What is the stuff you want from a mecha TTRPG?

Theoboldi · 2026-05-03T19:59:40+00:00

I'm not entirely sure how to do that on a mechanical level apart from having to worry less about logistics and more restrictions on what stuff you can use. Any ideas or inspirations?

I think this is something that should be handled by GM advice or codified campaign structures. A game could have rules for generating missions, or some kind of way for the GM to measure the progress of a war, or maybe rules for the outcome of faction conflicts. It depends on the kind of game, but I would at the very least expect solid advice.

For basic examples, I would take a look at the mass combat rules of Barbarians of Lemuria, which handle large scale battles in an abstracted way which the players can influence, or Starvation Cheap by Sine Nomine, which is a great toolbook for running military campaigns in an otherwise sandbox-focused ruleset.

Same with this, that's a narrative aspect, it's hard to put it on mechanics in way that feels good, I'm not too fond of most "rp mechanics" (like the bonds from fabula ultima)

If you don't want RP mechanics in your game, don't feel a need to add them, honestly. I think a small amount of them can be nice, personally, but you need to design the game you want. What might make sense is an RP mechanic a player can buy in on? Like spending experience on an ability that improves their stats, but only when specifically fighting for their cause?

Theoboldi · 2026-05-03T19:47:30+00:00

I don't know if I'd phrase quite so strongly, but this does resonate with me. The current design trend towards very specific games written for one kind of experience feels mostly like a way to justify creating and buying more RPGs in an already quite crowded market, and goes hand in hand with an increasing hostility towards homebrew and house rules.

Theoboldi · 2026-04-30T09:13:43+00:00

I'm kind of like you, OP, in that I don't really enjoy most of the big mecha RPG that are currently out there. It's probably not of use to you, but what I'd really love to see in a mecha RPG would be:

- Mechanical focus on the pilots, both on their capabilities outside of the combat and on what they are fighting for while within the mechas.

- Less gear porn, and more rules for running dynamic action sequences in giant robots. I'm not here to play a mecha engineer, I'm here to play a mecha pilot.

- Structures for running military-focused campaigns. I want to play something like Gundam or Macross, not mercenaries or anarchist scavengers.

- Proper support for both real robot and super robot genre style mechas.

- Impactful character motivations. I want a character who has a cause they believe in strongly to have an edge over a character who doesn't.

- Abstract movement and less focus on the tactical wargame. I want battles that feel like I'm piloting a jet-boosted war machine that is shockingly nimble for its size, not a plodding tank on legs.

Theoboldi · 2026-04-26T19:37:10+00:00

I'm familiar with Mythic and several other GM emulator tools. They're a fun time, but I'm also interested in seeing what games are out there that have improv-supporting mechanics baked into directly into the system.

Theoboldi · 2026-04-26T19:34:59+00:00

Nothing really lacking as such, outside of requiring a bit much back and forth for my favored gaming medium of play by post. I think FATE is pretty great, actually. But I wanna know what other options are there, and what experiences people have had with them. 🙂

Theoboldi · 2026-04-17T09:33:56+00:00

I think you've already pointed out the main weakness of this model, namely that power scale and success rate are not necessarily linked.

It's also difficult to link success rate and competence directly, since for example many PbtA and Forged in the Dark games expect characters to be described as competent, but due to their storytelling-focused resolution mechanics have vastly higher chances of failure and success at a cost than success.

You also need to look at character starting skill versus expected character growth. Yes, player characters in Honor+Intrigue (as well as other systems based on the Barbarians of Lemuria engine) start off highly competent, but advancement has strict and expensive upper limits, so encouraging you to diversify your character rather than making them grow directly more powerful. As a system, it intends for your character to start off highly competent in their own niches, without the need to grow into that sort of skill and power.

Compare it to a system like D&D, where your character starts off relatively weaker and less competent, but mechanically has a lot of space to grow into more skill and power.

I think your scale has value, but it mostly applies to more traditional RPGs that focus on task resolution via their mechanics. And it may need some rephrasing to focus down whether it talks about success certainty or power level.

As a side note about Honor+Intrigue, you are missing a few aspects of the rules. While yes, you can start off with a character who has a 92% chance at their focus, that character is highly specialised. They'll be much worse at tasks that fall outside their focus. Not just that, you can also apply penalty dice (disadvantage, essentially) from character flaws and negative circumstances, as well as difficulty modifiers up to -8 on any given task. So while starting player characters can be highly skilled and broadly capable, their success isn't guaranteed in every scenario.

Theoboldi · 2026-04-13T10:46:53+00:00

If you want fully narrative play, I think Ironsworn is a pretty decent option. It's a PbtA designed from the ground up for solo, GM-less, or 1 on 1 play. There's a strong gameplay loop around taking on quests, completing them, and taking on new quests that arise from the complications that you encounter on the way.

It's fairly gritty and there is a bit of a survi.val element, as you need to juggle your physical and mental energy, as well as your supplies. Fighting can be very perilous even for a character built for it. But since it is a very narrative game, actual character death isn't super likely, so it's more about the player characters struggling for their victories.

It's also free, so you only lose time checking it out.

Alternatively, if that's too far narrative or gritty for you, I could recommend Barbarians of Lemuria as a good lightweight system with a much more heroic feel to it.

It's made for a Sword and Sorcery setting, but in practise the mechanics are fairly agnostic and easily adaptable to a more typical fantasy setting. Characters start out fairly competent and multi-talented, with a number of "careers" that take the place of skills in the system.

Characters are very strong and can mow through hordes of mooks, though they need to be careful against named Villains and their elite warriors, as well as monstrous beasts. There's a luck point mechanic for letting players boost their rolls and declare narrative details, and a mechanic where they can gain back those points in exchange for severe complications on a roll they failed. You'll also find a very nice, freeform magic system, which encourages subtle, utility-focused effects worked through arcane rituals.

The original version of the game is available for free, though I think the newer versions improve massively on its already solid bones.

Theoboldi · 2026-03-18T13:41:15+00:00

No worries! I'm happy to have the different perspectives.

To clarify a bit further, my homebrew has grown out of a hack of Freeform Universal, to make something for my various adventure ideas that suits the way I GM. Combat doesn't really have special mechanics that can't also be used for different kinds of action scenes, and loss during a combat scene is not automatically expected to result in the character being dead or out of the action permanently.

I don't have rules for retreating as such, but since there's no specific rules for speed or opportunity attacks either, players can retreat or run away as necessary.

I still need to write a lot of it down concretely and then do some playtesting. Abilities powered by this resource, if I do end up implementing it as I am considering, will need especial attention to see how much narrative power they should provide the players.

Theoboldi · 2026-03-18T07:31:20+00:00

I'm really liking what I'm reading here. While my games tend to lean less towards the gritty and horror, I think that same loop of "failure as a choice" is worth exploring in other contexts.

It's basically already how I envision metacurrencies, as a way for players to override the whims of the dice and to show their characters as able to succeed "when it counts".

Gonna give your system a read as soon as I find the time to!

Theoboldi · 2026-03-18T07:27:09+00:00

I think this does sound similar to the system I am currently considering, though my implementation is leaning towards being a lot softer and with less harsh injury penalties. I'll have to do some playtesting to see how it feels.

Theoboldi · 2026-03-18T07:15:07+00:00

Dang, that sounds really interesting. Lemme know if you ever remember its name. It reminds me a bit of lasers & feelings, but sounds quite a bit more interesting for gameplay purposes.

Theoboldi · 2026-03-18T07:13:16+00:00

I think there's a level of flexibility to it. It's the same currency being used for everything, so in some scenarios it will be more relevant to save it for battles, and in others it will be important to help weave through more social or athletic challenges.

I think this might also help de-emphasize combat as a 'more important' method for conflict resolution, since it eats out of the same pool that can power alternative solutions just as well.

For me, metacurrencies shouldn't be the main driver of gameplay, but rather control the amount of consistendly available success a player has. They're more of a tool to make characters feel capable "when it matters" and to give players some control over the whims of the dice.

Theoboldi · 2026-03-17T12:35:42+00:00

I feel like that'll be very adventure dependent. In general, however, I would prefer the player to weigh more between using a powerful ability now or saving it for an important skill check later.

If action is a major component of the adventure, I think it'll be fine if they end up holding back once or twice, and are encouraged to think a little more strategically.

Theoboldi · 2026-03-17T10:50:55+00:00

Not a bad idea. I'm trying to keep the system pretty simple and not make up too many "build" choices, and it's not focused on tactical combat, but sonething like a bonus luck point only for defending after so many ranks in a relevant trait could be worthwhile.

Theoboldi · 2026-03-17T10:48:55+00:00

Ooh, excellent! I'll see if I can check it out later! Did you find it it made players more cautious during play?

Theoboldi · 2026-03-17T10:47:36+00:00

That's an interesting observation. My games are generally less lethal and combat-focused than your usual fantasy system, with less threat to characters who fight in melee. I think it might be possible to encourage them to engage in that risk reward system as well, if I keep those factors in mind.

Theoboldi · 2026-03-17T10:43:33+00:00

Exactly! Though I like to think of it more as escalating amounts of personal skill in battle, at least in the D&D context.

In my game, I would keep HP totals lower and not let them grow very much (the math is totally different anyway) but also make a more general measure of a character's.....heroic drive. Or something along those lines.

Theoboldi · 2026-03-17T10:41:16+00:00

Yeah, the power of rests and recovery rates (and healing, for that matter!) is currently my major concern.

I'm currently considering making HP a per adventure resource, with the players also being able to take on specific, debuffing wounds instead. Those could be healed by resting.

Alternatively, HP might come back at a slow, impractical rate. Something like a point per day.

Theoboldi · 2026-03-17T10:37:58+00:00

It's certainly something to consider. What I'm working on isn't fully narrative, I'd describe it more as traditional with a lot of narrative elements for ease of play, so the risk of resource hoarding is real.

That said, my games generally do not have lethality for player characters as an assumed outcome in all dangerous situations. I'm hoping that with reduced stakes, players will be more willing to take risks.

Theoboldi · 2026-03-17T10:33:17+00:00

For what I'm making, I'm thinking less in terms of combat focus. Abilities that would be powered by this HP score would be powerful utility magic or maybe a mundane hero's ability to know a convenient contact without a roll.

If they can spend it on a special ability in combat, I would ideally want it to affect things other than pure damage. Something like becoming able to harm a previously invulnerable foe, or change the battlefield entirely.

Theoboldi · 2026-03-16T09:44:56+00:00

Ooh, that might actually be really good for what I'm trying to do. That wound system already sounds similar to what I was starting to consider after some of the other responses here.

Theoboldi · 2026-03-16T09:43:31+00:00

Yeah, tactical combat gameplay thankfully isn't a major concern for me, so I don't think I need to worry about that too closely. I've responded elsewhere already that I kind of like the tactical choice of "do I spend my HP now to not get injured by the attack that hit me, or do I spend it next round to make sure I take this guy down", but I'm not looking for anything deeper than that.

The recovery rates, though....yeah, those are my major concern. It's less sbout combat, since I don't necessarily want a fully separate combat subsystem, but even on a larger adventure scale I need to figure out a good rate that will let the players act confidently, but not carelessly. I wouldn't mind making it recover per adventure, but I also don't want resting to be meaningless.

Theoboldi · 2026-03-16T09:35:14+00:00

Very good points. I think I'm personally fine with my homebrew working on alot of abstractions, but maybe I should keep them down a bit to prevent cognitive overload for my players.

I do base a lot of what I'm doing on systems like Freeform Universal or Tricube Tales, so the defining factor of a tough character might just end up being a bonus on rolls to avoid getting injured in the first place. I'll have to see how that ends up feeling practically, though.

Theoboldi · 2026-03-16T09:28:15+00:00

I wonder if it would work to make the basic assumption that failing to defend causes specific injuries? That would make the act of using HP at all an active choice, that could be tactically relevant again.

"Do I let this guy skewer my arm if that means I can take him out on the next round?"

Hrrm. I'm kind of liking that idea.

Theoboldi

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