Last year we celebrated Autocratik’s #RPGaDay, where we spend a month celebrating RPGs, discussing what we love and what we love about them. Here are the responses of the TRF crew. Be sure to tweet, blog, or post your own with the #RPGaDay!
For August 25, What is your favorite revolutionary game mechanic?
Aser: We keep talking about the Cypher System, but for good reason I think. In Cypher, the points used to buy uses of your special abilities and boost your die rolls, are also your health. the use of expendable points to help your rolls or achieve success in Gumshoe is also a real favorite: emphasizing the toll the adventure is taking on the player.
Chuck: Exp for discovery not combat.
John: Burning Games’ FAITH uses cards not dice; the ‘rest’ refresh method from Cypher System and D&D.
Jonn: Fate Points. Well Fate Points are nothing new, but how they interact with the rest of the system is fairly revolutionary.
Landan: Maybe the GM intrusion mechanic for the Numenera RPG and I believe other Cypher System games.
Matt: Communal world-building is a great idea that I kick myself for not incorporating into my games before. I love it as both a GM and a player. Runner-up is the social combat system in the Dresden Files RPG; it’s the only such system I’ve seen that works reasonably well.
Megan: I like being able to spend to increase your roll in the Cypher System, as well as being able to reroll by spending XP. It’s the only mechanic I regularly miss when I’m playing other games.
Patrick: Drama Dice from 7th Sea. Tangible rewards for cool stuff players do in game. Look it up, cool shiznit.
Rob: Complications replacing HP
