Savage Worlds Primer: Part 2

Last week we told you what Savage Worlds is and why you should care. That’s all you really need, but in the spirit of making the game as approachable as possible, I wanted to share with you some advice on how to get started.

Remember: Fast. Furious. Fun.

The whole philosophy of the game is those three words, and it plays best if you strive to achieve them for yourself. Don’t get hung up on the rules. The core mechanic will cover you until you have a chance to look things up. Throw fun enemies at your players. You can probably wing-it on any monster or group of pirates that might attack. And lastly, have fun. With the rules out of the way, you can concentrate on playing the game.

Savage Worlds Plays Differently

This has to be pointed out before you play. If you’ve played other games, then there are many expectations about how things will work. Try to throw those out. There are big differences as to what defines a character.

If anything, I’d say that a character’s power is based on how capable he is of bending probability to his favor. Because the target number is 4 for any success, a static bonus is immensely powerful, and you don’t get many of them.

But it’s more than that. You’ll likely find that every roll is watched like a spinning slot machine, mostly because you never know when the dice will explode and change things dramatically.

But be aware. This game does not hold toward the averages. Lives can rise and fall on the dice and cards. Sometimes, but not usually, the big bad is taken down with one punch. It’s part of what makes it fun, but dangerous. Your characters should never feel invulnerable.

Read Through the Book

While Pinnacle are fantastic game designers, they aren’t as good at organizing the rules for learning. Read the whole book before you play. Fortunately, is short and small, and the print is large, so it shouldn’t take long. Plus, they are good at writing in a conversational style.

Seek Help if You Need It

If you’re confused about anything, the Pinnacle forums are a fantastic source of information. I know, forums can be intimidating places, but you’ll find this one friendly and helpful, and you can ask the designers directly and expect a prompt response. Also, feel free to ask us questions. We’d be glad to help.

Play it Before You Modify

We all love to tinker with rule sets, and that’s no different with Savage Worlds. There are multiple variations and house rules usable to capture a specific feel.

But don’t do it. At least, not at first. As I said, this game doesn’t play the same at the table as other games, and that won’t come across at first reading. Get to know the feel of it before you start making adjustments.

Experiment Within the Rules

It’ll take you a while to get a feel for it, so experiment. Play around and try different things, just to see how it works. Spend your bennies, soak rolls, gang up on people, shoot into melee. Cast spells, play with super-powers, and be prepared for an accidental TPK. It’ll happen at some point, probably.

Hopefully, this has been helpful to you. If you’re a current Savage, and you have any beginning advice that I missed, please comment and let us know. When done, we want these primers to part of a comprehensive guide to Savage Worlds, and we’d know we’ll need your assistance for that.

Savage Worlds Primer Articles

• Savage Worlds Primer: Part 1
• Savage Worlds Primer: Part 2
• Using Trappings
• Rule Guidance: Bennies Part 1
• Rule Guidance: Bennies Part 2