I just finished Avatar: The Last Airbender with some friends.  We all loved it, and I felt the familiar pang of sadness when it was over that I felt the first time the series ended.  I was thinking tonight (as I was working on homework that I am avoiding) that I'd like to try an Avatar RPG out with my friends.

A quick google is bringing up several options for unofficial rules to play Avatar TLA, so I'm going through them and reading other forums about them.  But I thought the best thing to do would be to ask some questions of the rpol community for your input and advice!

Has anyone played a game of Avatar?  What system did you use, and did It capture the spirit of bending?  And how did you handle the character of the Avatar?  Was that position playable?  Was your setting the same as from either of the tv shows, or did you play a different era?


EDIT:

Additional information: The only system I'm really familiar with is d20, but I'm willing to learn and teach my two friends.  We would probably play a "gritty" type game without a lot of spirit travel type stuff - more down to earth play.  Combat trees are great, but we probably need something relatively clean and not-too-difficult for some new players.
This message was last edited by the user at 09:15, Wed 18 Jan 2017.

I have not found a system that really captures the core of elemental bending. One other thing that makes it difficult is the absence of any official word on how the entire system actually works beyond the basic framework.

I'd suggest Legends of the Wulin, but it will likely be pretty dense or complicated in comparison with d20.

Yeah, LotW would be excellent for the subject matter, but probably awful for the not-intimidate-the-rookies task. It's so elegant, but so involved.

Absolutely. From my experiences, across three "good" ATLB games-- the cortex Marvel Heroic RPG worked VERY well.

I'm looking at reviews for both of these games.  What kind of reskinning would be involved in making the Marvel Heroic game into an Avatar setting?  Are there ways to improve the different bending forms?

For example, say your character practices defensive forms of earthbendng, and has a favorite move of making rock armor like a golem and fights melee.  Are there ways to train up this particular form that are more specific than just having "elemental powers"?

And does LotW have a mechanic that breaks down the different elements into specific moves?  Like a devastating tidal wave taking more energy than a water whip, but your resources (water volume) have to be considered, and the bender's ability to control that particular form/move?

In other words, like having individual spells, I guess.
This message was last edited by the user at 07:01, Thu 19 Jan 2017.

LotW has elemental "Internal Kung Fu styles", which are basically magic martial arts of the flashiest variety.  Each one has five levels of techniques, and more advanced techniques cost more chi to use.  Yes.  Re: water, there is specifically a technique that lets you shape water into a weapon.  Whip would be a Flexible-type.

In reply to Aidhogan (msg # 7):

Rage Of The Dragon Kings. It's a good basis for elemental fighting in general, where you try to beat people up with your chosen element.

From what I can tell, when internal martial arts attack, they're more about creating lasting conditions - the kind of thing that produces Zuko's scar, Azula zapping Aang in the crystal catacombs, etc.

Well, that's the whole system.  It's meant to model wuxia novels and cinema, so "fighting" by defending yourself until the purity of your heart makes your opponent respect you too much to continue is every bit as meaningful as punching her unconscious.

Energy attacks, which elemental internal arts do, are still set apart from the rest of combat in ways that make it unlike punching/hitting someone with flying elements until they agree with you or run away.