Line #19 Main/HouseSystem


1	A set of rules used by a game development company for almost every game they publish. It is much cheaper to create the system once, and then tweak it for a specific game, than to develop a unique system for each game. It also helps with sales because players will already know the basics, and won't have to learn a whole new set of rules. If your system requires something unusual, such as particular dice or tokens, they can generally be reused between games. However, using a House System can backfire if the system doesn't fit the genre it's being applied to.
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3	Distinct from a UniversalSystem in that, while a House System may be used for multiple genres, it is not released as an independent cross-genre product and is only used by one company. However, many (even most) {{Universal System}}s began as House Systems, and can still be listed here in that case.
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5	Has [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant nothing to do with]] the system of dividing BoardingSchool students into Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, etc. Or with SmartHouse.
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7	!!Examples (by original publisher name):
8	%% Alphabetized by original publisher name, because some systems have no specific names.
9	%% Please keep examples in that order.
10	* AEG: The D10-based system used for ''TabletopGame/LegendOfTheFiveRings'' and ''TabletopGame/SeventhSea''. Both used the same basic die rolling mechanic, but were otherwise quite different.
11	* Creator/{{Chaosium}}: The ''Basic Roleplaying'' system is an interesting case: Chaosium mutated the original ''TabletopGame/RuneQuest'' into a half-dozen systems with the same core mechanics (percentile skills and the same seven stats, more or less), and collected most of the variations into one system with numerous options.
12	** Except for ''Pendragon'', which changed too radically.
13	** Mongoose's version of ''TabletopGame/RuneQuest'' is just different enough from Chaosium's system to avoid lawsuits, but thanks to the first edition's Open Game License became the basis for other variations, mostly fan-made.
14	* Eden Games: The MediaNotes/{{Unisystem}}.
15	* Creator/FantasyFlightGames: The d10 system of ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasyRoleplay'' and similar games in settings from Creator/GamesWorkshop was this until their license expired. Nowadays it's ''TabletopGame/{{Genesys}}'', created for the ''TabletopGame/StarWarsRoleplayingGame'' and also used for their version of ''TabletopGame/LegendOfTheFiveRings''.
16	* Creator/GameDesignersWorkshop: The rule system from ''TabletopGame/Twilight2000'' second edition became their house system, used in ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}: The New Era'', ''Cadillacs and Dinosaurs'', and ''Dark Conspiracy''.
17	* Creator/GreenRonin: The AGE System, originally developed as ''Fantasy AGE'' for use with ''TabletopGame/DragonAge'', it was also adapted for modern day (called ''Modern AGE'') andused in games based on ''Literature/TheExpanse'' and ''ComicBook/{{Lazarus}}''.
18	* Guardians of Order / Dyskami Publishing: The Tri-Stat System, used for ''TabletopGame/BigEyesSmallMouth'' and ''TabletopGame/SilverAgeSentinels'' among others.
19	* Hero Games: The ''TabletopGame/HeroSystem'' is a textbook example of a single game (''[[{{Superhero}} Champions]]'') evolving into a House System (as used in the original editions of ''[[SpaceOpera Star Hero]]'', ''[[{{Fantasy}} Fantasy Hero]]'', ''[[TwoFistedTales Justice, Inc.]]'', ''[[SpyFiction Danger International]]'', and ''[[HumongousMecha Robot Warriors]]''), and then back into a single UniversalSystem game. Most of the older side-games were revived during the 5th edition era as genre-advice [[{{Sourcebook}} sourcebooks]].
20	* [[Creator/MargaretWeis Margaret Weis Productions]]: The Cortex and Cortex Plus systems were used for several licensed games, including ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'', ''Series/{{Firefly}}'', ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', ''Series/{{Leverage}}'', ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', and more. A separate Cortex rulebook was also released, making this a UniversalSystem as well.
21	* Creator/ModiphiusEntertainment uses the 2d20 System as a house system for licensed games based on works as diverse as ''Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian'', ''Franchise/{{Dune}}'', ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'', ''Literature/JohnCarterOfMars'', and ''Franchise/StarTrek''.
22	* Monte Cook Games: The ''MediaNotes/CypherSystem'' began as a house system for ''TabletopGame/{{Numenera}}'' and ''TabletopGame/TheStrange'', before being expanded into a full UniversalSystem.
23	* Creator/PalladiumBooks: The Palladium or "Megaversal" system.
24	* Pelgrane Press: The ''MediaNotes/{{GUMSHOE}}'' system is Pelgrane's house system, but has expanded into use by other publishers as well.
25	* Creator/RTalsorianGames:
26	** The Interlock system, used in the ''TabletopGame/{{Cyberpunk}}'' and ''TabletopGame/{{Mekton}}'' games.
27	** They also created the Fuzion system, which attempted to combine the best features of the Hero System and the Interlock system, but had rather mixed success.
28	* Creator/WestEndGames: The D6 system, which was initially used for ''TabletopGame/{{Star Wars\|d6}}'' and ''Ghostbusters'' before being expanded into a UniversalSystem.
29	* ''Creator/WhiteWolf'' has several:
30	** The Storyteller system, used for the ''TabletopGame/OldWorldOfDarkness'' games.
31	** Followed by their Storytell''ing'' system, where each game refers back to the core system in a single book (''TabletopGame/ChroniclesOfDarkness'').
32	* Creator/WizardsOfTheCoast: The MediaNotes/D20System was used as a house system (for, for example, ''TabletopGame/StarWarsD20'', ''TabletopGame/D20Modern'', and ''TabletopGame/GammaWorld'') in addition to its use by other publishers as a UniversalSystem.
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Context Main / HouseSystem