"Rerolling dice as a mechanic?" Topic

Some games use rerolls of dice as a game mechanic, for example being able to force an enemy to reroll firing dice or a unit being able to reroll due to an advantageous situation.

Some people I've talked to have strong feelings that once a die is rolled, it should stay that way while others like being to able to "spoil" the enemy's roll or "save" a bad one of your own.

Your views?

For the sake of this discussion, "roll twice pick worst/best" is the same as a reroll.

A: I love reroll mechanics.
B: I hate reroll mechanics.
C: Like rerolls but no big deal.
D: Dislike rerolls but no big deal.
E: Absolutely no preference either way.
F: I have no idea what dice are.
G: I am a special snowflake.
H: I am going to complain that the poll is garbage.

C

D.

Roll multiple dice, pick the best result is core to QILS. The deus ex machine ability to reroll is core to a number of scenarios.

C

I think the reroll mechanic works quite well in Flames of War.

In fact, in the back of my mind I am thinking of adding a "Mulligan" rule in my TSATF variant Flames of Liberty.
Depending on the quality of the general, he may get a LIMITED number of do-over rolls. But he has to re-roll ALL of them. Not just the ones that irked him. Get two hits rolling for 20 shooters? Roll them all and hope for more hits. Rolled a total of 6 on 4 five for a charge? Roll them all.
General Wayne rolled a 1 in melee? Hope you haven't used up your Mulligans, General… Cuz if you wasted them on movement, you're dead.

C, but can vary greatly WRT the mechanics…

E One dice mchanism is as good as another. As long as the circumstances are easy to remember. I don't want to have to continually refer to a table to find out how many dice I can re-roll

D.

Don't care for the extra time or work but it won't spoil a fun game (or ruleset) for me.

C

E. The two critical things are that once the player makes a decision you get a quick result and go on to the next decision, and that the mechanism be simple and easy to remember. Lots of ways to do this.

C

Dice were made for rolling. Keep 'em rolling!

e

B: I hate reroll mechanics.

Can't put the toothpaste back in the tube.

In war, one small error and someone dies.

A big error, and a lot of people die.

No do overs, no second chances.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

D

C

I used to be E, bu in the last few years have become a D. I used to not care, now I am not fond of the mechanism, but not a great deal. As I get older I have this feeling I am sure to become even less tolerant and I think I will become a B :-)

C. I used to think it was a time-wasting mechanic that slows things down. But thinking about it, simply re-rolling dice can often be quicker than having to remember and calculate another modifier, or figure out & roll a different set of defense dice or something.

E.

For single die roll resolutions, I slightly prefer "roll 2 dice play the best" or "roll 2 dice play the worst" as all dice are rolled at once.

But in bucket of dice games that would be difficult to carry off so "reroll 6s" or "reroll 1s" is more workable.

Depends on how it interacts with the game mechanics. Sometimes it works, others not so much. It is not an absolute, but just a mechanic that may or may not work in relation with other mechanics.

I like the re-roll mechanics that are an important part of FoG and FoGR. It is a back-door way to differentiate between the capabilities of different troop types. It also adds a bit of excitement to the die rolling. (I guess my group is easily amused).

C.

C.

B.

E