If you could delete one concept in rpg design, what would it be?

RPGPundit · February 20, 2008, 05:45:13 PM

A mechanical concept?

Probably Attacks of Opportunity.

An overall concept? GM-disempowering.

RPGPundit

Ian Absentia · February 20, 2008, 06:34:37 PM

Quote from: HaffrungNo. I mean players sitting down and 'building' a PC far into into the future, plotting out skills, powers, feats, etc.

Oh, oh! Shit yes. It's roughly the equivalent of setting up one of those marble tracks, putting the marble at the top, and just letting it go.

!i!

PaladinCA · February 20, 2008, 07:19:54 PM

Death to STAT blocks...

I just wish there was another d20 alternative.

Arsenic Canary · February 20, 2008, 07:37:09 PM

The release of dozens of supplemental books that provide nothing but useless power-creep.

KingSpoom · February 20, 2008, 10:31:44 PM

Quote from: HaffrungNo. I mean players sitting down and 'building' a PC far into into the future, plotting out skills, powers, feats, etc. The very notion of elaborate character concepts and character builds is one the things I hate about the modern RPG scene. It's responsible for a lot of increased complexity, rules creep, and player entitlement that turns me off. I prefer mechanically simple PCs who develop in-game, rather than at the kitchen table of a number-cruncing gamer (or frustrated writer). The sub-game of PC optimization (or backstory generation for the storygamers) has come to supplant and even undermine actual play.

This.
You shouldn't be able to master a system, just understand it clearly.

Pseudoephedrine · February 21, 2008, 01:08:34 AM

"The party".

Very few RPGs can handle PvP well, and even when they can, there's usually a lot of custom in the group to overcome to do it well. One of the reasons that I really like my current group is that we can pretty seamlessly switch from PvP or pursuing conflicting goals to working together as circumstances and whim demand, rather than being able to pursue only one of those options.

Melan · February 21, 2008, 03:36:08 AM

Warthur: well said. That would also rank very high on The List.

Imperator · February 21, 2008, 06:01:09 AM

Hit points escalation with level.
Character advancement as is developed in 99% of the RPGs I know.
All that advice of "Fudge rolls, fuck the rules on a whim, fuck over the PCs if they get out of your plot"
GM disempowering, on the other side. GM is a referee, a judge, and should have a great deal of authority. There has to be a balance.
Canon ultradetailed that you are expected to follow slavishly.
Pretentious writing on how this game is going to change the RPGdom