The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Best System to Use for Thief/Heist Game?
Fremen_Warrior
Registered User new member
Registered User new member
I'm looking into creating a heist/thief pen and paper game. A small team of players will get assigned jobs to infiltrate various locales, sneak past traps, guards, rob jewelry right off an aristocrat's neck, etc. I got the idea after playing a zombie survival After the Bomb (Palladium) campaign with some friends that didn't involve a whole lot of combat and really enjoyed myself. I thought it would be fun to have a game that focuses more on puzzles, skills and sneaking.The thief video games have also provided quit a lot of inspiration as well, just to give you an idea of what direction my thought process is leaning toward.
I would like to include a lighting system (different levels of light result in different probabilities of getting caught), a fair amount of flexibility in terms of gameplay (running on rooftops, mansions with secret passages, disguises at a social function, breaking into a bank vault), the encouragement of sneaky combat (assassinations or knocking out opponents more successful than head to head fights), and a minimal use of magic (no spells cast, just potions and magical gadgets).
I was just wondering what other people's suggestions are as to what system would be the best to build upon. I am only familiar with D20 3.5 and Palladium. I've been leaning toward the Palladium system since it's more skill based and I prefer the combat (when it's balanced) to the combat in D&D. However, before I start working on something like this, I figured I would ask around and see if anyone could point me toward a different system that would better suit my needs.
I would like to include a lighting system (different levels of light result in different probabilities of getting caught), a fair amount of flexibility in terms of gameplay (running on rooftops, mansions with secret passages, disguises at a social function, breaking into a bank vault), the encouragement of sneaky combat (assassinations or knocking out opponents more successful than head to head fights), and a minimal use of magic (no spells cast, just potions and magical gadgets).
I was just wondering what other people's suggestions are as to what system would be the best to build upon. I am only familiar with D20 3.5 and Palladium. I've been leaning toward the Palladium system since it's more skill based and I prefer the combat (when it's balanced) to the combat in D&D. However, before I start working on something like this, I figured I would ask around and see if anyone could point me toward a different system that would better suit my needs.
Fremen_Warrior on
0
Posts
The downside to ORE is that it can feel like it's really restricting your stat ranges, sometimes.
Games like Wild Talents work around the limitation quite nicely, but I consider it a small negative that's shared by almost all dice-pool type systems.
I host a podcast about movies.
I was thinking exactly this. Shadowrun, sans magic and cybernetics, makes for a very good heist game. (that said, you will be rolling a LOT of dice)
If you want do simulate lighting on a map, you can use some of the blast templates that are sold for wargames. A cone template (like this):
might make a good way of tracking a spotlight.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.