I'm a novice DM I do run my own D&D forum but I don't DM the game there. However, I would like to DM a game on another forum that I am setting up. But, I want to run a real-life modern type game with an alien abduction type theme, not really sci-fi, but with real to life situations , sorta like a "X Files" type game. Problem is, I don't know what a good system would be to run such a campaign, I thought about the hero system, but it just don't seem to fit in and it's so complicated a system I don't want to have to spend months studying the system. I thought about using Starfinder, but it's too sci-fi to do what I want. Is there any system similar to D&D that I could use for something like this? Or could D&D be adapted to something like this. I do plan on having the players be abducted by alien beings, or maybe even have the players abducted by a medieval type civilization or something along that line. Any ideas?
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(Sedge):
Moved to General from DM's Only
I guess I could incorporate some sort of fantasy into the scenario. I could have the "aliens" be maybe an evil being from a fantasy world that intends to take people from Earth to be put in some sort of "biological zoo" for study, or something along that line.
Thanks to the sugestion above about UA, I did figure out how to make it work with 5e. It seems to work out fine. I'm actually going to work on getting it online for a "test game" that will run for a couple of months to see how it works out.
West End Games' d6 system was always my go-to for this sort of need. (In fact, back a bunch of years ago I ran a game that was very much like what you're talking about--my players were an X-files sort of branch of the NSA.
The system is very simple to learn.
Six abilities: Dex, Str, Perception, Knowledge, Mechanical, Technical. (Mechanical is operating machines, Technical is making/fixing things, computers, etc)
Skills fall under various abilities. Dodge is a Dex skill, Grappling is a Str skill, Investigate is a Perception skill, etc.
You have a 'd' rating in each base Ability--the number of dice you get to roll default for any skill under that ability. If I had a '4D Dexterity', I would roll 4d6 to Dodge, 4d6 to Shoot a gun, etc.
Individual skills can be raised separately. This is the main method of advancement in the game (it's not level based). So now I might have a 4D in Dex, but I might have raised Dodge to 5D. Everything else under Dex would still give me 4d6 to roll, but I'd roll 5d6 for dodging.
Taking actions is super-easy. You have a target number (DC), and you roll all the dice you get to roll (4d6, 5d6, etc). If you hit the target number, you succeed.
Attacking is your attacking skill (for example your 4D Melee) vs my Dodge. If you beat me, you hit. If I win, you miss.
It was originally the system for their Star Wars RPG, but eventually they came out with a generic system. But even before that, it was easy to adapt. There was a Lightsaber skill under Dex. In a non-SW game, that's where you'd put the Sword skill (generally just 'Melee'). 'Blasters' I separated into Pistols and Rifles for my Xfiles game, but you could just make it 'guns'.
You can make it as granular (pistols, rifles, sniper rifles, etc all as different skills) or as general as you want (the 'Guns' skill).
It's simple--more simple than 5e--which is the benefit for making up new games. Computer Hacking? It's a Technical skill. Deception? Perception skill. History? Knowledge skill. Easy.
You can find the basic D6 system rulebooks online for cheap. Those help by giving you weapon stats, the various rules for character generation, that sort of thing. But it takes an afternoon to learn the whole system, really.
Thanks I'll look into it... for now plans are to use 5e as I stated above.
No worries. I was 3/4 of the way through writing that when I saw the part where you said you were going with 5e for now, but I was already committed to the post :)
You know, I tried to do something like that in the past and never had any luck figuring one out. I just used the standard system but limitted it to gold and silver. It depends on your world.
I'm a novice DM I do run my own D&D forum but I don't DM the game there. However, I would like to DM a game on another forum that I am setting up. But, I want to run a real-life modern type game with an alien abduction type theme, not really sci-fi, but with real to life situations , sorta like a "X Files" type game. Problem is, I don't know what a good system would be to run such a campaign, I thought about the hero system, but it just don't seem to fit in and it's so complicated a system I don't want to have to spend months studying the system. I thought about using Starfinder, but it's too sci-fi to do what I want. Is there any system similar to D&D that I could use for something like this? Or could D&D be adapted to something like this. I do plan on having the players be abducted by alien beings, or maybe even have the players abducted by a medieval type civilization or something along that line. Any ideas?
I dont know all the rules of TTRPGs besides 5e, but I think call of Cthulhu might be the type of system you are looking for.
If you want to use 5e. There is an UA that covers a more modern setting, but is still pretty fantasy based probably.
I guess I could incorporate some sort of fantasy into the scenario. I could have the "aliens" be maybe an evil being from a fantasy world that intends to take people from Earth to be put in some sort of "biological zoo" for study, or something along that line.
Thanks to the sugestion above about UA, I did figure out how to make it work with 5e. It seems to work out fine. I'm actually going to work on getting it online for a "test game" that will run for a couple of months to see how it works out.
West End Games' d6 system was always my go-to for this sort of need. (In fact, back a bunch of years ago I ran a game that was very much like what you're talking about--my players were an X-files sort of branch of the NSA.
The system is very simple to learn.
It was originally the system for their Star Wars RPG, but eventually they came out with a generic system. But even before that, it was easy to adapt. There was a Lightsaber skill under Dex. In a non-SW game, that's where you'd put the Sword skill (generally just 'Melee'). 'Blasters' I separated into Pistols and Rifles for my Xfiles game, but you could just make it 'guns'.
You can make it as granular (pistols, rifles, sniper rifles, etc all as different skills) or as general as you want (the 'Guns' skill).
It's simple--more simple than 5e--which is the benefit for making up new games. Computer Hacking? It's a Technical skill. Deception? Perception skill. History? Knowledge skill. Easy.
You can find the basic D6 system rulebooks online for cheap. Those help by giving you weapon stats, the various rules for character generation, that sort of thing. But it takes an afternoon to learn the whole system, really.
Looking for new subclasses, spells, magic items, feats, and races? Opinions welcome :)
Thanks I'll look into it... for now plans are to use 5e as I stated above.
No worries. I was 3/4 of the way through writing that when I saw the part where you said you were going with 5e for now, but I was already committed to the post :)
Looking for new subclasses, spells, magic items, feats, and races? Opinions welcome :)
If I wanted to create a special currency for my campaign, how would I go about it??
I'm an indestructible master of war! -- Disturbed
You know, I tried to do something like that in the past and never had any luck figuring one out. I just used the standard system but limitted it to gold and silver. It depends on your world.
DDB doesn't currently support different currency systems.