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[TheBronzePickle]

I was hoping to start an RPG up with a few of my friends, but I can't get enough of them to commit for the bigger tabletop games. I can GM, but I don't know if that would be feasible with so few players. Any recommendations?

[Neonivek]

For the most part most work, just that some get tougher.

Mostly though the ones that get tougher are ones based STRONGLY around a team balance such as Dungeons and dragons where not having the balanced team would force a DM to have to hand select encounters instead of randomly generating them.

Ones that are easier are ones where party balance isn't a concern... so

World Of Darkness and related systems
Mutants and Masterminds (DC adventures)
Gurps
Hero system (AKA Champions)
Rifts
Mechwarrior
Fantasy Warhammer
Call of Cthluhu (not the d20 version)
BESM
FateRPG and related systems

Actually pretty much not Dungeons and dragons and any game that is trying to be dungeons and dragons works easily without you needing to change much at all.

[freeformschooler]

Solution for the ones that get harder: GM PCs. Yes, I know certain players hate it, but playing D&D with only my bro as a player was completely improved by adding an NPC party member or two.

A lot of RPGs work just as well for small groups. GURPS is definitely one I recommend, because the "balancing" and "encounter planning" is entirely up to the GM. It can be as hard or difficult for small groups as they want.

Also gonna second Neonivek's recommendation of FATE. It's a significantly improved/more complex ruleset built on top of base FUDGE, which is itself built for any situation.

I like the HERO system but my brother didn't find it very fun with just him. But maybe it'd be more fun with 2+ persons.

[TheBronzePickle]

Thanks a bunch for the recommendations. I'll run them over with my friends.

[Glowcat]

Solution for the ones that get harder: GM PCs. Yes, I know certain players hate it, but playing D&D with only my bro as a player was completely improved by adding an NPC party member or two.

The key is to not take away from the players' spotlight. As long as party NPCs remain minions or in the shadow of the real protagonists they tend to work fine.

[freeformschooler]

Solution for the ones that get harder: GM PCs. Yes, I know certain players hate it, but playing D&D with only my bro as a player was completely improved by adding an NPC party member or two.

The key is to not take away from the players' spotlight. As long as party NPCs remain minions or in the shadow of the real protagonists they tend to work fine.

Yeah, I sorta did that my first time and my bro got annoyed real fast. So since then I've played cleric/healer types who don't do much except give assistance and recommendations when he gets stuck. The plot is usually center around the player, after all. Not make believe players.

You'd be surprised how many systems are workable in this manner for only one player.

[timferius]

Solution for the ones that get harder: GM PCs. Yes, I know certain players hate it, but playing D&D with only my bro as a player was completely improved by adding an NPC party member or two.

The key is to not take away from the players' spotlight. As long as party NPCs remain minions or in the shadow of the real protagonists they tend to work fine.

Yeah, I sorta did that my first time and my bro got annoyed real fast. So since then I've played cleric/healer types who don't do much except give assistance and recommendations when he gets stuck. The plot is usually center around the player, after all. Not make believe players.

You'd be surprised how many systems are workable in this manner for only one player.

Another solution like this, that works a bit better if it is possible, is to let a more experienced player play 2 PC's if they wish. It's easier if it's sort of a George and Lennie type situation, so one pc is the brains, the other the brawn. But any combo is imaginable.

[ndkid]

Solution for the ones that get harder: GM PCs. Yes, I know certain players hate it, but playing D&D with only my bro as a player was completely improved by adding an NPC party member or two.

The key is to not take away from the players' spotlight. As long as party NPCs remain minions or in the shadow of the real protagonists they tend to work fine.

Yeah, I sorta did that my first time and my bro got annoyed real fast. So since then I've played cleric/healer types who don't do much except give assistance and recommendations when he gets stuck. The plot is usually center around the player, after all. Not make believe players.

You'd be surprised how many systems are workable in this manner for only one player.

Another solution like this, that works a bit better if it is possible, is to let a more experienced player play 2 PC's if they wish. It's easier if it's sort of a George and Lennie type situation, so one pc is the brains, the other the brawn. But any combo is imaginable.

I think the supposition that Role-playing requires a party is false. Plenty of superheroes don't have sidekicks. Conan didn't always have lesser people following him around. One-person versus the world is a perfectly reasonable trope... it just requires the focus of the role-playing to be tailored to a single-character skillset. Depending on the style of gaming you prefer, that can still be a pretty wide skillset.