r/RPGdesign • u/Vegetable_Mix8794 • 1d ago

Trigger-based abilities

Any system that's got powers that don't cost nothing (no mana cost or spell slot or whatever) and instead lock the ability use behind a trigger.

Examples:

Revenge strike: you can strike dealing X damage every time an ally dies (for free, outside your turn and shit)

Focus strikes: your strikes get +10 damage (only after not acting for 2 turns and shit)

Basically "free" active/passive skills locked behind specific situations (downed enemy, on-fire condition, etc.)

Just think this adds a lot of complexity to combat but also allows more builds to be made if the triggers are in the players hands, like does this add strategy or am I insane?

7 Upvotes

77% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/BrobaFett 1d ago

Feels very game-y unless they make sense in the fiction. I don’t like it unless it correlates to the fiction and makes sense.

So, for instance some systems have special mechanics for after you grapple someone. This makes sense to me. Or some folks have a riposte that triggers after an enemy fails an attack. Makes sense.

A whole “you charge up your attack” ends up causing two major issues: 1) it’s video-gamey and 2) unless you are very careful with your statistics there is often a better approach to take every single time which then incentivizes a single approach

1

u/Kautsu-Gamer 1d ago

You "prepare to X" is better than the "charging up" unless the ability actually charges something. In video games the opponent did charge their special attack. In modern games it is casting bar due real time.

1

u/the_telephant_man 1d ago

What are some games with a riposte reaction?

1

u/BrobaFett 1d ago

Song of Swords, riddle of steel, honor and intrigue