Trinity RPG - What are the best Dice Mechanics?

[CHILL]

I've been running Trinity ever since it first hit the market. But even with house rules I have been lured away by ideas for more innovative dice systems.

(Start the D20 versus D10 clone wars...)

I love D10's and appreciate the revised StoryTeller system for Trinity, however I don't get much sun so has anyone seen any dice systems that truly innovate the roleplaying experience?

Thanks in advance!

[ezekiel]

Well, game systems off the top of my head:

-D&D 2nd & 3rd ed.: (the infamous D20 )

My main qualms with this system are the hit points and levels. Do you realise how much abuse a 10th lvl fighter can take? A dagger only does 1d4?? You'd have to stab him about 20 times before he'd go down...The skill system is handled nicely in the 3rd ed though.

-Palladium (Palladium, Heroes unlimited, ninjas & superspies, rifts, etc.)

Pretty much another D20 system. However at least non superbeings only have hitpoints which average at about 12 hp when a revolver can easily do 3d6 or even 4d6 damage. I think of all game systems I've tried this one has the longest character creation process. (a shitload of skills and bonuses to choose from and add.) which isn't necessarily a plus especially when you're just after a quick game for one night. Skills use percentile dice. The sucky part of this system is the attack system. characters can easily have 5 attacks each round and keeping it simple can be harrowing (distributing attacks in a round equitably by initiative along with the villain's attacks...)

- Elric / Call of Cthulu

It uses a percentile system. The obvious problem here is that you can "max out" skills pretty much guaranteeing success unless you split actions.

- Lands of Middle Earth

ughh...the worst system of them all. Tables upon tables to consult, many of them making no sense anyway. A pity since the story material is excellent.

- Shadowrun

I haven't played this in ages but I think it was a pretty well rounded system. Fear the bullet...the game world is also awesome. Watch Johnny Mnemonic, ignore the awful story and block the dolphin from your mind, then you have a glimpse of Shadowrun..

- Torg

Huh?

- Rolemaster

Tables and tables and tables and tables...I hate ultra structured gaming systems.

- Warhammer

It's a percentile game which doesn't allow you to max out skills. I think it's a good well rounded system as long as you replace the critical hit tables by the GM's imagination.

- WoD

Excellent system other than the fact that 1's remove successes diminishing the success probabilities of highly skilled characters. Simplicity is best!

- Trinity/abbie/adv.

They finetuned the WW system into a fairly well greased system. Problems are few (comparitively weak weapons, some psi trouble...I think Trinity is especially good for "neutral" games (non-psi characters))

Uhmm, I'll stop there. ::lookaround

[CHILL]

ezekiel, thanks for the exhaustive reply

I have to be honest - I abhor "level-based" RPGs (D&D) and random character generation rules - I never felt as if I was in control of my character's destiny. D&D feels like a sloppy video game.

Anyways, I fell in love with the refreshing Storyteller system, and I loved the Trinity reworking, however Trinity does have some contradictory rules (yet it was playtested by dozens of people), and God-forbid you botch on a psionic roll - the same stupidity happened in the WoD games. Let me get this straight, I use psi every freaking day - yet on Friday I botch and light my pants on fire? HUH?

The D20 system IMHO seems to be the standard for lots of new games - but I like my D10's. But dice aside, there lacks true stability with many RPG systems - maybe we can't cover every aspect of gameplay - but something simple and dynamic. I applaud the Storyteller system for it's freedom and simplicity - but it always feels as if the character's can do very little unless they are in perfect health and unemcumbered.

Now I'm rambling on now - I need sleep, pray that I don't botch on my way to the bed and fall into Hell.

::malrules

[Joseph]

I'll toss my ¥0.02 in here, as well.

-AD&D

I've not played 3ed yet, so I can't comment on that, but I've always thought the dice system (whole system in general, though the stories can work well) is unwieldy. Never really liked the dice mechanics here much.

-Palladium

I've played a number of games by Palladium, including Rifts, Robotech, and TMNT. There's plenty of tables to consult here, and, as Ezekiel mentioned, character creation is a long process. (Possibly second only to Aria.) Like AD&D, this uses all sorts of dice (4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 20, and percentile), and combat here can be longer than in Aberrant.

-Shadowrun

I like the mechanics here, though they take a little getting used to. There's levels of damage to be remembered and factored (though it sounds more difficult than it really is). Character creation is a little controlled for my liking, though not unbearably so. (I see where they're going with it, but I like to be more dynamic.) The dice here are sixers only. Combat runs relatively quickly, as even a small firearm is serious business. (Let alone a pissed off, fully geared Street Sammy.  :0 )

-WoD

I think most of us here (Aninemity being the possible exception) have played at least one WoD game, it being the "gateway" system to the more serious role-playing.   Last I played, the games were still all in second editions, so I can't comment on the current situations. The dice systems worked well, with exception of the Rule of 1. Character creation was a bonus, as it went fairly quickly. Combat never seemed all that dangerous, though.

-Aeonverse

Trinity's take on the Storteller system was a great thing to see. Character creation remained the same, but the dice mechanics worked very differently. Gone is the Rule of 1, replaced instead with a different, more sensible botch method. Damage was reclassified as Bashing and Lethal, with mods to soak. Also, aggravated damage was removed in Trinity. (It was put back in Aberrant, though I'm hesitant to start my rant on why.  ??? ) Adventure is probably the best of the bunch here, as the mechanics were able to tweak out the revised Storyteller rules, and work out any minor bugs.

I'll leave you with that to take what you will.

-Joseph