I want to do something cool Every Round!!!

[Crothian]

http://gamescribe.livejournal.com/71109.html

Rodney Thompson posted this in his live journal. I do like the idea of giving the players a little more options so they don't have to hold onto resources so much. I want the players to be more engaged with what is going on and allowing them to have fun with their character is an easy way to do that. The Dragon Adept from Dragon Magic (a book he wrote along with Own KC Stephens) is a good and interesting approach to this. Same with the Warlock, but I like the Dragon Adept better.

 

[Mallus]

Its a great idea. The whole "strategy = resource management" paradigm never did anything for me, aside from "annoy".

Sure, resource management can ratchet up the tension in a session. But at the expense of continuous player engagement, and only under an implied framework of (relatively) static opponents/challenges. "One more room" isn't a meaningful debate if the critters can move around, or, heaven forbid, if foes actually live outside in a wider world unbound by dungeion walls...

Superhero RPG's, like my Current Favorite Game, Muntants and Masterminds (2nd ed.), tend to discard resource management elements. I don't see why that couldn't work for genre fantasy RPGS.

 

[iwatt]

Seems to me he's talking of token pools as described in Iron Heroes. But IH basically is based on the premise that you can do something cool every round, with the new uses for skills, the stunt rules and token abilities.

 

[Voadam]

I too dislike resource management of scarce resources as a central element of the game. I'm really glad the dragon adept is posted on the website so it can be used by more than just owners of that book.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

I dunno. I've thought of this before, myself ... for one of those experimental games.

If it's about "Resource Management" ... and if the real meaning-making division of the game day is the encounter ... why not just measure resources per encounter.

And what are resources other than "the limit to the cool things you can do"?

So, boil it down to ONE RESOURCE ... a resource that returns at the end of every encounter. And call it Mojo.

High adventure, low rules sort of game where everything you do ... get hurt, cast a spell, use a skill, etc etc, uses up some amount of your "Mojo". Out of mojo, out of the game.

--fje

 

[el-remmen]

I don't feel the need to do something "cool" every round. Something "cool" each encounter? Maybe, depends on the kind of character and the encounter. Each adventure? Definitely. But I guess, what defines "cool"?

I remain engaged (and keep my players engaged) by keeping in mind the various goals of what I am trying to accomplish: The goal encounter at hand is short-term, the goal for the adventure as a whole is moderate-term, and the long-term goals are those of the character and where and how I see him developing. The DM helps by presenting varied and interesting encounters that challenge tactically and in terms of emotional responses of the characters to what is going on in the scene/encounter/combat.

For me the formula for keeping people engaged is as follows:

Motivation + Tactical Goal + Adversity + Pathos + Butt-kicking Fun

Add all of those together and you have a perfect combat encounter, but sometimes for slightly different results you have to mix and match the amounts of each variable to equate something that works for you and your group.

 

[Voadam]

The part I disagree with him on is the dislike for boring every round activities. I have no problem with boring every round things like the warlock's eldritch blast or a warrior's swing of a weapon. I feel engaged even when my action is just run up and hit it with my sword, I don't need lots of power attack/expertise manipulation judgment calls to be happy in a combat.

My dislike is people not taking actions so as to save their spell resources or ending the adventure prematurely to rest up. Currently a wizard out of spells is a commoner. More in genre would be free cantrip like minor attack spells the wizard could do every round unlimited and stay engaged in their schtick.

 

[pawsplay]

A commoner with a crossbow and a wand of fireballs, I guess.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

<sigh>

This is what I consider a sign of the apocalypse. First they dumbed down my MMORPGs to cater to the 'I have to be the center of attention ADHD set', now they are coming for my pen and paper RPGs too.

Doing something cool every round is nothing special. Working so that you can do something *really* cool once in a while is more rewarding in the long run. IMO, etc. If there's no resource management, then everything quickly boils down to a limited set of optimal choices for every situation. I find that boring to play. I couldn't conceive of playing a long running M&M game - I think the rules are clever, and its pretty damn fun for a once-in-a-while kinda thing, but the complete disconnect from any sort of realism just isn't my cup of tea.

 

[FickleGM]

Count me among those that are lukewarm to the idea. I could see doing some of the following:

1. Action Points - I use them as per Unearthed Arcana (except, I give 3 per session) and could see adding a few extra ways to use them, as well as ways of gaining new ones (such as letting the DM screw you over).

2. Cannibalizing Hit Points - I could see cannibalizing hit points to do "stuff" (perhaps, every so many hit points converts to an action point - the "fatigue" of doing the extra "stuff" is reflected as a loss of hit points).

3. Regaining Hit Points - I could see allowing characters to regain hit points by taking on conditions. Sure, maybe the fighter is fatigued (can't run, minuses to a couple attributes - I forget the specifics), but he gets back some precious hitpoints.


I don't know, these may be silly and not work, but it's what popped in my mind after reading that article.