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Favorite Single Book RPG

Started by Persimmon, September 14, 2022, 09:17:05 AM

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David Johansen

huh...one book?  Probably Traveller 5.0  There's issues there but it gets a lot in the book.  I couldn't use 5.1 because it's three books.  No, you know what?  You can't go wrong with Mechanoid Invasion book 3 so let's go with that.  Palladium Fantasy first edition and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay first edition are close runners up.  You could almost go second edition, it's a bit better mechanically but loses too much content from the core book.
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Brooding Paladin

I'll have to second (or third) the Traveller 5.0 book.  Pretty much everything you need is in there and it covers the bestiary, weapons, ships and combat.  They got a lot in there.

Palleon

The BRP "Gold Book" is the closest I have to a favorite single volume RPG because it's a generic system with all the subsystems needed to run most different types of campaigns.

I prefer OpenD6 more as a system, but there isn't a single volume version to handle everything.

zircher

Single book favorite would be Amber Diceless.
You can find my solo Tarot based rules for Amber on my home page.
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Persimmon

Quote from: Eric Diaz on September 14, 2022, 11:50:24 AM
Quote from: Persimmon on September 14, 2022, 09:17:05 AM
While I once loved getting splat books, monster books, and various other supplements, with age and much more limited time to game I've come to appreciate the merits of streamlining and simplicity in my games.  I also really like having everything in just one book, if at all possible.  To me, that's the main appeal of something like Advanced Labyrinth Lord, despite its poor formatting, uneven artwork, low quality binding, and organizational problems.  I still have everything I need to play or design in just one book. The old BECMI Rules Compendium also fits the bill here.

I understand in many cases that the business model lends itself to spreading things out, but I find it annoying when new classes, weapons, monsters etc. are added in supplements as a way to encourage (force) players & GMs alike to keep buying more product.  The exception, of course, would be adventure modules.





































So what are some of your favorite games/systems that keep everything together in one volume, however large, without all the splat books and bloat?
I think you meant Rules Cyclopedia?

In any case, yes, Rules Cyclopedia is the right answer.

EDIT: other than that, Shadow of the Demon Lord has a great combination of system + setting + GM advice + monsters (too few mosnters, but okay).

I'm still trying to write a more "complete" clone (with PHB + DMG + MM, using LL as basis), but alas, this is hard work. And when I do I hope it beats the Rc, not because I'm that good, but because I'm standing on the shoulders of storm giants! ;)

Yeah, of course I meant Rules Cyclopedia..  I'd DQ Shadow of the Demon Lord because it has a shit ton of splat books that introduce tons of new content.  Sure, you can technically play with just the core book, but all that other stuff is precisely what I'm railing against with this query.

The Spaniard

AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide.  I've spent countless hours pouring over that tome.

PulpHerb

Quote from: David Johansen on September 14, 2022, 01:53:21 PM
huh...one book?  Probably Traveller 5.0  There's issues there but it gets a lot in the book.  I couldn't use 5.1 because it's three books.  No, you know what?  You can't go wrong with Mechanoid Invasion book 3 so let's go with that.  Palladium Fantasy first edition and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay first edition are close runners up.  You could almost go second edition, it's a bit better mechanically but loses too much content from the core book.

Why just book 3 on Mechanoids when Homeworld is under one cover with it's two earlier breathern? Not sure you'd gain much beyond some cool gear and dungeons in spaces rules, but it for sale now.

Brooding Paladin

Changing my answer to join The Spaniard if that one counts.  I thought it had to be "a whole RPG in a single book."

A close second would be Paizo's GameMastery Guide for PF 1.0.

Persimmon

Quote from: Brooding Paladin on September 14, 2022, 04:50:04 PM
Changing my answer to join The Spaniard if that one counts.  I thought it had to be "a whole RPG in a single book."

A close second would be Paizo's GameMastery Guide for PF 1.0.

No; of course that doesn't count.  It's not favorite single RPG book.  It's favorite RPG in a single book. 

The Spaniard

Quote from: Persimmon on September 14, 2022, 05:05:18 PM
Quote from: Brooding Paladin on September 14, 2022, 04:50:04 PM
Changing my answer to join The Spaniard if that one counts.  I thought it had to be "a whole RPG in a single book."

A close second would be Paizo's GameMastery Guide for PF 1.0.

No; of course that doesn't count.  It's not favorite single RPG book.  It's favorite RPG in a single book.

:D

Lurkndog

Quote from: APN on September 14, 2022, 10:29:03 AM
The original Star Wars D6 game was pretty good for a one book solution but really needs the splatbooks or you'll do a lot of statting up yourself. 

First edition WEG Ghostbusters is similarly good.

Jason Coplen

I'm reading The Invisible College right now and it's good stuff. It will be a while before I run a game using it - I'm in the middle of nowhere and finding gamers has been a hunt.
Running: HarnMaster and Baptism of Fire

Stephen Tannhauser

For me it would be Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade. Everything I like about the concepts of Mage without the required conflict framework of the 20th/21st century setting. Plus I love the late Middle Ages/early Renaissance as a setting.
Better to keep silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt. -- Mark Twain

STR 8 DEX 10 CON 10 INT 11 WIS 6 CHA 3

David Johansen

Quote from: PulpHerb on September 14, 2022, 04:43:28 PM
Why just book 3 on Mechanoids when Homeworld is under one cover with it's two earlier breathern? Not sure you'd gain much beyond some cool gear and dungeons in spaces rules, but it for sale now.

Book three is a complete game in itself.  The only thing you really gain from one and two is Gideon E, details on motherships, and magic.  As it happens I'd much prefer my players not have or want magic in a science fiction game.  Book 3 is the best rpg Palladium ever published.
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