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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 8807570" data-attributes="member: 42582">The earliest RPG I know that has a version of this is Rolemaster (maybe there's something earlier, but I don't know it!). In RM melee combat, you have to choose your attack and your defence, round by round, out of the same pool (your weapon skill). In RM spell casting, you can choose to push for more powerful effects but at an increased risk of spell failure.The fact that there is nothing comparable for archery in RM is what makes archer PCs less interesting in that system. The fact that there is nothing comparable for non-combat skills is what makes weapons-vs-spells a key axis of choice in PC build even though the system ostensibly is "play whatever you like".The earliest RPG I know to generalise this sort of trade-off is HeroWars, where in extended contests you bid a certain number of action points with your action, and both the extent of your impact on the opposition and the extent of adverse consequences to you depend upon the action points bid. [USER=99817]@chaochou[/USER] has a lot of experience with this system.I think that having some sort of capacity to try hard, or go "all in", is very supportive of inhabitation of character.</blockquote>