What do you like/dislike about D6 (including WEG D6 Space)?

[TheDoctor]

So what are the pros and cons of the D6 system? What do you think could be better?

What I like is that adding 7D to a character template means you can create a character and start playing within minutes. Alternatively, I feel like you have to dedicate a large chunk of time or a whole play session just for character creation in other systems.

I like that for the most part, the rule mechanics are the same for just about everything. You roll a bunch of dice and you want the highest number possible.

However, rolling any more than 4D for a skill check is a lot of arithmetic and can bog a game session down. When somebody has an 8D skill check, I cringe a little.

Also, the number of skills a character knows seems to be arbitrary. There doesn't seem to be a set limit as to how many skills a character can start with, but adding skills later costs CP. Same goes with special abilities- there's no extra startup cost to create a character as an alien species with the desired special ability.

I know this can be remedied easily with house rules, but that's not the point. I'm just curious as to what you guys like or dislike about the D6 system.
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"We attack under cover of daylight. Yes it's the last thing they'll be expecting, a daylight charge over the minefield." - Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC SSC

[jawa1138]

I too love the template and go aspect of it. Not to say I am against building characters from scratch, but the templates offer great examples and inspiration.

What I am having issues with is that our group is used to playing D&D, mostly older editions. They are used to a class based game with defined roles for each member of the party. Star Wars d6 allows them to do anything which in turn entices them to want to do everything and often times failing at most things.

We just started playing a few months ago, many of the beginning sessions were to work out rules and playtest different aspects. They soon realized that it was hard to define a role for thier characters that didn't leave them useless in other aspects of the game.

We have rebooted our game and characters two or three times already and they are beginning to learn to balance thier initial skill choices better but there is still a learning curve for them.

BTW if you really want to cringe due to dice pools give Tunnels and Trolls a try. Group combat from a dm standpoint sometimes have you roll all the dice of the enemy party at one time then match it to the combined dice rolls of the heros. Sometimes more than 50d6 or more on the table at one time. Just an example for perspective.

[Whill]

I love the ease of templates too. I love the lack of classes in the simple skill-based character system. I love the game mechanics of roll versus difficulty number or opposed rolls. I love the cinematic flair of this system. I love the lack of all other dice but d6s.

My experience with new D6 players is mainly with people who have played a lot of different game systems or none at all, and most all of them have gotten it very easy. The difficulty D&D players have adapting to D6 is hardly D6's fault. D6 is a simple system in general, so you can blame that issue on how playing D&D warps your mind. 8)

[CRMcNeill]

[Leon The Lion]

What do I like about D6? Everyting.
What do I dislike about D6? Everything.
D6 is the worst system I have ever played... Except for all the other systems I tried before and after it.

To be just a little less flippant, if I absolutely had to choose, my absolute favourite would be this:

[evilnerf]

I like that it has relatively simple stat blocks.

I hate things like D20 where you have a whole page of stats to keep track of. Generic NPC blocks are what, 2 or 3 lines? That's all I need for my minions. it's awesome.

The thing I dislike is that it is a bit archaic in the context of other systems. For example, there being no Con (or equivilent) stat or inventory system. Stuff you kinda expect to see in most RPGs nowadays.
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His eyes are shifty. That's how you know the nerf did it.

[garhkal]

[Whill]

[Whill]

[Whill]

[Leon The Lion]

[TheDoctor]

I hope you guys don't mind me being lazy, but there are a lot of good points you guys brought up and just want to say thank you for all your thoughts.

One thing I hadn't considered that you guys made me think about is that being easily "house ruled" is an inherent strength of the D6 system.

Whill, you're right about the Special Abilities with the later version of D6. I think they were going in the right direction, it's too bad they went out of print.

I really like the "Trait" system from A Time of War (the current Battletech RPG) which is similar. In that system, I like that there are positive and negative traits, and most of the the "Special Abilities" aren't superhuman abilities.

Additionally, Garhkal clarified my point about the starting skills beautifully. It's not the skill DICE, rather numerically the number of listed skills by name that seems arbitrary.
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"We attack under cover of daylight. Yes it's the last thing they'll be expecting, a daylight charge over the minefield." - Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC SSC

[Whill]

[Whill]

[cynanbloodbane]