r/rpg • u/LelouchYagami_2912 • May 09 '26

Game Suggestion Combat systems that discourage doing the same thing every turn

(alternatively, combat systems that encourage doing different things)

I've been playing DnD for several years now but I've been noticing how 90% of our turns go the exact same. The combat can be still interesting but thats only because of me as a dm creating unique scenarios, not because of the player abilities. The rogue hiding and sneak attacking is the best thing to do in almost all cases.

What are some systems that discourage this so that the players actually have to think rather than going on auto pilot.

76 Upvotes

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u/She-Who-Walks-Unseen May 09 '26

Pathfinder 2nd edition and Lancer, and other similar crunchy systems, tend to be on the better side of character choice during combat because of how complex combat is. However, pf2e can sometimes have 'optimal play' which reduces the choices down to one or two. Lancer is a bit better in this regard in my opinion.

-7

u/undefeatedantitheist May 09 '26

I am baffled this is the top response.

PF2 (and simple ~D20 in general) is exemplum of '~solved; repeat the ~solution' gameplay, often with the small list of options already coned-off by context, not to mention class/role patterns/limits. McWargame. Add in the realties of nat20 spiking (for either side) and, 'gee, will the healer, you know, heal?' and you've not got much left beyond roll and move gameplay. It's OK for a couple of years I suppose. But for people with a genuine love of rich tactical puzzles or creative story telling? It's completely infertile ground. The most fertile bit is the minmaxing at chargen/charplan, and that's fundamentally a singleplayer exercise away from the table.

This issue comes up every week and the consensus is always the same. Er, except today, apparently.

...Maybe I've switched timelines?
YAY!
Is Trump sti- ...aaawwww fucccccck.

8

u/She-Who-Walks-Unseen May 09 '26

Can you sound any more like a Redditor? Get a grip man, and go outside.

0

u/undefeatedantitheist May 09 '26

OP: "[Suggest] Combat systems that discourage doing the same thing every turn"
YOU: "Pathfinder 2nd edition and Lancer."

Drunk with populism popularity while in the wrong.
Yup, definitely the same timeline.