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Message: <blockquote data-quote="GMMichael" data-source="post: 8672291" data-attributes="member: 6685730">I've seen video games claim that they encourage teamwork, and in many cases the encouragement is little more than a nod in the right direction, while the bulk of the game's systems/mechanisms actually reward individual play.  For example, the team leader-spawn system is supposed to promote team cohesiveness by placing respawning players near the same place: where their team leader is.  However, there is no requirement to stay near a team leader after respawning, which makes the team leader little more than a shortcut to the objective.It occurs to me that RPG rules can have the same effect of encouraging teamwork or encouraging going solo.  The ubiquitous hit point is perhaps a less-than-obvious cause of solo play.  Ostensibly, hit points/health are what keep a PC alive.  However, with a low hit point total, a PC might choose to stay near her healing companion, or at least near (or behind) allies.  With a high hit point total, a PC can safely venture away from allies, relying on that mass of hit points to keep her alive instead of assistance from her friends.  The ability to heal herself has a similar effect on a PC's teamwork as high hit points.Take magic usage, and/or flexible spell selection.  What is the party rogue, besides a meat shield, when the party magic-user can just spontaneously use a spell slot or magic points to unlock any door or detect any trap?  Nevermind how some magic items can make specialists obsolete.In the other direction, gear that degrades encourages teamwork.  When the ranger's axe-head breaks from the haft, sure, his dagger will continue to threaten the gobl-ent to some degree.  But a nearby ally could forfeit a weapon or hand over a secondary weapon to keep the ranger in the fight.  A solo ranger would have a harder time asking the creature to please wait while he digs through his saddlebags.Assisting actions promote teamwork also.  If you know you'll get better resolution rolls when a teammate also rolls, or when both players contribute to the same success pool, it's objectively better to have a teammate around.What are some more examples of teamwork or solo-play encouraging rules?Which rules are supposed to promote teamwork, but aren't much more than window dressing?Which rules seem ambivalent, but actually encourage one type of play or the other?</blockquote>

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