Index Card RPG vs Savage Worlds
Compare Index Card RPG and Savage Worlds side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Index Card RPG | Savage Worlds | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Universal | Universal |
| Play Style | Fast-Paced, Dungeon Crawl, Low-Prep, Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Combat-Heavy, Pulp Action, Ascending AC, Tag-Based | Cinematic, Fast-Paced, Tactical, Pulp Action, Combat-Heavy, Heroic, Miniatures |
| Core Mechanic | Roll d20 + stat vs. a single Target Number for the whole scene. On a hit, roll an Effort die (d4–d12 by type) to chip away at a task's Hearts (10 HP each). Timer dice count down each round to create urgency. | Roll trait die + wild die (d6), keep the highest. Target number 4. Raises every +4. |
| Dice | d20 + d4–d12 | d4–d12 |
| Complexity | Low | Medium |
| Accessibility | Medium | Medium |
| Community | High | Medium |
| License | 3rd Party License | Savage Worlds Adventurer's Guild |
| Cost | $$ | $$ |
| Publisher | Runehammer Games | Pinnacle Entertainment |
| Year | 2019 | 2018 |
| Best For | Groups who love D&D's d20 feel but want something faster, lighter, and more improvisational. Excellent for high-energy dungeon crawls with minimal prep. | Fast-paced pulp action across any genre. Great for large groups and mass combat. |
| Highlights | Very fast play, extensive GM tools, five genre settings included, highly hackable, timer dice create real tension | Fast resolution, genre-flexible, handles large groups well |
| Considerations | DIY philosophy can overwhelm new GMs, loot-as-progression feels punishing if gear is lost | Exploding dice can produce extreme variance in outcomes, setting books vary in depth — some provide minimal mechanical content beyond a genre frame |