Mechanics: Magic That Costs Something Real

 

Power at the table is seductive. Give one character fireballs or telepathy or laser eyes, and suddenly they can bend the world in ways no one else can. Which raises the question: what keeps the rest of the party from feeling like sidekicks?

Mechanics: The Ticking Clock

 

COUNTDOWN CLOCKS WITH TEETH

Countdown clocks are nothing new, and it's a well known drama device in stories, but credit where it’s due: I first saw countdown clocks in an RPG in Index Card RPG (Runehammer Games). The simplicity hooked me—the application keeps me coming back.