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Dumpshock Forums _ General Gaming _ Space combat pen and paper rpg
Posted by: The Shuhite Nov 18 2010, 11:51 PM
Thus far I only know of DnD 2nd Spell Jammer which is absolutely crazy and Rogue Trader which is a poor system in my opinion. Can anyone recommend a system that has a decent amount of space combat?
Thanks
Posted by: IcyCool Nov 19 2010, 12:05 AM
Alternity
D20 Future
Star Wars (West End Games)
Star Wars D20
Those are the system off the top of my head that have space combat mechanics. They are decent enough. Are you looking for the system to do something specific?
Posted by: The Shuhite Nov 19 2010, 12:32 AM
I've got nothing too concrete at the moment. I guess I'm looking for a firefly-ish feel with small time pirates completely outmatched but can keep under the radar. If you know spell jammer, I'm kind of going for that with out the animals in space and other batshit-ness.
Posted by: Karoline Nov 19 2010, 12:47 AM
Well, there is Firefly 
Posted by: KarmaInferno Nov 19 2010, 01:29 AM
Technically, it's the Serenity RPG.
I dunno if it's due to legal reasons tho.
-k
Posted by: Karoline Nov 19 2010, 03:51 AM
I dunno if it's due to legal reasons tho.
-k
I think it is because it came out after the movie, which was called Serenity, so they were likely trying to link it to that. I seem to recall some of the pictures being from the movie and everything.
Posted by: nezumi Nov 19 2010, 11:47 AM
GURPS seemed to have some pretty good rules. Traveller as well. Both are a might heavy on the math side, though.
Posted by: Karoline Nov 19 2010, 02:05 PM
Oh yeah, GURPS has a really fun space system now that I remember. Well, I don't know how fun the system itself was, but I had alot of fun designing different ships with it.
Posted by: capt.pantsless Nov 19 2010, 04:23 PM
There's also Diaspora: it's a bit more open-ended, but a lot of people like the rules-system.
http://www.vsca.ca/Diaspora/
Posted by: etherial Nov 19 2010, 04:37 PM
It came out the summer before the movie. It contains stills from the movie.
I second either the Cortex System (Serenity/BSG/generic) or WEG (d6) Star Wars.
Posted by: Adarael Nov 19 2010, 04:47 PM
I'm a big fan of Jovian Chronicles, which is all fairly hard sci-fi, with the exception of gundam style giant space robots. But you can pretty easily take out the giant space robots and put in space attack ships instead and nothing really changes. It all takes place within the solar system, though - no FTL or anything. But there's plenty of opportunity for intrigue.
Posted by: Mr. Mage Nov 19 2010, 05:50 PM
I can personally attest to Traveler. Fun system but character creation is a little annoying since a lot of the advancements are randomly chosen instead of you deciding how to go. (Oh, you want THAT skill? well roll a d6 and see what you got...a 3, well sorry, but you get THIS skill instead...)
I believe there are rules for not having to randomize things, but I'm not sure...probably depends on the edition of the rules you use (I think I played the most recent one from Mongoose Games)
Posted by: Karoline Nov 19 2010, 06:08 PM
Kind of reminds me of the... mechwarrior RPG I think it was, except that Mechwarrior was good. You basically went through and picked different very general paths, like 'tour of duty' or 'free merchant' or something like that. You rolled the dice, and the result basically told you how well it went. Like snake eyes means you were captured by enemies and tortured for a couple years, and box cars meant that your platoon found some old tech cashe and you got a ton of money and a really high tech gun. 7 meant you just had a normal tour, nothing exciting happened, you gain some weapon skill of your choice and a side skill like gambling or something.
I have to say, I really loved that system purely for going through and making characters and seeing how they came out.
Posted by: klinktastic Nov 19 2010, 06:33 PM
Star Wars WEG d6 is solid.
Classic or Mongoose Traveller are very fun, but very random.
Dark Heresy/Rogue Trader I've heard great things about.
Posted by: Thanee Nov 20 2010, 09:19 AM
Another option... HERO System (Star Hero 6th ed. isn't out yet, however; next Gen Con most likely)
Bye
Thanee
Posted by: MortVent Nov 20 2010, 12:57 PM
RIFTS has a bit of space rules in some of the books, but it's rifts and well the damage rules are nutz.
MDC mega damage means a normal human is toast in one hit unless wearing power armor
Posted by: Wounded Ronin Nov 20 2010, 03:36 PM
I have to say, I really loved that system purely for going through and making characters and seeing how they came out.
I know, that type of chargen is a lot of fun but you seldom see it anymore. The whole point of Twilight 2000 the PC game was basically to make characters and take them through the chargen tree.
Posted by: Method Nov 20 2010, 06:40 PM
I too have heard a lot of good things about Dark Heresy.
Posted by: Zyerne Nov 20 2010, 07:09 PM
The Honor Harrington RPG will likely have comprehensive ship combat rules when it comes out.
Of course, the smallest typical combatant is typically a destroyer so...
Posted by: Fabe Nov 20 2010, 09:49 PM
Traveller is a game you'll want to take a look at.
Posted by: KarmaInferno Nov 20 2010, 10:48 PM
MDC mega damage means a normal human is toast in one hit unless wearing power armor
Rifts! Where you can play a super steroid mutant or a mega cyborg or a mech pilot or... a scholar.
Yeah, balance isn't the game's strong suit.
-k
Posted by: Karoline Nov 20 2010, 11:38 PM
Yeah, balance isn't the game's strong suit.
-k
Sounds cool.
Edit: Have I ever mentioned that I used to work on my own game system, which had a space adaptation. One of the races was basically an entire race of scientists. They had exciting classes like 'researcher' and 'programmer' and 'engineer'.
Posted by: Wounded Ronin Nov 21 2010, 03:25 PM
Edit: Have I ever mentioned that I used to work on my own game system, which had a space adaptation. One of the races was basically an entire race of scientists. They had exciting classes like 'researcher' and 'programmer' and 'engineer'.
Put it on this forum so we can read all the rules!
Posted by: Karoline Nov 21 2010, 04:23 PM
Only has about a dozen pages of rules, and I don't have them on me. But I do have an easy weekend for the first time in a while, I'll see if I can't recreate some of them.
I honestly think I had more written on the background/history of the Ro'am than I did rules for the rest of the game combined
Posted by: Thanee Nov 21 2010, 05:51 PM
Yep, it is pretty cool, but really crazy.
And if you ever meet a Splugorth there, run, just run!
One million M.D.C. is really as much as it sounds, if your laser pistol does 1d6 Mega Damage.
Bye
Thanee
Posted by: sabs Nov 22 2010, 06:04 PM
What about the original ?http://www.farfuture.net/index3.html
Posted by: Mr. Mage Nov 22 2010, 06:17 PM
oh don't fret...we've got that idea out there already...
Posted by: Doc Chase Nov 22 2010, 06:50 PM
Ah, Traveller. One of the only games where you can die in chargen.
Posted by: hobgoblin Nov 22 2010, 10:53 PM
in the mongoose version (love their LBB variant) that only happens if one opt for ironman rules. If not one get a mishap and get booted out of whatever career one was advancing in at the time.
Posted by: J. Packer Nov 30 2010, 04:44 AM
I have no idea how good an RPG Prime Directive is, but the associated space combat game, Star Fleet Battles is the best space combat game I've ever played. But if you think Traveller is math heavy, you're not going to be a fan.
Posted by: hobgoblin Nov 30 2010, 03:14 PM
heh, if anything is math heavy, it is the gurps when played with the realistic optional rules. Deltav calculations, anyone?
Posted by: Doc Chase Dec 6 2010, 10:14 PM
So, what, play those rules and learn how to launch a manned space mission?
Posted by: hobgoblin Dec 7 2010, 01:11 AM
Maybe not launch, but perhaps fly one when outside a gravitational well.
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