Four Settings, one rule set!

Preamble

After the Spell Jammer campaign ended, many wondered why we no longer played DnD 5e.

The reason is that we have a system that we play that spans a range of settings.

Of course, that is Mythras.

Back to Dungeons and Dragons

I thought role-playing games had disappeared from the face of the planet. I had enjoyed them in my teens and for a while at university, but after that, I drifted away from them and thought everyone else had. Only when I was scrolling through the Twitch channels did I locate a stream playing Dungeons and Dragons!

Shortly after that, and I think it must have been a sign, I was in a channel, and the streamer mentioned that he always wanted to play DnD, and so, without much hesitation, I promptly sat back into the DM’s chair.

However, something was missing from the game, so I searched for another ruleset. That was when I found Mythras!

The new system, new rules

At this point, I was searching for a ruleset I could learn and produce content about. Mythras is one of those rulesets that keeps giving. Before long, I was creating videos and a podcast for The Design Mechanism and even had one of the creators – Lawrence Whitaker – appear on our stream, GMing a game for us!

Despite loving the rules, there is something else that I love about Mythras. From the basic rules, The Design Mechanism created a range of settings. These are not just modules or adventures; these are different genres of RPGs, making Mythras unique to me.

What settings?

Initially, we were only playing the fantasy version of the game. We played Shadowrun 5th edition and Call of Cthulhu along with Mythras. These had completed different rules from each other, so, as a GM, I spent a lot of time trying to understand those systems better and creating adventures.

Longing for a sci-fi system, we added Starfinder to our games, and my brain was about to explode! My brain exploded again when I looked for a superhero game and bought Mutants and Masterminds.

It was at this time that I decided that I could not keep all these systems running at the same time. Players started to leave games, and slowly the group dwindled. I needed to act and quickly!

All in one!

As I looked more into the Mythras system, I realised there were other settings we could play without learning an entirely new rule set. 

Still using the Mythras rules, we soon played a science fiction campaign based in space. M-Space (Mythras in Space!) allowed us to arm the characters with firearms, engage the hyperdrive and erect the shields!

Shortly after that, The Design Mechanism released Destined. Destined allowed us to take the ruleset into the realm of superheroes and villains.

And I still have one campaign ready up my sleeve! A campaign based on ghost hunting and spooky goings-on that will use the After the Vampire Wars setting.

Three different campaigns in three other genres but all with one ruleset!

Why is this important?

We are all swamped, even arranging to play one night a week to raise various issues. Coupled with this, people only have a little time to learn new rules. 

But by using the same ruleset repeatedly, the players and I at the GM do not need to learn new rules every time we shift to a new genre. We apply what we already know to the new campaign. Firing a blaster pistol is not the same as swinging an axe, but combat is the same procedure with different skills and specials.

In the same way, although the skills have changed, the dice rolls and conventions are the same. This means we can get straight into the action when we are playing rather than spend time explaining what to do and how to do it.

Also, every time a new genre is published, it comes with some new systems. For example, M-Space brought us conflict pools and Destined rules for moving and doing other actions simultaneously. These changes resonate with other campaigns; if we like an approach, we can use it without adapting anything.

Outro

You might be someone who likes playing different rulesets, but for me, I want to play more and read rules less. Having the same system in all the various campaigns allows me to focus on creating any additional rules that need to be created and to focus on creating an immersive campaign.

One which I hope the players enjoy as much as I do.