So for the past couple of years I've been working on this setting, which is basically a huge parasitic dimension that pulls in parts of other dimension to "feed" off of them, a la House of Many Doors, if anyone's ever played that. I've already got the lore, several adventures, locations, and a whole region map together. It's going to be a big, sandbox-y type world where there is a "main quest" of sorts, but its just there whenever the players want to go after it and there's plenty to tide them over in the mean time.

The problem is I don't have a system for it. Due to the very nature of the setting itself, I need a system that can handle magic, psionics, guns, swords, super powers, and pretty much every other thing a player or an NPC could conceivably own/encounter/wield.

Now before you all start writing GURPS - I've already looked and GURPS and it's just too darn crunchy. It has pretty much everything that I want, but I cannot afford to spend a decade learning the rules for every circumstance, nor can I afford to flip through a dozen different books when one of my players walks into a weapons shop and asks, "What are they selling?" And I feel like I can't just ignore most of these rules without also ignoring the reason I chose GURPS in the first place.

So, good people of theRPGsite, what I am looking for is a system that can handle a lot, and I mean a lot of different things, from combat to exploration to social situations. I'd like it to be far more cinematic than realistic, as well, because I want my players to be able to deal with threats ranging from Generic Sewer Rat, to Algaphaziel the Devourer of Fallen Stars.

This system needs to be able to accommodate characters from Tolkien-esque realms and gritty WWII-era worlds alike, allowing for characters as diverse as a superhero or a regular everyday mechanic. If my players want to get rich from carrying cargoes of valuable spices to a distant city, they should be able to, or if they want to be bounty hunters, they can do that too.

So does anybody have any sort of ideas for what would work with this?

Savage Worlds or Fate would probably suit your needs.  There's another one that uses the polyhedral dice types as levels that I can't think of the name of.  Oh well, no point in going nuts over it.

I dabbled a lot with a lighter 3d6 game along the lines of GURPS and HERO but it's not really done enough to suggest it.

Torg Eternity can do it.

Amber Diceless, Lords of Gossamer & Shadow style

QuoteCan anyone recommend a good system for this setting?

Total Party Skills. It does a little bit of everything with its neat game mechanic.
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/20325/Total-Party-Skills

Rifts has the Wormwood campaign that could be adapted. A living planet.

Call of Cthulhu would be easily be adapted to such a setting.

The big question is what aspects do you want to cover and what do you not.

If going a heavy biopunk theme then d20m Gamma World despite its myriad of flaws, would work fairly well.

Also worth a glance might be the old Amazing Engine setting Kromesome.

Cortex Prime. It does everything that Savage Worlds, Torg Eternity, Gurps, Hero System, etc, etc, without the heavy crunch. Plus Cortex Prime is a game design toolkit book so you can pick and choose all the elements of the system that best fits the scope of your setting.

Quote from: David Johansen on May 08, 2022, 05:12:50 PM
Savage Worlds or Fate would probably suit your needs.  There's another one that uses the polyhedral dice types as levels that I can't think of the name of.  Oh well, no point in going nuts over it.

I dabbled a lot with a lighter 3d6 game along the lines of GURPS and HERO but it's not really done enough to suggest it.

Seconding Savage Worlds. It's designed for that sort of stuff, the game is in their words "Fast, Furious, Fun" (I concur) And the core book is around $30 and will have pretty much everything you need.

I'd say The Strange can handle it.  It's made to have characters fit various different worlds with vastly different "settings".  The default has the characters adapting to fit each world they are in, but you can easily work that backwards to allow the different types to all exist in the same base world.

The rules are streamlined to a degree without getting too light and it's definitely on the more cinematic side of things (especially with the GM intrusion rules).

  Third on Savage Worlds.  I am a GURPS fan, and I think it gets considered a bit more complicated than it is because people try to drink from the firehose...I felt the need to say that.  Also having said that, Savage Worlds is default pulp cinematic, and IME considerably easier for players to grasp as well as a whole lot easier than GURPS to make a character, especially in a situation where both the GM and players are learning a system SW is a whole lot easier for the group to get together and make it work.  Savage Worlds has settings that vary greatly but the rules work the same with both with some minor variations.  It has the ability to make psionics/magic/superpowers either based off of points, or not use points depending on your taste.  You can dial combat from superhero unrealistic to trench warfare gritty. 
   
    I would say grab the Swade edition of the rule book and decide if it is for you, from your wish list I think it checks every box.

Quote from: rgalex on May 09, 2022, 09:12:50 AM
I'd say The Strange can handle it.  It's made to have characters fit various different worlds with vastly different "settings".  The default has the characters adapting to fit each world they are in, but you can easily work that backwards to allow the different types to all exist in the same base world.

The rules are streamlined to a degree without getting too light and it's definitely on the more cinematic side of things (especially with the GM intrusion rules).

I'd second this, or Numenera.

TORG.  Everything else is a pale imitation.

The initial description actually reminded me of Tyrannon from Champions, but if GURPS is too crunchy, then so is the HERO System.

I always think of Rifts and Shadowrun when I hear about mixed settings like this. I never played either of these but I know there are a lot of complaints about Rifts (some die hard fans too). I have heard less (positive or negative) about Shadowrun, but again there are some die hard fans out there.

Personally, I've often been amazed at what can be done with Basic Roleplaying, if you pick and choose from the golden book for instance.

Quote from: Trond on May 10, 2022, 11:55:59 AM
I always think of Rifts and Shadowrun when I hear about mixed settings like this. I never played either of these but I know there are a lot of complaints about Rifts (some die hard fans too). I have heard less (positive or negative) about Shadowrun, but again there are some die hard fans out there.

Personally, I've often been amazed at what can be done with Basic Roleplaying, if you pick and choose from the golden book for instance.

Both those settings have conversions to Savage Worlds, mainly because of the notoriously complex rules. Up until 4-5 months ago I was running Shadowrun using Savage Worlds.

However, Im also a fan of BRP. It's adaptable to pretty much everything as well. Of the two, you would need to choose what level of crunch you want in your game. Savage Worlds leans into pulpish action, whereas BRP has a deadlier vibe to it.

So really, the question is how much crunch, and what kind of feel do you want in your game?