Free-form Magic

Free-form Magic

Description: Rather than using pre-defined spells characters describe a desired magical effect, and are assigned a level  to determine difficulty to cost, cost in energy or spell slots, etc. Often used in conjunction with Spell Rolls or Spell Points. 

Find it in: Mage: the Awakening, The Dozen Dooms, Sorcerer Alternative Class for Low Fantasy Gaming 

Keywords: Epic, Fantastical, High-Magic, Weird

Genres: Epic Fantasy, High-Fantasy, Superhero 

You, Not Your Gear

 You, Not Your Gear

Description: Characters receive less treasure, especially items that grant special abilities. Instead, they gain more regular boosts to their abilities. In its original format, players recieved 20% less treasure but gained twice as many ability score increases. 

Find it in: The Official Dungeons & Dragons blog circa 2006

Keywords: Epic, Heroic, Low-Magic, Swashbuckling

Genres: Epic Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Martial Arts, Pulp, Superhero, Sword & Sorcery, Western

Last Breath

Last Breath

Description: As a PC is dying, there is a chance, if they might not otherwise recover of bein approached by Death, a demon, or otherworldly entity in a vision, and offered a chance to return to the world of the living, but they must agree to a quest. If they fail to keep up their end of the bargain in a timely fashion, they will die and be unable to return to life again.

Find it in: Dungeon World

Keywords: Dark, Epic, Fantastical, Heroic, High Magic, Weird

Genres: Sword & Sorcery, Dark Fantasy, Eldritch Horror, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Superhero

Steal the Spotlight

Steal the Spotlight

(a.k.a. "Hold my beer", Time to Shine) 

Description: Once per session, characters get to declare that they are grandstanding and showing off their ability. They gain a vastly increased dice pool or double advantage on this roll.

Find it in: The Islands of Purple-Haunted Putrescence (NSFW), Alpha Blue (NSFW)

Keywords: Cinematic, Epic, Fast-paced, Heroic, Pulpy, Swashbuckling 

Genres: Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Martial Arts, Pulp, Science Fiction, Superhero, 

Boosts

Boosts

Contributed by: McChuck 

Description: Characters have Boosts which passively grant bonuses to certain actions. Actively using the boost creates a much greater effect, but reduces the boost by one level. This reduction may be automatic, or determined by a dice roll. Boost levels heal with time, after resting or between play sessions.

Source: House rule, inspired by depletion rolls and Luck Scores.

Keywords: Epic, Heroic, Pulpy, Tactical

Genres: Sword & Sorcery, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Martial Arts, Pulp, Superhero

Abstract Coin

Abstract Coin

Description: Treasure is abstracted from numbers of coin, gem, jewels, and artifacts into a Wealth statistic that a character checks against to buy items, often depleting on a failed roll. Often used in conjunction with depletion dice. 
Find it in: the Black Hack, Tombpunk
Keywords: Rules-light, Epic, Pulpy
Genres: Sword & Sorcery, Epic Fantasy, Pulp, Superhero

Armor as Damage Reduction

Armor as Damage Reduction

Description: Rather than having armor make a PC harder to damage or letting them take more, armor reduces the amount of damage taken on each attack, or allows characters t soak more damage if resistance rolls are used. 
Find it in:  the Black Hack, Shadowrun, World of Darkness, Into the Odd
Keywords: Heroic, Epic, Pulpy
Genres: High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Science Fiction, Superhero, Pulp