Other fantasy games that would be good for ideas

[Toadmaster]

Anyone have recommendations for fantasy games that would be good to pick ideas from. Along with recommendations why would be nice to know as well (what makes it a good referance) whether its the game world, the magic system or something else.

[Steve Long]

Ars Magica, for the magic system.

The Dying Earth RPG, for just about everything.

Authentic Thaumaturgy, from SJG, for interesting (if often biased) ideas.

Shadowrun, for the magic system (in re: the way it sets laws and boundaries and then works within them).

Deadlands, for the flavor of the magic.

[ShadowRaptor]

Exalted, Wheel of Time, and Earthdawn are also unique games with a good magic system.

[Thag13]

Steve nailed it right on the head.

Deadlands Machanic of using a deck of cards and drawing poker hands for how well magic spells work in a given situation was genus.

ShadowRun's Magic system has a great feel to it as well. It can be a little slow running a combat with it, but the results are worth it when you can get the system down.

[Midhir]

Warhammer Fantasy RolePlay has a great series of modules (Power Behind the Throne series) that set a great dark fantasy gaming world perfect for roleplaying and down and dirty fighting.

[jtelson]

If you're looking for detail try Mythus or Rolemaster. They both have rigid but in depth magic systems - Mythus in particular could be described as downright complicated.

[Peregrine]

I'll be the heretic.

D&D, for all it's chronicled faults, has some nice ideas. Of particular recommendation are the Van Richten's Guides. They have a lot of good roleplaying advice for different types of undead and lycanthropes.

[Old Man]

I'll agree, the game itself is pretty lacking but the worlds and backgrounds are pretty good. I know some people that enjoy the Darksun setting.

I HATE the Dragonlance setting primarily due to Kender. If I had to play in a campaign, I would take Extreme Hatred of Kender 20 pts as a Disad.

[Zoth]

Originally posted by Shadowpup
HATE the Dragonlance setting primarily due to Kender.

Dragonlance. Dragonlance! I HAVE to like the Dragonlance setting.
See when I was a kid on one of our family summer trips I read Dragonlance -- The Legend of Huma. In the very back of the book was an add about playing the book or let you adventures continue or something like that. The add was for the D&D basic box set. I remembered getting something like that for a gif from my cousin but at the time my mom though I was too young and put it up. When we got home I dug it out and it was the 2nd box-set the blue one so later that week I went and got the 1st box-set the red one and it all started from that book.

Z.O.T.H "MEMORY QUERY COMPLETE"

[ShadowRaptor]

I forgot about this, but another really good source of ideas is from all the many video rpgs we have available to play. Any number of them can give you ideas.

[Tetsuyama]

If you're looking for interesting source material for your world, I find that Dragon magazine frequently has some interesting stuff on world building. It also occasionally has some cool character ideas and scenarios which I puree with elements from my homebrew world to come up with something useful.

I haven't followed Dungeon magazine particularly closely, but it looks like it also might have some decent stuff in it.

[ShinDangaioh]

Let's start it off big.

Talislanta. The world is one of the richest I've seen.

Next up, Rolemaster and its setting Shadow World. ICE does put a lot of detail in their modules, despite their small size

Powers & Perils has a rigid magic structure that can be easily emulated by Hero.

[Steve]

I would agree on the Shadow World setting. It has a rich feel to it, and a long history to mine for campaign ideas.

If you like the notion of Urban Fantasy, there is an out of print (I believe) game called Cuttthroat. It was set in a sort of Thieves World type of fantasy city.

For a more modern take on fantasy, try Bloodshadows. The notion of film noir mixed with fantasy elements inspired some good games. Picture a 1920s-era private eye going up against vampire-controlled syndicates and accompanied by a gorgeous "moll" type, and you start to get the idea.

[Lucius]

The world of Glorantha from the Runequest game. One of the most detailed and fascinating settings ever. The myth, the magic, the cosmology, it was incredibly detailed and it all WORKED. A lot of it could probably be emulated in Hero too.

Lucius Alexander

And the verdict is - innocent! Feed them to the palindromedary!

[Captain Obvious]

While there's not much in the way of cool rules to convert, Warhammer Fantasy Role Play has atmosphere in spades. Overall history isn't too shabby, if that's what you're into.