Best rules that game designers have made?

[Crothian]

Buy the numbers. A great way to do classless point buy D&D working withing the established framework of the game. It was very well done.

Artificiers Handbook. A great alternative and makes more sense way to make magical items.

The Oozemaster

 

[Greg K]

1. mutants and masterminds
2. the damage save
3. skill and feat system for the force (Star Wars) and adapting it to DND and/or d20M for magic (Elements of Magic: ME) and psychic powers (Green Ronin's Psychic's Handbook)
4. talent trees from d20 modern
5. generic classes UA

Edit:
1. Core
a. Unified Resolution Mechanic (d20+ability modifer+ other bonuses)
b. unified attribute bonuses for ability scores
c. reducing the attribute score required for attribute scores to begin
d. removal of percentile strength and how con bonuses differed between warriors and non-warriors
f. skill points
g. unifed XP table
h. Armor class going upwards
i. critical hits
j. three saving throw categories
k. DC of spells being modified by caster level
l. monsters having ability scores


2. Class variants
3. Class based defense
4. Favored Environment
5. Spontaneous Divine Casting
6. Spell Points with (vitalizing option)
7. Weapon Groups
8. Environmental Races (UA)
9. Armor as DR
10. Incantations
11. Affiliations
12. Fewer Absolutes by Sean Reynolds (even if I requested this prior to 3e development)
13. Combat Fatigue (from Michael's Imagination column in Scrollworks)
14. Continuing Poison Sean Reynolds
15. Recharging Magic Items by Sean Reynolds
16. The D20, d20M and OGL licenses
17. The Psychic, Shaman, and Witch classes by Steve Kenson
18. Blood and Fists by Charles Rice
19. Action Points
20. Not sure where they came from, but the chase rules in the BESMd20 web enhancement of optional rules.

 

[JVisgaitis]

The Oozemaster

That was Races of Wild, wasn't it?

Heh. Nightfall, your a goof.

 

[Nightfall]

The Oozemaster

You and oozes man...


JV,

I try.

 

[Pants]

Augmenting powers - XPH
Psionic Focus - XPH
Racial Classes - AU/AE
Heightened/Diminished Effects - AU/AE
Weapon Groups - UA
Affiliations - PHBII
The Core d20 mechanic - 3.x
The Amalgam Template - Advanced Bestiary

 

[Nightfall]

Amalgam template?!

See if I was picking Advanced Beastiary templates, it wouldn't have been even in my top 20.

Four horsemen, now that's in my top five!

 

[Psion]

Ritual Magic in Relics and Rituals.

True Rituals.

Ritual Casting.

That's a good start.

Psionic augmentation.

Take 10 / Take 20.

Templates in general. These date back to 1e, but they get formalized and put to good use.

Spycraft action dice.

The UA action point feat emulation mechanic. All the sudden, every feat resource you have is a "book of stunts".

Mindscapes psionic combat in Hyperconscious. Finally, psionic combat that works and is easy to use.

Spell slots. There, I said it. Gygax's classic mechanic proves itself easy to use, and very effective at both letting wizards strut their stuff and limiting their capabilities.

Spycraft 2.0's use of wisdom for reserve items and charisma for gear picks. Dump stat this, baby!

Soul Magic in Book of Eldritch Might III. Devious. Fun.

Paragon Classes/Racial levels. Get out the dark ages, LA's!

Disadvantages/Backgrounds as seen in games like Spycraft 2.0, nWoD, weapons of the gods, Haven d20, and 7th Sea. No more point farms for players who never intend to live up to their disads!

That's a good start.

 

[Nightfall]

Some day I'll get why people like soul magic. But even so it's a good idea, I'll grant you, just not sure if it's a good mechanic.

Psion,

Yeah well you and I diverge on some things and come together on others. But you are right about racial and paragon classes. They are way better.

 

[JVisgaitis]

Spycraft 2.0's use of wisdom for reserve items and charisma for gear picks. Dump stat this, baby!

You'll have to expand on that please. Never got 2.0. Is that the one that's being released under Flaming Cobra from Mongoose? I was never up on Spycraft...

 

[JVisgaitis]

I try.

Natural 20 for you!