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Message: <blockquote data-quote="JohnSnow" data-source="post: 3058048" data-attributes="member: 32164">Have you ever actually played an Iron Heroes game? You're right in one sense. Tokens only get used when they provide a tangible benefit. The character can rack up tokens and go for a big move, or they can just use their regular attacks. That means most of the token abilities are more likely to be used in a big set piece fight, not just when dispatching mooks. So, in one sense, it's more like barbarian rage or any of the other "per day" abilities in D&D. They'll get used when common, everyday tactics WON'T work.There are only 15 kinds of tokens. Yes, each works slightly differently. However, they represent the sum total of special abilities of the Iron Heroes classes. It's unlikely any character will have more than 2 or 3 pools, if that many.By contrast, D&D characters all have class features, magical items, etc., etc. How many different mechanics are there for all those things? Hundreds? Thousands? Quite honestly, I don't think 15 is that many to keep track of.You are, of course, free to disagree. But I think most Iron Heroes players would agree with me.Good roleplaying also doesn't just mean finding an excuse for doing whatever you, the player, want the character to do. And that's the point. Without the mechanic, you're talking about something that's a fuzzy handwave, with valid arguments on both sides. It's like two kids playing cops and robbers:Kid A: "You're dead, I shot you!"Kid B: "Am not! You missed!"Kid A: "Did Not! I could totally see you."Kid B: "Well, I dodged."And they go back and forth, ad infinitum. Differences of opinion such as this is one of the things RPGs were invented to resolve. The mechanics EXIST to take out the "perfectly valid argument" on either side.Compare the following:Player: "I taunt the villain to come out and fight me."<insert player's attempt at roleplaying taunting speech here>DM: "The villain isn't stupid. He stays in his castle."Player: "But you didn't even roll!"DM: "Well, the villain's no more foolish than me, and I wouldn't come out. So he stays inside."Player: "But you said he was egotistical! I played to his vanity and call him a coward."DM: "Sorry, you weren't convincing enough."Player: "But Sir Egemore would be more convincing than me. He's got a 19 charisma. He can do this a LOT better than I can."DM: "Sorry, I just don't buy it. You didn't roleplay it well enough."Player: *GRUMBLE*vs.Player: "I taunt the villain to come out and fight me."<insert player's attempt at roleplaying taunting speech here>Player: "I got a 25 on my taunt. He's got to beat that as a Sense Motive check."DM: *rolls dice* "Nope. Even factoring in a mild circumstance bonus for good roleplaying, the villain is unmoved by your speech. While it nettled his ego a great deal, his good sense gets the better of him and he stays inside."Player: "Okay, fine, he's too clever for that. I guess we need to try something else."The first situation is entirely the DM's judgement call. The second gives him some guidance and settles the situation with RULES. The player is satisfied because his idea was given a CHANCE to work. No, it doesn't have to be a class ability. But some form of skill use (Intimidate, perhaps?) might be appropriate.</blockquote>

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