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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Indaarys" data-source="post: 9024581" data-attributes="member: 7040941">Mechanics define the actual feel of the moment to moment play. They're the visceral part of the game that makes it physically fun to play.These tend to be quite important because they lend the game a desire to be played as is that theater of the mind fundamentally cannot. Travelling for instance quickly becomes tedius and unfun if its strictly relegared to TOTM. However, with fun mechanics that reach into the real world, that feeling of tedium may never come if the mechanics are robust and well supported (and aren't negated by abundant and cheap "turn off these mechanics" buttons).This is because in-game representation matters, at least to some people. Its the same fundamental reason why for many, simply taking Outlander on a Fighter does not make for a Ranger. Its a game of pretend to begin with; forcing people to pretend within the pretend, when theres nothing saying they can't just be the actual thing within that first level of pretend, is just not satisfying to everyone. That being said, one has to look at whats actually unique to a statblock to derive what people are getting out of it aside from the name. In this case, thats almost always strictly the unique attacks and abilities. The stats are largely immaterial. I don't remember if it was earlier in this topic,  but my idea of a hybrid system would probably be the ideal. You have either a standardized statblock or just transfer the PCs stats over, and then for the shapeshift, you pick from a list of abilities, which can have stat modifiers attached to them, and can even be named according to the beast they came from. These ability selections could be level locked, and I think a lot of mileage could be gotten out of allowing players to mix and match, but also restricting certain abilities by way of requiring the lesser abilities of the same beast. Done this way you not only get direct control over when the shapeshifter gains new powers, but can also induce some choices and consequences, allowing for easier balance on the more powerful abilities, and as a bonus you don't need to go out of your way to define a bunch of hybrid beasts; theyd just happen naturally from players mix-matching.</blockquote>

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