The Dice-less Role-playing Game

[Bagpuss]

The ones that come across as "whoever's loudest wins" is where narrative control is determined primarily by interruption.

Could you name some examples. I've played a few diceless games, I guess the only one I can think of that this kind of counts for is Baron M, where you need to work in interruptions. But there the interruptions are necessarily short and it is more a case of one player having the spotlight at a time.

 

[Zhaleskra]

Unfortunately, I don't have game names to give you as I do not currently recall them. This is also less about dice-less and more the so-called "GM-less" games. I say "so-called" because whoever currently has narrative control is the current GM in my mind.

 

[Umbran]

IIRC; Amber also uses a bidding system, at least during character creation.
I don't think that trying to play any 'regular' RPG without dice will work, though. You need a system that's been designed for this.

I think some FATE variants might run well enough without dice, though you might have to change your ideas of what target numbers should be. It then boils down to a Fate point bidding game.

As a generalization, though, I agree - if a game is designed with a randomizer, you probably don't want to try to play it without some randomizer.

 

[gamerprinter]

The ones that come across as "whoever's loudest wins" is where narrative control is determined primarily by interruption.

Sounds more like whoever is the rudest person wins - not a game I'd want to play.

 

[aramis erak]

I've seen several alternate randomizers over the years:
Cards
Sometimes cards are used purely as dice replacement - they contain a value, and are drawn only to resolve an action, and so are "dice with memory". (CJ Carella's Unisystem Witchcraft allows replaceing d10's with cards... Hell, there's a Catan expansion for straight up replacing the resource roll with cards)

More often, cards are used in a hand, and you play one from hand - kind of like replacing the dice, but having your next 3-5 rolls in front of you. (Saga system Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game & Dragonlance 5th Age, RTG's Castle Falkenstein)

Coins
Really, their just d2's... usually.

Point Pools
The Marvel Universe RPG by Marvel Studios was such a game. I've encountered a couple others using it exclusively, but not any that people would recognize.

One interesting take on point pools is the little known Epiphany RPG, by BTRC - you used your whole pool, by dividing it between offense and defense, and all rolls were opposed. This was accomplished by right offense, left defense (think sword n shield).

For things like ranged attacks, you had to get it right in both sides...

Chit Draws
drop counters in a cup. Pull one. Basic D&D, blue box, 1st printing. Several board games. essentially, tiny, thick, die-cut cards.

One game I saw was put in a number of mini poker chips... white for skill, red for difficulty, shake, pull one out. I don't know what the game was, because it was at a con, back in the 90's. It may not even have been published.

Roshambo/RSP
The World Of Darkness Mind's Eye Theater lines use RSP to determine most cases. Some abilities add a 4th that beats two but is beaten by the third. I don't know of any that go to RSPLS... (and now I'm having a flashback to BBT...)

Drop Tables
a few rare small press games used drop tables. GW used them for boxed board games.The question became, "What about on the line?" They can be quite an interesting method. C7's Lone Wolf uses a drop table... as a d10 alternative.

Physical tasks
Pull the jenga block! - Dread.
Beer Pong or tiddlywinks - used by a couple of free RPG's I've stumbled across.

Random Number tables

I used one for combat resolution in a Space 1889 PBP once - I borrowed the one in Module N for SFB.

Attribute Comparison
No randomization, just compare the attribute to the difficulty. Only one I've seen uses this by itself - Amber.
WW's VTM 1E and BTRC's CORPS use it as a means of reducing dice rolls.


Decision Trees
A flow chart method. Figure out where to start, then answer the questions. Usually not a lone mechanic - Theatrix uses story points in addition to an attribute/skill vs difficulty comparison to pick where you start on the flow chart.

GM Fiat
A rare few games specify GM fiat as a sole means, but in practice, its the most common partial dice-replacement out there. Often stated as "Only say no if the narration makes no sense"

Multiple methods
Attribute comparison + pool is not uncommon. Fate can be played this way as an option - no rolls, just fate points to invoke aspects, then compare.
Mind's Eye Theater allows "spending" a trait to retry the roshambo you just lost. And on a tie, it goes to who has the most traits.