I’m looking to start a text based campaign with a couple of friends. But most of the systems we play tend to be more tactical combat oriented (Pathfinder, Lancer, etc) and it feels like it’d be really awkward to switch over to a VTT every time a fight breaks out. Are there any systems that would be easy-ish to learn and good for text based games?
I feel what you’re thinking of is “theater of the mind” in which games are run without a map or a grid. Its how I run my gurps game even though there’s options for grids. I think a rules lite rpg like FATE would work better but even with regular DnD (I’m not familiar with pathfinder but I’m assuming its along the same lines) as long as everyone can keep in mind where everything is, it could work out perhaps.