computer games forum

not directly related to mechanics and not "crazy and unorthodox" (Anima, you can stop reading this :))

I would like to see more faster skills - currently most of the skills do more damage but the delay is also much higher. My two prime examples are Ice Spike (delay 12) and Magic Chains (15), I use both spells often more because of the speed debuff, the direct damage is less important (or not the primary function).

Why not design abilities that are less deadly (in absolute values) but repeatable more often? Say Flurry of Blows - described as "very fast", needed time is 133% of a normal melee attack; a delay of 5 and damage reduced to 80% or so would make a fun new (and different) skill.

Oh, and more skills with debuff effects as main result, newer chars (everything developed later than Home erectus classes like Druid, Ranger and Mercenary) have some of them (think Kick/Pull, Slumber, Jariel's offensive songs) but I would love to see fast and short debuffs usable for surgical warfare: Water Nail (Water base damage, Frozen for 1 round); Lame Cripple (75% dmg, Slowed for 2 turns)

Yes that's interesting. I could do something like this:

with the fixed turn system of SOTW though not sure it would be *that* different, but with a global timer, yes for sure

yes, I thought in this direction. another example is Vaelis - though his skills are not that exciting (he's part of the old-school LotW-inspired Neanderthal crowd ^^) most of his skill are fast (only 3 >= 10, only one over 15) and "surgical" (i.e. one target). In my parties he's nearly never the fastest char but he can act more often - give him Cripple and Kick and he would be [nearly] an archetype for what I have in mind :D

currently I'm playing Shadowrun Returns (I don't believe in monogamery) and like the approach to healing and damage - the game keeps track of the last wound and magic is only able to heal this one, for curing more than the last hit finite and sparse items are needed. Additional to this healing mechanics at the end of an encounter the last wound is also healed.

Hey there! Yes I play other games too to "take inspiration"
That mechanic is interesting indeed, I never thought about it. In general if you read my latest blog, in future RPGs more than quantity will try to aim for quality (of skills, item, characters,etc).
If I think about the games I've played with the most interesting battle systems, they all have simple mechanics and few variables (XCOM, Banner Saga, etc). I want to make more combos, "openings", "opportunities" and so on, and have fewer enemies but more varied.