Good Tabletop rpg for beginners.

[Psystar]

Does anyone know a good tabletop RPG for people (e.g my friends) who aren't willing to spend a long time (e.g longer than 30 minutes) reading rulebooks? At least one of my friends has familiarity with DND 3.5 but that's pretty much everything my friends know about tabletop RPGs.

[Touchy]

Does anyone know a good tabletop RPG for people (e.g my friends) who aren't willing to spend a long time (e.g longer than 30 minutes) reading rulebooks? At least one of my friends has familiarity with DND 3.5 but that's pretty much everything my friends know about tabletop RPGs.

4e was pretty easy to pick up (for me) without reading.
I recommend this though. Unless no d20s are allowed. This is nearly as simple as you can get for a tabletop.

[Asbestos]

My gf took to SW: Saga a lot quicker than she did 4e, but that may be because she is just more familiar with Star Wars than with D&D. You need to consider the general interests of these beginners. If they are all about say, Zombie movies instead of Sci-Fi or High Fantasy, then maybe AFMBE is a good place to start instead of D&D or Shadowrun.

[Glimbur]

RISUS and Wuthering Heights are both rules light and free. They're not a bad way to introduce people to the idea of roleplaying without so many rules and modifiers to keep track of.

[Grumman]

You could always use one of those old Fighting Fantasy books, if they're absolute beginners. The one I've got has a simple D6-based system and two dungeon-crawls in one book.

[Ozreth]

get the 15 dollar 4e starter box set. GREAT for noobs.

[LibraryOgre]

Castles and Crusades. Pick a race, pick a class. Roll a d20, and try to get over 18. Boom.

[TheOOB]

7th Sea is a fun RPG if you can get a hold of it. Gameplay is simple and fun, focusing on drama more than mechanics. Character creation is fairly easy(for a point based system), and it's not hard to a GM to generate characters ahead of time.

Paranoia is a great system if your players don't want to learn rules, because they aren't allowed to know the rules! That said, it takes a special group that can stab each other mercilessly in the back, and not have it damage their friendship at all.

Really though, if your players don't want to learn rules, there are several RPG-like board games out there, including the Order of the Stick board game. These tend to be more accessible.

[Emmerask]

well for really really light rules (light rpg too though but that would depend on your definiation of rpg) I would recommend the dragon strike(d&d superlight) or heroes quest board games

[Satyr]

That depends on what kind of genre you want to play in; ask your friends what they like to play, and pick and according game. Let them decide what they want to play.
Then take the Gurps rules and build a corresponding setting/story around their ideas.
I usually recommend strongly against using rules light games for new players, because I think it is condescending to treat people as stupid only because they don't have the same grade of experience. Most rules-light games are pretty bad, too, because simplicity is usually achieved through a lack of details or depth.
Gurps is the best game for new players for a very simple reason: It is streamlined, elegant and intutive. You don't have to read most of the rule book, because the basic principles are so very self-explanatory.
The other merits of the system are, that players can very exactly create the characters they want to play and will not face some arbitrarily restrictions or limitations, so the player has the chance to play a cool character he or she can identify with from the very beginning. And, through rule gimmicks like the quirks and the usual way how characters are created, the characters are also very well-rounded from the get-go, and you don't have to deal with often very one dimensional, if not outright stereotypical characters.

[Lawless III]

Dragonstrike all the way. Nothing gets you in the right mood for a fantasy adventure like a VHS filmed in HYPER REALITY. I am lucky enough to own a copy and I always use it to break in new players. It only takes about 20-30 minutes and has most of the basic things they'll need to know... Did I mention the VHS is filmed in HYPER REALITY?

[Corlindale]

That Microlite-system seems pretty cool and straightforward.

If you want really simple, you could use the old Fighting Fantasy system. It's D6-based, has only 3 stats and is incredibly simple - probably way too simple for many purposes, there's not much room for class-distinctions (even if a simple magic system can technically be added).

[hamlet]

Swords and Wizardry. Even the full rule book takes about 20 minutes of reading to figure out and get into the game.

Plus its's, you know, free for a pdf copy. And has a starter set of rules to dip your toes in.

[bosssmiley]

Labyrinth Lord - it's a free version of Basic D&D. Characters take 10 minutes to make and equip, and your character sheet looks like this:



Diminutive d20 and Microlite d20 are both super-quick versions of the d20 system. They're both fun and easy to learn and play.

[RebelRogue]

That Microlite-system seems pretty cool and straightforward.

If you want really simple, you could use the old Fighting Fantasy system. It's D6-based, has only 3 stats and is incredibly simple - probably way too simple for many purposes, there's not much room for class-distinctions (even if a simple magic system can technically be added).

Isn't there a (slightly more) advanced version available somewhere?

[storybookknight]

Castles & Crusades is rules-simple, but fairly Old Skool, and might be frustrating for novice players who enjoy being awesome at things right off the bat.

My vote for new players is, and always will be, Savage Worlds. Even a fresh-fledged novice character is simply much better than any mook, and there are a hojillion settings you can use depending on your players' interests. There's even very little math involved for players who don't like juggling dice and character sheets in their heads.

Also, if you think that getting players into tabletop gaming by virtue of humor is a good idea (which it totally is) try Kobolds Ate My Baby! which runs off the BEER and NUTS system.

[Glass Mouse]

I asked kinda the same question not too long ago, with a lot of great systems suggested.

You can find the thread here.

[Psystar]

Does anyone know a good tabletop RPG for people (e.g my friends) who aren't willing to spend a long time (e.g longer than 30 minutes) reading rulebooks? At least one of my friends has familiarity with DND 3.5 but that's pretty much everything my friends know about tabletop RPGs.

[Kylarra]

There were some pretty good answers in your thread from yesterday, but I'll throw out gurps lite.

[Starscream]

I second Gurps. Creating a character can be a little complex, but actually playing one is simple.

[Talkkno]

If your group is willing to try something different....Maid RPG is very simple.

[Ozreth]

4e d&d is very easy to get into. Pick up the 4e starter set at barnes and noble for 15 bucks. Great place to start.

[Ozreth]

There were some pretty good answers in your thread from yesterday, but I'll throw out gurps lite.

Oooh ya....I thought this felt familiar!

[Ichneumon]

There were some pretty good answers in your thread from yesterday, but I'll throw out gurps lite.

Or what about gurps ultra lite? It might be a bit too limitied, but it has the essentials.

[Satyr]

You don't need Gurps lite; the full version is pretty optimal for new players (as I explained yesterday... I have a slight case of deja vu here).
Remember: Only because someone has not yet played an RPG, he or she is not an idiot, and assuming so is very condescending. Do you want to treat your friends like idiots? Usually not.
So go for a comfortable real RPG that is easy to learn and to use - and Gurps is very good in this regard, because it is a system that enables people to do what they want and doesn't shoehorn them into a certain stereotype - and use it.
Unfortunately, most simple games seem to be made for simple people and will treat you as if you need a roadmap to find your own feet. They are usually also just bad. I haven't seen yet a game targeted at casual gamers which was anything better than mediocre.

[IonDragon]

This is a similar thread from a week or so ago, may be helpful as well.

[Kylarra]

You don't need Gurps lite; the full version is pretty optimal for new players (as I explained yesterday... I have a slight case of deja vu here).
Remember: Only because someone has not yet played an RPG, he or she is not an idiot, and assuming so is very condescending. Do you want to treat your friends like idiots? Usually not.
So go for a comfortable real RPG that is easy to learn and to use - and Gurps is very good in this regard, because it is a system that enables people to do what they want and doesn't shoehorn them into a certain stereotype - and use it.
Unfortunately, most simple games seem to be made for simple people and will treat you as if you need a roadmap to find your own feet. They are usually also just bad. I haven't seen yet a game targeted at casual gamers which was anything better than mediocre.

The reason I suggest GURPS-lite over GURPS is not out of condescension, but rather a more practical reason. GURPS-lite is free. GURPS in its entirety is not. So for the purposes of just trying out they system, free > expanded rules.

[Psystar]

Thanks for the massive amounts of feedback guys, I now have the whole event mostly organized. You were a big help, I probably couldn't have done it without you.

[Satyr]

So... what system are you going to use?

[Psystar]

Mutants & Masterminds. My friends are comic book fans, I guess.