TFT Play Style

[rlbeaver]

I've been really interested in running TFT, but some of the online posts has me second guessing because of the way they describe the game. How would you describe the game's playstyle in comparison to say Dungeon Fantasy or maybe D&D?

[Terquem]

The game, I would describe as modular and direct.
Essentially you can play the simplest of one player vs another player of one figure against another in tactical and well controlled combat.
Then how far you go with the game is up to you.
I played the full rpg version of this 40 years ago and it has potential but requires attentive players interested in extrapolation and not volumes of rules.
The new version feels the same. There are tools here to run either a crunchy combat driven game as well as a character building story game.
It has many elements that a group of players can fit to many play styles

[TippetsTX]

I can't speak to DF, but as someone who primarily ran Pathfinder for over a decade (and D&D 3.0/3.5 before that), I find the elegant 'lean-ness' of TFT far more satisfying as both GM and player.

As a GM, its lack of complex rule overlays and straightforward mechanics is very free-ing, allowing me focus on the game's narrative momentum rather than constantly monitoring everything that players can or can't do with their characters (and trying to memorize hundreds of spells, feats and class features).

As a player, the deadly nature of combat and the relative fragility of even the most experienced characters forces me to play smart, but more importantly, the gameplay provides a more real sense of accomplishment than I have felt in a long time.

TFT inspires me in a way that D&D hasn't done for a very long time. I heavily invested in the 3.0/3.5 edition along with Pathfinder and numerous other d20-based RPGs playing those almost exclusively for two decades. In spite of having much enjoyment over the years, however, I started to feel fatigued with the ever-escalating power levels, the literal weight of published materials and keeping up with the layers-upon-layers of rules and options. And while I acknowledge that 5e attempts to simplify and separate itself from this pattern, it still feels like more of the same. TFT, on the other hand, ironically feels fresh and open in way that I realized I had been missing since I first played it in the early '80s. There's much more support now than we had back in the day, but even so, it doesn't feel bloated and heavy. And knowing that even your most experienced character is only a few hits away from death is refreshing somehow.

[Terquem]

I have also played every version of D&D, like many of the older fellows here as well as T&T, Runequest, Chivalry and Sorcery, Traveller and other less well known role playing games.
Character tasks resolution in TFT feels more concrete than other early games and gives the GM a stronger hand in guiding outcomes.
I could go on and on but I don't really know that I'm helping to answer your question and I am on my phone which makes this a bit difficult.

[rlbeaver]

This all helps...I've been getting the impression that it was a meat grinder with lots of broken rules that players exploit to make it a gonzo mix of Rifts and paranoia

[phiwum]

Originally Posted by rlbeaver

This all helps...I've been getting the impression that it was a meat grinder with lots of broken rules that players exploit to make it a gonzo mix of Rifts and paranoia

You'll hear about exploits of broken rules here on the forum because we talk about rules a lot and part of that is looking at edge cases where both exploits and ridiculous outcomes arise.

But in my very limited experience, these exploits don't really arise in play. Of course, one might find a munchkin who dreams up a character with some remarkable abilities, but such characters usually have weaknesses as well. A clever GM can work around those weaknesses to gently push the player to a more reasonable set of choices.

Or, of course, simply have a chat with him. Explain that even if the rules say that your goblin can hurl umpity times two sha-ken every half turn, it's not particularly enjoyable in terms of the game.

Or, if neither of these options are viable, take a gander at the house rule sections to see which tweaks seem necessary.

But when you look there, keep in mind that while, say, the lasso may be a broken weapon, I've never had a player choose to play a lasso-using character. In a dungeon crawl? How the heck do you get into that? Maybe my imagination is just too limited, but most of the exploits involve choices that don't fit into the milieu in my humble opinion.

[TippetsTX]

TFT is nothing like Rifts.

Every game has exploitable rules but most of those (which recieve far to much attention in this forum IMO) are fringe cases in TFT.

[rlbeaver]

That was what I thought originally. But in a few other online places it sounded like the game was for silly fun which is fine but not what I was looking for.


I've bought everything except the mats (online only these days). So glad to find it wasn't a mistake.

[Helborn]

Frankly, TFT is a framework.


I remember being asked by a player who wanted to jump down a well and strike at an opponent while landing. I gave him an option 3/DX to strike and 6/DX to land or 3/DX to land and 6/DX to strike. There are no rules for this kind of simultaneous action - so I made them up on the spot. It fit the spirit of the game, the player was satisfied and the game kept going.
Most of my games are like that - figure out a way for the player to do what they want and don't nitpick about what SJ exactly wrote.
I find most of the discussions of RAW to be counter-productive.
Yes, the rules need to be understood, but they should not be a straight-jacket.
For instance, there are several references to the Immunity to Break Weapon enchantment without there being a listing or cost for such an enchantment (or the base Break Weapon enchantment, either).

[phiwum]

Originally Posted by Helborn

Frankly, TFT is a framework.


I remember being asked by a player who wanted to jump down a well and strike at an opponent while landing. I gave him an option 3/DX to strike and 6/DX to land or 3/DX to land and 6/DX to strike. There are no rules for this kind of simultaneous action - so I made them up on the spot. It fit the spirit of the game, the player was satisfied and the game kept going.

That's a really good solution. I'll have to keep that sort of fix in mind.