Best/worst ideas used in a rpg

[marurun]

I think PDS's combat system is the best I've ever seen employed in an RPG for single non-party combat, and I think it kicks the ass of most party combat systems as well.

[srabelpawz]

did anyone mention Super Columbine Massacre? Does it even count as an RPG. i actually thought it sucked but would love to here what someone else that played it thought of it

[the7k]

Bad idea: Maybe it's just a bad cliche, but the status element spells in most RPGs, and their near complete uselessness against bosses. There's always that one token boss that is vulnerable to a certain status (and indeed, it's supposed to be used on him), but most RPGs make those status spells useless on bosses, and not worth it on the regular enemies.

Ever played a Shin Megami Tensei game? Bosses usually can be struck with a few bad status skills, (and usually any de-buff skills) and it can make life during tough boss battles so much more manageable. Rakunda, for example, (The Lower Defense skill) is pretty much required to have on at least one of your party members.

[MrPopo]

I remember in FES that one of the bosses was vulnerable to silence, which was awesome. Especially since in that game enemies don't realize they are silenced and waste turns.

However, the greatest example in my mind of a boss that's vulnerable to a status ailment is the Mage Master at the top of the Fanatics Tower in FF6. He starts off as a big scary mage, but one cast of berserk means you get to pummel him without reprisal. Come to think of it, FF5 had a similar boss. The boss of the water tower was vulnerable to Frog, which was nearly essential for fighting him without grinding.

[marurun]

See, that's bad design, to give you tons of status spells but then make them not work on most bosses and the more powerful enemies. Who gives a shit about poisoning an imp? They're not a threat. By the time status ailment spells would be really helpful, most RPGs render them largely useless except when you happen to guess correctly that this particular boss or enemy has this one status weakness. Fail.

[the7k]

See, that's bad design, to give you tons of status spells but then make them not work on most bosses and the more powerful enemies. Who gives a shit about poisoning an imp? They're not a threat. By the time status ailment spells would be really helpful, most RPGs render them largely useless except when you happen to guess correctly that this particular boss or enemy has this one status weakness. Fail.

Exactly. It's one thing that I've always hated about the majority of RPGs. That, and there are too many RPGs where spells don't do that much damage, even when they are weak to the element. You'd be better off just using your regular attack over and over.

Of course, FF6 had a lot of bosses that were weak to bad status, but that really was an example of bad design. Vanish + Doom = lulz.

I remember when I found Katana Soul (I think that was his name) I freaked out cuz I had no idea I'd be fighting a boss. The first spell he casts is Doom... on a character that had Reflect. I can't even say I killed him, because I didn't even get a turn. Katana Soul just wanted to commit ritual suicide in front of an audience.

[MrPopo]

Of course, FF6 had a lot of bosses that were weak to bad status, but that really was an example of bad design. Vanish + Doom = lulz.

I'd call Vanish + Doom an unforseen feature. You cast Vanish on yourself to make you immune to melee (it's great when you first get Shadow) but as a consequence every spell and negative effect will hit you. Seems like a fine trade off. Then someone who wasn't part of the Square QA process realized that you could cast it on enemies for lulz.

I always love the (possibly unintended) tradition of the one undead boss that exists in every Final Fantasy that you can just toss a phoenix down at.

[peglegs]

parasite eve has hands down some of my favorite stuff like the combining your weapons or armour to carry over attack or defense. the battle system was cool (how come no one try's to move out of the way of most attacks in rpg's?) sorta a precursor to ff12's.
the ability to up your stats or weapons with points was pretty im sure it wasnt the first but still a good idea.

one of the worst i think is the use of a blind skill tree (ff12 anyone) nothing like spending all your hard earned money, points, whatever on some stupid skill you will never use when all i wanted was some damn healing magic and maybe a sword tech but no i got something that slows the enemy great it's like getting tube socks christmas but you dont have any feet real helpful

not sure if this really counts but...
i am so sick of the stupid love stories in rpg's
espcially the ff series not that it isn't in pretty much every rpg
do they put it in to try and appeal to female gamers?
it took me a while to realize that most rpg's are just romance stories with battle menus and partys thrown in for eye candy.
it's ten times more annoying when you cant even skip the cut scenes.

[marurun]

I hate minigames you have to play to advance, or mandatory minigames where the outcome affects the game. I also had extended dialogue tree-based stuff like romances, too. Often times whatever you do, however it affects the ending, you find out later that one outcome was SUPPOSED to happen, and you were either too badass or not badass enough to get the proper canon outcome of the game.

I mean, I'm not saying it shouldn't be in the game. It should all be optional. You could be able to opt out when it comes up and simply accept the default result (whatever would be canon for the game). That way you can stick to the grinding most RPG players "like" without getting frustrated by not only a sudden change in game mechanics but a poor one at that. That way players who want to focus on the "game" can do so without distraction.

[executioner]

Hate those obligatory mini games to pass a certain point in a game. They should be left optional for the one's who like them.