I want to get into PbtA. What is the best game to start with that isn’t Apocalypse World?
AW just doesn’t call to me. Dungeon World neither.
Thanks!
*Edit:
Okay background: I am looking for a game to run for my group who has never played PbtA. One of the members of the group is interested in running a superhero game and I suggested Masks, but he wants to try a PbtA game to see if he likes it.
I own The Sprawl but it seems a little intimidating to jump into for a one-shot.
Any advice?
So many. Impulse Drive. Lonely World. Sprawl. The Veil. Urban Shadows. Legacy. Legend of the Elements. Dawn of Empire.
Many to choose from…
http://fictioneers.net/games?field_game_type_value%5B%5D=PbtA&field_free_value=All
What type of stories do you like? What genres? Personally my favorite PbtA game is Uncharted Worlds but it’s not for everyone
Yeah, it’s hard to recommend a PbtA game without knowing what you’re looking for. PbtA works best when it’s trying to do something very specific, which makes it hard to offer general recommendations.
Okay background: I am looking for a game to run for my group who has never played PbtA. One of the members of the group is interested in running a superhero game and I suggested Masks, but he wants to try a PbtA game to see if he likes it.
I own The Sprawl but it seems a little intimidating to jump into for a one-shot.
Any advice?
Worlds in Peril is a good PbtA supers game
For superheroes, you should play Worlds in Peril. It’s one of the top PbtA games in that genre.
I like to think that The Warren is pretty approachable. If you want to stick close to the trunk of the PbtA family tree, Monsterhearts is very well written and influential, pulling from teen teen horror/fantasy like Buffy or Teen Wolf. Monster of the week is also approachable because most people will have shows like Supernatural and The X Files to draw tropes from. Neither add much complexity relative to Apocalypse World/Dungeon World.
IMO, Masks is among the best PbtA games and super easy to run, so since your player is already interested in a superhero game anyway, why not run a game of Masks for him?
It’s more focused on campaign play, so it won’t really shine in a one shot, but it’ll give you a taste of how it plays out.
I don’t want to run Masks because I would have to buy the book or PDF to do the one-shot. I have no problems with buying games I am going to use, but I don’t want to buy the book for someone else. I am the default GM and I have bought every single system they have ever played lol
Monsterhearts. Or, heck, Dream Askew
Marshall Miller I very much agree.
From the “simple and elegant” direction I would recommend Monsterhearts, Sagas of the Icelanders and The Warren.
From the direction “approachable through its tropes” I would go for Monster of Week or Dungeon World.
From my point of view, systems like Urban Shadows, AW2E are a bit too overwhelming to start with.
I’ll echo what Chalice In Chains aksed: What genre of games/stories are your players (and you) interested in?
MASKS might be good for people who like superheroes, but as +John Henry says, the focus of the game is very much on being a teenager discovering who you are. It’s Teen Titans, not X-Men.
Monsterhearts (my all time favorite game) is also about being a teenager. Not being in comple control of your body or your sexuality is the major theme of that game. Which again, might not be for everyone.
The Sprawl is a fantastic game, and there is even a beginner one-shot/convention “mission” for it: The Downtown Data Heist.
But ultimately, you should introduce your group to the genre of PbtA game they seem most interested in.
If you are looking for something light why not run World of Dungeons (fantasy), Lasers & Feelings (campy scifi), or one of the many hacks of either? (I made one called Pack of Strays about marginalized people in a werewolf pack, check it out in Codex: Beasts!)
All of these games are basically PbtA at their core but without specific playbooks/moves. The conversational play style is exactly the same.
My first PbtA game was City of Mist and it was a really awesome intro. You can get a free starter kit on drivethrurpg, including rules, characters and a sample adventure (all separate downloads on drivethru). There’s actually 2 official adventures out there, but if you want to try it, stick to “V is for going Viral”, it’s much shorter and works better as an intro.
drivethrurpg.com – City of Mist Starter Set Rulesbook
Well, if you’re not going to buy the game for a one-shot, sounds like your choices are limited to any PbtA games you already own. Unless you’re planning on one of your players buying the game.
Biggest piece of advice: PbtA is not a system where the games all work the same way just in different settings, it’s a design philosophy that recognizes Vincent’s and my work as informative,, but may work very differently than Apocalypse World! If your friend wants to run Masks, they should read and run Masks! If you want to run a supers game that’s PbtA, Worlds in Peril is a solid bet.
i would personally go for either monsterhearts, but also it very very much depends on what genres you are interested in.
Chris Stone-Bush it isn’t that I don’t want to buy a system for a One-Shot, it is that he is likely already going to buy the system so me buying it would be redundant.
Thanks again all, for your responses! I am looking toward Monsterhearts, which seems like a lot of fun, or perhaps a free small PbtA game to give everyone the general feel of the mechanics/narrative style.
Star Wars World is free and available on G+. It is very good, but Monsterhearts is best of class.
Ahh, I got you now David South .
I absolutely love Monsterhearts. I feel it’s one of the best examples of how a game can use mechanics to emulate a specific genre and encourage particular player actions.
It’s also a game that can get uncomfortable, as it deals with teenage sexuality. Like with any game, I would make sure everyone is on board with playing, rather than just springing it on your players.
William Nichols dream askew is so good, that is a recommendation i second
Urban Shadows is so very good and a lot of fun for the GM. Night Witches is my favorite PbtA game to play, but a bit harder to GM.
Monster of the Week is very approachable and there are lots of movies, books, and TV shows to draw inspiration from.
If you like cyberpunk, The Sprawl is fantastic.
Jump into Masks. A good PbtA game like that one doesn’t need you to play any others first just to get a feel for the system 🙂
I do warn you though, Masks is such a good and well-built game that it’ll make going to older PbtA systems a little harder haha. It has the teen superhero team written in its DNA and even my friends who aren’t particularly into superheroes (or RPGs) love it!
Clinton N. Dreisbach I’m not sure, if US will be good for new PbtA’ players. Me and my team have played AW, DW, The Sprawl, MotW and US brings us the most questions.
+David South, it’s always better to start your adventure with PbtA with the basic system. It’s not only better for your players, it’s better for you.
My CM says that to understand how to run PbtA games you need to read AW and US books 🙂 Start with that and then you will be able to run every game your players want to try.
Referring directly to your question – from games I’ve played I recommend you Monster of the Week 🙂 It’s really fun system. Also I’ve heard Masks are great!