Hommlet and DungeonWorld

So like many times, I found the story we started to build with Dungeon World to be interesting and quite game-able, but the system itself was light for my tastes, so much so that it bordered on 'magic tea party' at times in terms of system support.

That being said, Dungeon World itself is a fantastic read for GM advice, how to generate a world, character bonds and many other elements that are completely divorced from the mechanics presented.

So what would I run 'Hommlet' with in the future?

It would probably come to down to Savage Worlds(Using Shaintar), Cypher System, Fantasy Age or 13th Age. (Maybe Shadow of the Demon Lord...)

Let's start with how Gaston! and Nick would look in Fantasy Age:

Fantasy AGE is a class and level , slow health attrition system similar to D&D but with 3d6 for all test rolls and damage expressed in d6s.

There are three classes availabe: Warrior, Rogue and Mage. These are fairly broad classes, one could for example make a viable Ranger with a Warrior or a Rogue depending on your Talent and Foci choices.

The system goes from level 1 to 20, so we are going to start them off at level 3 as that allows some customization and seems to 'jive' with what 1st level Dungeon World characters were able to accomplish.

Gaston! the 3rd level Upper Class Noble Human Warrior
 Health: 42 Magic:0 Speed:11 Defense:12 Armor:4 Penalty:-1
Accuracy 0, Communication 4 [Etiquette,Persuasion], Constitution 2, Dexterity 2 [Riding]
Fighting 3 [Heavy Blades], Intelligence 1, Perception 2, Strength 3, Willpower 0
Powers&Talents: Single Weapon Style(Journeyman), Pole Weapon Style (Novice), Armor Training (Novice)
Equipment: Heavy Leather Armor, Scimitar, Spear, Black Powder Pistol


Nick the 3rd level Outsider Human Wanderer Rogue
 Health: 40 Magic:0 Speed:13 Defense:13 Armor:3 Penalty:0
Accuracy 3 [Bows], Communication 1, Constitution 2 [Swimming], Dexterity 3
Fighting 0, Intelligence 1 [Navigation,Natural Lore], Perception 3 [Searching], Strength 2,
 Willpower 1
Powers&Talents: Pinpoint Attack, Rogue's Armor, Scouting(Novice), Animal Training (Novice)
Equipment: Light Leather Armor, Shortsword, Long Bow, Weasel

Gaston and Nick are in a cave that they have no business being in when they see the bear, much larger than the usual and also scary bears in the Forest. 

A loud SNAP echoes through the chamber as Gaston steps on a twig... in the cave... that happens to break quite loudly.
(Gaston rolled a measly 5 on his tealth check: 3 on the dice + 2 for his Dexterity)

Initiative:
Gaston! 17
Bear! 15
Nick? 14

Turn 1
Gaston back peddles from the bear and steps into his single weapon fighting stance which will give him a better defense going forward, the bear rushes straight towards him bellowing with rage.

Nick steps back to give himself room to 'work' with his bow and fires, his arrow thudding into the bear's hide as it bellows in pain.
(7 on the dice + 3 for Accuracy + 2 for his Bows Foci gives him just enough to hit and does 12 points of damage.)

Turn 2
Gaston! aims and strikes at the bear with his scimitar but manages to miss completely
(3 on the dice + 3 for his Fighting + 2 for his Heavy Blades Focus.)

The bear rears up and swipes Gaston with its claws, sending Gaston reeling.
(6 on the dice + 9 to hit doing 11 points of damage after armor absorption.)

Nick fires again, piercing one of the bear's legs sending it sprawling to the ground as it goes deep.
(Nick rolled doubles and selected Mighty Blow for additional damage and Knock Prone doing 16 points of damage to the bear.)

Turn 3

Gaston takes advantage of the bear's prone position to drive his scimitar deep into it's hide before returning to a defensive stance awaiting it's reprisal.

(Gaston rolled doubles, and spends his stunt points on additional damage and a defense bonus for himself for the rest of the turn.)

The bear leaps from ground with a roar, batting aside Gaston's defense, knocking him on his ass and barely missing when it attempts to followup its strike with a brutal bite from it's snarling jaws.

(The bear got an incredible roll and stunt points which were used to drop Gaston to the ground and attempt to tear his throat out with his jaws. Fortunately Gaston only takes 12 more points of damage after armor putting him around %50 health.)

Nick lands another telling arrow shot in the bear as it is now staggering and bleeding profusely.

(Another solid hit with just enough stunt points to buy more damage. 18 more points of damage to the bear.)

Turn 4

Gaston, also bleeding heavily staggers to his feet and drives his blade through the bear's skull, causing it to sag quietly to the ground before transforming from a dead bear into a dead elf.

Next time I will look at Cypher System and explain what exactly this means:

Gaston !

Charming Warrior Who Fights with Panache

Might Speed Intellect

12/1 14/1 10/0

Bear 2 Cyphers

Practiced with All Weapons

Equipment:

Scimitar , Knife, Chain Mail, Moderately priced item

Swipe (1 Speed Point) - 1pt less damage, but dazes the target for one round.

Control the FIeld (1 Might Point) - Maneuver the target where you wish within immediate range regardless of if you hit. -1pt damage.

Extra Edge

Practiced in Armor: Reduce speed cost of armor by 1. Start with any armor.

Personable: +2 to Intellect

Skill: trained in all pleasant social interactions

Skill: trained when using abilities to influence the minds of others

Contact: You have an important contact such as a minor noble ot the like.

Inability: Knowledge, Lore, Understanding, Willpower

Additional Equipment: Moderate Priced item, Stylish clothes and jewelry

Attack Flourish: Choose any number of creatures in short range that can see you. They all gain +1 on their next dice roll.

Nick

Rugged  Ranger Who Controls Beasts

Might Speed Intellect

12/1      13/1          9/0

Bear 2 Cyphers

Practiced with All light and Medium Weapons

Equipment: Clothing, Bow, Two expensive Items, Two Moderate Items, 4 inexpensive items

Knowledge Skills: Survival, Tracking

Pierce (Replace Decipher, 1 speed point): +1 point range damage

Danger Sense (1 Speed point)

Extra Edge

Skill: Running jumping,swimming,climbing, training animals, riding animals, placating animals.

Skill: All tasks involved in identifying and using plants

Inability: Social skills

Additional Equipment: Explorer’s pack with rope, 2 days ratios, bedroll

Beast Companion: Page 112