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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mustrum_Ridcully" data-source="post: 9869199" data-attributes="member: 710">A system with classes seems to automatically come with some abilities only being character options, not system options.But even there, you can obviously have some "system options" like maybe everyone can attempt to disarm a foe or push someone away. The example of 3E with system options that are only good if you take character options is interesting. I am not fundamentally opposed to the idea, but I think I don't like the approach that 3E did, because it often lead to those options becoming part of your default routine. I liked 4E approach to say that these options might require some resource (in 4E terms, it was an encounter or daily power). A character without the character option might not generate resources for the more effective method, but even the specialized one has to decide carefully when to use it (but maybe it's also more reliable or more effective.)The danger of some things being character options can be seen in D&D 3+ and Pathfinder, too: Sometimes abilties that plausibly everyone could try are locked behind a feat, power or spell and everyone else can't do it, or the GM might have to carefully improvise a no-feat(spell/power) version of the ability that is still worth using but doesn't make the feat useless, either. Also, sometimes these abilities are even so specific that spending character options on them feels like a waste. (I remember a Pathfinder skill feat that lets you count really well - nice flavor, will probaby not come up ever compared to being able to use medicine to restore hit points to an ally more often.)For analysis paralysis, maybe it woud help if the system options have some leeway in interpretation. Maybe the "disarm" maneuver is a general "hinder enemy's combat ability" maneuver that has some simple rules, like: "Target deals half damage and cannot attack at range until it takes the "ready weapon" action again, or something.</blockquote>

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