Lux Aeterna: System Matters

While I originally wanted to do this all with D&D 5th Edition, I'm starting to think that decision is a straight-jacket.

I've been reviewing what I've got so far for Lux Aeterna as well as looking ahead and I'm starting to see that what I have in mind does not really fit within the rules framework of D&D 5e.  Plus if I'm trying to emulate a Final Fantasy feel, let's admit that a straight class system is not exactly going to work.  So I'm... actually going to switch it up to a points-based effect system.  But which one?  While I've already decided, let me go through my rationales.

I have a sort of threshold when it comes to the complexity of a ruleset.  Light systems work for certain things, but systems with a lot of rules make play needlessly burdensome.  My threshold for complex rules cuts off right at Pathfinder 1e.  There's a lot to like about Pathfinder but play bogs down massively after about 10th level.  People might wonder why I like Traveller then with all its subsystems.  It's really simple actually; most of those subsystems are there to prepare for a session, the actual rules for play are pretty simple.  But when there's an excessive amount of rules for playing the game, my eyes glaze over.  And I do recognize that 'excessive' is a subjective measurement;  one group's rules heavy system is another's sweet spot.  Thus GURPS and Hero System are right out as candidates.  Too many fiddly bits for play.

The next real criteria is having enough complexity that things can feel different.  So while I like OVA and BESM, they're just simple enough that I doubt they'd capture the range of things I need.

I'd also like to publish this stuff at some point and neither system really has an OGL.  Which kind of narrows it to Mutants and Masterminds.  Most of the complexity is in power design, which if I'm being honest means I'm doing the work for people when writing a campaign setting document.  While M&M has fiddly bits, they're all governed by a handful of internally consistent rules during play.  The fact that it's effect based means players can tweak and develop unique things for their characters.

So strap in I guess, since I should be redoing all the races as M&M templates.  I intend to let the D&D 5e versions stand, if only because I don't want to simply throw away all that work.