[Odsh]

I don't like how Edge works in 6th edition. There, I said it (I guess this must sound like a broken record to some by now).

More precisely, I don't like how you accumulate Edge on certain actions that you can then re-use later on other actions that have absolutely nothing in common. Like you dodge and soak damage like a god, thanks to which you can then suddenly unleash a powerful matrix action.

It's not even there to reward good roleplaying or smart ideas, like for example when your characters recovers Willpower when acting according to her nature in Vampire the Masquerade. No, it's purely mechanical (and boring). Sometimes you even have a guaranteed Edge gain in some circumstances thanks to some qualities. I had a character at my table that was replenishing his Edge just by being attacked and was even freely giving Edge points to his teammates (there is an Edge use for that).

I liked how in previous editions the Edge attribute really represented a character's luck. His potential to "bend the rules" a certain amount of times during the game. His get-out-of-jail cards. Now it has just become a resource that gets used-up and replenished all the time, provided that you have the equipment/qualities/stats to consistently "get the edge" over your opponents.

I didn't want to derail the houserules topic specifically for that, but I was wondering if someone like-minded had good houserules to propose to rework the Edge system?

[Hobbes]

It's not even there to reward good roleplaying or smart ideas

The Edge system quite specifically calls out rewarding PCs for clever ideas or RP.  And one of the core combat concepts is that a GM should be granting Edge to one combatant or another when they have some kind of advantage.  "I have the high ground...." kind of thing should be granting a point of Edge. 

All the rest, totally valid opinions.  5th Edition is still out there, and is still very fun to play.  If that is the Edition you prefer, by all means, play it!  No fun police here telling you what games you should play.

[MercilessMing]

I didn't want to derail the houserules topic specifically for that, but I was wondering if someone like-minded had good houserules to propose to rework the Edge system?

I do, but none that address your issue of gaining Edge for one thing and using it on another.  When you can't bank edge, a lot of the appeal of the 'spend currency for special moves' system is lost.

One thing I have tried is to remove Edge from AR/DR comparisons.  In my test, it removed a lot of edge from the economy though, so I didn't keep it.  I would only recommend doing it if you have other reliable sources.  People enjoy the game more when they are gaining and spending edge.  Instead of awarding a point of Edge to one side at +-4 AR/DR, award a reroll for every +-2 AR/DR (No rerolling rerolls this way, but the 4-point reroll failures edge action can be taken after these rerolls occur).
You could try combining this with a flat "everybody gets 1 edge every turn if they're in the scene and not suffering status effects" rule to see if that keeps the edge economy moving.  Gaining 1 edge/turn automatically this way will help it feel more like luck, too.

[Xenon]

It's not even there to reward good roleplaying or smart ideas, like for example when your characters recovers Willpower when acting according to her nature in Vampire the Masquerade.

There are many things beyond AR/DR that have a potential to reward Edge (even though in a direct confrontation AR/DR compare will probably be one of the main sources). Role playing is explicitly one of them;

SR6 p. 45 Gaining Edge
players can gain Edge through role-playing. Maybe a player does something brilliant, especially funny, or otherwise awesome. If they do, the gamemaster can award them with a bonus point of Edge for the quality play they bring to the table.


But also straight up tactical thinking (like gaining "high ground" on your enemies) or making sure you utilize the environment to your advantage (for example killing lights if your team have access to thermo while your opponents does not) will award Edge;

SR6 p. 118 Environment and Visibility
One character may have better visibility than another, or may have the advantage of the high ground, or have better footing. If one character has clear advantage over their opponent, they gain a point of Edge.


And by thinking ahead and bring the right equipment for the job (bring climbing gear before starting a climb, bring reagents when trying to summon a spirit, etc). And also by having a positive quality that triggers in specific situations.

[Odsh]

I stand corrected for the good RP and intelligent thinking rewarding Edge. But let's be honest, what percentage of the time does that happen in your games, compared to Edge provided through purely mechanical and repetitive means?

Edge was that intangible little extra that some individuals have and can mean the difference in a dire situation. That last resort, a potential deus ex machina for when everything goes south. A precious and rare resource that must be used sparingly.

Now it just feels like the combat pool you had to manage in earlier editions.

There are other things that I prefer in 6th edition over the previous ones, so I'm looking for alternatives rather than "just go back to 5th".

One thing I have tried is to remove Edge from AR/DR comparisons.  In my test, it removed a lot of edge from the economy though, so I didn't keep it.  I would only recommend doing it if you have other reliable sources.  People enjoy the game more when they are gaining and spending edge.  Instead of awarding a point of Edge to one side at +-4 AR/DR, award a reroll for every +-2 AR/DR (No rerolling rerolls this way, but the 4-point reroll failures edge action can be taken after these rerolls occur).
You could try combining this with a flat "everybody gets 1 edge every turn if they're in the scene and not suffering status effects" rule to see if that keeps the edge economy moving.  Gaining 1 edge/turn automatically this way will help it feel more like luck, too.

Thanks for the ideas!

[MercilessMing]

I just thought of some other ideas that work to make edge more luck related. 

This one's just an idea I had right now, I haven't tested this at all:
To prevent banking Edge: All mechanically awarded edge gain becomes "use it or lose it" edge, good for the current test and nothing more.  However, you also double the amount of edge points players start with per session.  This way, edge use is defined more by the character's reservoir than the transient bonuses they can get from moment to moment.

This one I play with personally but haven't run a game where it's universal yet:
If you like seeing glitches in your game, consider making the "Bad Luck" quality universal.  This works at the table best when glitches are handled more like interesting complications than penalties.  Combine this with the quality "Silver Lining" to award a point of Edge every time a glitch occurs.  Over the course of a session, each player will probably earn 2-3 edge this way on average.