From: seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Re: RPG's That Belong on Every Gamer's Shelf
Date: 22 Nov 92 14:45:07 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh
Originator: seawasp@unixd2.cis.pitt.edu

In article <1992Nov21.122458.23999@afterlife.ncsc.mil> acadams@afterlife.ncsc.mil (Arthur C. Adams) writes:
>What RPG's do you feel belong on the shelves of every gamer? 
>
>I'll separate into two different categories: Five game systems 
>and five game supplements. So, here goes:
>So, what's on your version of this list?

	Okay, I'll play: however, I'm going to be a bit more general than
you were, since I can't push individual game systems as much.

	Five Game Systems that every gamer should own:

	AD&D: As the original poster indicated, whether you like or hate
AD&D the simple fact is that it's the most well-known system out there,
and it's a great "familiarity" device.

	One GENERIC game: GURPS, Hero, etc. It's nice to have a system
that can handle ANY kind of situation. All of them have their advantages
and flaws (Hero has more problems in the human arena, GURPS in the superheroic,
etc.).

	One Space game: something focused on adventures in the Last Frontier.
For simplicity I'd recommend Star Wars, but overall my favorite is Space
Opera.

	One "Humorous" game: some people like Paranoia, others like 
Ghostbusters. Me, I like Teenagers From Outer Space.

	One "diceless" system: I prefer AMBER.


	Five game Supplements that everyone should have:

	The Primal Order: Unless you never intend to use, or even 
consider, gods in any game you have, TPO is THE supplement to own.
Even if the PCs will never encounter a god or god's emissary directly,
just having a specific handle on who and what your gods are will
help shape the way the gods behave and enable you to really KNOW what's
going on up there.

	Creatures and Treasures (I and II) [Rolemaster]. Chock full of
interesting beasties and neat gadgets, these things can be used even
if you don't PLAY Rolemaster. A must-have for any fantasy campaign.

	The Arcanum: This game supplement/system is amazing: a compact,
sensible set of rules (class-based yet workable and easy), races,
different schools of magic, and the only really nice set of alchemical
and enchantment rules I've ever seen.

	A space atlas of some kind -- I recommend the highly detailed
and entertaining Star Atlas series for Space Opera: Star Atlas I, The
Terran Sector, and the Atlases dealing with the Mercantile League, Azuriach
Imperium, and the Korellian Empire, are especially good.

	(okay, so I'm going to add more than 5 to the list -- with so
many genres it's tough to limit it)

	Vault of the Nyer'Queyon: A space adventure originally for 
Space Opera, but adaptable. Interesting and challenging, high powered
but really oriented towards thinkers.

	AMBER: if you don't use it as a RPG, it still makes a DAMN good
supplement -- I find it very useful for generating quick yet neat
NPCs for various games. Also an invaluable sourcebook if you intend to use 
any of the Amber universe.

	One of the many equipment books: you need a big, long list of
equipment for players in any genre. Most systems have SOMETHING out
on this, but beware of the ones that LOOK great and actually don't
give you all that much (FASA's SHADOWRUN supplements are often like
this).


				Sea Wasp
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy