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The Dice-less Role-playing Game
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<blockquote data-quote="aramis erak" data-source="post: 6699949" data-attributes="member: 6779310"><p>I've seen several alternate randomizers over the years:</p><p><strong>Cards</strong></p><p>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 <u>Witchcraft</u> allows replaceing d10's with cards... Hell, there's a Catan expansion for straight up replacing the resource roll with cards)</p><p></p><p>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 <u>Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game</u> & <u>Dragonlance 5th Age</u>, RTG's <u>Castle Falkenstein</u>)</p><p></p><p><strong>Coins</strong></p><p>Really, their just d2's... usually.</p><p></p><p><strong>Point Pools</strong></p><p>The <u>Marvel Universe RPG</u> by Marvel Studios was such a game. I've encountered a couple others using it exclusively, but not any that people would recognize.</p><p></p><p>One interesting take on point pools is the little known <u>Epiphany</u> 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).</p><p></p><p>For things like ranged attacks, you had to get it right in both sides...</p><p></p><p><strong>Chit Draws</strong></p><p>drop counters in a cup. Pull one. Basic D&D, blue box, 1st printing. Several board games. essentially, tiny, thick, die-cut cards. </p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p><strong>Roshambo/RSP</strong></p><p>The World Of Darkness <u>Mind's Eye Theater</u> 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...)</p><p></p><p><strong>Drop Tables</strong></p><p>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 <strong>Lone Wolf</strong> uses a drop table... as a d10 alternative.</p><p></p><p><strong>Physical tasks</strong></p><p>Pull the jenga block! - <u>Dread</u>.</p><p>Beer Pong or tiddlywinks - used by a couple of free RPG's I've stumbled across.</p><p></p><p><strong>Random Number tables</strong></p><p></p><p>I used one for combat resolution in a Space 1889 PBP once - I borrowed the one in Module N for SFB.</p><p></p><p><strong>Attribute Comparison</strong></p><p>No randomization, just compare the attribute to the difficulty. Only one I've seen uses this by itself - <u>Amber</u>.</p><p>WW's <u>VTM 1E</u> and BTRC's <u>CORPS</u> use it as a means of reducing dice rolls.</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Decision Trees</strong></p><p>A flow chart method. Figure out where to start, then answer the questions. Usually not a lone mechanic - <u>Theatrix</u> uses story points in addition to an attribute/skill vs difficulty comparison to pick where you start on the flow chart. </p><p></p><p><strong>GM Fiat</strong></p><p>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"</p><p></p><p><strong>Multiple methods</strong></p><p>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.</p><p><u>Mind's Eye Theater</u> allows "spending" a trait to retry the roshambo you just lost. And on a tie, it goes to who has the most traits.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="aramis erak, post: 6699949, member: 6779310"] I've seen several alternate randomizers over the years: [B]Cards[/B] 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 [U]Witchcraft[/U] 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 [U]Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game[/U] & [U]Dragonlance 5th Age[/U], RTG's [U]Castle Falkenstein[/U]) [b]Coins[/b] Really, their just d2's... usually. [b]Point Pools[/b] The [U]Marvel Universe RPG[/U] 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 [U]Epiphany[/U] 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... [b]Chit Draws[/b] 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. [b]Roshambo/RSP[/b] The World Of Darkness [U]Mind's Eye Theater[/U] 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...) [b]Drop Tables[/b] 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 [B]Lone Wolf[/B] uses a drop table... as a d10 alternative. [b]Physical tasks[/b] Pull the jenga block! - [U]Dread[/U]. Beer Pong or tiddlywinks - used by a couple of free RPG's I've stumbled across. [B]Random Number tables[/B] I used one for combat resolution in a Space 1889 PBP once - I borrowed the one in Module N for SFB. [b]Attribute Comparison[/b] No randomization, just compare the attribute to the difficulty. Only one I've seen uses this by itself - [U]Amber[/U]. WW's [U]VTM 1E[/U] and BTRC's [U]CORPS[/U] use it as a means of reducing dice rolls. [B]Decision Trees[/B] A flow chart method. Figure out where to start, then answer the questions. Usually not a lone mechanic - [U]Theatrix[/U] uses story points in addition to an attribute/skill vs difficulty comparison to pick where you start on the flow chart. [b]GM Fiat[/b] 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" [b]Multiple methods[/b] 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. [U]Mind's Eye Theater[/U] allows "spending" a trait to retry the roshambo you just lost. And on a tie, it goes to who has the most traits. [/QUOTE]
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