Steal My Idea: Skill variants from CCGs, Part 3: Restriction Variants

Restrictions: To deny the usage of a skill in certain scenarios.

Restrictions on a spell or ability don't show up in RPGs as often as they do in card games. This is generally due to the fact that the complex interplay in cardgames must be distilled into a faster quicker paced game.

However, restrictions can be another way to provide a powerful ability and force the player to solve mini-problems.


Let us take the following skill


Impale
2000 mana
Deals half the target's health in damage.

Variants

Type Restrictions: Limiting the target selection of the skill for balance.

In Magic, many spells simply cannot affect a certain subclass of targets. Many black spells cannot affect black spells due to the fact that unholy magics tend not to be so effective against unholy people.

In an RPG, this would be similar to something like the warrior not being able to use Impale on people wearing hevy armor (most likely other warriors.) This is an interesting balance as people wearing heavier armors tend to have higher hit points overall and thus limits the possible abuse of the skill.

Timing Restrictions: Limiting the time in which a skill can be cast.

In  Magic, the basic difference between an instant and a sorcery is that you may only cast a sorcery when it is your turn. Therefore, you cannot wait to react to an opponent with a sorcery. You must decide to cast it now or never.

In an RPG, this would be similar to the warrior not being able to use the ability after taking damage for a second or two. He must either immediately lead off with the attack as soon as he can or else wait until the opponent is defensive and recovering to unleash his attack.

Conditional Restrictions: Limiting the circumstances in a which a skill can be cast.

In magic, there are quite a few spells that say you can only play a card X when some condition Y has been met. For example, a card that deals 10 damage to a player if the player has exactly 10 life.

In an RPG, this would be similar to spells that could only be used while the opponent is under some sort of effect. For example, perhaps the warrior can only impale his targets when they are stunned or dizzy. In this manner, the player must decide the best way to get his target to be stunned or dizzy before being able to use impale.