So, once upon a time, I wanted to run two core TTRPG system families.
A grounded and realistic system and a pulpy, tabletop and fun system.
Kind of a Yin and Yang dynamic.
The main group was the D100 family, which included at the time a ton of Call of Cthulhu 4-6e, BRP’s Big Gold Book with tons of bits, Mythras/Legend and friends, Delta Green etc. This would handle serious, realistic and grounded games. It grew and is still growing.
Almost enough.
The second system was the foil to that, the true alternate, the mood and play style switch-out when the need took me. It was Savage Worlds Explorers edition Deluxe (SWEx-D?). I had lots of it and some older stuff that was more or less compatible. It was pulpy and lean, complete with exploding dice and character “squishiness”.
My favourite element of the system is the clean sub systems for almost anything. With minimum fuss it could handle, often in slim volumes, the things that make genre like Sci-Fi or Supers games different.
D100 games can also, but with more system weight and less of a feeling of a pulpy, semi-table top game. D100 games tend to change as they handle specific genre, SW basically does not.
I must admit, I never really clicked with it, because I felt the system makes more sense when you play it than read it, so some elements did not sit right with me without a solid playing group. These have been addressed in the new SWADE edition either directly or with acceptable options.
I also prefer D100 or D6 mechanics on the whole.
I like how D100 rolls are effectively game invisible, just a roll, nothing too complicated and D6 rolls are of course the most familiar, but a change is needed or wanted sometimes.
I have a very long and complicated relationship with dice mechanics. I like clean and logical systems, tend to avoid overly “clever for their own sake” systems and ones that hero their “thing” over narrative game play. Dice, cards etc a just a tool for game outcomes. SW manages to have an inoffensive balance of mechanical simplicity with added clever elements, while still being very different to D100.
Between the two families they covered most genres that interested me, almost mirroring each other and on occasion, like the 1e Achtung Cthulhu books for example, could use either system (CoC 6e, SWEx-D).
Ancient Rome, space opera, hard sci fi, high fantasy, low magic fantasy, normal, super natural, super hero, Cthulhu horror, regular horror, western, weird western, pirates, weird pirates, you name it, they both offered something in each space, usually differently and often one genre fit one system better, but not always.
SW got dumped at a time when I needed to rationalise. It was always the poor step child of the two, I struggled to connect with it and it was a thinner offering overall. I had even stopped collecting it.
It was also going through its own mild edition war at the time (which got worse with SWADE). I felt one system could do it all and it can, but I also felt there was something missing.
Later, I was compelled to buy SW Pathfinder as it is both a SWADE update and had the (also discarded) Pathfinder 1e feel, complete with the Wayne Reynolds art.
Pathfinder without the layers of cruft or SW focussed on a well liked franchise? Both good, better together.
Two re-found games in one, no bleed, no temptation to grow…….. yeah, right.
I went all in, all the cards, all the collateral, maximum tactile support.
My feeling was, seeing as most of my games these days are introduction or casual games with a casual crowd, this could be a very approachable and user friendly intro to TTRPG’s set.
Even these, which can be replaced by a cheat sheet.
This grew, but within limits of the Pathfinder range only.
There are other considerations though.
The AP below is under a tight licence meaning it must run much the same as the d20 version. This is a shame as SW offers a lot more ways to get things done than the usual attritional encounter economic of DnD.
Instead of a grind with occasional and loose role play elements of a d20 game, SW could truly mix up the play, add benefits and outcomes. The Runelords AP is a good resource, but I will hold off on any more, maybe even getting the much cheaper PF 2e pocket version of Crimson Throne (1/4 the price), as many say the conversion is easy and the play much the same.
I even grabbed the first Adventure Path, helped by the fact I already had the map pack (most of them actually) and some 4e collateral. It is a bit d20 dungeon-grind in play, but that is only if I let it be.
At some point last year, probably a time of weakness fuelled by boredom or/and a good deal, I picked up the new SWADE core book. It survived another clear out (just), got a skim read or two, sat on a shelf and basically took it’s place as “reserved for later, or possibly never”.
One of many generic game systems out there, but becoming one of the main ones.
D100 games can do most things, but sometimes I just want something else, something lighter, something more tactile and table friendly, with less granularity and a pulpier vibe and lastly, an escalating, mixed dice mechanic. It felt ok that it was sitting there amongst my few D100 exceptions, a little under done, but there.
Trying to avoid even more bespoke systems when chasing a “Kids on Bikes” format* led me to pick up SWADE again and it not only filled that niche perfectly, but revitalised my interest in games other than D100. D100 for this genre fit in some cases, like a grounded and low-fi Tales of the Loop game, but the whole 16mm, ET, Stranger Thinks style was too pulpy.
I have to admit, it is sitting better with me this time.
Re-reading the same core rules in the new book just felt like an old friend returned, not a tome of foreign concepts. It was better, more confident and well polished.
I do not want to invest any more time and money into multiple game systems, especially when I usually end up disliking them on some level and do a d100 (or SWADE?) hack.
The Loop/Electric State/Alien series, all with the similar dice mechanics came close, but so many games, so much money and still limited in scope.
SWADE does break my soft “no big glossy hero books that fail to be as perfect as they claim” rule, coming in a nice A5 glossy form, avoiding the pretension of many.
SWADE was a better option in many ways, not the least of which was overall cost and although the core book could do most things I wanted, I was tempted by the potential….
One thing led to several others, specifically being the four companions.
A deal was found which softened the blow a little, the four books coming in at about $250au (down from about $320). Still a lot I guess, but if you compare it to the cost of just the core books for several bespoke systems, it is a steal.
You are not just buying an alternative to a fantasy, sci-fi, supers or horror game, you are potentially buying an alternative to all of them. Sure, every game has it’s own feel and mechanics, but between D100 and SWADE, I have covered the two extremes and the bulk of the spread between.
The big win of course is a consistent system that compliments its other offerings without compromise. Pick a genre or genres, choose your setting rule exceptions and go. A non D100 way of doing the same.
Each book for about the same as the entry point into a base bespoke system, devoid of an anchor and so much more and if you like to do your own thing, tinker, invent, create and blend. It’s a very good place to start.
Can D100 games do pulpy and light?
Yes, but it is a stretch sometimes thematically and often means shifting into a specific sub-system like Troubleshooters or Pulp Cthulhu. Even then, it rarely touches on Hollywood pulp, just less precipitous D100.
Can SW do hard and gritty?
Yes and probably better than D100 does pulpy. It is a lite game mechanically, but can be hacked and made brutal, exaggerated by its swingy-ness. Remove Bennies, the Wild dice, limit exploding dice and it becomes harder, more grounded, nasty even. Some of the spot rules in the Horror Companion are down right gruesome, even by Cthulhu standards.
A real test for SW would be using it for the sci fi/horror games Mothership, Death in Space or Alien, the ultimate “don’t expect this to end well, just quickly” platforms. SW with bennies traded for sanity checks and no wildcard dice might emulate the harshness of Mothership and would likely absorb the stress mechanic also, or with the Horror Companion’s own fear mechanics.
Taking elements from these games, like the art, “fluff” tables and ideas is easy and weightless, so the feel of the games stays intact, the mechanics however, become more consistent and complete.
Looking at some examples.
Kids on Bikes.
SW; Stranger Things, 16 Millimetre, ET, classic era teen angst with complications and “see what happens” stuff, peril being implied, but only an end point.
D100 (M-Space); The Loop, Electric State, The Labyrinth. More serious, contemplative and grounded teen age, peril more up front and real.
Fantasy.
SW; Pathfinder (as made), Mouse Guard (fixes the scale issues), high or weird fantasy or fantasy/supers/sci-fi cross-overs (Marvel Multiverse, Malizan).
D100 (RQ, Mythras/Legend); Normal or weird history, old school revival (Classic Fantasy), The One Ring converted, future history (Dark Tower), low magic and more serious cross-over (Dresden Files etc).
Horror.
SW; Pulpy, over the top or semi comical feel, lite theme “monster of the week” with a sinister twist, like Supernatural, EVIL, Rivers of London (which I have in d100!) even a gonzo take on Mothership or a surprise normal-to-horror game like From Dusk Till Dawn or The Thing.
D100; Dark horror, Cthulhu, psychological or grim like the X-Files, grounded-fragile characters and jaded desperation, like Delta Green, Most Cthulhu, historical horror, Sigils and Signs.
Sci Fi.
SW; Pulpy space opera like Star Wars (have a fan hack), sci-supers cross over (Guardians), KoB cross over, sci-fantasy, themed sci-fi (because it’s easy and comprehensive), like Pacific Rim, Starship Troopers (book or movie), Alien, A Quiet Place, Battle Tech, early cartoonish or naive Trek (TOS/animated), later “action” Trek (Strange New Worlds, Discovery), The Stainless Steel Rat, Electric State (movie).
D100; Hard sci fi like Blade Runner, middle period cerebral Trek (Movies to TNG/Enterprise), The Loop and Electric State (books).
Supers.
SW; Pulpy and street level, most cross over themes, most Marvel. I have four Marvel systems to draw from, none of which I have any intention of playing, but they make a great library for comparing capabilities.
D100; Gritty and dark street level, DC Batman, or Watchmen, very character fragile. Ironically for me, the only supers game I might play is the D20 DC Heroes game (Mutants and Masterminds for DC)!
General thoughts.
SW; for intro or pick up games, mash-ups, loose or open ended themes, rpg-skirmish combinations, one shots, blockbuster tributes, quick conversions and make-as-you-go games. I will avoid specific themed books, using this as my tool kit, “wing it from scratch” set.
D100; for deep campaigns, character driven, fully prepped, low combat-high stakes, grounded and heavily themed settings. This is best when a theme is baked in, but the grounded implication of D100 games adds depth.
*
The last puzzle piece is the table top skirmish side of SW.
It is effectively two games in one, being a table top mini game evolved into RPG territory.
As an example, I was just reading reviews for Five Parsecs from Home, a solo, semi TTRPG/war game, basically a linked skirmish game with back story creation system. Another big expense for a single setting game, which the SW core can probably handle just fine and with even more options.
I find when a non RPG tries to add in RPG elements, there is always added complication and compromise (Gloomhaven, When Nightmares Come, Five Parsecs etc). Some like Captains Chair or Into The Unknown hold more onto the procedural framework of a board game, then get immersive within it, others just bog down.
A true TTRPG just does it better, faster and easier by adding a free form GM dynamic.
I have large collections of Heroclix and Wyrd (Malifaux) figs and have been working on alternate games for a long time to support them. The SWADE Companion’s can so simply give me the skirmish rules I need to do games like Hellboy, Marvel, DC Batman, Martian exploration, weird west, alien or monster invasion etc and at different levels and themes.
The systemic pay-in is about the same as any other single system (like Super Mission Force for supers), in one unified set, with RPG depth.
So, lots of games avoided by committing to one (or two with D100)?
I am truly looking forward to finally getting both feet wet in the SW universe. I know what is coming as I have had it before in some form, but the increased consistency and substance will be greatly appreciated. Nothing is ever perfect, but the SWADE edition is pretty robust and the few glaring annoyances I struggled with have been filed off.
At some point you need to commit, work with what you have, fix what you need and get on with it.
Maybe a Mouse Guard mini campaign, a RQ hack, a Guardians style sci-supers, a Malazan Book of the Fallen or Dark Tower Sci-fantasy far future setting, or maybe something completely different?
*The One Ring, Mouse Guard, 13th Age, Marvel Multiverse, Traveller. I have mostly turned my back on d20 games as, among other things, they tend to be platforms for fights and fights only. D100 games make fighting dangerous, so you go looking for other solutions (i.e. skills) and SW also offers a lot more processes inherently.
**very much grounded in 1980’s hard sci fi tropes.