[x6u]

I'm thinking about sinking my teeth into another tabletop RPG, so here's a thread to fish for some recommendations! For me, one of the things I've always loved about Shadowrun is how tactical it can be. A good GM can challenge his players in so many ways, and there are a whole lot of roads to take to solve a problem or beat a mission beyond killing something to death, unlike many other RPGs out there. And if you do decide to kill someone to death, the system is designed to offer a number of options besides stabbing him with your Sword of Awesome +5, and that makes for some hella fun games with great stories to tell afterwards of all the crazy stuff your group did.

Are there other RPGs that are similar in this respect? Even if they're not, I would love to hear about everyone's favorite games, besides SR of course.

[TheWanderingJewels]

Well, Legend of the Five Rings 4th edition is a interesting high fantasy setting in that there are very few if any 'magic items' and combat is singularly brutal and vicious to the players. While there is magical healing, it can run a Shugenga (mage) out of spells quickly. Most of my plays have had to learn how to get crafty when playing as Chambara Roleplaying tend to be filled with social, physical, and poltical death traps

[ArkangelWinter]

Mechwarrior 3rd Edition, sold now as Classic Battletech RPG, is a straight up sci-fi game that is closer to modern technology than SR. Mutant Chronicles is a more military sci-fi game, complete with evil supernatural menaces. Also try Warjammer 40k's Rogue Trader, or Eclipse Phase, which delves into the consequences of all this advancement into a cybered world but is still a dark, tactical game.

[MisterJohnson]

Other than D&D3.5, my other RPG passion is (was) the West End Games version of STAR WARS.  As a massive Star Wars fan, I found that game to be a lot of fun.  I personally only played about three adventures, but in my gaming group, I GM'ed 68 adventures in our long-running campaign which started in high school and finished the last year of college.  I digress.  Star Wars, Expanded 2nd Edition by West End Games, is no longer in print - and thus hard to get books.  Also, I used to write for WEG and the Star Wars RPG - so, there's that link too.

Another thought would be ECLIPSE PHASE.  Written by two of the writers for Shadowrun, it's a game flung far into the future where humanity has evolved past the flesh-body and the mind can uploaded to a computer and downloaded into a new body.  It makes for some very interesting gameplay.

eclipsephase.com

Coincidentally, this game *used to be* printed by Catalyst Game Labs.

[CanRay]

Star Wars D6, Deadlands:  Hell On Earth, Airship Pirates, Dead Reign (Palladium system) are what I'd GM.

What I'd like to play is DAMNED NEAR ANYTHING.

[JustADude]

7th Sea, or the Dresden Files RPG (aka, a 'FATE' variant).

[Mirikon]

D&D 3.5
M&M 2nd
Hero System (4th, 5th, or 6th)
BESM 3rd

Haven't tried GURPS before, but would be willing to give it a go.

[Simagal]

Right now I'd play Eclipse Phase, any of the Warhammer 40K games. Legend of the Five Rings and Seventh Sea are great games. I have heard really good things about Pathfinder. Warhammer Fantasy roleplaying looks good, but expensive and unique and is on deck to play when the Shadowrun game ends.

[x6u]

I've heard a lot of good things about Eclipse Phase, but I'm concerned that the lack of permanent death makes for a less suspenseful game. For those who've actually played it, is this an issue at all?

[CanRay]

I've heard a lot of good things about Eclipse Phase, but I'm concerned that the lack of permanent death makes for a less suspenseful game. For those who've actually played it, is this an issue at all?

Come on, that's been around since AD&D and Car Wars! 

[rasmusnicolaj]

Earthdawn, Warhammer Fantasy or 40K, Fireborn, Ars Magica...

Rasmus

[MisterJohnson]

I've heard a lot of good things about Eclipse Phase, but I'm concerned that the lack of permanent death makes for a less suspenseful game. For those who've actually played it, is this an issue at all?

No.  It actually opens up a lot of issues.  It's quite a neat take on transhumanity conundrums.

[All4BigGuns]

I've heard a lot of good things about Eclipse Phase, but I'm concerned that the lack of permanent death makes for a less suspenseful game. For those who've actually played it, is this an issue at all?

Lack of "permanent death" is a MAJOR plus in my book. As a player for obvious reasons, and as a GM because I avoid killing PCs as often as I can (meaning I won't kill a PC off entirely unless they want their character to die).

[Kat9]

I play Shadowrun because its as close as I can get to Cyberpunk. If I had my druthers, I'd be onto some Cyberpunk 2020.

[Henker]

I think that I will play vampire in a world of Darkness, and Rogue trader in the w40k RPGs serie