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Message: <blockquote data-quote="level2janitor" data-source="post: 9826362" data-attributes="member: 6993619">tracking limited combat resources like mana is more fun because each expenditure is a decision instead of an obligation. you have a low enough limit you'll actually run out, and every spell you cast makes a tangible impact.imagine if you had mana in the hundreds and each spell cost 1 mana - it's pointless to track because you'll never realistically run out, and the threat of running out is what gives that mechanic depth. that's how most systems handle mundane resources, but you don't have to handle them that way.the most fun i've gotten out of mundane resource tracking came from a few factors:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">strict inventory limits, or low limits for resources that have their own track outside your inventory. this prevents stockpiling hundreds of arrows/potions/whatever to the point they stop being worth tracking.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">low currency in general. if you have loads of money, you have loads of any adventuring resource you need (like FrogReaver pointed out above)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">aim for a high ratio of impact to time spent. don't interrupt the game to erase and rewrite a number on my sheet if that number changing doesn't matter.</li> </ul>"you lose a ration each day then starve when you run out" feels like a tax, not a decision. when i ran it this way, it felt like the decisions it added were outweighed by the time spent tracking it."you need to eat a ration to get your HP/abilities back each rest" is more compelling. give it a low maximum. run hexcrawls so going back to town to restock isn't just handwaved. now you have interesting decisions on when to conserve rations and when to burn through them, and tracking them doesn't feel like such a waste of time.(obviously this stuff does make the game's tone a lot less about epic larger-than-life heroes and more about normal people with normal people problems, like running out of money or space. but i find this stuff adds a lot for more grounded games)</blockquote>

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