Survival Economics

Survival Economics

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

Gear Quality

Gear Quality

Description: Equipment has a means of tracking its quality and state of Repair. As it wears down it lowers in its quality rating. Often uses Depletion Dice, and often includes Depleting Armor.

Find it in: Delve 2e, The Black Hack, Tiny Dungeon 2e

Keywords: Dangerous, Exploration, Gritty, Horrific, Tactical, Tense

Genres: Crime, Dark Fantasy, Horror, Military, Post-apocalyptic, Survival Horror, Western

Watch and Learn

Watch and Learn

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

Armor Points

Armor Points

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

Engagement Rolls

Engagement Rolls

Description: Stands in for a planning session, this roll allows a battle, heist, or similar planning-intensive adventure. The roll establishes the danger level and task difficulty as the adventure begins in media res. 
Find it in: Blades in the Dark 
Keywords: Fast-Paced
Genres: Crime, Military, Cyberpunk

Flashbacks

Flashbacks

Description: This system allows PCs to expend resources and risk harm to have an action occur in the past that gives the PC an advantage or potential solution in the present. Allows the PCs to dive directly into action and get the benefits of an extended planning session. 
Find it in: Blades in the Dark 
Keywords: Fast-Paced
Genres: Crime, Military, Cyberpunk, Western

Lingering Injuries and Dismemberments

Lingering Injuries and Dismemberments

Description: Once knocked out of commission in combat, a character has a chance of suffering lingering or permanent injuries that create penalties to the character or stat reductions. 
Find it in: Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG, the Black Hack, GLOG
Keywords: Dark, Gritty, Pulpy
Genres: Sword & Sorcery, Pulp, Military, Post-apocalyptic, Science Fiction

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