“Combat Heavy” games emphasize the combat mechanics within their systems over roleplay or puzzle solving. There are frequent and longer battles with enemies and a greater emphasis on tactical game play.

Combat Heavy

“Rule of Cool” emphasizes creative story beats over sticking to a system’s rules as written. Players have the ability to push the limits of the rules or even break core rule mechanics at times if the Game Master thinks it is interesting, fun, or cool enough.

Rule of Cool (RoC)

“Roleplay Lite” games typically include some story and character interactions but keep the emphasis on other gameplay elements like exploration or combat. While these games can still feature character-driven moments, they tend to favor quicker scenes with less focus on extensive backstories or dramatic roleplay.

Roleplay Lite

“Hexcrawl / Exploration” games are all about the journey. Whether you're uncovering ancient ruins, navigating dangerous terrain, or charting new territory, the focus is on discovery and player-driven adventure. Hexcrawls add additional structure by using a map where each hex holds new surprises, challenges, or story hooks.

Dominic

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