I customized a system, it's a little familiar to 5e (because everyone is used to d20 to attack and then roll damage) but everything else is overhauled.
Leveling now focuses on granular attributes, letting you multiclass into things like a dex wizard, bonus action you can cast spells with and so on.
I think I wrote out as an exercise once a combination of all the primary attributes in combinations of 3, all as class paths where you'd start in STR, choose another attribute at Tier to be STR+DEX, and so on for all the combos.
Haha it was under designed the last couple of times, I ran a system without health points once and only used descriptions of their injuries instead, pretty abstract, really fun as a DM, a bit confusing for the players sadly.
I've gone pretty all in on understanding the harder mechanics this time.
You can branch and combine, you can multiply and divide, you can add synergies or let things stand alone to give them more emphasis - the configurations are endless.
Thinking about how to beat the player to what they will naturally select among it all is hard but rewarding.
There might just be a discipline of TTRPG contingent on misusing office applications
I made a elemental/weather/trap/rng monster generator system for a homebrew and it actually weirdly works but I have to keep all the mechanics obscure. It’s just not engaging to most players.
That's a scary question. I'm still not sure what unifies it yet. I've been at it too long to feel I need to restart again at least.
My best answer:
Characters will feel iterative. If you don't feel tanky enough, you can find it in level-ups. If you don't feel like you can contribute, you will soon.
Comments
What are you running, or what is your hack?
Leveling now focuses on granular attributes, letting you multiclass into things like a dex wizard, bonus action you can cast spells with and so on.
I think I wrote out as an exercise once a combination of all the primary attributes in combinations of 3, all as class paths where you'd start in STR, choose another attribute at Tier to be STR+DEX, and so on for all the combos.
It was a nice list of class names
I think a premade character one-shot at about tier 2-3 is typical to explore a system.
Player input is key, I like to let them suggest most things; balance is not real so disregard it.
I've gone pretty all in on understanding the harder mechanics this time.
Take note of what works and what doesn’t. You will make something unique to you and the players so listen to both those parties.
Thinking about how to beat the player to what they will naturally select among it all is hard but rewarding.
My onenote hates me :P
I made a elemental/weather/trap/rng monster generator system for a homebrew and it actually weirdly works but I have to keep all the mechanics obscure. It’s just not engaging to most players.
Synergies that the players can employ?
Opportunities to work in conjunction?
Combat/social/skill?
Tactical choices?
Decide where to focus and really hone that in for your first game make it a big theme or motif
My best answer:
Characters will feel iterative. If you don't feel tanky enough, you can find it in level-ups. If you don't feel like you can contribute, you will soon.