Simple dice based game system for use over IRC

Reznik

I am looking for exactly what is stated in the title.

The only system I am vaguely familiar with is 4th ed. D&D, and that is, if i remember right (it's been a while), too slow and complicated for my purposes. Basically, the focus is more on the roleplaying. The dice and numbers are only necessary to settle fights and to keep people from making godlike characters and etc. So I'd really like something that

a) doesn't get bogged down in numbers
b) isn't easily breakable
c) easy for people unfamiliar with dice and stats to get the hang of

If the rules can be found legally online for free, even better.

I've tried writing my own rule set but uh... Well let's just say that didn't work out.

Mojo_Jojo

FATE? It's pretty rules-light.

Hahnsoo1

FATE is a variant of FUDGE, which is usually what people point to when talking about a simple RPG system (don't worry about using "special" FUDGE dice, you can just assign numbers on a D6 to Positives and Negatives). I can also suggest One Roll Engine, which is used in a number of games. It uses d10s, maximum of 10d10 for any roll, and is not easily breakable... Nemesis and Godlike are two RPGs that use it and both have either free rules or sample rules out there. Dogs in the Vineyard (easily breakable, but in a good way) is another option.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fudge_%28role-playing_game_system%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-Roll_Engine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogs_in_the_vineyard

Reznik

Nice, thanks for the suggestions. I like the looks of FATE and One Roll Engine. Dogs in the Vineyard looks pretty interesting, too, but probably not something I'd use for this particular game.

Anyway, I'll be digging in to those two but I'm still open to any more suggestions, if there are any.

streever

reznik:
I love this game--https://sites.google.com/site/wizardinabottle/searchers-of-the-unknown

Very simple, but very fun. We have played some great games of SotU in the PA IRC.

If you look at this site:
http://odd74.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=workshop&action=display&thread=2555&page=1
you'll find great (one page) rules additions for wizards, clerics, elves, etc.

I prefer the simple form of the original though--fighting men on adventure. You don't need classes. If someone wants to be agile and good at sneaking, they go lightly armored. We played a game with 7 people that had a lot of variety and personality.

summeryclept

The Pool is incredibly easy and flexible. It's a universal system that's a big hit with the indie crowd. The rules linked here are really short, also, maybe a five minute read.

Some variations of this system can be found here, by the good people at the Forge (including Sorcerer creator Ron Edwards' contribution).

Hahnsoo1

The Pool will seem like heaven to one sort of gamer and English homework to another. Be very sure that your gaming partners will want journal writing as an integral part of their game. I know in my gaming group, there are two people who never write journals and the rest regularly write character journals. I wouldn't be okay with excluding those two people based on the system I'm playing, no matter how great it is.

It's a great system if everyone's on board, although I prefer the Anti-Pool rules (gain a die when failing a gamble, lose a die when winning a gamble), for the reasons listed in the variant's link.