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Author Topic: Favorite Single Book RPG  (Read 6533 times)

Persimmon

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Re: Favorite Single Book RPG
« Reply #75 on: October 07, 2022, 08:26:53 PM »
ACKS is a splat book fest so it's disqualified.  Not that it's a bad game.
ACKS core is its own game that you can play with just the core book. If you can play a game with only it's core book than that one book is a single book game that does not require other books, whether or not there are splatbooks available for it.

My thread, my rules.  It doesn't matter if you can play the game with just the core book; if there are tons of splat books full of optional rules, extra classes, mass combat, it doesn't count.  Adventure modules are fine.

DCC could count since in my estimation the annuals (which aren't annuals) hardly rise to the level of splat, nor do fanmade things count.  Though the various boxed sets with alternate rules and classes make it questionable.  Technically I guess they're modules.

But ACKS?  No way.  In its own thread they note how they're struggling to put everything together in just three books for a second edition.  All those theme books, extra spells, classes, etc.  It's creeping towards AD&D 2e territory there :)

OSE would count, but OSE Advanced would not, since it's two books.  Hyperborea 2e counts, and is way up there for me, but sadly Jeff released 3e in essentially 3 books since there's also the gazetteer.

Eric Diaz

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Re: Favorite Single Book RPG
« Reply #76 on: October 07, 2022, 08:36:53 PM »
DCC is certainly awesome. It would be a good pick.

Here is a cool contender: LFG deluxe. Great game, and fir 4 bucks, it is a steal (affiliate).

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/265388/Low-Fantasy-Gaming-Deluxe-Edition?affiliate_id=403100

My impressions of the original version:

https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2016/11/review-low-fantasy-gaming.html
« Last Edit: October 07, 2022, 08:38:37 PM by Eric Diaz »
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Persimmon

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Re: Favorite Single Book RPG
« Reply #77 on: October 07, 2022, 09:38:32 PM »
DCC is certainly awesome. It would be a good pick.

Here is a cool contender: LFG deluxe. Great game, and fir 4 bucks, it is a steal (affiliate).

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/265388/Low-Fantasy-Gaming-Deluxe-Edition?affiliate_id=403100

My impressions of the original version:

https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2016/11/review-low-fantasy-gaming.html

I've been intrigued by this game for awhile but we're moving to Swords & Chaos next, which also fits the bill as it's brand new and all in one book.

Trond

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Re: Favorite Single Book RPG
« Reply #78 on: October 08, 2022, 05:26:14 PM »
Speaking of the Rules Cyclopedia, I find this video review hilarious:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMnDNWIkpZ4&t=232s

Best youtube comment:
Quote
Just did the math on my phone. In case you were wondering you would need to kill 48 troglodytes in order to level up as a thief in Basic D&D.

Philotomy Jurament

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Re: Favorite Single Book RPG
« Reply #79 on: October 08, 2022, 09:05:14 PM »
OSRIC. (Kind of like a Rules Cyclopedia for 1e AD&D instead of for BECMI).

Basic Roleplaying. (Chaosium's "gold book". You could run all sorts of genres and games with just this book.)
The problem is not that power corrupts, but that the corruptible are irresistibly drawn to the pursuit of power. Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito.

jeff37923

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Re: Favorite Single Book RPG
« Reply #80 on: October 08, 2022, 09:36:20 PM »
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?

Mekton II, d6 Star Wars Revised and Expanded, Advanced Labyrinth Lord, Cyberpunk 2020, Classic Traveller, Mongoose Traveller 1e, OSE Basic Rules Tome, D&D Rules Encyclopedia, etc - The list goes on and on for me because I prefer One Volume Core Rulebooks.
"Meh."