I do know that 18th Century Legal Drama isn't to everyone's liking. However awesome people like me think History is it doesn't really shift books unless it's linked to a popular TV or film franchise (hence the unsubtle references to Garrow's Law.)
I'm not going to go on a massive rant about how much of a tragedy it is that people only want to play bold adventuerers or savage secretive monsters. I may do that in future.
For now I intend to adress the concerns of non history buffs (or buffs of a different kind of history) who nonetheless have loaded up this blogs in the hopes of a different kind of RPG.
1) Is Tough Justice a Generic System?
Well yes and no. Yes you can use the basics for just about any legal themed game and no a few bits and bobs may need renaming if you are going to replace the Bloody Code default Setting.
Remember also that some of your drama will be lost if you are not fighting over the Defendant's life! In less corrupt settings like a Present Day Law & Order set up you may want to impose sanctions for malpractice should it be discovered. The Core Rules only cover outright Felonies!
2) Can I use Tough Justice for other Historical Settings?
You certainly can but you will need to make sure there is actually a chance, however slim, of not guilty being a verdict. There's no real point in running a Soviet Show Trial with these mechanics as the outcome is predetermined! I give some examples in the book itself.
3) Can I use Tough Justice for Horror Settings?
Secret society of monsters games like World of Darkness sometimes involve trials that are, by the standards of the Bloody Code, quite fair considering the authorities that are in charge.
You may want to come up with some Dark Powers mechanics. The sister game to thi Courtesans actually includes an Appendix with Vampire Powers that could be easily retooled to the similar Tough Justice system.
4) Can I use Tough Justice for Superhero Settings?
Oh Hell yeah! Particularly the gritier anti heroes like the Punisher and SHEILD. Stick a hero or villain in the dock and have their friends Defending them and Enemies trying to get them condemned. Or for a twist have a hero defending a villain as Batman had to do for the Joker when he was on trial for a crime he didn't commit.
Speaking of morality you may wish to make up some mechanics for the heroes moral code. If indeed they have one. Frank Castle certainly doesn't!
You will need superpowers as well obviously. Perhaps play with Merits and Flaws?
5) Can I use Tough Justice for Fantasy Settings?
From what I've seen of D&D it seems to be a very much law of the jungle type setting but that maybe more to do with the GM's own vision.
If your vision can stomach a semi legitamate legal system do feel free to use Tough Justice as your system of choice.
Again Courtesans will have some Fantasy Mechanics for Magic and some Equipment which again can be converted with a bit of elbow grease.
6) Can I use Tough Justice for Science Fiction?
Yes if it is distopian but not too distopian. The legal system of a world like Star Trek would be too full of failsafes and checks on legal power to represent well with Tough Justice without significant mechanical alteration.
Similarly totalitarian futures like the 40K universe (though I suppose you could do a Comissar's or an Inquistitor's Tribunal)just aren't fair enough to bother defending most people who stand accused.
Where it really works are settings where the law is an ass but it's a semi managable ass. Starship Troopers comes to mind first and foremost but I'm sure there are others.
Science fiction includes a lot of weirdness both high tech and in some cases supernatural. You will need rules for this.
7) Will you get off your lazy arse and write us some full rules rather than just suggesting stuff?
Maybe: I never intended to write any supliments for Tough Justice but as Courtesans is getting at least one I don't see any reason why I should abandon old TJ. Perhaps said rules will start as blog articles, eventually make PDF and then be collected together in a PDF and print suplement? We'll have to see!
