What game mechanics when introduced were absolutely hated?

[TarionzCousin]

4E Damage on a miss.

We all hated this, but when our only fighter whiffed, we were happy to see the monsters' hit points diminish.

 

[Tonguez]

THAC0
Different damage dice for weapons
D20 v DC
BAB
Profeciencies
Feats
No Feats
Prestige Classes
the 4e abomination

 

[Lanefan]

*I will continue to state that the only good thing to come from UA is the Pole Arm appendix T, but that is my opinion.

Percentile stat increments (that the Cavalier got) were brilliant once one expanded it to all classes. It's the original ASI system except it had two things going for it that have since sadly disappeared: it was random at what level the stat(s) would roll over and it was very slow.

1e had attacks of opportunity and flanking. They didnt call the AOO but I do not think it got into the detail level of standing up causing them.

1e had facing, which determined which sides you'd get your shield AC on; not quite the same as flanking.

The only variant of AOO's I can think of in 1e, other than those houseruled into some fumble tables, is the one @Ralif Redhammer already hit: if someone turned and fled from melee the opponent would get a free shot at the departing back.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Lanefan]

Ugh. Once ASIs came into play in whatever form, every game became a race to increase stats.

We've used percentiles for ages, and found they're slow enough and random enough that the whole 'race to the top' business doesn't enter into it.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

4E Damage on a miss.

That needs to come back.

 

[Lanefan]

That needs to come back.

And up go the storm warning flags.

I'll get the popcorn...

 

[Zhaleskra]

"T-shirts! Get your edition war T-shirts here! T-shirts!"

 

[JeffB]

That needs to come back.

NAI*- I get the fictional element. I do. But I find it "clunky" even as a huge 4E and 13Th Age fan. I think the better designs were the powers and exploits that still granted half damage on a miss- like a failed save in 5E or pre 4E games. Those are sizeable and a bit easier to explain in the fiction than every miss being a minor sort of cut or whatever. That got old real quick for me as a DM. It's also an issue with Binary results and "Fail forward" advice. The 13th Age/D&D binary results do not support the fiction very well for "fail forward"- it's shoehorned into the game and clunky.

Not to mention the HP bloat is so high in 4E and 13th Age, most damage on a miss is like a toothpick attack.

I instead rolled a static damage bonus into Fighters in both systems that increases with Tier of play.

*No argument intended

 

[Eyes of Nine]

I just liked it as a player, and never really felt like the overhead on the GM side was too bad. And I'm mostly thinking of damage on a miss due to a special power.