Spell Points

Spell Points

A.K.A. Inner Strength Points, Psi Points

Description: Characters have a pool of magical energy that they spend to cast their spells rather than spell slots or exterior fuel for magic. These are often based on magic and replenished with rest.

Find it in: Palladium Fantasy Roleplaying Game, The Dozen Dooms, Dungeons & Dragons 3e Unearthed Arcana, AD&D2e Player's Option: Spells & Magic, Dungeons & Dragons 3.5e Psionics Rules

Keywords: Fantastical, High-Magic, Weird 

Genres: Epic Fantasy, High-Fantasy, Pulpy, Sword & Sorcery 

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 

Metamagic Components

 Metamagic Components

Description: In lieu of the standard spell component for a magic item, a rarified and exotic item with the right resonance can give the Spell a boost to its casting time, area of effect, duration, range, or effect. For example, coffee beans harvested from a treat prevents haste from aging the target.

Find it in: Dungeons & Dragons 3e Unearthed Arcana

Keywords: Fantastical, High-Magic, Weird

Genres: Dark Fantasy, High Fantasy 

Choose the Unlucky

Choose the Unlucky

Description: When lacking any other tool for decision making as to which character is attacked, targeted, or hit by a trap, choose the character with the lowest current Luck Score.

Find it in: Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG

Keywords:  Fantastical, Pulpy, Rules-light, Weird

Genres: Crime, High Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Pulp, Sword & Sorcery 

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, 

Death is Not the End

Death is Not the End

Description: When a PC or important NPC dies, there is a chance that they can be resurrected.This entails rolls to check on which magic or technology was used to bring them back. Each method has drawbacks and a chance or rejection, which leads to permanent pentirs.

Find it in: Alpha Blue (NSFW)

Keywords: Fantastical, Light-Hearted, Pulpy, Weird

Genres: Cyberpunk, High Fantasy, 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

Failing Forward

Failing Forward

Description: Task resolution rolls that do not indicate success do not mean simply failure that halts forward momentum; instead it means the PCs suffer loss of equipment, injury, or discover another way to progress that creates even more obstacles. A failed roll leads to a narrative complication, not a halt to the action. 
Find it in: the Black Hack, PARANOIA 2017, 
Keywords: Heroic, Light-Hearted, Pulpy
Genres: High Fantasy, 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

Rescues

Rescues

Description: A character may sacrifice their turn and a resource like luck to leap to another NPCs aid, catching them at a cliff's edge, pushing them out of the way of a car, taking a bullet for them. Etc. PC preforming the rescue may be subject to taking damage themselves. 
Find it in: Low Fantasy Gaming
Keywords: Tactical, Swashbuckling, Heroic, Pulpy
Genres: Sword & Sorcery, High Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Post-apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Pulp, Superhero, Military

Combat Exploits

Combat Exploits

Description: During Combat characters may declare special effects of a combat attack, like disarming, knock back, tripping, blinding, etc., and on a successful attack, a die roll may resolve this effect. More severe or permanent effects may require special Luck checks or limited resources. Missed exploits prevent further exploits against a target until players gain  new tactical advantage. 
Find it in: Low Fantasy Gaming
Keywords: Tactical, Swashbuckling, Heroic, Pulpy
Genres: Sword & Sorcery, High Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Post-apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Pulp, Superhero, Western

Mighty Deeds of Arms

Mighty Deeds of Arms

Description: Combat-oriented characters may declare special effects of a combat attack, like disarming, knock back, tripping, blinding, etc., and get variable success based on a roll of a die. 
Find it in: Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG
Keywords: Weird, Fantastical, Dark, Tactical, Swashbuckling 
Genres: Sword & Sorcery, High Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Post-apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Pulp, Superhero

Let the Mail be Rent

Let the Mail be Rent

Description: Sacrifice Armor effectiveness to reduce damage. 
Find it in: Right Here
Keywords: Fantastical, Tactical, Heroic, Cinematic, Swashbuckling 
Genres: Sword & Sorcery, High Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Science Fiction, Post-apocalyptic, Pulp

Let the Shield be Shattered

Let the Shield be Shattered

Description: Sacrifice a shield to reduce the damage of an attack. 
Find it in: ICRPG Core 2e, the Black Hack
Keywords: Fantastical, Tactical, Heroic, Cinematic, Swashbuckling 
Genres: Sword & Sorcery, High Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Science Fiction

Roll to Recover

Roll to Recover

Description: While resting, characters make rolls to gain back health, regain lost class feature uses,  instead of automatically gaining health or abilities back; often a limited number of rolls per day. Reduces the temptation for resting after encounters and reduces the power of resting. 
Find it in: Low Fantasy Gaming 
Keywords: Weird, Fantastical, High Magic, Dark

Genres: Sword & Sorcery, High Fantasy, Western

Spell Duels

Spell Duels

Description: Usually works alongside Spell rolls, allows two Magicians to engage in a battle of wills, trying to overwhelm the other with the power of their minds until one magician breaks and the other hits with a spell. Often with weird magical crossfire. 
Find it in: Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG
Keywords: Weird, Fantastical, High Magic, Dark, Pulpy
Genres: Sword & Sorcery, High Fantasy