Any good toolkit books for the different genres of ttrpg out there?

[GiantToenail]

Looking through my copy of mythras has got me thinking about modifiers, bonuses, roll percentages, and using the existing rules as creatively as possible, to the point where I want to look at other ttrpg systems in more depth and what I can scratch together from looking at other folk's takes at rpg systems. To this end I've found mythras, spycraft, and traveller5 to be encompassing toolkits of their respective genres with positive reviews to boot, I haven't found something similar for dicepool games yet and am looking for other rpg system genres that I've not heard of yet, as well. Age, setting, and apparent quality don't matter so much to me, I'd like this to be a list of books to dig into over time as I learn more about these systems!

 

[A Fiery Flying Roll]

GURPS seems an obvious candidate for an "everything and the kitchen sink" toolkit.

 

[DornKratz]

Genesys is often cited as a very flexible toolbox for all kinds of genres.

OpenD6 is a very easy to teach and simple to hack d6 pool system; Mini Six is a nice distillation with multiple mini-settings.

Savage Worlds has loads of genre and setting supplements, including an adaptation of Pathifinder's Golarion.

FU (Freeform Universal) is surprisingly robust for a lightweight system, and the basis of Neon City Overdrive and Hard City.

 

[Ladybird]

GURPS seems an obvious candidate for an "everything and the kitchen sink" toolkit.

Fate could have ended up in that space, but Evil Hat have since found more money elsewhere. The few genre toolkit books they did do are pretty good, though.

 

[David Johansen]

As others have said,
The various GURPS Sourcebooks are excellent for just about any game. Still it depends on whether you're looking for nuts and bolts or concepts and ideas, because the nuts and bolts parts of GURPS books are GURPS nuts and bolts.

My Galaxies In Shadow rpg is definitely an sf tool kit. http://www.uncouthsavage.com

 

[thebigh]

The GURPS books are great value even if you don't particularly care for the system itself. All of them are chock full of well-researched information and useful advice. I'd guess about half of what's in there isn't GURPS-specific.

 

[David Johansen]

I think was Andrew Hackard who responded to the question "why don't you hire popular designers to write books?" with "We hire experts, professionals, combat veterans, and martial artists instead."

 

[Ravenswing]

I think was Andrew Hackard who responded to the question "why don't you hire popular designers to write books?" with "We hire experts, professionals, combat veterans, and martial artists instead."

Indeed, the gods rest his soul. And really, some of those names get to be hallmarks in their own right. I see something that Matt Riggsby or Bill Stoddard or Scott Maykrantz (for instance) wrote, I know it's going to be quality work and it's going to be thoroughly researched.

 

[chuckdee]

Fate could have ended up in that space, but Evil Hat have since found more money elsewhere. The few genre toolkit books they did do are pretty good, though.

I'm not sure how much more is really needed. Their toolkits are really open-ended- they sort of put themselves out of the business other than doing a specific genre.

 

[AsenRG]

Let me recommend GURPS for the Nth time. Also, Mythic series for Mythras are excellent examples of how to do a historical game.
Those are my two favourite systems for supplement support, bar...none, really. Now let me get to specific genres.

Legends of the Wulin is basically "the wuxia tropes game: now encoded in mechanics". Warning, there are many tropes in the genre, and the rules aren't easy to digest...
Adamant's Mars and Thrilling tales for Savage Worlds are excellent supplements for swords and planet and pulp, respectively. Adamant enjoys a poor rep on this forum due to GMS, so fair warning there.
And last but not least, Mean Streets and A Dirty World (and if you can track down a copy, Mobsters RPG) approach the noir genre from very different angles, with rather different mechanics, but are excellent as resources, IMO!

 

[Nakana]

I’m currently working on creating a toolkit game. Hopefully it will be ready in about a month.

Since you’re interested in toolkit games, do you have any points of dos and/or dont’s?

In other words, any particulars that are more or less likely to pique your interest?