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defenses, in order for your success to happen. In Shadowrun -and I am basing this on 1st and 2nd edition, as I've not played any editions since- require you to roll a number of six-sided dice and beat a target number set under or around the maximum number possible on a six-sided dice, which is of course six. Some other games require you to use an opposed roll system, such as DC Heroes, where each player cross-references a chart based on their ability and that of their opponent and then rolls to see who is successful, and what manner of success there is. There are other systems, but I have less experience with those, and so cannot speak on them.

I have shown you how RPG systems, and the mechanics contained within them, can be different between varied role-playing games, and the relevance of this is in how you select your role-playing game(s) you and your group of friends desire to play. Many game systems are entirely too complex for fast play, although they offer the luxury of close-absolutes, meaning there are supposed to be fewer arguments to dispute because the answers are contained within the system for 98% of anything your players, or you as the GM, could think about. Other games are entirely too simple, meaning game-play is very quick, but there is a greater possibility for dispute between friends, which is not the idea behind getting together for the grand social event of role-playing.

In conclusion, no game is perfect, but all of them have the ability to be fun for you and your group, and so many titles exist now that finding the right game to match the tenor of your crew -role-players, roll-players, or killers- should be very easy, indeed.

Learn more about this author, Paul Emerson.
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