic. Fantasy didn’t do it for me in the 80’s. Twilight 2000 1e was perfect and 4e ushered me back into RPG’s in the 2020’s
Had some good times with Twilight 2000 back in the day. I need to get around to learning the new one sometime. The "to do" shelf is large.
The One Ring RPG really is top shelf stuff, I've always wanted to run it.
Some of my favorites are Call of Cthulhu, Dark Heresy/Rogue Trader/Deathwatch, and various Palladium mash-ups, like I'm possibly going to be playing a Nightbringer character in a Villians campaign pretty soon, but my only previous exposure to their stuff was RIFTS. I've always wanted to learn about Traveller but I never knew anyone who played it lol.
If I had to pick just one type of TTRPG, IDK if this is cheating, but horror is gonna be my pick, like it could be sci-fi, fantasy, I don't mind, just gimme the horror games of I have to pick one type.
I'm actually interested to learn about One Ring. Would love to hear your opinion on the rules and their interpretation of the source material!
Fantastic Four was one of my favorites as well, also Green Lantern. Avengers was a book much like Justice League, you got all your favorite heroes in one book, so it was economical, sometimes that .75 was all you had as a kid.
Honestly, I hadn't really noticed the lack of fantasy content. I was just looking for unique voices in the RPG TH-cam-iverse, and I found what you said different and interesting.
QotV: I still gotta stick with fantasy. Doesn't have to be the Game We Don't Name, but it's like a favorite hoodie - it's familiar, it's comfy, and I know it'll fit with my style.
Fair enough!
Rarely do I subscribe after one watch but you got it. I do mostly play and write fantasy RPGs but I love alternatives. I'm almost always the one to recommend a different game to my group.
One genre for the rest of my life? I guess it would technically be fantasy. I'd play in the game I'm writing (play as in referee, I rarely actually sit on the player side of the DM screen). It's a typical Viking themed fantasy with some eldritch horror and Hellraiser vibes splashed in.
Thanks again, really appreciate that you don't cover fantasy.
I would have to choose Sci-fi, but mashed with odd settings, I run Steampunk/Weird West games (kinda like Deadlands)
I’ve tried a few times to run a Super Hero game, but I find it to be one of the hardest settings to do. I still have Marvel Superheroes game
What do you suggest to do to make a Super Heroes game last & not be “The Villain/Monster of the week”?
This is a good question and a topic that has actually been suggested I cover over on the Leet Squad forums. So, it is on the list. 😉👍🏿
Hello sir! Do you know the game ''Gangbusters''? With it's 1st edition in the early 80's and a final 3rd ed in 1990, it was a classic cops vs gangsters game set in the 1920's during the prohibition,it was published by tsr and would make a great game to cover on your retro friday. Peace :)
I most certainly do because I have it. And yes, it's on the list. 😁👍🏿
QOTD If I had to choose only one genre, I would probably pick scifi, as I can do a lot with that and it subgenres. Option B would be supernatural horror/urban fantasy like World of Darkness.
I didn't know about Gamma world until Zi watched your channel looking for cypher system stuff. Now I own a gamma world 8th edition and I'm looking forward to running it after our Numenera campaign ends.
In a way it's sad that so many roleplay gamers equate the fantasy genre with D&D when there are so many greater fantasy rpg options available, like The One Ring, that are not D&D.
oddly enough my first table tops was Fallout PnP and Twilight 2000 and Deadlands
Now that is cool that was your first experience. 👍🏿 There’s a lot to explore in this hobby.
@@RPGElite by and large Table Top was not a thing in the Caribbean or at least in the island I lived on - Dominica. No gaming shops. You depended on ordering online, which could be spotty or the charity of overseas family. I had a friend who was able to get the requist die and most of the things we sourced by printing. Props were built at our woodwork class.
The unmentioned gaming system wasn't popular though known during the late 90s to early 2000s. Now I do currently play the unmentioned, but I also play the other systems.
Pirates. Definitely Pirates.
I generally refuse to run or play 5e. One exception was someone who ran a Kobold character game which was a blast. I tend to focus on Free League, Monte Cook, and Modiphius RPGs.
Question, have you ever read/covered Destined From Design Mechanism, it is a superhero system based one Mythras/BRP system mechanics?
I have it and I will be covering it later on this year, God willing. It’s on the list. 😉👍🏿
Just came across this particular entry. Loved the content and commentary. You and I were probably a similar age when exposed to rpg's in the 80's, so some of this is definitely a nostalgia trip. I never did the Marvel superhero rpg but purchased "Villians and Vigilantes" back then. Did you come across that one as well?
I actually have that game and, God willing, someday I will cover that on the channel. 😁👍🏿
While my group has mainly been playing PF2e I'm fortunate that they all enjoy trying new games. So far our favorites have been Savage Worlds (SWADE), Alien and Traveller.
I'm mostly into fantasy, but the principles of gaming that you share are relevant to any RPG. I'll keep coming back. As for whether I have a game this week, I actually do. It will be the first playtest of my homebrew Christian easy-play rules; the players will be a family group of adults and children, none of whom has ever played an RPG before.
I have a theory that I can take some of my old MERP stuff and mod it so The One Ring can run it. My boxed set is still in the shrinkwrap. Too many other projects in progress.
Mecha. If I'm restricted to one and one only, I want mecha, preferably Tokusatsu style, be it Super Cyborg or Gattai Robot.
I enjoy your channel, I like variety in gaming and agree...no need for another D&D fantasy all the time channel, especially if it's not your passion. I love gamma World and of course comics and grew up on the Marvel and DC rpgs as well as Villains and Vigilantes.
Could not agree more. Closest thing I like to Fantasy is Shadowrun. And then mostly because I think Dragons are neat bosses. I also been playing ttrpgs since the early 90s and not once have I played that-which-shall-not-be-named. I loathe it when people assume when I talk about ttrpgs I'm talking about bows, spells, and goblins. No.
I just found your channel, what are your thoughts on Cyberpunk and or Battletech?
I have them both. I will cover Cyberpunk sometime in da future.
As far as Battletech goes, it tends to be a very popular discussion over on the Leet Squad Guilded server. If you're interested you can go to the first link in any of my videos in the description and there is a sign up link. You have to be part of the Leet Squad in order to apply for the Guilded server and then you can discuss Battletech until your heart is content. I personally don't play Battletech, but it's on the list. 👊🏿😉
You my friend, you are covering a gap in the market, you are doing well, keep doing it
I appreciate that!
Thanks for sharing. I agree folks who only want to play one-genre (usually one system) are really missing out. Personally, I luv me some Gamma World, Star Frontiers, Traveller, Villains & Vigilantes, Traveller 2300AD. I appreciate your comments about fantasy not being your cup of tea. However, fantasy is the largest genre and there has been a lot mechanical innovation coming out of there recently which has translated over to non-Fantasy games e.g. ICRPG: The Waste Is Not Kind; EZD6: Wasted World; Mutant Crawl Classics. Have a great day!
First, great video I could not agree more. Second, the main reason I am a fan of supers over fantasy is supers games, if designed well are by their nature able to mimic other genres. Please note I am not saying that they are "Universal RPGs", most I have played from FASERIP to modern rules have issues when looking at what I call "Scope and Scale". FYI FASERIP did this better than many modern games. If you run human level characters against humans, or supers against supers/kaiju most games work great. When you want to run a human against a super or a kaiju in most systems will have some issues. While there should always be some tension in running those kinds of games, and while being clever will help tilt odds, there is always that moment where the human would need to roll a "critical success" just to survive the encounter. RAR Black Widow would just die (based on most rules) if needing to dodge a kaiju. I get that the player of Black Widow should be playing her smart and using other things to increase her advantage, I know it may be my fault as the GM that I do not help with guiding the player to a "deus ex machina" that allows her to win the day. In the end I feel like most modern games around supers fail on keeping high tension on street level heroes against kaiju (overpowered villains, heck Superman is a "kaiju" when he goes bad). I am constantly searching for a modern better answer, but I seem to fall back to FASERIP, which has some new kickstarters out there if you are interested.
Love Marvel FASERIP but couldn't get my group at the time to play it. Why? They were too entrenched in Champions. They didn't see the need to change supers games.
The one "overly infamous RPG riding on the very fumes of the misplaced nostalgia derived from that actual infamy," that one?
Rather glad honestly.
I played it in the late 1970s even on into just a few years ago, with large gaps where I quit gaming completely because that game is just not great.
Famous, yeah.
Infamous moreso.
Really too easily found at the below average gaming table.
Some of my worst overall experiences came from groups playing that game.
Yeah, I can skip over hearing about it.
Much happier not hearing about it.
I loved Top Secret, Star Frontiers, Traveller, of course started in 1977, so the game not to be mentioned hooked me in. I love them all, preference is anything genre wise.
honestly I like playing anything that isn't D&D*, but whenever I think of a game I want to run, it almost always comes down to some variety of fantasy RPG
(*I still like AD&D 1e and Moldvay/Cook Basic)
It would be great if you made videos giving advice and tips for running superhero games.
Especially for people who are afraid or don't know how to do it (like me).
I've been trying to run or play a superhero game for 3 years, But for me it is very difficult to create a concept for a character, or even when I have it I end up thinking about it a lot because "what if my concept is not appropriate for the genre?". I never have this problem with fantasy and science fiction, it's only with superheroes that I have this problem. And I'd better not even tell you how I'm doing trying to plan a superhero campaign. And even more than what I like about fantasy and science fiction, is the possibility of playing characters that are not or do not look human, something that with superheroes I can't help but disassociate with "flying human" or "super strong human" or "green human".
I don't know why it's so difficult, and even more so, there aren't as many tips or guides to do this as with fantasy. It would be great if someone with experience could give their advice to try something different without fear.
(I would love to play Gamma World because of the type of characters I could play, but my group isn't interested in post apocalypse /:)
This is a great suggestion. 👍🏿
You may be happy to know you are not the only person to ask me this. So, it’s going on the list. 😊
As a fellow old Avengers comics fan, I understand running in the other direction when it got big. When things appeal to the mainstream, they must have mass appeal, so oddball things get erased and stories get more bland and dull. The things that made it great get erased and it becomes a pale shadow of itself.
Exactly.
Awesome, tip from my hat sir
While I do like myself some D&D from time to time, I get it. It seems to have been made the axis around which all other (fantasy) RPG's are hung. So, currently I am converting my own Dark Sun 5th edition D&D stuff, but finishing that is way off. Actually playing? Genesys narrative dice (of course). So underrated, not without its flaws, but great fun. Recently finished Star Wars, also from Fantasy Flight Games. I do agree, that people tend to stick to what they know (usually D&D) and seem fearful to scoot over to something new and *shudder* different.
Fantasy is my jam, but I love Sci-Fi and other stuff too. I'm mostly here for the philosophy and intelligent discussion.
This is another reason why I like Savage Worlds as a game system. Its setting agnostic so if my players are feeling like they want fantasy we can do that. If they want super heroes we can do that too. Sci Fi or Cyberpunk? Its got that covered and it does it all fairly well. I personally love Fantasy as a setting because there are lots of directions you can go with it without getting bogged down in the standard "fantasy" tropes.
I’ve been shifting away from fantasy TTRPGs for about 6 years now, corresponding to a shift in my fiction production and consumption. I’m down for your brand.
A lot of stuff out there. I’m sure you’ll find something. I suggest Free League Publishing material as well as Monte Cook Games. Check 'em out.
This is the first time I've encountered your channel and it sounds very interesting. As for myself, if I had to pick just one genre forever, it would be sword & planet style science fantasy. Think along the lines of everything from Barsoom to Flash Gordon, to He-Man. There's just something about fur-clad barbarians running around with battle axes in one hand and ray guns in the other that clicks for me in ways nothing else ever has.
😊
I'm here for your perspectives 🤓
Why, thank you. 😊
I also had a copy of the Advanced Marvel Super Heroes from the '80s. And I loved it. UNTIL I started messing with Palladium's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game and got introduced to Heroes Unlimited. From that point on? I was a Heroes Unlimited guy - lower power levels, more "realistic" settings, and crunchy skill sets.
Have you checked out Frostgrave? Really interesting single player skirmish game where you can play through a campaign all on your own or while competing against another player.
I have not. I will have to look that up. Thanks for the tip. 👍🏿
QoTV: Superheroes is definitely number one. My runner up is Sci-fi though! Honestly as far as content I’ve consumed goes (tv, movies, etc.) Sci-fi is on the top of the list as far as quantity and my favorites. To name my favorite series ever, Stargate SG-1 (Atlantis was pretty good too), and Firefly are my favorite. I think if I grew up in a time when comics weren’t low quality I would have been a much bigger comic book fan, I still have some but not a lot. I’ve researched the bigger things that went on in the past comics, but haven’t had the luxury of reading them myself.
My RPG history is kinda like that too. Started with the three little booklets, introudced the game to my dorm floor, but haven't played hardly any more of that specific brand after the first few years. Too many other RPGs to count since then.
If I had to pick a single genre, it would probably be modern fantasy - kinda cheatin' I suppose, since I include stuff from Dresden Files to Monster Hunter International to Hellboy-type stuff and more, it's a pretty broad genre. A specific game is a really hard call. For a long time it was Hero System, but that faded some years ago. Now, it might be Savage Worlds, or the Cortex system, both which flexible enough to cover all kinds of settings.
Sounds like you are into a lot of urban fantasy. Do your thang. 👍🏿
I do not like Fantasy that much either, besides Ravenloft theme. But I use Vaesen to do Ravenloft modules. But the new freelague Dragonbane is a great unique system. It is a blast to play. It is a hard core game.
SUPERHEROES! I was glad that Cypher System had at least 3 different superhero settings. I recently quit the system because of the creators, and i didnt have much luck getting a group anyways. But Index Card RPG also has a superhero setting built in, and I just bought it physical. As a Christian, I think there are things in ICRPG that im going to need to houserule right away. I'm even planning to mark inside my copy. But the superhero setting looks great! And I also helped fund HEROIC, coming soon.
@rpgelite, did you ever play MERP?
One type of game? Tough call. Space Opera or Weird Science Fiction is what I'd probably go with.