Tabletop RPG · since 1996 · #64 most discussed

Deadlands

Play gunslingers, mad scientists, and hucksters in a Weird West where the dead walk and poker hands power spells.

Savage WorldsWeird weststep dicecardstokenspush your luckclasslessCampaignsNeeds a GM
7.0
Geek rating

From 19 firsthand play reports in 3 r/rpg threads. The threads alone average 7.9.

Player rating— / 10

No visitor ratings yet.

Discussion6.1 / 10

131 r/rpg posts named it, October 2023 to October 2026.

Rules weight

Medium. Hype 2.7 for its age.

Have you played it?

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What players say

At the table

Players report a flavorful Weird West game that runs from one-shots to multi-year campaigns, in Classic, the 20th Anniversary edition and the Savage Worlds (SWADE) version. The cards, poker chips and fate coins come up again and again as a highlight. Tables disagree on how much the edition matters, and Classic draws the most complaints about crunch and jank.

What works

What tables struggle with

Who it suits

In players' words

The threads behind it

Each thread is rated for the play it describes, from the firsthand reports in it. Load one here or read it on Reddit.

8.0

What's Your Thoughts on Deadlands: The Weird West, Is It Worth?

The people who ran or played Deadlands, in both Classic and SWADE, describe a fun, flexible Weird West game that fits many kinds of stories. Several have run it for years across multiple groups. The reports are short and positive, with almost no detail about problems at the table. 7 firsthand · 39 comments

Open on Reddit
8.0

Deadlands - The Weird West?

People who ran or played the current Savage Worlds-based Deadlands (Weird West) mostly report a fun, flavorful game, including full-year campaigns, with swingy exploding damage as the main caveat. The thread also covers Deadlands Classic and the 20th Anniversary edition, whose clunky-design complaints were set aside as a different ruleset. 6 firsthand · 38 comments

Open on Reddit
7.6

Which Deadlands & Explanation

Players who ran or played Deadlands, mostly Classic and the 20th Anniversary edition plus one Savage Worlds player, describe a game that is atmospheric, thematic and fun, with some jank. The thread is mostly an edition and system comparison, so the firsthand play reports are a minority of the comments. 6 firsthand · 46 comments

Open on Reddit