Earthbound/Mother Series (Maybe even Undertale): What system works? - OG Myth-Weavers

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Earthbound/Mother Series (Maybe even Undertale): What system works?

   
Earthbound/Mother Series (Maybe even Undertale): What system works?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_(series)

So... I've been meaning to play Undertale for awhile and am finally getting the chance soon, and because I'm a huge fan of the Earthbound series, I've often mused on something:

What system would work for a guy like me who hopes to one day run an Earthbound or even Undertale like campaign?

The series is a bit basic and rather lighthearted...mostly, but the games are notable for being bizarre and at times surreal adventures, yet set in contemporary(ish) settings with well meaning Americana flavors and themes. You have a group of youngsters and misfits off on what seems like an innocent adventure yet crazy things happen left and right, the games have very real themes of loss, growing up, and togetherness, and at the corners of the world, dark, sinister things lurk as they try to crawl out of the void and get to you. Instead of magic, Psychic powers (or PK powers) are prevalent and you can more easily find a bat for a weapon instead of a magic sword. Undertale... well, I mostly know what I know from the demo and how there's the capacity for good/evil out the wazoo and that there's a couple of goofy skeletons in it somewhere.

I asked this years ago and the best answer I got was to use The Window system, with potentially adding in both the Luck stat and a PSI/PK Dice stat akin to the Magic optional ruleset. I'm not against it, but I was wondering... there are always new systems being made and does anyone have any different suggestions, or personal experience that would say using The Window is a good idea?

Not familiar with Earthbound, but I am thinking you are looking for a rules-lite system so you can tell your story and promote role-playing. I am. It familiar with The Window, but two of the most simple fun systems I can think of are FATE and Cypher.

These are two early JRPG style games. Consider that JRPGs drew a lot of early influence from early editions of Dungeons & Dragons. Most of it comes from the pool of games before third edition.

In some regard, D20 Modern does have your back. The core rulebook is meant to be a toolbox that you pick and choose from. At least one of the settings is urban fantasy, with an emphasis on action. Going bizarre is a matter of your tone as GM - but is easy enough when old D&D is mixed with a modern setting.

Maybe consider other Urban Fantasy systems. Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel may have rules you like if you can put the setting aside. I find Monster Hearts personally unappealing but maybe you'll find something you like in that system.

Going into Japanese over Urban Fantasy: Big Eyes / Small Mouth is always on my mind for anime roleplaying. Tri-Stat DX is the basic engine of that game, and it's free. The PDF is freely available at DriveThru.

Typing JRPG into the search at DriveThru only pulls up about 3 or 4 lesser known systems. But, maybe there's a player base where you're looking to run that game.

It seems there are three things being asked for.
  • Modern era / urban fantasy protganists.
  • Fantasy creatures appropriate to the mix of genre.
  • Other worlds to explore.

My ultimate list of ideas
  • D20 Modern A light version of Urban Arcana is included in the core rulebook, and an expanded setting book is also available. There was also an article in Dungeon / Polyhedron with early information.
  • Buffy / Angel (ignoring some parts of the setting if need be)
  • Tri-Stat DX You may want to find some supplement for monsters, either among the online fanbase or in other books. Big Eyes, Small Mouth in general may also work for you.
  • Monte Cook's World of Darkness. Modern setting, plenty of other-worldly weirdness. I think. Never read it.
  • Call of Cthulhu, Well known, modern setting, and lots of weirdness to play with. The mechanics should be comfortable. There is at least mention of other realities. Use the systems and available monsters, but adjust the setting to taste.
  • Monster Hearts Everything I've read about this book says I'm not the intended audience, but it has a player base and much of what you're asking for. It might be too close to the FATE/Window style for you as well.
  • PokeThulhu. The rules are freely available and the flavor is certainly similar. On the downside, only the monsters themselves can fight. The rules explicitly state that player characters can not fight. As such, there are no stats or rules for the player characters doing combat. It is free and a quick read, at least. You can check it out with minimal investment.
  • Beyond the Supernatural. Palladium games, probably their knockoff of Call of Cthulhu, using their variation of AD&D style rules. Probably a very small player base. On the plus side, it's easy to mix most Palladium settings into a game of your own, so could mix After the Bomb, Heroes Unlimited, or Ninjas & Superspies with minimal fuss. This is easily my weakest suggestion.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TonberryKing View Post
Fate isn't really my thing, as I'm really bad at hashing out and rationalizing every thing on that scale, but what is this Cypher you speak of?
Cypher is the system behind Numenera and The Strange. Last year, they came out with a Cypher System Rulebook, which is useable for multiple genres, depending on what options you add in. I'm currently running 2 Numenera games and 1 The Strange game here on the Weave, and a The Strange game for my home group.

Core rulebook spells out Fantasy, Scifi, Modern, Horror and Supers for genres, but, with some creativity, you can make up your own. The recently released Expanded Worlds adds more character options, and details several other genres; Post-Apocalyptic, Mythological, Fairy Tale, Childhood Adventure, Historical, Crime and Espionage, Hard SciFi.

Their settings are anything but normal. Numenera is a weird mashup of fantasy and scifi. The Strange is multiple genres in one; I liken it to Sliders, Dr. Who, Zelazny's Amber, Planescape and much more. Gods of the fall is a high fantasy where the characters are newborn gods in an atheistic world. The latest release, Predation, centers around time travel back to the ages of the dinosaurs, for exploration, and most likely, exploitation.

I've GMed over 30 systems on my 38 years of gaming. Cypher is the easiest and most enjoyable from a GM perspective to run.

Mr. Andrew- While I appreciate your enthusiasm, I'm not looking to use d20 modern because while I have no problem running 3.5 stuff (and I in fact do in real life) it's a bit too much in the way of rules when I want to encourage my players to make up more details. Fate, OTOH, is too rules lite for my liking.

TatteredKing- ... What was that about about Childhood adventure? Earthbound is like a more surreal/super natural Stand By Me (and...*kinda* Stranger things if it wasn't as scary and solely focused on the kids trying to find their buddy.) or even the Goonies on some parallels. And is The Strange another game system?

The Strange is another game using the Cypher system. Beyond that, I know next to nothing about it, my experience has been with generic Cypher. If Fate is too rules lite, then you'll want to stay away from The Window, it's much lighter. Cypher is probably a fair choice, at least worth looking into.

I dunno, the Window just makes more sense to me than Fate ever did? Or at least in the past I tend to have problems fitting into the molds of that game.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TonberryKing View Post
TatteredKing- ... What was that about about Childhood adventure? Earthbound is like a more surreal/super natural Stand By Me (and...*kinda* Stranger things if it wasn't as scary and solely focused on the kids trying to find their buddy.) or even the Goonies on some parallels. And is The Strange another game system?
I haven't really dug into the childhood adventure genre in Cypher yet, but can take a look.

The Strange is a 'campaign setting' for the Cypher System. It involves modern day earth as the 'main reality', and travel to other 'recursions', or alternate dimensions, based on fiction. All of these fictional recursions are floating a round in a dark energy network that was established by an alien race billions of years ago as a transportation network, called The Strange. You can play the same character and move through different recursions. As you do, your character changes slightly to fit in into the new dimension.

Gotta go play audit supporter right now,but happy to discuss further at a later time.

Tk

I understand about D20 Modern. I also felt it at least had to be said, all things considered.

There's a discussion about a fan-made Final Fantasy RPG elsewhere on the Weave. People seem to enjoy it, and it obviously has a JRPG minded ruleset.

However it goes, good luck!





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