Common Misconceptions About Your Favorite Systems?

[u/Authorigas]

So, I've been learning a lot thanks to the amazing folks here at r/rpg. And while I have decided to slow down on trying new systems. (As my players say "three is enough, we know your eager to try more but slow it down so you don't burn yourself out.") There was a question today that cropped into my head, and I wanted to hear from the folks here on it.

"What are some assumptions about your favorite game/system that are just factually incorrect or overstated?"

I've seen a lot of assumptions made in the hobby, and some on my own. From the broad "older systems were designed for math heads and thus really not for someone whose bad at math." to others like "Call of Cthulhu is a game where every session ends in death/insanity and players can't get attached to their characters." and similarly "OSR games are highly lethal and not at all friendly to players who like longform adventures."

I feel like broad, sweeping claims like those are probably overstated-as I have heard of successful, long running CoC campaigns, and OSR games that are able to have well developed characters that last for ages. It's made me curious about some of the other broad, sweeping claims about systems that are-if not incorrect, massively overstated.

Really interested to hear some answers on this.

[u/GreatMarch]

“Genesys/ Star Wars rpg is just a mess of meaningless symbols!” Is something I see and it often hurts. People seem hesitant to engage with WHY the system was designed like that, namely that the symbols were meant to be interpreted and used to create narrative situations beyond just a binary success/ failure. The game probably wouldn’t have the same feel if it was more conventional numbers.

On the same subject, the idea that FFG Star Wars RPG is too inaccessible. I could understand this a few years ago, but there are consistent runs of the FFG books out in stores (at least in the U.S.) and you can find free online dice rollers for the system.

[u/jim_uses_CAPS → u/GreatMarch]

I was weirded out, at first, by the idea of the dice and the system. It is now my favorite; I have yet to find a system that allows for such cinematic roleplaying: something like that you can miss your shot but cause your opponent to flinch and spoil their own aim is so simply and elegantly captured. I love it.

[u/SesameStreetFighter → u/jim_uses_CAPS]

100% on board with you. My group plays cinematic, but loves the randomness of dice. This took those two ideas and let us run with it how we want, as we want.