2024-06-02 - right after we finished our campaign
Just wrapped up Old Gods of Applachia which uses the Cypher System. I know a couple folks expressed interest in the game and the system so my quick impressions. It is a relatively light narrative style ruleset that is truly setting neutral. It uses a D20 mechanic where the GM sets a difficulty level and adjusts it (up or down) situationally based on skills, assets, effort or hindering factors. Players do all the rolls. Results can be swingy. At first glance it may resemble 5e (not unintentional methinks because I suspect MCG is trying to snag 5e players) but it actually plays more like Pbta. XP is a meta-currency that is awarded by the GM but can be spent by the players to alter situations, improve their character, etc. As an "old school" GM, it took a little getting used (no random tables, all player rolls, GM fiat more common, etc.) but eventually I was able to run the game pretty well with minimal prep (just a few bullet points and let the players lead the way). I could definitely run it again (or any cypher based setting) with relative ease. Once some of the new material comes out, I may run OGOA again. It was a lot of fun.
Player perspective: it's a cool system. Very simple - you're only ever rolling a single D20. It's very narrative and low-crunch, but is heavily skill and ability based. You need to remember what's on your character sheet to have the GM adjust the difficulty level. It's not a restricted list of skills - could be anything. Abilities are defined, but come from your type, your descriptor and your focus. Four types (basically class), forty descriptors (main personality trait) and twenty five foci (what you do - think more vocation than job), so 4000 possible builds before you pick the specific abilities in the lists. Your build informs how you use XP - the Explorers tended to save them to level and gain new abilities (ranger-ish and rogue-ish, respectively). The Sage tended used them for intrusions (changing the world) and powering spells. We didn't have a Protector or Speaker, so, even though I have a guess, I don't know for sure, how those types would consume XP. As for the setting, the Old Gods of Appalachia setting is so good. Very evocative, low-grade horror. As we've said many times in discussions here, you need to treat IP-based games as alternate stories/parallel worlds. We did run into several characters and haints from the podcast. All but Jack (Jack is Jack in all realities :-p) were portrayed very differently from the podcast which was good, but caused some cognitive dissonance on my part and cheated the game of a bit of the impact it would have had if I didn't know what our PCs were going up against. We killed Nathaniel Locke disappointingly easily, but the thing that stuck in my mind the most was the evil deer that attacked us the forest. This is a weird complaint - not like anybody is going to be surprised with a goblin in D&D. I hope they keep expanding the setting, and would happily play again.