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Post by Luckstrider on Feb 6, 2015 19:04:05 GMT -8
What is your opinion on stealing mechanics from other games and mashing them into the current system you are playing?
For example, my group just started playing D&D 5e in the last couple of months but we had been playing Savage Worlds and Traveler for the year before that. We give out inspiration like bennies (with no maximum but we reset every session). We started our game with the campaign worksheet from Fate and I run monsters more from the bold text in MM as aspect based rather than from their stat blocks (I mostly use the Monster CR by level table from the DMG and flavor the monsters with the real stat block and background section). We have gone back and forth with characters resetting back to full health and all spells back for ease of book-keeping. We have debated using the 13th age escalation die and the four meaningful combats before a long rest can happen (opposite of the above).
What do you think?
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Post by fray on Feb 6, 2015 21:30:46 GMT -8
A perfectly fine thing to do. Take what you like and use it!
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Post by Probie Tim on Feb 7, 2015 9:27:27 GMT -8
Yeah, whatever works for you and your group is AWESOME. The main GM of an old group I was in cobbled together the system we used from equal parts GURPS, RuneQuest, Action! System, d20, and even Fudge. He called it "SAFUG", or "Some All F*cked Up Game".
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Muddyboots
Apprentice Douchebag
Posts: 83
Preferred Game Systems: Callofsavagetoon 5ERPS
Currently Playing: Pla-Ying, wazzat?!?
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Post by Muddyboots on Feb 7, 2015 12:31:46 GMT -8
5E has "inspiration" as a mechanic already, so sliding in SAvage world style bennies is no big deal. Do it! There was even an article in The Dragon years ago about meta reward mechanics in D&D, so there is long term president, if you want it.
Muddyboots
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Post by CreativeCowboy on Feb 8, 2015 3:18:19 GMT -8
What is your opinion on stealing mechanics from other games and mashing them into the current system you are playing? For example, my group just started playing D&D 5e in the last couple of months but we had been playing Savage Worlds and Traveler for the year before that. We give out inspiration like bennies (with no maximum but we reset every session). We started our game with the campaign worksheet from Fate and I run monsters more from the bold text in MM as aspect based rather than from their stat blocks (I mostly use the Monster CR by level table from the DMG and flavor the monsters with the real stat block and background section). We have gone back and forth with characters resetting back to full health and all spells back for ease of book-keeping. We have debated using the 13th age escalation die and the four meaningful combats before a long rest can happen (opposite of the above). What do you think? Not to pick on you, Luckstrider, but my God how far we have progressed from AD&D1e when this is the question; when GMs are worried about playing as GM; when the group term players ceases to include the GM, et cetera. **CENSORED**. You have permission. If your group does not allow you to be GM, you have your answer. Now fly, be free.
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Post by CreativeCowboy on Feb 8, 2015 3:30:15 GMT -8
5E has "inspiration" as a mechanic already, so sliding in SAvage world style bennies is no big deal. Do it! There was even an article in The Dragon years ago about meta reward mechanics in D&D, so there is long term president, if you want it. Muddyboots Gygax wrote that by changing things up, essentially each DM owning their own Dungeon Masters' Rulebook (with the suggestions from the generic DMGuide and other imaginative sources, like those in Appendix N) keeps the game vibrant, exciting and fun. Worth reading for anyone fearful of "The Geek Planet" full of computerized tabletop systems and pocket protectors: geek-related.com/2013/10/12/rule-zero-over-the-years/
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Post by Luckstrider on Feb 8, 2015 14:42:35 GMT -8
Oh yeah, I wasn't meaning to ask for permission. I was more interested in other people's thoughts and maybe mechanics that they "port" around.
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Post by rickno7 on Feb 8, 2015 15:15:53 GMT -8
It seems popular on the board, but I've known 2 other GM's that have turned inspiration in to "bennies". I do that in my current game in the way that I give players "player granted inspiration". At each session the players get an inspiration token that they can role play into giving another player inspiration. Also, because its low level, you can use player granted inspiration to turn someone going to "0" hitpoints to 1 hitpoint instead, as long as you role play it as actually inspiring the character.
The thing I've stolen from Savage Worlds that I haven't seen people do is the Chase rules. I LOVE the chase mechanics in Savage Worlds. It turns away from "who is in the lead" style chase mechanics, and deals with obstacles, advantageous maneuvering and all that. I had a Horse drawn carriage "chase" with some players on horses and some on carriages chasing another carriage. It went over very well.
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tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
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Post by tomes on Feb 8, 2015 22:31:50 GMT -8
I like the fail forward mechanic of Dungeon World. I'd probably use that in any D&D game I ran... fail a skill check? Make that shit interesting, and oh, get some experience points. I'd probably also steal something like Bonds. I like that it is mechanical oriented in that you get experience points each session for living up to them. Similar to "alignment". I also like that alignment is not about exactly where you sit on some cosmic scale, but instead informs your general morals or outlook, and again, if you play to it there is a mechanical (experience point) reward. Small rewards for roleplaying in ways that otherwise may be detrimental to your survivability, but beneficial in story. So yah, all that would come along to D&D land.
At a certain point you'd probably say, "well, why even play D&D then??" To which you'd be right. I probably wouldn't. But like SW bennies, once you have fun with those mechanics, it's hard to leave them behind!
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Post by CreativeCowboy on Feb 9, 2015 12:17:04 GMT -8
Oh yeah, I wasn't meaning to ask for permission. Many people are who have been exposed to Systems Jesus.
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Post by Kainguru on Feb 10, 2015 3:50:54 GMT -8
I like the 13th Age idea - it's a bit 'artificial' but it does capture that 'don't blow yer load now we might need that for the next encounter'. This being that special abilities are just that - special - and possibly not appropriate for every situation. I thinking more narratively here as some special abilities would be over kill in some situations, yet, from a game perspective, 'why not?' if they're going to 'reset' fairly rapidly - I can't help but think of Michael Caine's "you were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off" from The Italian Job (the original). Aaron
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Post by archmagezemoc on Feb 10, 2015 7:17:38 GMT -8
Tappy mentions it in the backlog many a time, but the W40k TRPG games by Fantasy Flight have an awesomely brutal critical hit system we frequently throw in ontop of everything else in 5E. Not in all fights or all campaigns whatever but when we can.
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Post by Kainguru on Feb 10, 2015 7:57:11 GMT -8
You can pick up a cheap copy of the old ADnD 2e Player's Option - 'Combat & Tactics', it had very brutal but simple critical hit system. I ported it into my ADnD 1e game and used it with touch effect spells as well (I hadn't grabbed the PO 'Spells & Magic' volume at that point) - the PC Mage criticalled with a shocking grasp spell which basically resulted in the PC's electrified hands reaching into the decomposing abdominal innards of a monsterous zombie and flash frying it from the inside out . . . Aaron
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Post by archmagezemoc on Feb 10, 2015 8:12:17 GMT -8
the PC's electrified hands reaching into the decomposing abdominal innards of a monsterous zombie and flash frying it from the inside out . . . Aaron You had my interest, now you have my attention ;D
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Post by ericfromnj on Feb 10, 2015 17:02:09 GMT -8
Drink!
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