Ghostbusters (role-playing game)

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Ghostbusters
Image:RPG_Ghostbusters_cover.jpg
Ghostbusters RPG, first edition cover
Designer(s) Sandy Petersen, Lynn Willis, Greg Stafford
Publisher(s) West End Games
Publication date 1986 (Ghostbusters)

1989 (Ghostbusters International)
Genre(s) Comedy
System Custom, became the D6 System

Ghostbusters is a comedy role-playing game designed by Sandy Petersen, Lynn Willis, and Greg Stafford, and published by West End Games. It is based on the 1984 film Ghostbusters.

Contents

[edit] Setting

The Ghostbusters role-playing game is set in the same fictional universe as the Ghostbusters films, but in a period sometime after the first film. In the game, the original Ghostbusters have created a corporation known as Ghostbusters International, which sells Ghostbusters franchises to individuals around the world.

Most player characters in the Ghostbusters roleplaying game are franchisees who operate in cities outside the film's New York locale. The game does, however, include profiles of the original four Ghostbusters for gamers who wish to role-play the cinematic characters or have them appear as non-player characters.

While the Ghostbusters films limit the Ghostbusters to combatting ectoplasmic entities such as ghosts and demons, the Ghostbusters game expands the setting to pit Ghostbusters against numerous other paranormal creatures and incidents. Ghostbusters characters may encounter creatures as diverse as vampires, extraterrestrials, and time-travelers.

[edit] System

Ghostbusters features an intentionally minimalist rules system. The game's main rulebook, the Operations Manual, does not include rules for subjects like movement rates and weapon ranges, it explicitly states that they are unnecessary for play.

Character generation in Ghostbusters begins with a simple character point mechanic for assigning character attributes, which it calls Traits. Each character begins with 12 points, which the character's player assigns to the four Traits: Brains, Muscle, Moves, and Cool, giving each Trait a score between 1 and 5.

Each character must also be assigned four Talents. Talents (skills) are organized into groups based on the which of the four Traits they're most associated with; each character has one Talent from each group. The character's score in each Talent is three points higher than the associated Trait.

Most tasks in Ghostbusters are resolved by determining which Trait or (if appropriate) Talent is most relevant to the task at hand, and rolling a number of six-sided dice equal to that Trait or Talent's score. The results of the dice rolled are added, and the sum compared to a difficulty number assigned to the task by the Ghostmaster (gamemaster). If the player's roll equals or exceeds the difficulty number, the character succeeds at the task.

This basic dice pool mechanic has two additional game mechanics. The first, the Ghost Die, is a special die that represents bad luck, and can cause even successful actions to have negative effects for player characters. It has the Ghostbusters logo instead of a six, and when it comes up causes some unfortunate mishap. When a ghost is rolled for a villain, the mishaps rebound in their favor or cause their powers to temporarily have greater effects than normal.

The second mechanic, Brownie Points, represent the character's accumulated "good karma", and can be used to increase the number of dice used in a task resolution roll, or even change the negative effects of a failed roll. Each character begins the game with a pool of 20 Brownie Points, which decreases as they are used in play. In the first edition Brownie Points are also lost when characters are injured. Players earn replacement points for their characters by succeeding in Ghostmaster-appointed tasks, achieving their character's personal goal (for instance, Egon's is advancing the cause of science), and as rewards for good roleplaying.

Ghostbusters task resolution system was influential on the development of other West End Games systems. A more detailed version of the system was used in the Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, and became the signature mechanic of the D6 System.

[edit] History

The Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game boxed set (ISBN 0-87431-043-1) was published in 1986. It contained a 24-page Training Manual (player handbook), a 64-page Operations Manual (GM's handbook), six dice, and various handouts. West End Games published three accessories for the original Ghostbusters rules:

In 1987, Ghostbusters won the H.G. Wells Award for "Best Roleplaying Rules of 1986." [1]

In 1989, West End Games published a revised version of Ghostbusters, titled Ghostbusters International (ISBN 0-87431-223-X). The second version of the game was published both to capitalize on that year's release of the film Ghostbusters 2, and to satisify players who requested a more detailed set of rules. (Anonymous 1989). This boxed set contained a single, 144-page rule book, six dice, and handouts. West End Games published five accessories for the Ghostbusters International rules:

As of 2006, Ghostbusters and all of its supplements are out of print.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

  • Farstad, Errol. "The Critical Hit" Polyhedron Newzine 35. (TSR, Inc., 1987).
  • Makransky, Barbara. "If There's Something Stange in Your Hobby Shop" Gateways Vol 2, No. 5 (Gateways Publications, Inc., August 1987).
  • Rolston, Ken. "Roleplaying Reviews" Dragon 132. (TSR, Inc., April 1988).
Ghostbusters
Movies: Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters II | Ghostbusters III
Television: The Real Ghostbusters | Extreme Ghostbusters
Video Games: Ghostbusters (Activision) | Ghostbusters II | Ghostbusters (Sega) | Ghostbusters (Xbox 360)
Technology: Proton pack | Ectomobile | Ghostbusters equipment
Characters: Peter Venkman | Egon Spengler | Ray Stantz | Winston Zeddemore | Janine Melnitz | Ivo Shandor
Ghosts: Slimer | Stay Puft Marshmallow Man | Vigo the Carpathian | Scoleri Brothers | Samhain | Bogeyman
Misc: Ghostbusters: Legion | Ghostbusters: The Return | Ghostbusters (role-playing game) | Filmation's Ghostbusters
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