I'm looking into buying Deadlands but am not sure which edition to get. I'm looking at D20 and Savage Worlds editions for the following reasons. D20 because everyone in the group knows this system. Savage Worlds, cuz I know the system and it's a simpler set of rules than D20.

Fortunately, everyone in the group is ok with us using a new game system, so that's not a problem. What I'm asking members of the forum is which system do they like best between those two and why!

Thanks in advance for letting me know what you think about the two editions of the game.

Skunk

hmmm.

My only experience with Deadlands was the original system, using cards for actions and so on. Was a very cool system, had a great unique feel too it.

Next time I had a chance to play it was D20... Though I acknowledge the D20 system is well rounded clean. I don't particularly care for it.

I suppose I didnt actually add anything valuable to the thread. Bleh.

Save yourself a lot of aggravation and get Deadlands:Reloaded. I have a lot of love for Classic but it is just too clunky and combat takes far too long. Its also incredibly unbalanced in favor of gunslingers which, while quite accurate, doesn't make for a good game.
d20 is d20. If you like it then its all good. Deadlands d20 is well done but there isn't any support for it available. DL:R has adventures available and there are Plot Point books on the way, not to mention a very active player community.

I'd say DL:R. I loved the old game and Savage Worlds is a progression of the same rules set. DL:R does have some differences from core SW I'm sure, but I just can NOT see running it with D20. That would be like D20 Call of Cthulhu...which I am not a fan of.

Thanks for the opinions everyone. I finally ended up purchasing DL: R. I had bid on the classic system Players Guide and Marshall's Guide on eBay, but was out bid, so I went ahead and purchased the DL: R hard cover from Amazon. I should have it in about a week.

I see they've got a newer edition of Savage Worlds out, but there is a PDF of the differences in the core rules, so I should be good after reading the PDF. But thanks again for your opinions on the two game versions.

Skunk

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I went ebay-crazy (it happens sometime with me...see a game...and try to get whatever I can) and buy a lot of modules of the old deadlands (nothing D20) - I supose the way to go -the one that seems that you will follow- is buy the new DL:R and from there try to find cheap old adventures/settings...

It happened also with Twilight 2000 ... Too much things and too little time (and players that only want to play Fantasy...my bad luck !)

My preference is definitely for the older, classic edition - the way Weird Science was handled in the older version is infinitely better.

I like mad science. I run Steampunkish games, my primary hope with SW was that I could run Steampunk with it, and it failed to deliver. Which was very strange, since their older game had done such a good job with it. (Possibly the most fun that I have ever had with weird science in the hands of the PCs!)

I have stolen elements of the D20 Deadlands, but I think that if I ever run Deadlands again it will be the classic.

The Auld Grump

I'll be detting DL:R pretty soon and from everything I've heard of the invention system, it needs reworking. I think I might be up for the challenge.

At first I felt the same way about SW damage, but I don't think combat is too fast and the penalties are a nice effect as well. Of course, the bad guys just plain go down, but that doesn't really bother me since thats what bad guys do!

I've played True20 and I like it. I'm not into converting games so I don't look at it from that angle. True20 is, IMO, the best iteration of d20 on the market but after playing SW extensively its just not as much fun or easy to use and there is more I can do with SW with not a lot of work.
Its really just personal preference and being part of the great SW community is a big part of it. I play a lot of other games but we always get that Savage itch and come back to it.
And for the record I really dislike White Wolf in general and the Storyteller system in particular. I do like Changeling, however. I give em that.