Your favourite gaming mechanic?
Blue
Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal
Character disadvantages that give you "currency" when they come into play. D&D's inspiration can be a sample of this, FATE's aspects are a bit more on target.
The Escalation Die from 13th Age - start the math against the PCs and then give them an escalating bonus (from +0 up to +6) as combats continue. Controls pacing, stops combats from turning into a grind, gives players that early taste of fear, and makes when to nova a more tactical decision since a first round alpha strike may miss.
The Escalation Die from 13th Age - start the math against the PCs and then give them an escalating bonus (from +0 up to +6) as combats continue. Controls pacing, stops combats from turning into a grind, gives players that early taste of fear, and makes when to nova a more tactical decision since a first round alpha strike may miss.
I always liked the way HERO handled martial arts. Each maneuver was a distinct "skill", so you could mix & match to solely whatever martial art you could think of. In addition, they could be purchased in such a way as to work only "unarmed", only with a weapon, or both.
Ooh, yes, the escalation die is a good one! I'm a big fan of that mechanic.
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
From a published RPG?
Hit points as a concept. The 3-18 bell-curve ability range. Variable damage dice by weapon. Character classes that speak to fantasy archetypes. Cleric turn matrix vs. undead from 1e. Etc.
There's also some homebrew mechanics we've come up with over the years (e.g. our initiative system) that I really like - but obviously I have a biased perspective.
Lan-"there's a lot to say for the 'funnel method' of character generation from DCCRPG too"-efan
Hit points as a concept. The 3-18 bell-curve ability range. Variable damage dice by weapon. Character classes that speak to fantasy archetypes. Cleric turn matrix vs. undead from 1e. Etc.
There's also some homebrew mechanics we've come up with over the years (e.g. our initiative system) that I really like - but obviously I have a biased perspective.
Lan-"there's a lot to say for the 'funnel method' of character generation from DCCRPG too"-efan
Libramarian
Adventurer
XP for GP
JeffB
Legend
I love how DW and FFG Star Wars have mechanics that provide for success with complication or failure with a boon. Makes things very interesting.
The Black Hack has expendable equipment like torches or arrows assigned a die. Like a d8. When you use your arrows you roll the die. If you roll a 1, then the die changes to d6. Next time you roll a 1, it drops to d4. Roll another 1, and you are out of ammo.
Exemplars and Eidolons/Solo Heroes is an OD&D derived game which uses a system that allows you to do "hit dice" of damage, instead of hit points through a easy conversion table. It is meant to allow 1 pc to play normal adventures in Solo Heroes, or in E&E you play demi-god like characters or Conan/John Carter/Asgardian/Exalted super types. So if you are battling Ogres with 4hd and you roll 4 damage you take out the ogre.
There is also a Fray die in E&E which you roll every round that automatically takes out HD of creatures. But you cannot take out creatures of your level in HD or higher. Its meant to simulate plowing through mooks with little effort and focus your regular attack on the heavies.
Monster Specials in 13th Age. Special attacks that get unlocked when the attack roll is high enough to hit and the natural roll is 16+ I have yoinked this for all versions of D&D/derivatives that I play. I also made many of them activate on 13+
Also from 13th Age-Backgrounds, instead of hard skill systems or attribute rolls.
Fantasy Age- doubles (3d6 task resolution) unlock stunts/stunt points.
The Black Hack has expendable equipment like torches or arrows assigned a die. Like a d8. When you use your arrows you roll the die. If you roll a 1, then the die changes to d6. Next time you roll a 1, it drops to d4. Roll another 1, and you are out of ammo.
Exemplars and Eidolons/Solo Heroes is an OD&D derived game which uses a system that allows you to do "hit dice" of damage, instead of hit points through a easy conversion table. It is meant to allow 1 pc to play normal adventures in Solo Heroes, or in E&E you play demi-god like characters or Conan/John Carter/Asgardian/Exalted super types. So if you are battling Ogres with 4hd and you roll 4 damage you take out the ogre.
There is also a Fray die in E&E which you roll every round that automatically takes out HD of creatures. But you cannot take out creatures of your level in HD or higher. Its meant to simulate plowing through mooks with little effort and focus your regular attack on the heavies.
Monster Specials in 13th Age. Special attacks that get unlocked when the attack roll is high enough to hit and the natural roll is 16+ I have yoinked this for all versions of D&D/derivatives that I play. I also made many of them activate on 13+
Also from 13th Age-Backgrounds, instead of hard skill systems or attribute rolls.
Fantasy Age- doubles (3d6 task resolution) unlock stunts/stunt points.
Storminator
First Post
Mutants and Mastermind's version of Hero Points
Vancian magic.
Honestly, I think most of the problems of pre-4e (D&D) were due to LFQW. That is, we can fix it by changing how powerful spells are, how they scale, number of spells per level, etc.
I got very sad when 5e was launched and Vancian magic wasn’t there. I met 4e before Vancian magic, though.
Anyway, I get that many people don’t like it, but I believe the main problems are more related to LFQW, how powerful spell-casters are in named levels, lack of options in lower levels, etc. Maintaining the essence of Vancian magic and balancing (by changing the rest) is something that, I believe, it’s not only possible, but also has already been done; as in 13th Age, for an example.
I also consider Vancian magic to be very flavorful. Forget 3e’s preparation; I use a more old-school concept of memorization. I read about it in AD&D (1e-2e) books and eventually wrote the concept with my own words. It really makes me feel the “magic” in the world, even if 25% of all people are wizards! Hehehehe
Honestly, I wish I could just ask people about what they don’t like in Vancian Magic, and treat those problems within Vancian magic, without starting a flame war and having the thread banned, people calling me bad names, or something worse than that. One day, perhaps, when peace is stable and the wind roars through the skies.
There are some other mechanics I like, but I’ll leave this post just for Jack Vance.
Honestly, I think most of the problems of pre-4e (D&D) were due to LFQW. That is, we can fix it by changing how powerful spells are, how they scale, number of spells per level, etc.
I got very sad when 5e was launched and Vancian magic wasn’t there. I met 4e before Vancian magic, though.
Anyway, I get that many people don’t like it, but I believe the main problems are more related to LFQW, how powerful spell-casters are in named levels, lack of options in lower levels, etc. Maintaining the essence of Vancian magic and balancing (by changing the rest) is something that, I believe, it’s not only possible, but also has already been done; as in 13th Age, for an example.
I also consider Vancian magic to be very flavorful. Forget 3e’s preparation; I use a more old-school concept of memorization. I read about it in AD&D (1e-2e) books and eventually wrote the concept with my own words. It really makes me feel the “magic” in the world, even if 25% of all people are wizards! Hehehehe
Honestly, I wish I could just ask people about what they don’t like in Vancian Magic, and treat those problems within Vancian magic, without starting a flame war and having the thread banned, people calling me bad names, or something worse than that. One day, perhaps, when peace is stable and the wind roars through the skies.
There are some other mechanics I like, but I’ll leave this post just for Jack Vance.
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