Exploring Advanced Mechanics in Tabletop RPGs Beyond Simple Pass/Fail Systems

Tabletop Role-Playing Games (RPGs) often include mechanics that go beyond the simple pass/fail system, enriching the experience and adding layers of depth to the gameplay. These mechanics enhance narrative storytelling and player agency. Let's explore some notable systems that offer these advanced mechanisms.

Pathfinder 2e: Degrees of Success

Pathfinder 2e introduces a four-degree system for success in rolls, providing a detailed range of outcomes. For an attack roll:

Critical Success: Doubling all damage. Success: Full damage. Failure: No damage. Critical Failure: No damage (with some exceptions). Often, classes and monsters have effects that trigger on a critical failure.

For a basic saving throw:

Critical Success: No damage. Success: Half damage. Failure: Full damage. Critical Failure: Double damage.

Much like with PathFinder 2e, many spells impose conditions with minor, major, and crippling effects based on roll outcomes.

Notable Advanced Mechanics in Tabletop RPGs

Fate Core

Aspects and Fate Points: Players can invoke aspects to gain advantages or rerolls, creating a dynamic narrative. Consequences: Instead of just succeeding or failing, characters can experience consequences that affect future rolls or the story.

Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA) Systems

Move Results: Moves typically have three outcomes: a full success (10), partial success (7-9), and failure (6 or lower). Each may lead to different narrative consequences or opportunities for character development. GM's Choice: On a partial success, the GM might introduce a complication or additional challenge, enriching the storytelling.

Shadowrun

Threshold Success: Players can achieve varying degrees of success based on the number of successes rolled. This allows for critical successes and partial successes with different effects. Glitches: Rolling poorly might result in glitches, adding unexpected twists to the narrative.

GURPS (Generic Universal RolePlaying System)

Critical Success/Failure: Rules for critical successes and failures, where exceptional rolls can lead to dramatic effects or complications. Margins of Success: The degree to which a roll exceeds the target number can influence the outcome, allowing for varying levels of success.

Blades in the Dark

Position and Effect: Assessing the position (controlled, risky, desperate) and effect (limited, standard, great) of actions provides a range of outcomes based on the context. Clocks: Progress can be made on goals or challenges even when a failure occurs, leading to narrative developments rather than outright failure.

Star Wars RPG (FFG)

Narrative Dice: Custom dice generate symbols for successes, failures, advantages, and threats, allowing for complex outcomes. Succeeding with complications or failing to gain advantages can add depth to the narrative.

Savage Worlds

Bennies: Players can spend bennies to reroll dice or soak damage, adding layers to the outcomes. Success can lead to further options based on how players use their resources. Raise: Achieving a higher degree of success through a raise can provide additional benefits, enhancing the outcome of an action.

Conclusion

These systems enrich the gameplay by allowing for a spectrum of outcomes, enhancing narrative depth, and player agency. This encourages creativity and strategic thinking, making the RPG experience more engaging and dynamic. Whether you're engaging in high-stakes combat, resolving complex social situations, or navigating intricate political landscapes, these advanced mechanics provide versatile and immersive experiences.