Old-School Essentials core rulebook. I like that one more than the Rules Cyclopedia actually because RC has 36 levels of D&D and I absolutely do not want 36 levels of D&D.

Quote from: Kravell on September 16, 2022, 10:22:35 PM
Old-School Essentials core rulebook. I like that one more than the Rules Cyclopedia actually because RC has 36 levels of D&D and I absolutely do not want 36 levels of D&D.

We've actually gone all the way up in D&D campaigns a couple times, though I never cared for the Immortals rules at all.  But I do think things should top out around level 20.  I know why Gavin stopped at 14, but I think 20 makes better sense, hence why I like Advanced Labyrinth Lord.

Dragon warriors the hardback is great. Everything you'd ever need!

Yeah, but too many splat books.  You have a bestiary and a players guide and you're disqualified!

Quote from: Persimmon on September 18, 2022, 09:09:12 AM
Yeah, but too many splat books.  You have a bestiary and a players guide and you're disqualified!

Splat books are optional in any system that introduces them.  If a system doesn't get splats, it's just a sign the system was never very popular to begin with.

Quote from: Palleon on September 18, 2022, 09:36:39 AM

Quote from: Persimmon on September 18, 2022, 09:09:12 AM
Yeah, but too many splat books.  You have a bestiary and a players guide and you're disqualified!

Splat books are optional in any system that introduces them.  If a system doesn't get splats, it's just a sign the system was never very popular to begin with.

Again, my thread, my rules.  If it has a bunch of splat books, it doesn't qualify.  That's the challenge here.

I'm trying to think of good one-and-done RPGs, because, as someone said, splats and supplements are a sign it was a good game and people want more of it, while the unstated corollary of that is that one book RPGs tend to be... not so good. Hardly a universal rule, but...

I mean, I'm actually hard pressed to think of RPGs off the top of my head that didn't get at least one other book.

I make no claim of being a fan of Evil Hat these days, but the Dresden Files RPG is actually something of a favorite of mine, and as far as I know it only had two books... the main book and the completely unnecessary book of NPCs for the core setting. But while I'm not in love with the FATE system, I liked Dresden's (original) implementation of it, the system is flexible enough to do quite a variety of game types.

Elric! I feel is a pretty good single book rpg.

I forgot to mention that any of the old CoC books were great too (I'm not including 7th edition here). Again fully complete games with details and adventures.

Two more would be Hyperborea 2nd edition, technically called "Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea," and Middle Earth Role-Playing.  Unfortunately, they split the Third edition of Hyperborea into two books.

As for MERP, they released tons of modules and a few compilations, but there were never any splat books.  No extra spells, classes, etc.  They assumed you would just use Rolemaster if you wanted that stuff. 

In contrast, the new Against the Darkmaster game,which is inspired by MERP, is already going the splat book route, with a new KS that will add classes, their default setting and stuff to make the game more Arthurian.   Already enough to make me check out.

Rules Cyclopedia can be hardly beaten. Sadly it is full of errors (the errata sheet is one of the longest I ever printed for a book) but we will never see a revised edition.

Possibly the best single book in my collection is L'Appel de Cthulhu JDR - Edition 30ème Anniversaire (Call of Cthulhu, 30th Anniversary Edition). It was published only in French by Sans Détour. It is a truly wonderful (and heavy) tome, using a "6.5" version of CoC's rules, with more content than any other RPG book I'm aware of. I never understood why Chaosium didn't translate it in English.

Quote from: Persimmon on September 19, 2022, 07:56:06 PM
Two more would be Hyperborea 2nd edition, technically called "Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea,

Great game that.

Quote from: zircher on September 14, 2022, 03:15:01 PMSingle book favorite would be Amber Diceless.

I thought about that one because it's on my very short list of favorite RPG systems. OD&D edges it out for me just because I discovered it a decade earlier and OD&D defines RPGs in my mind because of that.

Quote from: Jam The MF on September 15, 2022, 11:24:44 PMI want to say my favorite single volume RPG is White Box FMAG, which is based upon S&W White Box, which is based upon 0 Edition D&D.  However, I recently picked up OSE Classic Fantasy; and it is probably another great option.  I sort of prefer the compactness of the White Box book though.

Modesty prevented me from listing this one, plus I feel like a clone of the real thing can never be as awesome as the real thing. However, I agree that the FMAG is my favorite version of my S&W:WB rules. I bought a bunch of extra copies to hand out to folks.

Quote from: Kravell on September 16, 2022, 10:22:35 PMOld-School Essentials core rulebook. I like that one more than the Rules Cyclopedia actually because RC has 36 levels of D&D and I absolutely do not want 36 levels of D&D.

You make a valid point. More ideal than the RC would be the RC with only levels 1-12 or some such.

Quote from: Persimmon on September 14, 2022, 09:17:05 AM
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?

A vintage sci-fi RPG from Total Party Skills called Rocket Cadets in the 11th Dimension!

The single book part is making it difficult for me to identify candidates and yet also helping me make up my mind much more easily among those that qualify. I assume this means not just that the book has to have all the materials necessary to play the game, but also no extra playable options in any other printed books or adventure lines. Hmmm...

I'm going to go with my most recent fixation, Ascendant, because while the default setting and characters are something I might tweak a little bit, I really like the mechanics and it's fresh in my mind. Most physical stats and powers have quantifiable effects and meanings, which I like as a nerd who occasionally thinks about fictional combatants and their capabilities for fun. I also like how it emphasizes stats over raw chance with respect to failure in many ways, but with multiple levels of success also granting some solid DM discretion within the confines of the rolls and narrative, somehow without it feeling super fiat based. Lots of ways to build, and a lot of freedom in character creation without it feeling like there aren't any rules to give your character defined capabilities. But with stunting to provide freedom and out of the box applications during play as well as a fun smidge of resource management via hero points.

They might come out with more books or adventures or something going forward, but for now it's a single book.

I had a few runners up, but a lot of my most likely contenders for best game more generally got disqualified on account of having been around long enough for content creep to set in.