Barsoom, John Carter of Mars--alternate TROS worlds

[toli]

Ever once and a while, some one seems notes that TROS rules would be good for a certain setting or that a particular movie has a TROS feel.  

I've always been a fan of Edgar Rice Bouroughs's John Carter of Mars books.  Given that there is no real magic on Barsoom, the combat needs to be more interesting than your standard D&D or whatever.  TROS would seem to be perfect for this type of setting.  Lots of duelling and sword fighting.

I've always been surprised that no one has written up an RPG for Barsoom...

NT

[spunky]

Indeed.  TROS is so superior that I find myself thinking of how to adapt it (or rather, adapt the other games) to its system.  I'm tempted to see how to combine it with WW's EXALTED (my current campaign).  I have to tread lightly, though; my players have finally figured out WW's system as is, and if I start changing it, they may riot.

An easier mod is LOTR or ARS MAGICA.  AM only requires a little fiddling with the TROS magic system, and that would primarily one of nomenclature, replacing the Vagaries with terms appropriate for the Middle Ages.  LOTR would require a more restrained magic system, considering the subtle nature of magic in Tolkien's works.  Allowing wizards to buy specific "defined" spells by spending SA's would probably work.  The TROS magic system could still be used for the truly big guns -- like Sauron, for example.

[Durgil]

That's funny that you bring up Ars Magica here.  For the past couple of weeks, I've been trying to adopt AM into TRoS system.  I have found many things do convert easily, but I'm running into just as many sticking points.  I guess it all depends on how you approach it.  I'm trying to use all of the ideas from AM with the game mechanics from TRoS.  Don't get me wrong or anything, I love the TRoS system (especially the mechanics of the entire game), but the organisation and strength of the magic just doesn't fit my particular style of play.  For that matter AM is a little too powerful as well, but I think I can see a way to tweek it so that the truely powerful stuff (6th magnitude and beyond) is only really possible through a ritual performed by multiple wizards.

Just my $0.02 worth, which probably doesn't fit in this subject area.  To be honest, I've never evenhead of John Carter of Mars.

[toli]

John Carter of Mars is a series written by the same author as the Tarzan stories: Edgar Rice Bouroughs (I think that is spelled correctly).  It is sort of silly (not comical) but a good read none the less.  John Carter is an American just following the Civil War who by some unexplained means gets transported to Mars, known to the inhabitants as Barsoom.  Varous adventures ensue.  

I think of it as a particularly good TROS environement because it is heavily into sword play and a sort of swashbuckling type of atmosphere.  There are some guns (musket like really in rate of fire) but mostly swords.   Because it is hot no one wears clothing (EBR was into this sort of noble savage type idea).  There are windships which are kind of like blimps with the floatation underneath...overall it has a sort of 19th century navy feel in a different world.  

There is no magic and no armor really, so the combat needs to be more interesting, which perfectly suits TROS.  It would be quite a boring place for a D20 system game.

[Ron Edwards]

It's "Burroughs."

The Barsoom stories are quite likely the single most influential body of work on science fiction, fantasy, and adventure stories written since the 1910's.

Best,
Ron

[toli]

Ah anohter fan.  Barsoom has got to be one of my favorite scifi/fantasy settings.  

Years ago I though of putting together some sort of RPG for it but I could never come up with a combat system  that was interesting.  TROS, for me, fits perfectly for the combat.  Maybe I'll think of putting something together....some day....

RE sword play, would you call the sword styles in Barsoom cut and thrust or rapier or something else?

NT

[Jake Norwood]

RE sword play, would you call the sword styles in Barsoom cut and thrust or rapier or something else?

NT

Based on illustrations that I've seen I'd call it cut-and-thrust, but I could be off, having not read them.

Jake

[Blake Hutchins]

Cut and thrust definitely.  The descriptions of swordplay read a lot like saber fencing to me.

Best,

Blake

[Sneaky Git]

Ever once and a while, some one seems notes that TROS rules would be good for a certain setting or that a particular movie has a TROS feel.

Prior to the arrival of TRoS into my life (*grin*), my gaming group played a ton of "Legend of the Five Rings" (heavily modified by Sengoku).  I've found that TRoS has adapted very well to this milieu/genre.  

Light (or no) armor.  Sharp swords.  Lightning quick, deadly combat.  Intense passions in conflict/concert (choose your flavor) with the goals of a rigid society.  Good stuff.

Although L5R could be deadly, it wasn't until we adopted TRoS that my players learned to /think/ before they lept into armed confrontation.  Now they ask the question..."is this worth dying for?"

[Jake Norwood]

Although L5R could be deadly, it wasn't until we adopted TRoS that my players learned to /think/ before they lept into armed confrontation.  Now they ask the question..."is this worth dying for?"

L5R was probably the first game where death seemed trule possible over very little to me. I was enamored by it. Not that the combat was "realistic" (whatever that means...), but it *was* deadly. Two or three hits would end it for anyone. That made duels and fights scary as crap, and I *loved* it. I'd been working on TROS combat for a year allready when I first played L5R, but L5R is what convinced me that the fight means more when it's a real risk.

Ah yeah, fun stuff. This is exactly the effect we were going for.

Jake