I got Savage Worlds

I have mentioned that due to other people’s posts on the network, that I was intrigued with SW. I read all I could on it before taking the plunge and buying the Explorer’s Guide. When buying the guide I figured that for the $9.99 price tag, even if I didn’t like it, the price was so small that I didn’t consider it a loss.

Ironically Greywulf also got into Savage Worlds last week and has given the game a thorough look through and even created some really crafty characters with the system.

I was planning on giving a review, but much of what I have to say, Greywulf also states, so I’d rather not rehash his statements. I’ll give my opinion, and try not to ramble.

My initial impression, and really for now, that is all it is, is that this is a great system! I think that it will hold true to the tagline, “Fast! Furious! Fun!”

Character creation is a breeze, simple, and fast. With hindrances and edges, you can generate wonderful quirks or edges that flush out the personality of your characters or NPC’s.

I love Dungeon’s and Dragons, it’s what got me into gaming (I started with 2e).. That and Shadowrun (2e). While I loved DnD, there was something about the lack of classes in Shadowrun that I really liked. True they had archetypes, like Street Samurai, Merc, Battle Mage, Shaman, Decker, Physical Adept, etc, you could really be anything. You designed yourself based on your skills, edges and flaws, and your personality. That was something I really enjoyed, and am glad to see is what SW has as well.

I like games that have that because I feel that it really lets the imagination of the player fly freely without being bogged down by “this is what class I am, this is what I must do.”

I feel that there is so much info packed into this little book (160 pages) that it is mind boggling. It really is a rules-lite system, but it works!

The one thing that makes me both apprehensive and excited at the same time is the powers section. There aren’t that many of them. And each of the different magic types (holy, arcane, psionic, and weird science) can all use the same powers. Now the first reaction, you have to understand is the DnD nerd in me screaming in a corner of a darkened room. I mean hell. DnD alone has 160 pages of magical powers in the PHB alone, not counting all the supplements and guides. Each class has unique powers, each useful and doing different things, allowing the imagination to flow and gush. Once I pull my head out of my own dork arse though I realize that, in this case, simple is good. What is one of the MAJOR issues that always bog down a session of DnD combat? Magic. Esepcially when you throw in all the supplements. I can’t tell you how often a player casts a spell that I’m not 100% familiar with or have forgotten and we have to pause really quick and thumb through the rules (especially if it is something that looks like it is gonna kill something in one hit or throw everything for a loop. If not I usually just make a on the fly decision and look up rule later). With Savage Worlds the powers allow each player to make up their own descriptions and add their own personality flavor to the spells. The spell outcome is also amazing simple, but it doesn’t lose the dramatic effect.

Say you have a mage who embraces the way of the shadow, the power of either deflection or armor could be a shroud of shadowy mist that swirls around your character (Savage Worlds even embraces adding to the spell- say that it only protects the front of the character, but any target that is within striking range takes 1d6 additional damage from the spell in negative energy, etc), and when the mage casts Bolt, Shadowy looking birds fly forth from his/her fingertips. It is completely up to the player to determine (with GM approval) on how the spell works, looks, and even functions. So yes.. Simple is better!

I am up to mass combat in the book and can’t wait to read that, because that is one thing that many people say shines with SW, is the ultimate simplicity of it. I’ll post more on what I think as I get through it.