10 Overused RPG Mechanics That Must Die Next Generation

Combat can often be quite difficult to make exciting. Guns are undoubtedly easier in the sense that there’s a lot of variety to work with. The same cannot be said for swords and in most cases magic throughout RPG games. The former is usually limited to the same three strokes of swinging your metal at someone else who may or may not have a shield to deflect. Shields definitely make the encounter more interesting but if the combat is left to something as dull as two directional and a strong swing, then we’ve got some issues.

Mordhau, although not an RPG, is a beautiful example of how you can make a long list of somewhat similar melee weapons all feel unique. Stabs, thrusts, parries, slow and heavy, rapid, low or high, maybe throw a dodge-roll in there and you’re looking much better.

Now, although melee weapons are the prime suspect of dull RPG combat, magic is an accessory to the crime. Different types of potions add variety but spells are often the biggest culprit. The dreaded blasts of: fire, ice, poison, all the exact same animation of holding your hand out but with a different colour. To conclude, if a developer can master combat, making something as common as action exciting, then they’ve already laid an engaging foundation for their RPG.