Quick question for Veeky Forums:
What options exist for cowboy&indian themed adventures?
Say I wanted to dm a wild west campaign, with somewhat accurate-to-the-time-period firearms & weapons, but still include elements of magic & mysticism.
What should I use?
I've heard mixed results about bringing firearms into d&d/pathfinder systems.
I've thought about maybe adapting shadowrun, but I would be cutting out several classes and mechanics entirely from that system.
>inb4 GURPS
Deadlands
No experience with it, but Deadlands sounds like exactly what you're talking about.
>I've heard mixed results about bringing firearms into d&d/pathfinder systems.
Generally it's a bad idea, the abstract nature of the combat system and HP doesn't mesh well with firearms.
There are a number of wild west themed RPGs out there, though, and several have magic and such. Deadlands is the big name, but others include Wild Cards, Go Fer Yer Gun, Aces and Eights, Blood and Bullets, Boot Hill, and Tombstones 'n Tumbleweeds.
Thank ye kindly
Any nerds on this board have experience with Deadlands?
No yeah, forget GURPS.
Just refluff PF.
>refluff PF
...
Depending on your preferred kind of storytelling, Call of Cthulhu might work as well. If I remember right, 7th edition has background for the period.
...
DnD 5e has, at least in the games I've been a part of so take that with a grain of salt, done firearms alright. Much better HP and damage scaling means that firearms (which tend towards double dice in damage) are incredibly potent in any game where they appear.
Again, personal anecdote so it doesn't always work out that way. But whatever.
So you've had positive experience using firearms in 5e, have you been in groups/settings that used them in other editions?
Additionally, what time-period weapons were you using?
As for pure non magical wild west:
Aces & Eights
Gunslingers & Gamblers
Boot Hill
Dogs in the Vineyard
Wild west with supernatural shit:
Deadlands
Call of Cthulhu
And if you don't mind using a generic framework for your combat then:
Ops & Tactics
Phoenix Command
GURPS
>And if you don't mind using a generic framework for your combat
Phoenix Command actually has a Wild West sourcebook
We used 5e's Modern Firearms, but as a substitute for blasters in a Star Wars hack.
Everyone was reasonably good with them due to proficiency, and the extra damage made things feel very lethal and "cowboy"ish. At one point the ex-Republic Commando in the group walked down a hallway spraying stormtroopers with a heavy repeater (refluffled automatic rifle) and generally being badass while defying dice rolls that could have killed him if any of them managed to land. It was a good game.
I've also used Pathfinder rules for firearms. Pretty deadly as well depending on the types of firearms and rules. We had a campaign set in Throne from Kill Six Billion Demons, and our resident gunslinger changeling ninja made good use (read: 200+ damage a turn) of some enchanted revolvers.
Honestly, the rules are fine. I mean, as fine as D20 can manage, but...
Dogs in the Vineyard has supernatural elements.
Spirits and demons and such.
>Dog In The Vineyard
Cool system, but actually has a very little focus on actual combat as such. Much like an actual Westen most of its just about standing around and posteing
So does GURPS, if you want to go that way.
And I'm sure O&T does too.
Use Deadlands Reloaded if you're going to use Deadlands. The old system is a mess.
There is a Savage Lands Deadlands, yeah?
Anyone use it? good/bad?
Dogs in the Vineyard
Yeah, that's Reloaded. And yeah it's good.
Could do some stuff in Shadowrun in SSC territory. Have the Cowboy way martial art and go around as a funslinger vs injun wizards.