I'm talking stuff like Dresden Files, with modern day mages and werewolves and vamps. At present, I usually stick with Witchcraft, since I know the system well. I was curious what other people used, and maybe if there was a game out there I might not know about that would work better.

I've used d20 Modern, but these days I think I prefer True20.

My preference for any game I am not familiar with a dedicated system (or where the dedicated system I dislike) is Hero.

CoC with no specific Licensed setting in mind... more of an amalgam of Kult and NWOD and Lukyanenko's 'Watch' series... a bit of China Mieville... a bit of Savage Henry and the Post Bros.

WoD for mixes, specific systems for a specific focus on one PC type (CoC for humans, Nephilim for well, Nephilim, d666 for INS/MV, etc).

Angel usually.  I wish they would reprint all the Witchcraft books though and I would use them.  Eden are very good at this type of game.

For Dresden files.  I'd use the Dresden Files rpg.

Otherwise I generally use nWod.  Even my darling Kult RPG I think works much better as a wonky setting book and just leave the general mechanics up to nWod - though with Kult's ritual magic system and reality meter.

I'm surprised there's not more games around for this kind of thing, given how popular it is now on bookshelves and TV. Somehow WoD has always seemed like something other than this to me. I guess like D&D it's kind of become it's own thing?

I keep wondering about doing something based either on True Blood or the books of Ilona Andrews. Would probably be Savage Worlds if it happens.

I also have a soft spot for Urban Arcana, in idea at least if not execution. But I can't face D20 or it's derivatives anymore, so even though the premise of that one is explicitly "D&D in the modern world", I think I'd do that in Savage Worlds too.

Quote from: kryyst;415964For Dresden files.  I'd use the Dresden Files rpg.

I'm reading it now. I haven't gotten to the magic section (which, of course, could be a deal breaker), but I'm really liking it.

Seanchai

I'm not sure.

I like FATE and dig on the collaborative setting creation thing in DFRPG, but I'm not sure I'd use it as written. Main reason being, I really don't like the way it cuts the PCs to the bone on the fate point economy. I guess it could work for a smallish group, but for the groups I typically run in, I don't have time to focus on each character's compels enough to fuel them through the game.

The quick and dirty solution here would be to give everyone a small allotment of fate points (say 3) that they can't touch for the purposes of stunts. I haven't played it enough to tell if that would correct the problem without turning it into a magic supers game.

Random flash thought: But then, a magic supers game, a la Dr. Fate / Dr. Strange, could be fun.

Quote from: danbuter;415935I'm talking stuff like Dresden Files, with modern day mages and werewolves and vamps. At present, I usually stick with Witchcraft, since I know the system well. I was curious what other people used, and maybe if there was a game out there I might not know about that would work better.

Witchcraft or Savage Worlds are my first picks for this setting.

Sorcerer or Chill 1ed.
Conspiracy of Shadows w/mod.sett. seems doable.

All sorts of cool suggestions...
So what would make a system better or worse for 'Urban Fantasy'? I'm assuming some modern day equipment stats, a magic system... what else?
Would a superhero game with magic rules be too out of wack?

Does Shadowrun qualify?

Quote from: Simlasa;416005All sorts of cool suggestions...
So what would make a system better or worse for 'Urban Fantasy'? I'm assuming some modern day equipment stats, a magic system... what else?
Would a superhero game with magic rules be too out of wack?

Does Shadowrun qualify?

As far as "system" goes I think a rules light approach with genre evoking powers etc. is the way to go. Nothing to flashy or drawn out. Quik,subtle & eerie is a go.
Nice to have lots of wiggle room to keep it all fresh and mysterious. A comprehensive rules set can be a drag in that regard unless you embrace handwavyness.
not so much into equip. more about char. network/agendas etc.This is why I mentioned CoS in my previous post.

supers. w/magic,meh, allways seems wonky to me...never played Shadowrun.

Shadowrun could work if all the cybernetics and advanced tech were taken out.