System that is gritty AND heroic?

[marune]

Burning Wheel.

Fight! is visceral.

That "fate" thing is called "Artha".

 

[Votan]

Rolemaster is still available and, once the PCs reach a certain level, the healers can deal with the major criticals but they'll still be there and combat will always be tense. My Seattle group (which I am, sadly, leaving to move) is currently playing Rolemaster (after discovering ICE is still around) and it has been a really invigorating change of pace.

 

[s0rn]

Check out Mongoose's Runequest II: Mongoose Publishing : For All Your Gaming Needs ...

Combat is gritty and detailed, yet using the hero point mechanic PCs can save themselves from the worst of it (at least until they run out).

 

[jdrakeh]

Rolemaster is still available. . .

Ninja'd! Yep, Rolemaster fits the bill.

 

[Mythtify]

I'll second Hellfrost.

 

[Treebore]

For those who REALLY want to put their lives on the line, and know it, and prove they have solid back bones and huge brass pairs, and plenty of guts in between can test your bravery in the new Hackmaster Basic.

But like I am saying, you have to really be willing to die, because you will. So only true blood and guts adventurers dare try it.

 

[arscott]

WFRP3

The crits aren't always as dramatic as in previous editions (so instead of severed hand, you'll get a smashed hand), and they can be healed, but they're still reasonably common and are a big impediment.

 

[amerigoV]

Savage Worlds - nix using bennies to soak wounds. Bennies are then used to do something heroic. No wound soak will lead to more Incapacitations (with the fun possibility of lingering wounds, or permanent hindrances).

 

[Fifth Element]

GMs and players shouldn't be using their imagination

Just wanted to quote the above out of context.

 

[TerraDave]

I really think AD&D was (is) that game: gritty but heroic. OD&D or 3E could also be that game. I guess so could 4E (I am mulling some houserules) but it is more of a stretch.

Now for detail, you can go with one of many of the critical hit (or hit location) systems devised for various kinds of D&D. If you really want to get fancy, there is the one in (AD&D 2E) Combat and Tactics...that also has knockdown rules and is actually pretty gritty now that I think of it. Of course, I don't know how hard that is to find.

Of course, if you really want rolemaster or runequest or WHFRP, then just play that.