Sell Me on The Fantasy Trip

[afschell]

The geographical dispersement of my gaming group mandates that we play using VTTs. DFRPG/GURPS is just too complex/slow for my taste in this scenario.

Take. for example, a standard melee combat sequence. In DFRPG (and more so in GURPS Basic) the sequence is:

1. Roll to hit. With an additional roll if there is a critical hit or miss.
   Total # of Rolls (so far): 1
   Total # of Rules (so far): 1
2. Roll to defend (with a possible retreat which adds +3 to Dodge, and +3 to Parry if you have skills X, Y, or Z or +1 to Parry and +1 to Block if you don't have those skills.) And remember to subtract the Shield DB from the Dodge roll if the attack comes from various facings.
   Total # of Rolls (so far): 3
   Total # of Rules (so far): 3
3. If that roll fails (i.e. the attack rolls damage), roll for damage and calculate it's multiplier based on damage type.
   Total # of Rolls (so far): 3
   Total # of Rules (so far): 5
4. Subtract the damage from the attack based on armor and attacker's facing (for Shield effectiveness).
   Total # of Rolls (so far): 3
   Total # of Rules (so far): 6
5. Determine if there was Shock, Knockdown, Major Wounds, Unconsciousness, etc., based on a multitude of modifiers: Do you have "HPT", "Low Pain Threshold", "How Many HP did you start with?", "How big of a wound is it as a percentage of your starting HP?", "Was it a crippling wound based on where it hit?", "If you failed the Knockdown roll, by how much?", "Did the damage stun you?". The list goes on.
   Total # of Rolls (so far): 3 (but probably more are required (HT saves, for example).
   Total # of Rules (so far): At least 8 (with some of these, e.g. Unconsciousness from Knockdown, being buried as a single, non-highlighted, line in the text).
6. Determine if the target is still alive by rolling against HT if necessary (with varying modifiers based on how many multiples of HP the target is down).
   Total # of Rolls (so far): 4 or more, especially if a critical hit or miss was involved.
   Total # of Rules (so far): 9 or more
7. Next ...

Compare to TFT:ITL:

1. Roll to hit. A critical hit either doubles or triples the damage; a critical miss either drops or breaks the weapon.
   Total # of Rolls (so far): 1
   Total # of Rules (so far): 1
2. If successful, roll for damage
   Total # of Rolls (so far): 2
   Total # of Rules (so far): 2
3. Subtract armor and shield (where shields work if the attack came from the front).
   Total # of Rolls (so far): 2
   Total # of Rules (so far): 3
4. React to the injury (5 or more total hits this turn, -2 DX on your next turn, 8 or more you fall down).
   Total # of Rolls (so far): 2
   Total # of Rules (so far): 4
5. Next ...

So, for a basic combat sequence TFT:ITL uses 1/2 the dice rolls (which will definitely speed things up) and less than 1/2 the rules than DFRPG/GURPS. Which makes for a game that is more story driven than combat simulation/crunch driven. So you will be able to explore (and get more loot) each session.

Not to mention that it only gets more complicated in DFRPG/GURPS when you start bringing in "Close Combat", "Grappling", "Trampling", "Shield Rushes", etc. These are available in TFT:ITL but those rules are sentences or a paragraph or two, not paragraphs or a page or two.

Simply put, I cannot remember all the rules and various conditions as they apply in DFRPG, much less GURPS. That means that I am (at least partially) winging it when certain combat situations arise. The time spent searching through 600 pages of rules to settle arguments when there is a disagreement takes away from dungeon delving. And I, at least, would much rather play than dig through rules.

TFT:ITL isn't perfect. There will be pieces of DFRPG/GURPS that I will house rule in. But, overall, if you do more "roll-playing" than "role-playing" (which my group does) it cannot be beat.