Let’s get Savage
I’ve been aware of Savage Worlds for some time now, ever since I started looking for a system that I could slap onto any one off and convention games I write. I read through the Test Drive rules a few times and while I liked what I read I didn’t have any concepts that worked with a generic rules set like this.
The reason why I think Savage Worlds would work well with con games is that it has been specifically designed to a ‘generic’ system. Along with other systems like the Unisystem and True20, Savage Worlds was developed as a rules template over which you can plonk your game idea, or home brew setting.
At first I was convinced that this was the answer to all the issues I’d been having with DnD 3.5 and it’s limitations. Finally, I thought, I wouldn’t be a slave to the rules system. I could just make characters and create a game world and off I’d go. Though as time went on and I read more games I realised that this generic approach would work well with games with a certain pulpy, action movie feel but not so well with any game that required a certain level of darkness or investigation.
However with KapCon 18 fast approaching I started to think about what games I would run. When the third game idea came to me in a flash of inspiration I realised I had finally found the perfect vehical for using Savage Worlds.
The core mechanic of the game is that all skills and atributes are represented with die types. They start at a d4 and progress up to a d12 (that trusty die finally getting it’s day!). Then depending on the different modifiers from Edges and Hinderences you try to get a 4 or above. Easy as that!
The skill sets and Edges/Hinderences (like feats) are all pretty general and generic but more than enough for a one off game, and with the number of supplements and setting books they’ve released you can be sure that more specific and flavourful elements are out there just waiting to be discovered.
Put it together, add a bit of colour text about the characters background and before you know it you’ve got a handful of useful characters.
While I haven’t run a game using the system yet, the contact I have had with it tell me that this is the type of system that will be easy to explain to players fresh round the table who want to spend their time gaming, not looking up complicated tables.
So while I don’t think that Savage Worlds is the one rules set to end them all, it is a nice easy system to give a bit of cruntch but not so much that you’re battling the rules.