FlukeboxHero
Bethesda Level IQ
As, the title say, let me know!
Is it the crunch? The character options? The skill list? The perks?
Is it the crunch? The character options? The skill list? The perks?
What would make a Fallout ttRPG feel like "Fallout" for you?
- Thread starter FlukeboxHero
- Start date
Mr Fish
Slippy sloppy, The
what?
Ah, tabletop rpg.
nevermind me
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NukaCola42
First time out of the vault
I tried to add the character options to mine. Same for the skill list, but I had to expand that. Again, perks were mostly taken from Fallout 1, 2, Tactics and New Vegas. But in the end, the story should really turn it into an RPG experience set in the Fallout world, I think
Yossarrion
It Wandered In From the Wastes
Two things make fallout feel like fallout. SPECIAL interacting with perks and outrageous amounts of damage randomly
PaxVenire
Water Chip? Been There, Done That
I suppose it depends on which sort of Fallout experience you’re aiming for. A Fallout TTRPG that truly captures the spirit of “classic Fallout” needs to embrace meaningful choice, consequence, and tone above all else. It’s not just about the rules (though the system is important), it’s about how those rules serve the adventure. Fallout 1 and 2 allowed radically different character builds. A classic Fallout-like TTRPG should have a skill list that encourages specialization over generalization, perks that dramatically shape playstyle, and a world that reacts to both talkers and brawlers so to speak. A classic Fallout feel comes from being able to talk your way out of a fight, or murder your way through, or sneak around it entirely — as Tim Cain talked about in GDC about his designing of quests (I think. Tt was either him, Chris Avellone, or Josh Sawyer).
Another major factor is the atmosphere and presentation of the adventure. The adventure should feel like Fallout. Dark, ironic, and steeped in retro-futurist Americana. The perks should be creative and fun, not just passive bonuses (something Josh Sawyer corrected about Fallout 3). Karma and reputation should mean something, but never in a simple good/evil way (like faction specific reputation).
Can this be done without crunch? I dunno, but I think if crunch gets the job done then there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with that. The Vault Archives PnP rules are pretty crunchy but after learning to use it, I was able to do combat fairly smoothly. Not to mention there’s multiple apps and of course calculators that roll and calculate your exact needs automatically.
Another major factor is the atmosphere and presentation of the adventure. The adventure should feel like Fallout. Dark, ironic, and steeped in retro-futurist Americana. The perks should be creative and fun, not just passive bonuses (something Josh Sawyer corrected about Fallout 3). Karma and reputation should mean something, but never in a simple good/evil way (like faction specific reputation).
Can this be done without crunch? I dunno, but I think if crunch gets the job done then there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with that. The Vault Archives PnP rules are pretty crunchy but after learning to use it, I was able to do combat fairly smoothly. Not to mention there’s multiple apps and of course calculators that roll and calculate your exact needs automatically.
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