Disclaimer: I am a fan of the Savage Worlds system and it is my current go-to for anything that I run.
Here's the corporate blurb:
"Savage Worlds is the core ruleset for all of Pinnacle’s current roleplaying games, including Deadlands, 50 Fathoms, Weird Wars: Rome, and more. It has everything you need to play narrative or miniature-based games, with quick, simple, yet comprehensive rules for everything from combat to Dramatic Tasks, Chases, and Interludes. The emphasis is on less bookeeping for the Game Master so he can quickly and easily create worlds and adventures for any setting, and focus on the players and their actions during frenetic combat."
Um...that doesn't look simple, like at all.
And truthfully, it isn't. At first glance.
There is a mess of special actions to enhance combat options, setting rules to adjust the system to fit the flavor of game you want to run, subsystems to facilitate everything from casting magic to soaking damage, everything is measured in inches as opposed to actual distance, chases are done abstractly, etc.
So, why in the Savage World would they even suggest it is simple?
Because, at its core, it is - especially if you're a player. All you really need to do is roll the die type associated with the action you're attempting (for example, Fighting if you want to punch or stab someone, Driving to race a car, etc) along with a d6 (this is called the Wild Die), and take the best result (not add them together). Most of the time, you're looking for a result of 4 to succeed, with additional sums of 4 (8, 12, etc) counting as Raises. Oh, and good news! Either die you roll has the chance to Ace - which is to say, if it rolls the maximum value (say a 6 on a d6), you get to pick it up and roll again, adding the previous value to the new roll....and you can keep rolling for as long as the die Aces.
Now, there are variables that can adjust that roll (positively or negatively), but for those just starting out as players, the Gamemaster can handle those on a case-by-case basis as needed. Which, I suppose, is true of basically all traditional roleplaying games. The thing to remember here is: Most times, a total of 4 is all that is needed to succeed.
The other thing that I enjoy is that character creation is quick and easy (I can normally do it without a book now), but doesn't lack on options. You're not going to have cookie cutter characters unless you intend to.
Finally, while the above picture shows multiple books, you really only need one - the book in the very first picture - the Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorer Edition, and with just that one, you can play (or run) just about anything your twisted mind can come up with.
And that, right there, more than anything else I can say about Savage Worlds, is the biggest draw for me. With just one book, I can (and have) ran anything my twisted mind thinks is a good idea. I mean, sure, there are the companions (Fantasy, Science Fiction, Super Powers, and Horror) which have new ideas, mechanics, and advice for their specific genres, but I don't need them. I mean, I do have them, but that's more due to the fact that I'm a bit of a collector than anything.
Add to that the cost of the main book (just $10), and you have a very affordable, very robust, very portable game system. A game system that not only has a ton of support, but also licensees.
And that's just from Pinnacle....
