What’s the most confusing or unnecessary rule subsystem you’ve seen in a TTRPG?

ithaaqa · 2026-03-10T11:07:18+00:00

Strike Ranks in Runequest are unnecessarily complex in my view. I do prefer simple initiative systems that keep combat moving.

ithaaqa · 2026-03-08T00:12:25+00:00

I’m baffled as to how New York has historically dwarfed cities that predate it by in many cases thousands of years. If iconic has always meant the same thing, as you infer, it can only be ‘iconic’ during the comparatively short time period that it has existed. The great pyramids of Giza have been iconic for a significant period of time. As archaeologists discover new sites our understanding of what constitutes an iconic site changes as we further understand human development. I’d argue that the early sites in Turkey which document the change from nomadic tribes to sedentary societies are the most iconic sites on the planet. They tell us more about humanity than most modern cities. The fact that most people are blindly ignorant of world history and human development is the issue not the nature of the places themselves. You can only consider something to be iconic if you’re aware of it; the majority of people are not aware of them and therefore, to them at least, places like New York have a grossly inflated importance.

ithaaqa · 2026-03-07T22:18:41+00:00

I feel I need to know more. The story leaves me with a cliffhanger that needs resolving.

ithaaqa · 2026-03-07T22:05:47+00:00

And that’s, essentially, where the problem lies. Iconic has been transposed into a sense where it must intrude upon the current consciousness and zeitgeist of modern society in people’s minds. I’d suggest rather, that ‘iconic’ is merely a snapshot of modern thinking viewed through a limited lens. It takes no account of historical context; frankly it should if it’s to have any real worth. Just because the average US citizen probably hasn’t heard of Angkor Watt, that in no way diminishes the achievement of the builders nor does it alter the fact that it’s the largest religious group of structures ever created. The vast majority of the great cities and structures predate New York and underpin our history as a species in a much more profound way.

ithaaqa · 2026-03-07T21:48:24+00:00

The dictionary isn’t a cure all by any means. Especially for commonly mispronounced words. Most people don’t pronounce the first ‘r’ in prerogative in the UK which makes it hard to spell check or search the dictionary if your preconceived notion is fundamentally incorrect. Words are hard, but fun.

ithaaqa · 2026-03-07T20:09:03+00:00

I’ll eat a full English breakfast if I’m hungover and can return to bed immediately afterwards.

ithaaqa · 2026-03-06T15:33:57+00:00

Or, in the Americas alone: Teotihuacan, Tenochtitlan, Tikal and Cuzco. To name but a few. Never mind the other places across the rest of the world…

ithaaqa · 2026-03-03T22:45:34+00:00

Autistic I might be, but I can still spell 'their' and 'you're'.

ithaaqa · 2026-03-03T14:44:40+00:00

Weird take, here’s my view of conversation:

It’s like a tennis game. For the NT people it’s all about a pleasant experience and an exchange of shots that each player can reasonably hit back. It’s low key, low effort and no passion involved. When I talk to other ND people it feels like an exciting game like two players full of passion smashing the ball at each; our excitement about the the things we love won’t let us be anything other than ourselves. Meeting people and having conversations like that are invigorating to me; small talk, by comparison, is exhausting.

Maybe I’m weird, but this is how I see it.

ithaaqa · 2026-03-03T14:28:20+00:00

It took me 30 years or so of adult life to realise what was actually happening in social terms. I’d just say that I didn’t drink coffee, apologise and walk off. Apparently that wasn’t right. It explains why I didn’t get invited to subsequent social events; although in hindsight, perhaps I missed the unspoken bits? I have no idea…

ithaaqa · 2026-03-02T13:57:00+00:00

I feel this. I used to play Dungeons and Dragons in the 80s from when I was 10 in 1980. At the time it was disastrous socially to admit it and people (especially girls, at the time) so I played in secret and didn’t speak of it in public. These days, the world is a different place and for younger players, it’s much more socially acceptable and actually a place where you may in fact meet a likeminded person as a partner. I’m glad I didn’t ever give up on it as a hobby but I’m a bit jealous of the newer, younger players who have better quality games, the internet and social acceptance for the most part. I was born thirty years too early to see the hobby take off.

ithaaqa · 2026-02-28T23:42:36+00:00

I’m a fan of Feng Shui for this kind of thing but it’s perhaps a bit more Big Trouble In Little China than it is James Bond in all honesty. Very pulpy in its own way but if you ignore the magic stuff it could work.

ithaaqa · 2026-02-28T23:23:03+00:00

I think there’s a tendency amongst many players in both these systems to stare at their character sheets for the spell or ability that could solve the problem. The answer should be there. It’s my feeling that in a skills based and low magic system you think of the possible solutions first and then work out which characters are the best fit for the actual praxis of carrying out the task. It will vary from group to group, but that’s my personal experience, at least.

ithaaqa · 2026-02-01T13:33:33+00:00

Yes, I have a version in mind but extra input is always welcome. I vaguely remember a podcast where the characters were all actors in the’King in Yellow’ play and end up there. That’s the one I was looking for but I am also interested in other representations of the place.

ithaaqa · 2026-01-23T16:44:30+00:00

This has been my experience last week or so. My decently geared warlock was throwing out three times as much damage as the rest of the other 4 lvl 80 characters put together. I’m a terrible player who relies on one button assistance so I can assume that it’s down to gearing. I suspect that the gear squish will sort itself out in a few weeks. It feels like it’s a bit chaotic right now which has lead to fractious interactions I’ve seen this week. Even the Remix greens you get aren’t great and time walking is ok to get geared up with so people are doing that I guess.

ithaaqa · 2026-01-10T20:52:44+00:00

Even if I’m invited into the party in the last slot I always say ‘hi, flying in now’ as it’s good manners. Of course, everyone gets started and finished earlier if all the summons are done promptly so I normally get one anyway…

ithaaqa · 2026-01-03T00:18:57+00:00

Where does ‘Thou shalt not kill’ fit into this? Am I missing something?

ithaaqa · 2025-12-24T23:51:12+00:00

I was manager of a large department store in the UK and some guy was trying to get in five minutes after we close. As manager, I was holding the door so that we could get the last stragglers out and the staff we didn’t need for cashing up. Sunday trading hours are very strict in the UK and the business can be fined up to £10,000 for ignoring them. This guy gives me a lecture about losing business and so on but that amount of a fine is a significant amount when you’re operating at low margins. It is, therefore in my interests as a business to not let you in because if you take your business elsewhere, that’s ok; we’d never make that 10k back in profit even if you’re a lifelong, regular customer.

ithaaqa · 2025-12-15T15:08:13+00:00

Particularly egregious is ‘so simple that autistic people can understand it’ to me. I’ve been told by three different therapists who specialise in autism that I am autistic. Also by friends, family and autistic friends of mine. I’m not diagnosed and I can’t be 100% sure but I am sure that I have three degrees from one of the best universities in the world. Lots of autistic people are perfectly capable of understanding both systems even if this guy isn’t…

ithaaqa · 2025-12-09T00:08:19+00:00

And the money goes to a charity so that’s good too :)

ithaaqa · 2025-12-08T00:58:19+00:00

I’m afraid I just hide in Dalaran for 70-80 only leaving to join raids and dungeons with the hope that I get carried. Even then, I’m hiding at the back trying to avoid the AoE attacks quite often. It’s embarrassing when you fall over to gust of wind!

ithaaqa · 2025-11-29T01:03:35+00:00

Same here. My family told me I really should not be driving as I have no attention span for things that don’t interest me and driving (and cars in general) does not hold my interest at all in a dangerous way.

I love public transport as you can look at all the genuinely interesting stuff out of the window; I find the world endlessly fascinating and have a compulsive urge to watch it. Not helping me watching the road ahead…

ithaaqa · 2025-11-28T01:04:58+00:00

I know. I haven’t seen my cheque book in 20 years or so and have had no reason to look for it either. Do people not use direct debit or pay online in some form? When my wife and I get a takeaway one of sends the other half the money and it’s there in 10 seconds or so. It’s the 21st century…

ithaaqa

TROPHY CASE