Article: top 10 RPGs to play before you die

angelius · Post by **angelius** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 3:27 pm

Hi guys, I'm writing an article for a project that I'm working on and I would like to solicit the most respectable TLG community here on the top 10 best RPGs to play before you die.

Please note that by posting your opinion you're giving me permission to use your ideas and thoughts in my article.

Here's the list I have so far not in any particular order really....

10 games to play before you die

10. Paranoia

9. Toon

8. Rifts

7. Traveller

6. Castles and Crusades

5. Star Wars WEG

4. Call of Cthulhu, Chaosium

3. Runequest

2. Ghostbusters, WEG

1. Dungeons and Dragons
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AGNKim · Post by **AGNKim** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 3:44 pm

IMHO, this list loses all credibility with no mention of Gary's own Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st ed.
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Omote · Post by **Omote** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 3:49 pm

Dungeons & Dragons could be summed up in one ranking couldn't it? Though current versions of D&D are far from the original. Hmm.

Call of Cthulhu, check.

Rifts, check.

Toon, check.

Perhaps a wacky game (other than Toon) like Macho Women with Guns? Or how about Aces & Eights and Vampire?

Just trying to inject a little bit of everything. Whether or not you like them, some RPGs are classics that will not ever be forgotten.

-O
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Zebulon · Post by **Zebulon** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:00 pm

1 - C&C/AD&D (altered version by csperkins1970)

2 - My own version of AD&D/3e rules that likely will never be completed.

3 - Traveller20 (the d20 version)

4 - Cthulhu d20 + some d20 modern supplements thrown in (Blood & Relics, etc.)

5 - BRP Cthulhu

6 - True20 with the cyberpunk supplement/setting (forgot its name).

7 - Castles & Crusades (with Freeport and Wilderlands setting plus their relevant class supplements)

8 - Savage Worlds (Deadlands Reloaded)

9 - Songs of Ice & Fire (by Green Ronin)

10 - Stormbringer
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angelius · Post by **angelius** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:30 pm

Keep it coming ...
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csperkins1970 · Post by **csperkins1970** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:57 pm

Zebulon wrote:
1 - C&C/AD&D (altered version by csperkins1970)

2 - My own version of AD&D/3e rules that likely will never be completed.

3 - Traveller20 (the d20 version)

4 - Cthulhu d20 + some d20 modern supplements thrown in (Blood & Relics, etc.)

5 - BRP Cthulhu

6 - True20 with the cyberpunk supplement/setting (forgot its name).

7 - Castles & Crusades (with Freeport and Wilderlands setting plus their relevant class supplements)

8 - Savage Worlds (Deadlands Reloaded)

9 - Songs of Ice & Fire (by Green Ronin)

10 - Stormbringer

First off... thanks Zebulon! It's great to see my houserules on someone's Top Ten list of game.

Here's my list:

1] Call of Cthulhu (Chaosium)

2] King Arthur Pendragon 4th Edition (Chaosium)

3] Deadlands, Revised (Pinnacle Entertainment Group)

4] DC Heroes 3rd Edition (Mayfair Games)

5] Castle & Crusades (Troll Lord Games) - with my houserules, of course
6] Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition (WotC)

7] Feng Shui (Atlas Games)

8] Star Wars, Revised and Expanded (West End Games)

9] Traveller (Mongoose)

10] Savage Worlds (Pinnacle Entertainment Group)

I haven't played the last two but, from most accounts, I REALLY want to! AD&D isn't included, despite the fact that it dominated my RPG world for 17 years, because I honestly think C&C does D&D better than AD&D ever did.

D&D 3rd Edition is included, even though I'm sick of it, because I think it could be a great game if played with the core rules (and only the core rules) and a skilled DM (who knows how to tweak the rules without resorting to splatbooks).

Post by **Breakdaddy** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 5:03 pm

1) OD&D (white or brown box)

2) Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay

3) Castles & Crusades

4) Savage Worlds

5) Rifts

6) Twilight 2000

7) Traveller

8) Top Secret

9) Any other flavor of D&D besides white/brown box

10) Burning Wheel (I STILL havent played this one, but some of the ideas therein are very intriguing)

Buttmonkey · Post by **Buttmonkey** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:47 pm

I think putting both 1E and C&C on the list is redundant. C&C is basically 1E only better. If we're talking must play before you die, I'd probably list 1E for the nostalgia factor. How can you be an RPG enthusiast and never have played 1E? You should pick C&C as your game of choice, but you should be shot if you claim to be an RPG fan and have never played 1E.

Lord Dynel · Post by **Lord Dynel** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:39 pm

In no particular order:

1 - GUPRS (for its level of realism)

2 - Dungeons & Dragons (original fantasy)

3 - Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (The master's redux)

4 - Amber Diceless Roleplaying (for its uniquemess)

5 - Vampire/World of Darkness ("Storytelling" pioneer)

6 - Traveller (original sci-fi)

7 - Warhammer FRP (for its unique, gritty, take on fantasy)

8 - Call of Cthulhu (horror pioneer)

9 - Toon or Paranoia (for its wackiness)

10 - Superworld (a fantastic superhero game)
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huds0n · Post by **huds0n** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:46 pm

In no particular order:

1. C&C

2. 1st Ed AD&D

3. Star Trek LUG

4. Savage Worlds

5. Warhammer FRP

6. Alpha Omega

7. Star Wars WEG

8. Traveller

9. Burning Empires

10. Mutants & Masterminds
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Buttmonkey · Post by **Buttmonkey** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:27 pm

Where the bleep is the love for Gamma World? I'd probably go with 2nd edition.

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 11:33 pm

I don't have a top 10 list, I want to play them all before I die.

Only a top 10? Panzies!

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Post by **Breakdaddy** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 11:42 pm

Treebore wrote:
I don't have a top 10 list, I want to play them all before I die.

Only a top 10? Panzies!

I think that's why they call it a top ten not an only ten, Tree.

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:44 am

Breakdaddy wrote:
I think that's why they call it a top ten not an only ten, Tree.

Thats the other problem, I can't stop at just 10. There are a lot of games I think are worth playing.

Plus I think its worth playing various versions, but I also like analyzing game mechanics.

Still, I like a lot of games not even mentioned yet, and I think they all offer an experience worth checking out.

Let me throw some out there:

Paladium Fantasy

Legend of the 5 Rings

Shadowrun

Synnibar ( I know people say this game sucks, but I actually ran a game for a year, so Naaaah!)

EPICrpg

HARP

Twilight 2000

Twilight 2013 (the PDF looks like this edition is AWESOME! Won't know for sure until we play)
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DangerDwarf · Post by **DangerDwarf** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:02 am

What?

No Talislanta?

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:09 am

DangerDwarf wrote:
What?

No Talislanta?

I said I was only throwing "some" out there. I have actually bought the players book for Talislanta if you ever want to run a "try out" on line.

In fact I think it was comments by you that prompted me to buy it. I only got it a year or so ago.
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DangerDwarf · Post by **DangerDwarf** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:33 am

I was meaning in general, no one picked it.
It really amazed me considering how innovative and badass it is.

BADASS!!!!

Word....

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:53 am

DangerDwarf wrote:
I was meaning in general, no one picked it.
It really amazed me considering how innovative and badass it is.

BADASS!!!!

Word....

I considered that, but I also considered this as a good chance to give you a *suggestion* about running a game on line.
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cinderblock · Post by **cinderblock** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 2:26 am

1. 1st Edition AD&D

2. Shadowrun

3. Talislanta

4. Gamma World

5. Mage: the Ascension

6. Kult

7. Hero System (any version)

8. BECMI

9. Deadlands (I prefer Hell on Earth over the Wierd West but either is good)

10. Hollow Earth Expedition

slimykuotoan · Post by **slimykuotoan** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:26 am

1] Castle & Crusades

2] Alternity

3] Warhammer FR

4] Mutants & Masterminds

5] Star Frontiers

6] Blue Planet

7] New World of Darkness

8] Sengoku

9] AD&D

10] Basic Roleplaying (Chaosium)
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nwelte1 · Post by **nwelte1** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:28 am

Buttmonkey wrote:
I think putting both 1E and C&C on the list is redundant. C&C is basically 1E only better. If we're talking must play before you die, I'd probably list 1E for the nostalgia factor. How can you be an RPG enthusiast and never have played 1E? You should pick C&C as your game of choice, but you should be shot if you claim to be an RPG fan and have never played 1E.

Shoot me.

DangerDwarf · Post by **DangerDwarf** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:53 am

Treebore wrote:
I considered that, but I also considered this as a good chance to give you a *suggestion* about running a game on line.

Gaming on-line?!?!?

I hear that SKYPE uses forbidden magics to enslave mini demons, forcing them into unholy servitude carrying your voice across the dark recesses of the interwebs.

angelius · Post by **angelius** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:14 pm

LOL awesome thread guys.... its top ten only because I'm too damn lazy to write a top 20 hahaha... but this thread has motivated me to maybe extend that number to 20!
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angelius · Post by **angelius** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:23 pm

Woah forum error!
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angelius · Post by **angelius** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 2:53 pm

Lord Dynel wrote:
In no particular order:

1 - GUPRS (for its level of realism)

2 - Dungeons & Dragons (original fantasy)

3 - Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (The master's redux)

4 - Amber Diceless Roleplaying (for its uniquemess)

5 - Vampire/World of Darkness ("Storytelling" pioneer)

6 - Traveller (original sci-fi)

7 - Warhammer FRP (for its unique, gritty, take on fantasy)

8 - Call of Cthulhu (horror pioneer)

9 - Toon or Paranoia (for its wackiness)

10 - Superworld (a fantastic superhero game)

Wow there's a few here that I need to add... sigh this list is going to be like 20 long now...!!!
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Buttmonkey · Post by **Buttmonkey** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:48 pm

nwelte1 wrote:
Shoot me.

Noooo!!!! Say it isn't so!
Of course, this totally explains why you are so proficient with MapTool.

serleran · Post by **serleran** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:11 pm

Quote:
5 - Vampire/World of Darkness ("Storytelling" pioneer)

No, that would be Prince Valiant. Mark Rein-Hagen even mentioned being inspired by the simplicity, and purpose, of its design when working on Vampire and creating the "Storyteller system."
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shadoes · Post by **shadoes** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 6:58 pm

lets see IN NO particular order.

1. AD&D 1st edition

2. shadowrun

3. D6 Starwars

4. Gamma world

5. paranoia

6. Mechwarrior

7. Twilight 2000

8. StarSiege
9. Vampire - one should at least try it. Wasn;t my cup of tea though

10. Castles and crusades

angelius · Post by **angelius** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 7:05 pm

d6 Star wars was so good. if only for the funny "ads" inserts... hehe
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Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 7:37 pm

DangerDwarf wrote:
Gaming on-line?!?!?

I hear that SKYPE uses forbidden magics to enslave mini demons, forcing them into unholy servitude carrying your voice across the dark recesses of the interwebs.

Well, they are owned by eBay.
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