Best RPG Games

Recently I ran several sessions of Spycraft v2.0. We ran one day as strictly a character creation session. The next day we ran as an actual adventure. We learned that Spycraft v2.0 is very different from other d20-based roleplaying games. It was the first time in a while our group wasn’t playing D&D 4e or Star Wars Saga Edition.

Skills Matter – In my opinion, many other roleplaying games, especially d20-based ones, skills don’t matter that much. Sure, they serve a small purpose but they aren’t going to impact your character that much.

In Spycraft, your skills are the lifeblood of your character. The skills are extremely well thought out and designed. There are really no ‘must have’ skills. There is a more level playing field with the skills and each one seems to have good overall value. It isn’t like every other d20 game where everyone in the group has to get Perception and Stealth because everything else is worthless.

The skills are important in Spycraft because the game makes them that way. Skills are much more of a focus in this game, and they are given a heavy amount of ‘crunch’. It will take players and gamemasters several sessions before they realize how complex and fun these skills can become.

Unique Gear System – The gear system is Spycraft is one of the most unique gear systems of any roleplaying game. The system is very versatile and allows players to choose both specific items for their character, as well as design specific and unique items for their characters.

In almost every game I’ve played, you make sure to get your primary weapon and some armor. Then you might round out your character with some ‘adventurer’s gear’ or random trinkets that are used in the world. It pretty much is the same throughout every game except Spycraft.

One example that happened during our first session of play was that the player characters needed to get into a sold out championship hockey game to search for their target. They started designing several different ways to get in when one of them realized he could use one of his gear picks to get the group tickets for the game.

Another piece of gear was a cane that one of the players had that could inject one dose of a tranquilizing toxin. This was something he specifically designed to use against their mark because they knew they would need to capture the mark, but most likely it would be in front of thousands of people. This piece of gear wasn’t listed in the gear section. It was something he made according to the gear system rules that fit the mission perfectly.

You Can Have Fun Without Combat – In most roleplaying games, getting into combat is one of the funniest parts of the game. This can be true in Spycraft v2.0 as well. However, it is also true that you can have a great Spycraft session without having any combat. There are just so much options outside of combat that the game supports.

During one part of the first session, two of the player characters encountered two armed NPCs. They were able to use their skills to convince some people working in the law enforcement arena that the other NPCs were there to cause problems. The security and law enforcement personnel took care of the two armed NPCs, and the player characters continued on their way.

Overall -  I am fairly impressed with our first taste of Spycraft v2.0. I was a little concerned that there would be too many rules for me to deal with, but the game is very well thought out and put together. The more I read the book, the more I realize they really designed the system to fit a modern spy setting. I believe it does this exceptionally well, and I’m looking forward into delving deeper into the game.