Your Favorite Core Mechanic sans Setting?

[Khaalis]

Hey all. I know there have been threads about favorite RPGs in the past, but most of what I see are suggestions based on the Game Setting rather than on Core Game Mechanics (for instance I see a lot of "L5R is best, except for its mechanics"). I'd like to get a feel for what what You feel is your favorite Core Mechanic OTHER than d20 and why. I restrict d20 for a few reasons.

1) I am looking for a few good system mechanics to shuffle through for one that works more mathematically sound than d20's flat linear probability curve and its wide swing range of results, not to mention auto fail and auto succeed system. The players in a our group have played plenty of d20 over the years but have truly found it too unsatisfying and have pretty much burned out on it and some of the typical trappings associated with the d20 system.

2) I am also looking for System Mechanics that better support level-less PC progression, but thats a side point.

Some examples of what I mean by Core Mechanic sans setting are:

• BRP: Roll Under Target on Percentile
• GURPS: Roll Under Target with the Sum of 3d6
• L5R & 7th Sea: Roll Over Target by Rolling X d10 and Keeping Y of those, Summing Y (i.e. 5k3 = roll 5d10, pick 3 and sum them)
• Cortex Classic & Earthdawn: Roll Over Target with the Sum of XdY + XdY (i.e. 1d6+1d8)
• Shadowrun & White Wolf: Roll XdY, Count Success over a TN (i.e. Roll 10d6 count 5's and 6's as successes)
• EnWorld OLD/NOW/NEW's: Roll Over Target using Sum of Xd6 (X has no limit)

Additionally, if the system is Different than you Core Mechanic choice, what do you find is your favorite System Mechanic for... Skill System, Combat System and Magic Systems? For instance if you could take your favorite Core Mechanic, Favorite Combat System, Favorite Skill System and Favorite Magic System - even from 4 different systems - and put them together, what would you choose?

Thanks to all who choose to reply and share their experiences and favorites.

 

[Wicht]

Exploding dice.

Its just a fun little mechanic that makes each roll potentially more exciting.

 

[Megaton Games]

I think I have managed to make a game with the basic mechanics of d20 but without the faulty mathematics. It is actually inspired by many different games. One of it's strengths is one system for skills, combat and magic.
It's called QuestCore.

I also like Savage World system with diffent dices.

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showth...stCore-RPG-GENERIC-SYSTEM&highlight=questcore

 

[UselessTriviaMan]

Savage Worlds. Roll above TN. Add in wild die + exploding dice. Multiple levels of success.

 

[Hyper-Man]

The Speed Chart in HERO. Not only does it create a unique initiative system but it also allows for other great general combat options like Delaying and Blocking (when successful can also affect initiative).

 

[Razjah]

I really like Mouse Guard and Burning Wheel (I suppose Torchbearer too, but I haven't played it) where the mechanic is a d6 pool (based on skill or attribute if you lack the skill) rolled for a set number of successes. The thing is, there is Intent and Task. Intent would be to pick the lock before the guards arrive. So a failed option may still get the lock open but the guards round the corner as you finally get the last tumbler.

Favorite Magic system? Probably the Dresden Files FATE magic. You can do anything, at a cost of time and effort.
Favorite Combat System? Mouse Guard's Conflict system or Savage Worlds
Favorite Skill System? Burning Wheel's lifepath system with general points and beginner's luck to develop any skill over time.

Really, more people should play Burning Wheel and Mouse Guard. Mice Musketeers!

 

[GMMichael]

My favorite core mechanic - general conflict resolution:

All easy tasks automatically succeed. Tasks of questionable outcome require a contest between the PC's d20 and the GM's d20, higher result wins. The PC's roll increases with attribute and skill bonuses, as does the GM's if the opposition is a character. If the PC is unopposed, but is trying something difficult like shooting an apple off someone's head, the GM's roll gains a bonus from difficulty.

(Supporting rule - take half) the player or GM can always skip rolling a die and call the result half of the highest possible roll.

Why:[sblock] this rule allows the side of the contest with a higher bonus to take half on the die and enjoy a comfortable result. If that side is the PC, the GM can then take half as well and eliminate the need for a roll if he thinks the PC deserves a win. If both sides roll, a low roll for one side doesn't mean a loss, because the opposition could still roll lower.[/sblock]

Favorite combat sequence rule:

All characters have finite (3) actions in each round of combat. Since moving can occur in conjunction with most other actions, small movements are free. Everything else (stabbing, blocking, dodging, spellcasting, reloading, potion grabbing, etc.) requires an action (or more). Any character can act during another character's action (say, to block an attack), and an initiative order serves to resolve timing issues. Once a character has used his 3 actions, he's too busy to react to other characters for the rest of the round.

Why:[sblock] this system makes for fluid combat by allowing characters to move and act at almost any time. By limiting a character's defensive actions, this system put emphasis on the number of combatants, and makes players realize that attacking one opponent means turning their backs on another.[/sblock]

Non-level progression:

Level is synonymous with progress, is it not? I'm not sure that you can progress PCs without increasing their levels.

Now, "class levels" can be eliminated fairly easily. As long as all characters improve in the same way, you don't need to use class levels to progress them. For a game like, say, Pathfinder, you can award an ability score increase, a saving throw increase, X hit points, X skill points, 1 feat, and 1 spell known at every level. Give out these improvements individually or all in one lump, as desired.

 

[Umbran]

Level is not synonymous with progression, in that not all games have levels at all, put still have progress. My Deadlands game has characters that have grown greatly in power in play, but "level" is not a concept in the system.

 

[Umbran]

I don't actually have a single favorite. When you ask me what mechanic I like best, I ask "Best at doing what?"

For example, from what you've said, I would guess that you are interested in a core mechanic that innately creates and supports tactical play (whether it is in combat or not).

The system I have personally gotten the most fun play out of recently is FATE, which doesn't have that tactical depth within the rules themselves.

Nor is FATE good for character advancement -it focuses on development and change that is not so much about outright increase innpower.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

I am looking for a few good system mechanics to shuffle through for one that works more mathematically sound than d20's flat linear probability curve and its wide swing range of results, not to mention auto fail and auto succeed system.

The d20 system has exactly the same probability distribution as BRP's roll-under system, except you're limited to 5% granularity and it's somewhat easier to change the DC of a check rather than altering the percentage chances. It's entirely possible to have a d20 system without auto-fail or auto-success, especially in a level-free system that doesn't require constant progression for your various bonuses.

There are some more gimmicky systems out there - Cthulutech lets you play poker with your d10s (so a roll of 2,3,4,5,6 is higher than a roll of 5,7,7,8,8), and Maid has you multiply your ability score (in the range of 1-6) by a 1d6 roll for any check (so someone with a stat of 2 can beat someone with a stat of 5 if she rolls a 3 and her opponent rolls a 1, and can't possibly win if her opponent rolls a 3 or better) - but I wouldn't exactly call those mathematically sound. It's hard to beat d20 or percentile for mathematically sound.

The old GURPS system (from 2E, before 3E introduced flat costs for improving skills) is as close as you get to a sound mechanic, but even that includes auto-success and auto-fail.