When comparing Microlite20 Purest Essence vs Cyberpunk 2020, the Slant community recommends Cyberpunk 2020 for most people. In the question“What are the best tabletop RPGs?” Cyberpunk 2020 is ranked 17th while Microlite20 Purest Essence is ranked 54th. The most important reason people chose Cyberpunk 2020 is:
With its system for creating character traits and backstory, CB2020 inspires players to build well-rounded characters with adventure seeds built directly into their histories. Skill-checks are based on a D10 roles plus attribute and skill values against difficulty levels, and combat tends to be quick and dirty, keeping the focus on the action and allowing for cinematic gameplay.
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Pros
Pro Easy to start
If you are looking for a game like DnD, but much easier - try Microlite20 Pures Essence with Ultimate Fantasy supplement.
Pro Rules will be familiar to any veteran D&D player
As Microlite20 is a stripped down version of the d20 SRD with the same classes, races, items and abilities, it will be easy to understand by anyone that has previously played a D&D game. Especially D&D 3.x.
Pro Compatible with d20 SRD
Any material written for the d20 system can be used with the Microlite20 system. All creatures, items, monsters, spells, etc from any d20 SRD licensed resource are compatible with the Microlite20 system.
Pro Clear writing
The writing is very terse and to the point. There's very little in terms of fluff. As such the rules are easy to comprehend and reference.
Pro Simple rules allow easy customization
m20 remains compatible with the d20 SRD, but rules are lite enough that adding modifications to the system is trivially simple.
Pro Deep character creation and fast-paced action
With its system for creating character traits and backstory, CB2020 inspires players to build well-rounded characters with adventure seeds built directly into their histories. Skill-checks are based on a D10 roles plus attribute and skill values against difficulty levels, and combat tends to be quick and dirty, keeping the focus on the action and allowing for cinematic gameplay.
Pro Faithful rendition of "cyberpunk" fiction
Pro Universal Stat+Skill+d10! roll-system for determining success
There is a universal roll of using a character's appropriate Stat, a Skill related to that stat and to the action needed, and an exploding d10 die (if you roll a 10, you will start to have adequate "critical hit" thrills by rolling some more, but if you roll a 1 that is a potentially dangerous Fumble on the Fumble Chart, 60% of the time).
Cons
Con Combat can potentially get stale
Due to the fact that combat is simplified to just 3 variables (AC, HP and attacks) a less experienced DM runs the risk of creating repetitive combat.
Con Chance may be more important than strategy
With a system that gives every roll a 10 percent chance to be a fumble or critical hit (respectively), gameplay can at times become somewhat arbitrary. Some players and GMs may find this high level of randomness enjoyable as a way of disrupting well-conceived plans, and the excellent fumble tables in particular contain loads of hilarity and mayhem. Others may feel the need to 'hack' the rules a bit.
Con A future that is almost an alternate history at this point
Set in a time that is almost upon us, the 1980s vision of the dark future can seem anachronistic, and it may require serious suspension of disbelief for anyone who did not grow up with the genre. Imagine cassette tapes were still around, mobile phones were still the size of a brick, and wifi was rare and expensive.