Nobby-W
Not an axe murderer
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2018
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I've got a soft spot for some features of older systems and some from newer systems. My ideal 'eclectic' system would combine the following features:
I'm not rapt with class/level systems, although I'm quite happy to play D&D. I prefer a character generation system where you can build a character from a concept, although Traveller characters can be quite fun to just roll and run with. Too much crunch can get in the way, but Rolemaster's critical tables were fun.
So, what are your favourite game system features, or what combination would make your ideal system?
Why do you like those particular features?
- FATE point economy from FATE. It's a great tool to bribe your players to stop being paranoid and allow their characters to get into trouble.
- Clocks from the PBTA family: Rather than (for example) just fail your stealth check and alert the guards you can build tension by ticking down a clock based on how well the party does.
- Flashbacks from the FITD family: Retconning past events makes a nice way to do heists. It's largely a story gaming feature but being able to retcon bribing a guard or something is a nice way to put together the narrative for an Ocean's 11 style heist.
- 2D6 dice mechanic (or D6-D6): Simple mental arithmetic and about the right kurtosis. 4DF is too thin in the tails and D20 with its even distribution means the effects of modifiers can be a bit strange in the fringes. Having said that, I don't mind the heavier tails of a D20, it makes extreme effects more common.
- Free-form aspects and stunts from FATE: Negotiate their effects with the DM as you build the character. It's also a good way to add specialisations to skills (e.g. master safecracker).
- Small ship universe: If you're doing sci-fi, mile long dreadnoughts make for good cinema but they're too big to be much use in an actual campaign. Small ships are (a) not too big to map out deck plans and (b) accessible and usable in the context of an ordinary game.
- Contacts, enemies and other life-path events: IMHO Cyberpunk 2020 did this better than Traveller.
- Twilight:2000 1e damage system: or something similar. Weapons had an armour multiplier, with lower multipliers meaning your armour was less effective. This let you have weapons that could penetrate heavy armour without necessarily being an insta-kill on unarmoured characters. Few games do this well.
- Battle magic from Runequest: i.e. magic powered from some pool rather than Vancian spell slots.
- Blowing off stress mechanics: For example, FITD where you need R&R to de-stress your character. Barbarians of Lemuria has a mechanic where you have to spend all your money on partying to gain experience.
- No super weapons: Not looking at anyone in particular *cough*Traveller*cough*. If (as a DM) you find yourself making excuses as to why your players shouldn't have access to something fairly mundane, it's probably time to consider nerfing it.
I'm not rapt with class/level systems, although I'm quite happy to play D&D. I prefer a character generation system where you can build a character from a concept, although Traveller characters can be quite fun to just roll and run with. Too much crunch can get in the way, but Rolemaster's critical tables were fun.
So, what are your favourite game system features, or what combination would make your ideal system?
Why do you like those particular features?
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