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<blockquote data-quote="Tony Vargas" data-source="post: 7742723" data-attributes="member: 996">Oh, I see what you mean, the resolution systems in play don't cooperate.&nbsp; They might be trying to simulate a character in a setting where the fictional character's story /could/ have happened, but because that story included a number of improbable events, statistically, will likely never happen to a player trying to play that fictional character as a PC.&nbsp; Mechanics that let the player take 'author stance' and make an event come out like it did/would-have in the fictional character's story can help with that.&nbsp; They shift the game from 'simulationist' to 'narrativist' and, in the case of D&amp;D, get labeled 'dissociated mechanics' and shunned, but they can be very good for making a character concept like that work.&nbsp;Action points, the E &amp; D of AEDU powers (especially martial powers), healing surges, &amp; the freedom to re-skin fluff text in 4e would also be examples.&nbsp; Certainly not of the TSR era of D&amp;D - even when the indie 'new wave' started in the early 90s, 2e didn't pick up on it.&nbsp; 3e had very little in that regard (in addition to plot-coupon-like Action Points in Eberon, it had limited re-skinning of character &amp; equipment, and feats &amp; skills that could be powergamed to the point of delivering certainty while representing chance).&nbsp; And, of course, hit points &amp; saving throws have always been that sort of mechanic, in D&amp;D.&nbsp; Hps in particular, function in that kind of narrative/'dissociative' way that lets the game model a hero taking insane risks or facing deadly danger improbably often, but surviving.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Tony Vargas, post: 7742723, member: 996"] Oh, I see what you mean, the resolution systems in play don't cooperate. They might be trying to simulate a character in a setting where the fictional character's story /could/ have happened, but because that story included a number of improbable events, statistically, will likely never happen to a player trying to play that fictional character as a PC. Mechanics that let the player take 'author stance' and make an event come out like it did/would-have in the fictional character's story can help with that. They shift the game from 'simulationist' to 'narrativist' and, in the case of D&D, get labeled 'dissociated mechanics' and shunned, but they can be very good for making a character concept like that work. Action points, the E & D of AEDU powers (especially martial powers), healing surges, & the freedom to re-skin fluff text in 4e would also be examples. Certainly not of the TSR era of D&D - even when the indie 'new wave' started in the early 90s, 2e didn't pick up on it. 3e had very little in that regard (in addition to plot-coupon-like Action Points in Eberon, it had limited re-skinning of character & equipment, and feats & skills that could be powergamed to the point of delivering certainty while representing chance). And, of course, hit points & saving throws have always been that sort of mechanic, in D&D. Hps in particular, function in that kind of narrative/'dissociative' way that lets the game model a hero taking insane risks or facing deadly danger improbably often, but surviving. [/QUOTE]

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