#41. Resources in JRPG

So I've been busy, especially after I was hired. It's just an intern, but it's still a job, yesno? Anyway, hired or not, I'm still a delusional daydreamer I used to be (and I don't think this will ever change) so here's another bullshit I've got to share with you. If you're there, that is.

One thing I really hated about JRPG as much I liked is the resource system, your typical, good ol' MP (Magic Point) system. The idea can't be simpler than this: You have a limited points which you use to use your skills. You regain a number of spent points with certain items or a good night's sleep or so. The reason I hate this catch-all system is that it somewhat limits the potentiall of all characters and skills, especially when you are running a long dungeon run. Chances are, you will preserve everyone's MP as much as you could, clinging on relatively weak default attacks (which often require no MP spend) until you face the boss, where you spend every single point of MP upon it. This may sound fair, but the frustration of MP starvation kinda gets in my nerve.

I recently play more of real-time videogames and tabletop roleplaying games, especially Heroes of the Storm and Dungeons and Dragons, and both games gave me some good ideas to improve my favorite videogame genre. I'm drawing inspiration from other games such as League of Legends, which I used to play as well few years ago. So here are some ideas on the "re-take" of JRPG resource system:

The problem of conventional MP system is, you don't get much chance to replenish it, and all characters share a single trigger for it. It's easier to develop and build, yes, but strategy-wise, it's getting rather old, and it somewhat makes characters identical, which is one of the reason JRPG is dying these days. So my re-take would focus on giving more opportunities to regain spent MP.

Rage. Barbarians from Diablo III (and Sonya from Heroes of the Storm), Fighters from World of Warcraft, and some champions from League of Legends use this particular resources. Basically, you regain a small number of rage every time you hit someone or you are hit by someone, but your rage will start depleting if you spend too much time being peaceful. This greatly increases the combat stamina because you don't need to stay out of battle waiting for your mana to replenish, but you will have to risk yourself by keep fighting for this stamina. This will work great with a decent fighter-type character, who won't need to recharge his/her "magical energy" to swing a sword, and will sustain oneself longer in the prolonged battle compared to squishy wizards.

Skill Momentum. It's not much of a "replenishing" than "saving", but this still counts. Basically, if you're going to spend a number of MP every time you use a skill, you'll get some "refund" by regaining a relatively smaller number of MP every time you do so. This will make a good skill spammer-type character, whose shtick is not relying on a single strong blow, but a weaker skill jabs that will keep enemies occupied.

Quick Rest. This attempt has been increased a lot these days, but I'll write this anyway. You have an extra skill that spends no MP and replenishes a large chunk of spent MP when used, at a cost of one full turn. In order to avoid abusing issues, this skill may have a limited number of uses per combat. This will work well with nuker-style characters, who will unleash a killing blow at one go and must stay low while he/she "reloads" the magical capability.

Choose Your Own Resources. This is a new take on "one character, one resources" type. Your character can choose which type of resources he/she will use during downtime. This means that a fighter can use Skill Momentum-type resource to utilize skill-based bruising or Quick Rest-type resource for one, big hit, a wizard can use Rage-type resources for battle mage-type brawling, and so forth. Since some type of skills work too well with some type of resources, maybe some skills will have reduced effect when used on a certain type of resources. The fastest idea I can have is that Skill Momentum resource will greatly reduce the effect of all skills, keeping up the spamming gimmick.

So that's it for now. I'm having some sleep deprivation these days, what with interns and all. Gotta put on my clown mask and rob a bank or two. End transmission.