So last post I mentioned that I was having a bit of GM Analysis Paralysis (GMAP). Basically, I was pretty much at a stand still for what to run and what to do with Pathfinder. We took the night off from rpgs, played Order of the Stick instead, and drank quite a few beers (well, we normally do that but this time we had a few more than normal). We also had a chance to chat for a bit about gaming and what we might do moving forward. Everyone was quite understanding at my relative ennui with our game and with Pathfinder. I talked about various systems that I’d like to try out and see if they might fit both me as a GM and them as players. These included: Castles & Crusades, Myth & Magic, AD&D (or OSRIC)…sense a pattern yet…and Savage Worlds.
We also talked a bit about what I felt would be the best fit for me as a GM. The following day, I posted a list of the things that I identified as what I was looking for. These included:
- I want a system with a relatively easy, unified mechanic for resolving things when the dice need to come out.
- I want a system that is easy to tweak and add house rules as we see fit (e.g., tweaking any sort of “Vancian” or cast and forget magic system).
- I want a system that doesn’t require a high degree of “rules mastery” on either your part or mine in order to be played effectively.
- I want a system with a simple character sheet and where the focus of the game is on what is happening at the table rather than what is written on the character sheet.
- I want a system where monster stat blocks aren’t one or two pages long and still require that you have memorized or look up abilities that are only listed by their name.
- I want a system where a core design philosophy and style is not on what a character can’t do but on letting characters try pretty much anything.
- I want a system that is very easy for me to improvise and run on the fly without a lot, if any, prep ahead of time.
- I want a system where it is easy to use material, specifically adventure material, from various editions of D&D since I’ve got a bunch.
- I want a system that doesn’t place a heavy emphasis on detailed, tactical combat but recognizes that combat is just a tool to support the exploration, roleplaying, and other such elements of playing in a campaign.
- I want a system where neither the players nor GM need to be looking up rules or other things in a rulebook on a regular basis.
Not too much to ask for, right?
Well, as I thought (and thought and thought and thought) about it during the day, I realized that I already had a game that I felt met all this for me and, perhaps with a slight amount of tweaking, would work for my players. Wait for it…wait for it…
Savage Worlds!!!
Oh yeah, in our past experience, Savage Worlds pretty much met every element that I’m looking for. The only issue I had with it is that the mortality rate could be a bit high. My players had a small bit of difficulty adjusting to the wound system of Savage Worlds and often, and easily, succumbed to the so-called death spiral that some speak of with Savage Worlds. I think that we can work around this and find a sweet spot, possibly using some of the Incapacitation options laid out by Clint (the Savage Guru) over at the Pinnacle forums.
Even better, we’re going to go back to our Hellfrost campaign! I absolutely love Hellfrost and I am absolutely thrilled to go back to it! I think it is one of the best settings period…it has a great skeleton that feels real and that a GM can flesh out and make their own. I think that is pretty high praise. It’s going to take us a little work to pick up a campaign from a year ago but I think it is definitely worth it.
We’re going to intersperse Hellfrost with a little Deadlands. Our only Deadlands experience was pretty awesome and all three of the players that participated were, I think, a bit disappointed that we never went back to it.
These same three players are also the ones that have played Savage Worlds (and Hellfrost) previously. Two of the players, Austin and Bridgett, have never played Savage Worlds. So, to start, we’re going to do a couple of short adventures to help them get a feel for the system before we jump back into Hellfrost. It’ll also be helpful for all of us to get back into the Fast! Fun! Furious! and Frigid! of Savage Worlds and Hellfrost.
I’m pretty excited about all this…if only Todd would remember that, yes, he did have a still living character in the Hellfrost campaign. đŸ˜‰
