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More DMing analysis from Lewis Pulsipher
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<blockquote data-quote="Starfox" data-source="post: 6341150" data-attributes="member: 2303"><p>This is where things like the bonus tokens and limit breaks of Action (A Feng Shui-based homebrew I and Tuft are playing) play an important role - they either disguise the repetitiveness of the action (all your semi-successful rolls are only the preambles to build bonus tokens; only the last roll was the true stunt) or limit how often you can do the action (only one fireball per sequence, because fireball is a limit break). </p><p></p><p>These concepts are a bit hard to translate into d20 (3E, Pathfinder). The closest I can see is how dragon breath is limited - for 1d4 rounds, the dragon cannot breathe fire again. The same could be used for combat maneuvers - after you succeed, roll 1d6. This is the penalty if you repeat the stunt next round. Each round you do something else, the penalty is reduced by 2. Or, more simply, give a -4 penalty if you are trying the same combat maneuver 2 rounds in a row. Now, this is not a serious rule suggestion, it is just a proposed d20 mechanic to match the other option-limiting mechanics I posted earlier.</p><p></p><p>What d20 actually does is the opposite - it encourages specialization, to the point where a single combat maneuver becomes a strictly better option IN ALL SITUATIONS. This overspecialization is not good game design. IMO, the linear probability of the d20 is to blame - it gives escalating returns both at the high and low end of the scale. I am much more fond of the pyramid-curve distribution you get when rolling 2 dice.</p><p></p><p>Edit: Actually, this is a bit similar to 4E, where the encounter powers are similarly the strictly better option, regardless of situation.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Starfox, post: 6341150, member: 2303"] This is where things like the bonus tokens and limit breaks of Action (A Feng Shui-based homebrew I and Tuft are playing) play an important role - they either disguise the repetitiveness of the action (all your semi-successful rolls are only the preambles to build bonus tokens; only the last roll was the true stunt) or limit how often you can do the action (only one fireball per sequence, because fireball is a limit break). These concepts are a bit hard to translate into d20 (3E, Pathfinder). The closest I can see is how dragon breath is limited - for 1d4 rounds, the dragon cannot breathe fire again. The same could be used for combat maneuvers - after you succeed, roll 1d6. This is the penalty if you repeat the stunt next round. Each round you do something else, the penalty is reduced by 2. Or, more simply, give a -4 penalty if you are trying the same combat maneuver 2 rounds in a row. Now, this is not a serious rule suggestion, it is just a proposed d20 mechanic to match the other option-limiting mechanics I posted earlier. What d20 actually does is the opposite - it encourages specialization, to the point where a single combat maneuver becomes a strictly better option IN ALL SITUATIONS. This overspecialization is not good game design. IMO, the linear probability of the d20 is to blame - it gives escalating returns both at the high and low end of the scale. I am much more fond of the pyramid-curve distribution you get when rolling 2 dice. Edit: Actually, this is a bit similar to 4E, where the encounter powers are similarly the strictly better option, regardless of situation. [/QUOTE]
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