Fantastic Mechanics and Where to Find Them
This is Part 2 in a four part series! See Part 1 here for context. ~ ~ ~ Personal opinion (and known hot take): there are far too many rules in RPGs. In fact, I'd say the ideal amount of rules for most traditional RPGs is something like Into the Odd or Cairn 1e . Nothing but the barest of bones, to adjudicate the fiction when the GM's common sense judgements are insufficient. The Intentions of Minimalist RPGs The goal, to me, in playing and designing minimalist RPGs is to stay immersed in the fiction as thoroughly as possible. Some people play RPGs for the strategic combat element (and I do too - just different RPGs) and others play for structured storytelling. But for the people who play RPGs for immersion and fast moving fun, I think minimalist games are ideal. The lack of structure allows for freedom in play, and the little structural formations that do exist provide for those cases where complete trust in the GM is not enough. That, then, is the purpose of rules. To provi...