Single mechanics from an RPG you love

Morrus · Feb 23, 2018

What single mechanic from an RPG do you love? You don't have to love the whole game (though you can do), but what single mechanic about it do you think is really super nifty. Maybe you've stolen it and used it at the table in other games? Or maybe for you it's a selling point of a system? Or perhaps the only redeeming feature of a system?

For me, I think 5E advantage/disadvantage is a perfect streamlining of itty bitty modifiers, combined with an awesome tactical element (I'm rolling two dice!) I think that's a mechanic which improved D&D in really noticeable way.

While I was aware the mechanic was used in 4th Edition, I was curious whose idea it was to put in in 5E as a global mechanic. Jeremy Crawford told me that "We used an advantage-like mechanic in the 4E avenger, and [Mike Mearls] suggested using something like it more broadly in 5E. I dug the idea and put it before the D&D Next playtesters to try."

Arilyn · Feb 23, 2018

The escalation die from 13th Age works beautifully, and is easy to adopt for any game.

Aspects in Fate are probably the most elegant mechanic I've seen in RPG design.

Combat stunts in Green Robin's age system are really fun and cool.

Morrus · Feb 23, 2018

Arilyn said:
The escalation die from 13th Age works beautifully, and is easy to adopt for any game.

Ah, yes. I am very fond of the escalation die.

Gradine · Feb 23, 2018

Came here to post about the stunts/dragon die from the Green Ronin AGE systems, but looks like I got beaten to the punch.

D&D 5e's Backgrounds are fantastic, and a great way I think to build more interesting and diverse characters. My current campaign has two warlocks, and I even think they're going to end up taking the chain boon, but they still already feel very different thanks to their very different backgrounds.

D&D 4e's themes were a great idea along similar lines and I wish they had been there from the beginning.

I have fairly limited experience with FATE but I always liked the idea of FATE points. I think 5e's DMG roped in a similar concept with Destiny Points.

amerigoV · Feb 23, 2018

1. I too like the stunts in Dragon Age

2. I also like the Advantage/Disadvantage from 5e.

3. Bennies from Savage Worlds. I know other systems have something like that, but SW its really core to the game. It pulled out the "luck" from things like Saving Throws and Hit Points and put it in the player's hand. Plus is a fun instant reward at the table.

4. The combo of Acing Dice, Wounds (vs HP) and Cards for initiative for Savage Worlds. While I like each of them, the combo keeps the eyes on the table, especially as a GM. The acing dice get everyone's attention. The wounds marked on the table (vs. on paper) keeps me from looking down at my notes all the time. The Cards are a great visual for who goes next and allows initiative by round (and I have used this for D&D - works very nicely).

5. I like some of the cooperative aspects of Fiasco. I think it would be interesting to insert a scenario or two a traditional game to mix things up (PCs get caught up in some hijinx in a city - use a Fiasco framework to tell that story).

6. I like the Jenga tower in Dread (although I have never gotten to play it). Its a clever way to approximate tension for a horror scenario that rolling dice just does not do justice to.

7. Hmmm, I used to love the game Slap Jack. Maybe I can incorporate that into Savage Worlds initiative.

Blue · Feb 23, 2018

Arilyn said:
The escalation die from 13th Age works beautifully, and is easy to adopt for any game.

Aspects in Fate are probably the most elegant mechanic I've seen in RPG design.

Combat stunts in Green Robin's age system are really fun and cool.

I complete agree about the first two, now I have to go take a look at the third.

The Crimson Binome · Feb 23, 2018

Blue said:
I complete agree about the first two, now I have to go take a look at the third.

A quick summary of stunts in AGE:

The basic roll mechanic is 3d6, which functions much like a d20 roll in the d20 system.
One of the three dice is a different color, but it's still counted the same as the others. It's only special if you happen to roll doubles.
If any two of your dice come up as the same number - if you roll 3,3,5 for example - then you earn a number of stunt points equal to the value of the special die.
Stunt points can be used to deal extra damage, knock someone down, or do any of the standard maneuvers you're familiar with.
There's a generic list of stunts, and certain classes get unique stunts or reduce the stunt point cost of generic stunts.

It's an interesting mechanic. I haven't seen it in action, so I can't say how well it works in practice, but it definitely looks interesting. It solves the problem that D&D 4E had, where you take forever to choose an action, because you don't find out what your possibilities are until after you attack - and even then, it's only occasionally. The only potential issue that I can see is how +damage becomes the obvious choice, as tends to happen in most games where you have that sort of choice.

pogre · Feb 23, 2018

Millennium End's Silhouette system. You put a clear overlay over a target depending on weapon you use and then roll percentages for your skill with the weapon. The closer to the target number the better your shot. I believe Kenzer & Cos western role playing game used a similar system.

I'm a sucker for the old WFRP combat mechanic of flipping the percentages to determine hit location. I think the mechanic may have originated with BRP.

hawkeyefan · Feb 24, 2018

There’s a game called Godlike...it’s a supers as soldiers in WWII game.

They use a mechanic where players roll multiple D10s together, looking for matches. So maybe you roll 5d10. If you roll three 7s then they call it a 3x7. The width of the roll is a 3, and the height is a 7. Width determines when you act in a round and height determines the effect of the action you take, and if it’s an attack, it determines where you hit your target.

I’ve only played the game once, and it wasn’t the best because no one was familiar with the mechanics. But that whole one roll for everything idea has always stuck with me as having potential.

GMMichael · Feb 24, 2018

Saelorn said:
(Stunts are) an interesting mechanic. I haven't seen it in action, so I can't say how well it works in practice, but it definitely looks interesting.

It's used frequently in Titansgrave: the Ashes of Valkana videos. Check out Youtube.

I'm a big fan of Fuzzy Outcomes (yes, I hope I just coined that term). You know, where a roll isn't Succeed or Fail, but it's Good or Bad instead. This prevents turns from being wasted (I missed? Then I guess my turn was worthless), encourages role-playing, and eliminates the need for Fail Forward rules - since there are no failures, just bad outcomes.

Single mechanics from an RPG you love

Morrus

Well, that was fun

Arilyn

Hero

Morrus

Well, that was fun

Gradine

The Elephant in the Room (she/they)

amerigoV

Guest

Blue

Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal

The Crimson Binome

Hero

pogre

Legend

hawkeyefan

Legend

GMMichael

Guide of Modos

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