What is the thing you envy most about a game you don't play

[Asmor]

I really dig The Weapon of the Gods combat system.

Wow, I had not seen that system before. I now also envy the coolness of that mechanic.

To save others the effort of looking it up, in TWotG you roll a pool of d10s, then you can take a set of dice showing the same number (2 of a kind, 3 of a kind, etc). Multiply the number of dice by 10, then add the actual number the dice show. For example, a pair of 3s would be 23, a single 7 would be 17. You're not obligated to take the best result, if you desire a lower result

Reminds me a lot of the system Cthulhutech uses. You roll however many d10s, then you can keep a single, pair, triple, etc, OR you can keep a run of 3 or more sequential dice (1,2,3; or 5,6,7,8,9, etc), and you add the chosen dice together.

 

[amerigoV]

I've been eyeing the non-combat stunts of Dragon Age (from the 2nd box set). In Savage Worlds, getting a "raise" (4 over the target number) generally leads to something better. The stunts might be a way to handle the raise when I have not thought about it before hand (vs. "Bob, you Notice X. Tom, with that raise you really, really Notice X)

 

[pawsplay]

Torg's card-based group initiative/complications system.

 

[El Mahdi]

The system that has the things I most envy (and have shamelessly stolen) is 4E. I prefer 3E, almost exclusively play 3E, and have never actually played 4E...but there are quite a few bits of the system that are sheer genius (IMO). I couldn't possibly narrow it down to just one thing I envy the most about it, there's just too many.

 

[Celebrim]

Armor as DR, active defense rules from GURPS.

Negative encumbrance rules from GULLIVER.

The experience/rewards system from BRP that matches what you do to what you get better in.

The to hit vs. weapon modifiers of 1e D&D.

Better results clustering in dice pool systems like D6 compared to linear systems like D20.

The mechanics that reward matching your RP to your stated goals in WoD games.

The ability to draw on your RP motivations to effect possibility of success as in 'Monsters and Other Childish Things'.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

I hear an old edition of the Star Trek RPG has an interesting system for how to conduct starship combat while at different posts on a bridge. I've never seen the system, but it does sound very interesting.

I only got to play it a couple of times many years ago, but it was very interesting. 1st ed Trek. (We played Klingons! And found out what happens when the captain doesn't communicate his desires well to the bridge crew. Got our butt shot off when someone didn't bother to activate the rear shields because the captain didn't order it! )

The one thing I'd like to see in D&D is armor as DR. But having a bit added to AC wouldn't be a bad idea either, to reflect the possibility of a deflected blow. (Sorta like GURPS, but not quite, I guess.)

 

[Diamond Cross]

I really like the concept of Wiggle Dice in Wild Talents.

It would actually be a hard thing to do in a d20 system.

In Star Wars RPG d6 system I liked the scale system and the dice cap from it.

I also like the concept of a Wild Die in the d6 Star Wars system. I had a lot of fun with that and one time accidentally blew up a Super Star Destroyer with a single proton torpedo because I got really super lucky and rolled several sixes in a row. And I was piloting an X Wing fighter at the time. Vader was rumored to be on that ship. To this day the GM will not confirm or deny that rumor.

I liked the concept of static and dynamic magic in Mage The Ascension. I also like the rules that reality was determined by the masses.

In Gamma World 3e edition I really liked using the color table to determine your success.

I've always liked Psionics in 1e, 2e, and 3.5e D&D.

 

[Votan]

I really liked how the Traveller character generation system led to some really interesting and unexpected backgrounds. It almost never produced a really suboptimal character but it was great at creating a life story that was unexpected.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I most envy the complexity of the GURPS combat system. I love their martial arts system. That's the one thing D&D has always been lacking is a well done martial arts system.

For me, that would be the HERO martial arts system...and how powers are done.

I'm also a big fan of RIFTS' campaign world- I've used it in other RPG systems and it works wonderfully as a backdrop.

Traveller's background system was always a fave of mine, so when Task Force Games released their Central Casting books, they were a must-buy.

SPI's Universe had nifty planetary system design rules.

(All games I've played but am not currently playing.)

 

[On Puget Sound]

Ars Magica's troupe style of gaming.