Advice/Help Dice RP for a beginner

[baggysack]

Recently, I was diagnosed with glioblastoma in the cerebrum part of my brain. The cause, as diagnosed by my oncologist and several other medical professionals, was too much shit roleplaying. In the few months I have remaining on this earth, I wanted to at least take a shot at some less-shit roleplaying, preferably something with a system or structure to it. Maybe then people won't write idealized gay serial killers by describing their eyes as "orbs" or a certain color of gemstones. I dunno.

So, for the "dice" side of the tracks, what are your preferred systems? Are they accessible for a first-time GM and/or first-time ttrpg player? I've tried to get into DnD (5e) and failed spectacularly, couldn't get past the character sheet phase. There were so many numbers. I thought to myself, "Who cares?" Do you have any advice in regards to making it easier to manage?

On the otherhand, I' ve participated in one forum-based tabletop game based on Dungeon World, and I thought it was pretty neat, so I have some point of reference, if a minor one.

I'm optimistic that there's a lot of cool tabletop systems out there beyond DnD. I like the looks of the 90's-anime pastiche stuff: I've seen a super sentai one, some magical girl ones. I'm not a fan of medieval high fantasy or space-opera sci-fi settings, and I like roleplaying aspects of modern life, if that narrows things down a little bit more. I'm mostly attracted to tabletop games on paper because it gives an order to things. You can't go wrong with a combat system, good lord. The other biggest thing for me is just accessibility and getting started.

 

[Sara Sidereal]

low fantasy, low rules : maze rats
superheroes, narrative : prowlers and paragons

 

[Laix_Lake]

I would recommend roll 2 doge as something to take a look at, but it may as well be similar to what Sara has shared. Not to mention that you wanted some form or order and not disorder.

Roll to Dodge (Roleplay) - TV Tropes

Roll to Dodge is a free-form role-playing game (usually played over forum or IRC) designed to have simple enough rules that anyone can jump in and start playing immediately. The rules are simple; each player submits an action, and the GM rolls a …

tvtropes.org

Guessing you were trying to do a character sheat on paper?

 

[Chordling]

Grey

 

[Grey]

I have fairly general advice here: Tutorial - Dice & You

But the best way to learn is by doing and I usually have one or more games available to join on RPN at any given time. I love introducing beginners and I am allegedly a good, patient GM for newbies. What's your poison?

 

[Sara Sidereal]

I can run a maze rats game, if you're into superheroes I have a discord invite for you

 

[baggysack]

Hehe, I probably should have found some stuff before I asked. I like the looks of the all the system suggested so far, though! I'll try to find, like, examples of Maze Rats and P&P... in play... on forums... Research.

But ya'll are so nice! I appreciate the responses. Especially the invitations, wowee.

Thanks Grey ! Do you have any games running right now to take a look at? I'll check out your guide too.

Sara Sidereal - Capepunk is lowkey my shit. I'd definitely be interested.

 

[Kaihaku]

Generic
I'd recommend Fate Core as a generic rules light system. It's got the flexibility of freeform and can tell almost any kind of story, but it provides just enough structure to keep things flowing. On the opposite side of the spectrum is GURPS... It's a generic rules heavy system that can tell almost any kind of story but the Game Master needs to like spreadsheets.

Specific
Many of the other systems of note are tailored for a specific kind of experience or story. This isn't a downside, it's an incredible strength...but means you need to do some shopping around. If you want cyberpunk but rules light, then Cyberpunk 2020 or Shadow Run probably are not the right fit even though the theme is there. I haven't really looked into the options so I can't make specific recommendations there. Call of Cthulhu, White Wolf, and Mouseguard are some examples of games specifically geared to tell a certain kind of story. Dungeons & Dragons is often portrayed as a generic fantasy system but it definitely falls into this Specific category in my opinion. It's heavy focus on combat and moral alignment really influence the stories it can tell. It inherited a lot from it's beginnings as the Chainmail wargame.

 

[Grey]

Thanks Grey ! Do you have any games running right now to take a look at? I'll check out your guide too.

These all have spaces. Fair warning - full character creation involves a fair few numbers, but I've offered to handle that for beginners.
RULES OF NATURE - Cyberpunk Espionage Action

INHERITANCE

This RP will be for 4-6 players; amnesiac warrior-mages permanently sealed into their cybernetic armour. The system is easy enough to learn, a dice-pool system that's simple to use but has mechanical depth if you want to engage with it. No prior experience with this game or dice games required...

www.rpnation.com

Nine Billion Names

This RP will be for 3-5 players, a group of Demons, lost humans, and even a Vampire who finds themselves in Hell. Characters are not necessarily evil. The system is easy enough to learn, a dice-pool system that's easy to use but has mechanical depth if you want to engage with it. No prior...

www.rpnation.com

And to see one in action, this is going well: Fantasy - Righteous Fiends: Arc 1 - Daybreak

I do also have a lot written specifically for beginners but I've had a hard time getting enough players on here to really run one. This one started strong but... Year of the Spy

 

[baggysack]

Kaihaku - Ooh, GURPS sounds familiar - I think I was peeping that once. I'm looking through Fate Core now. Thanks for all the suggestions!

Grey - Yeah, no problem. I'm pretty intrigued by 9 BIllion, Hell's a great setting for an adventure.

 

[Grey]

I'll second FATE Core as good.

I hate GURPS, personally, but I think every designer does around the middle of their career.

 

[Kaihaku]

I'll second FATE Core as good.

I'm especially in love with how Fate has a 'conflict' rather than 'combat' system. Social conflict in particular is fantastic.

I hate GURPS, personally, but I think every designer does around the middle of their career.

I always like to provide the full spectrum but it wasn't necessarily a recommendation. I should have made that more clear. GURPS is not something I'd endorse for a new player, especially if Fifth Edition had too many numbers for them.

I do love using the GURPS sourcebooks for setting development in other systems. Space, Bio-Tech, and Ultra-Tech in particular provide a wealth of resources for a stable semi-'hard science' base that can then be built in other directions.

 

[SP3CT3R]

*Grabs megaphone* Try Powered By the Apocalypse. It won't disappoint.

 

[Kaihaku]

*Grabs megaphone* Try Powered By the Apocalypse. It won't disappoint.

That's a good connection to make. The OP had some experience with Dungeon World, which is Powered by the Apocalypse.

 

[SP3CT3R]

That's a good connection to make. The OP had some experience with Dungeon World, which is Powered by the Apocalypse.

I honestly just didn't catch that. I just really like the system, and I feel like a dumbass for suggesting something to someone who already knows about it.

Still, PBtA fucking slaps.

 

[Kaihaku]

It's still a good suggestion. OP is looking for something other than fantasy and PbtA can provide that. Might not be clear just from Dungeon World that it supports a variety of settings.

 

[Grey]

MASKS would probably be exactly what baggysack wants, actually. Lovely PbtA cape game.

 

[baggysack]

Noted PbtA. MASKS is looking pretty fresh!

...now I don't know what to do with all this information, lol. I'm gonna join that P&P thing, keep an eye on 9 Billion? I don't know if I have it in me to DM something of my own when I'm so new.

 

[Grey]

Noted PbtA. MASKS is looking pretty fresh!

...now I don't know what to do with all this information, lol. I'm gonna join that P&P thing, keep an eye on 9 Billion? I don't know if I have it in me to DM something of my own when I'm so new.

I have a ton to resources for GMs, but yeah best to play before you try to run.
And if you feel like jumping into Nine Billion Names let me know, it can pick up pilgrims as the story goes on.

 

[baggysack]

Grey - I'm down for it! Don't know how busy I'll be for this superhero rp though (still have to finish a character, lol.)

 

[Kaihaku]

Thanks Grey ! Do you have any games running right now to take a look at? I'll check out your guide too.

I missed this. I mean, it also wasn't directed at me, but I can point you towards an example. I'm in a Fate Core game here that's in progress. Something to note about Fate Core is that it's very modular - the core rules are flexible and simple, but you can easily add to them. (There's also Fate Accelerated which is, basically, a condensed and simplified take on Fate Core.) This particular Fate game is a mecha game so the GM added mechanics. This makes it more complicated than standard Fate Core but you can still get you the basic idea from it. Especially by looking at character sheets.

https://www.rpnation.com/threads/mercenary-dawn-steel-phoenixes.480915/

The first few pages don't touch on mechanics but there's a battle now so they're showing up more.