Description: Spellcasters may perform some form of self-sacrifice to convert some of their life energy into magic. This translates into either an upgrade to the power of a magical effect, resistance to harm caused by magic or a bonus to spell rolls at the cost of ability score points, hit points or spell fatigue.
Find it in: Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG
Keywords: Dark, Fantastical, Gritty, High-Magic, Pulpy, Tense, Weird
Genres: Dark Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Superhero, Sword and Sorcery
Description: When casting spells, a magician takes an amount of non-magical damage based on the level or intensity of the Spell. Excessive use of Magic can cause the spellcasters penalties or fainting. Characters may be allowed to save to resist some of the damage. It is often used in conjunction with Spell Rolls.
Find it in: Shadowrun
Keywords: Fast-paced, Tactical, Weird
Genres: Dark Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction, Superhero,
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
Description: When a character is knocked out of commission (such as at 0hp), their status is unknown unless an ally checks on them to see if they are living or dead. At that time the character makes a single saving throw or Luck Checks to see if they are alive, at which point they can be restored to consciousness.
Find it in: Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG, Low Fantasy Gaming, Troika!
Keywords: Cinematic, Dangerous, Gritty, Pulpy, Rules-light, Tense
Genres: Crime, Low Fantasy, Pulp, Western
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
Description: Used in TTRPGs that use a Luck Scores. When a party of PCs is attempting to fled a battle they make Luck Checks, if more than half the party succeeds, then the party shakes their attackers and winds up in a relatively safe location that the GM chooses. Alternatively, everyone who succeeds escapes. This removes the need for chase mechanics.
Find it in: Low Fantasy Gaming
Keywords: Cinematic, Fast-paced, Pulpy, Rules-light, Swashbuckling
Genres: Crime, Low Fantasy, Pulp, Sword & Sorcery, Western
Description: As well as a standard value in coin, gear is valued based on its survival utility as an abstract trade unit. Food, fuel, ammunition, medicine, tools, books, and things easily dismantled for parts have high values. Gold, jewels, luxury items are low to no value. When bartering in a survival situation compare the Trade value of what is asking for and what is offered. May be modified by Gear Quality.
Find it in: Delve 2e
Keywords: Exploration, Gritty, Survival
Genres: Sword & Sorcery, Low Fantasy, Survival Horror, Military, Western
Description: When a character spends an action to watch an ally perform a skill that they do not possess, they may make a test to learn it at the lowest possible level of ability. (5% in a percentile system like Warhammer Fantasy, 1 rank in D&D3e or Pathfinder) Characters must improve the skill further using standard character advancement.
Find it in: Delve 2e
Keywords: Cinematic, Exploration, Pulpy, Survival
Genres: Crime, Dark Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Military, Pulp, Science Fiction, Survival Horror, Western
Description: Magic items are exceedingly rare. They begin with a single ability, but gain more abilities as their wielder levels up, allowing magic items to grow with PCs, rather than having PCs find many of them.
Find it in: Low Fantasy Gaming
Keywords: Weird, Pulpy, Dark, Heroic
Genres: Sword & Sorcery, Low Fantasy
Description: Spells are replaced by relationships with spirits that have broad spheres of influence. The spirit may be called on to create any plausible effect that fits with its domain, allowing PCs to come up with inventive magical effects within a narrow scope.
Find it in: Pacts and Blades, World of Dungeons, Aer
Keywords: Rules-light, Dark, Pulpy, Weird
Genres: Sword & Sorcery, Low Fantasy, Pulp, Horror
Description: Used in games that use hot points, wound levels, or damage tracks, Armor adds additional damage to the total the character can take that cannot heal unless the armor is repaired.
Find it in: Blades in the Dark, Tiny Dungeon 2e, Pacts and Blades
Keywords: Fast-paced, Tactical, Cinematic
Genres: Crime, Military, Sword and Sorcery, Low Fantasy, Science Fiction
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
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
