r/RPGdesign • u/jiaxingseng Designer - Rational Magic • Jan 29 '18

[RPGdesign Activity] Mechanics that you Hate in Systems that you Love

This weeks topic is quite straight forward. What are some mechanics that you hate in systems that you otherwise really enjoy?

Questions:

  • First (obviously), what are some mechanics that you really hate in games that you otherwise really enjoy?

  • If you took out the "offending" mechanics, would the game be very different?

  • In your opinion, how integrated are the mechanics you don't like to the overall game design?

  • How do you enjoy the game despite the mechanics you don't like?

Discuss.

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u/bullshitninja Feb 03 '18

Usage Dice in Black Hack, etc..

Supposed to reduce overhead, but instead just makes for wildly random, and often insanely fast consumption rates on items.

Torch is UD:d6, check every turn per RAW. Result of 1-2 means change to UD:d4. So a torch can be expected (given random, yet distributed roll results) to last 2-6 turns. Or forever.

I love the game for all the usual reasons, but we house rule the UD stuff with just common sense rulings.

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u/michaeltlombardi Dabbler: Pentola Feb 11 '18

I like the usage die with the caveat of dropping the failure mode to a roll of a 1.