Advice/Help System RP recommendations

[Murdergurl]

Okay, so I've tried several roleplay systems in the past, and I'm really not a fan of what I've tried out. But sometimes I think that maybe I am limiting my options because I only try to participate in freeform Roleplays. Tbh, a lot of the system RPs tend to have better concepts behind them in terms of theme. But since I'm not really a system RP player, I can't get into them.

I have a lot of D&D books that I collected when I was younger. 3.5e. But tbh, I can't stand how complicated D&D is. I also have some... I think they are second edition? Vampire: The Masquerade core books, and a few Starfinder pdf manuals, as well as some Pathfinder hard manuals. I've also looked into GURPS and whatever it was that Shadowrun used.

The thing is.... I don't like any of these systems. They are too complicated for me. I especially don't like the ones that use bunches of dice rolls for everything. V:tM at least doesn't use a bunch of dice (from what I remember), but it generally wasn't a system I could get into. I remember the character sheets being really complicated and detailed, and that is also something I'd like to avoid. And tbh, I'm just not into the Vampire theme. Truth be told, my aunt got me the V:tM books because she found at a garage sale back when I was in highschool because I was an alternative gal. But I digress...

So I ask all the system RP enthusiasts that might be reading this: Could y'all recommend some popular systems that you see used in group roleplay requests? I ask that the recommendations NOT be like D&D/Pathfinder. By that I mean, very VERY light on the dice usage (and even better if NO DICE at all). Something with simple rules and simple character builds without bunches of stats and skill fields that would have me constantly having to flip pages back and forth in a manual in order to understand what everything does.

I'm not planning on running a roleplay with whatever system I might possibly undertake the task of learning. I want only to possibly participate in roleplays that are using those systems. That's why I ask for popular ones, universal stuff that isn't locked into a specific genre or setting. It won't do me much good to learn some obscure system that nobody really uses, now would it? lol

One other thing to keep in mind, is that I will not be playing the RP in any kind of live session. Strictly PbP whenever I have the time to get to it during the week. I do not have consistent schedules for my work hours, so there is no way I can guarantee any kind of time slot per hour or day of the week for live sessions.

 

[BittyBobcat]

As far as simplified systems go, I've heard good things about Monster of the Week. I've never used it, though, I've only peeked at some of the pdfs online. The base instructions look to be about two or three pages long back to back (all additional instructions appear to come from character builds which are 1 to 1/2 sheet long) and, while I think there was a fair number of dice rolls, they were up to a lot more interpretation than most D&D results are. I'm not sure how popular it is, but since I—someone who is very casually into dice-based things—have heard about it, I'm willing to guess it's somewhat popular.

Also, this may sound like a weird reccomendation, but if this thread doesn't end up helping much, then I reccomend checking around some TTRPG subreddits. Some of them are strangely good at informing people about not-widely-known-but-inexplicably-still-popular systems and stuff like that (of course, some are also strangely elitist about the amount of experience you have with certain things, so I'd say only really go into it if you're up to ignoring a handful of jackasses, but I figure that's not much of a problem for you cause that's oftentimes something people on the internet will do regardless).

I wish I could be of more help, but unfortunately most of my knowledge is D&D specific. That said, good luck with your search!

 

[Murdergurl]

As far as simplified systems go, I've heard good things about Monster of the Week. I've never used it, though, I've only peeked at some of the pdfs online. The base instructions look to be about two or three pages long back to back (all additional instructions appear to come from character builds which are 1 to 1/2 sheet long) and, while I think there was a fair number of dice rolls, they were up to a lot more interpretation than most D&D results are. I'm not sure how popular it is, but since I—someone who is very casually into dice-based things—have heard about it, I'm willing to guess it's somewhat popular.

Also, this may sound like a weird reccomendation, but if this thread doesn't end up helping much, then I reccomend checking around some TTRPG subreddits. Some of them are strangely good at informing people about not-widely-known-but-inexplicably-still-popular systems and stuff like that (of course, some are also strangely elitist about the amount of experience you have with certain things, so I'd say only really go into it if you're up to ignoring a handful of jackasses, but I figure that's not much of a problem for you cause that's oftentimes something people on the internet will do regardless).

I wish I could be of more help, but unfortunately most of my knowledge is D&D specific. That said, good luck with your search!

Thanks, I'll take a look at that Monster of the Week thing. Three pages is definitely doable. I'll also poke around and see if the system is mentioned on sites where I see system RPs being very prevalent.

As far as Reddit... I'm still really confused as to how Reddit even works. I made myself a profile some time ago, and I tried getting around on the site. But I honestly have no idea wtf I'm doing there, and it was all kinda just very frustrating and confusing. I'm not really big on social media (I haven't even owned a cell phone in something like 10 years). I dont have twitters or ticktocks or even use my facebook anymore. It's been at least three or four years since I last logged onto it. So I'm not very savvy on Reddit. Tbh, the only social avenues I have on the internet are RP sites and discord (which I just use for RP). Other than roleplaying and roleplaying resources, I really don't use the internet much besides some occasional shopping and music tracks off of YouTube.

 

[Scoundrel]

In addition to Monster of the Week, I think you'd like other Powered by the Apocalypse systems. They all tend to have more simplistic rule-set.

I've heard good things about the Root rpg for example.

Forged in the Dark games like Blades in the Dark are supposed to be pretty good and relatively rules-light as well.

 

[Sylph]

So I ask all the system RP enthusiasts that might be reading this: Could y'all recommend some popular systems that you see used in group roleplay requests? I ask that the recommendations NOT be like D&D/Pathfinder. By that I mean, very VERY light on the dice usage (and even better if NO DICE at all).

Dang, wish I could help. I love systems as a concept, but more so the home-made ones that aren't made to be overly restrictive. I do have a friend who's gotten into V:tM recently, but my impression is that what it lacks in dice rolls it makes up for with plenty of lore (well-written, by the sounds of it; I just don't have the same dedication they do).

Either way, hope you find what you're looking for!

 

[Murdergurl]

In addition to Monster of the Week, I think you'd like other Powered by the Apocalypse systems. They all tend to have more simplistic rule-set.

I've heard good things about the Root rpg for example.

Forged in the Dark games like Blades in the Dark are supposed to be pretty good and relatively rules-light as well.

thanks, I'll look into those, too.
The Monster of the Week one seems a little too locked into its specific setting, and I don't see how it could be universally applied to an outside concept/theme. But I'll definitely keep looking for other options

 

[YsFanatic]

Could also look into Fate Core. One page character sheet, one set of 4 dice used for everything, and a much smaller rulebook than the crunchier systems like Pathfinder, and a good chunk of that is more for running the game so you could skip those parts as a player. I was able to explain how to play to friends in about 30 minutes back when I first started using it for tabletop stuff. Dabbled in using it for play by post for a bit as well and I think it's very doable. Can be used for almost any setting/genre and is moddable if the GM needs to adjust stuff to fit the story as it is a system that puts the narrative before mechanics (they even encourage the GMs to bend or even ignore the rules if they would get in the way of an awesome moment in the book).

There is even a more rules-lite version called Fate Accelerated, but I haven't used that one as well as something called Fate Condensed I just saw on the SRD they have online. Speaking of the SRD, they have all of the base rules on there for Core, Accelerated, and Condensed if you want to take a look. 'Fate Core SRD' in Google should pull it right up.

Downside is that from what I understand it is not a very widespread system so it might be difficult finding games to join.

 

[Murdergurl]

Could also look into Fate Core. One page character sheet, one set of 4 dice used for everything, and a much smaller rulebook than the crunchier systems like Pathfinder, and a good chunk of that is more for running the game so you could skip those parts as a player. I was able to explain how to play to friends in about 30 minutes back when I first started using it for tabletop stuff. Dabbled in using it for play by post for a bit as well and I think it's very doable. Can be used for almost any setting/genre and is moddable if the GM needs to adjust stuff to fit the story as it is a system that puts the narrative before mechanics (they even encourage the GMs to bend or even ignore the rules if they would get in the way of an awesome moment in the book).

There is even a more rules-lite version called Fate Accelerated, but I haven't used that one as well as something called Fate Condensed I just saw on the SRD they have online. Speaking of the SRD, they have all of the base rules on there for Core, Accelerated, and Condensed if you want to take a look. 'Fate Core SRD' in Google should pull it right up.

Downside is that from what I understand it is not a very widespread system so it might be difficult finding games to join.

i'll look into it, thanks. And will keep a lookout to see if anyone is running anything with it as well