So why is SW better than d20?

[bloodshadows]

One of my players moved away some time ago and he was never a fan of Savage Worlds. He was back in town during Thankgiving and sat in on our Rippers game. He had played the very first game of Rippers we played, then he moved away. I didn't know he was going to be there and I had to work that day so we didn't have a chance to boost up his character in Ranks to be equal to everyone else.
Long story short, he was a Novice character with 5xps with 1 veteran and 2 heroic rank characters... he was never pushed aside or overshadowed. In fact, he was right in the thick of the action thanks to a number of Tricks he used. He acutally out-performed the Veteran character. That sold him on the game. Now he can't wait to come back during Christmas and play some more. He's playing in a D&D game where he lives now and says it's a sad comparison to the fun he had here.

All but 1 of my players originally either had doubts or simply didn't want to mess with Savage Worlds. Now they're all fanatics wanting me to convert everything else to SW. I think that's a pretty solid vote for SW!

[MadTinkerer]

When you read the following, please bear in mind a few facts. I was the last diehard Deadlands d20 fan. I still buy d20 products (I just gave a favorable review of Steamworks over in the other forum). I really like Star Wars Saga Edition.

That said, I'd rather run Savage Worlds any day of the week because I just don't have the time to prep for d20 anymore. But there are plenty more reasons why I just like Savage Worlds better.

Savage Worlds is better than D&D because:

SW succeeded at what WotC tried and failed to do with d20 circa D&D 3e: create a true multi-genre many-setting system that was easy to learn and play. (To be fair, this was mostly the result of putting out 3.5 far too soon, which was really the fault of Hasbro being short-sighted but it's still a colossal failure considering the effort.)

Where D&D uses two or three rules, SW uses one. Where D&D uses two stats, SW uses one. Where D&D has intuitive-but-odd progression rates for Feats and Class Abilities, SW says "one thing per level". Where WotC constantly puts out long updated errata lists for D&D, PEG changes one SW rule a year, if that, and it's always easy to remember.

New SW versions rarely break previously-published material, and on the rare occasions when they do, it's always simple to convert forward (like the new melee weapon damage rule).

SW is easier to learn.

The SW hardcover rulebook used to be three times cheaper than D&D and the Explorer's Edition is now nine times cheaper.

Savage Settings are self-contained books that cost less per the amount of information contained than any d20 setting/supplement.

Savage Settings do a lot more work for the GM than the typical D&D campaign.

Coming up with your own original campaign material is exponentially simpler than with d20.

I could go on and on, but I think I'll stop with those few points.

[Neal5x5]

Originally Posted by MadTinkerer

I could go on and on, but I think I'll stop with those few points.

I have to second all of MadTinkerer's comments. I collect RPG systems and have run all sorts, from the simple stuff like FUDGE to the ungawdly complex like Millennium's End and the sliderule hell known as Starfleet Battles (not an RPG but you get the idea). I've become tired of the 3.5 treadmill (I don't have weeks to prepare a single adventure anymore) and even simplified D20 systems like True20 and Modern20 aren't as enjoyable as Savage Worlds. Almost all of my friends that I've introduced to the system are converts and more than a few new players have left convention game tables during our breaks to quickly hit the dealer's room for Savage Worlds books. It's that fun.

[jvarnes]

I Hate to be an old "thread-bumper", but I actually ran a Savage Worlds fantasy themed game this weekend for the wife and kids (they're 8 and 12 so pretty ripe to begin roleplaying).

I have to say that even me being REALLY rusty playing and gamemastering that the system was very easy to catch onto. I had read the rules (several times in fact) before, but never had any practical experience with them until this game.

All-in-all I pretty much echo the sentiments posted here. Was fast, fun & furious just as promised (and the wild die really was WILD as my son's wizard went OFF on the orc chieften and cracked his staff over the ugly's head for a resounding damage roll of 30 vs. his toughness of 12... yikes! Even with a double bennie soak roll attempt my BBG went down for the count amid cheers from the other players - fun stuff!)

It's so much more story & description driven then D20 (and many other systems). I can see why it has such a fan following. Count me in now too!