RPGs that encourage using consumables over hoarding?

[rusty_shackleford]

Do these exist?
I often forget I even have consumables until I'm at a shop selling stuff.

[J1M]

I'm only going to use them if the game is brutally uneven in difficulty or if they replenish for free.

But in general I just resent them for clogging up loot tables.

[Valter]

the time-frozen Altmer in front of me looking on in horror as I eat my 28th loaf of plain bread

[Tangerine]

But if I consume it now, I won't have it later when I need it! More seriously, games that have limited spellcasting, like Wizardry's early to mid game, I prefer to use consumables to cure status ailments than waste spell points.

[Oyster Sauce]

I liked how the potions in Path of Exile were pieces of equipment that replenished by killing enemies

[J1M]

But if I consume it now, I won't have it later when I need it! More seriously, games that have limited spellcasting, like Wizardry's early to mid game, I prefer to use consumables to cure status ailments than waste spell points.

Spell points are usually free due to permissive resting. Though Wizardry 8 had such slow combat I sometimes used items to avoid a random encounter.

[Dorateen]

The Augury of Chaos module from Knights of the Chalice 2 encourages, and even necessitates, this practice. Its steeper difficulty and limitations for recovery make the use of scrolls, potions and other consumables vital to survival.

[J1M]

I will add that I am open to more item use but someone competent needs to design it.

Examples: passives that increase effectiveness so I don't see 5 different power levels for each type of item in my inventory. The number that can be used in a span of time as progression instead of scarcity or cost or carry weight. Character crafts more on rest. Different effects than spells.

[rusty_shackleford]

Should have added that I wasn't referring to healy potions

[Tweed]

The Magic Candle contains loads of consumables and you'll be devouring them like candy later on to help with combat and environmental hazards.

[rusty_shackleford]

Guess it's hard to make consumables matter and also not feel like you depend on them to succeed

[Valter]

I dislike consumables that add a benefit you could just get from equipment, such as damage (bye poison) or protection (bye health pots). I'd rather invest my money or crafting materials into a more long-term solution than short-term one.
Rarer effects stuff like protection from the elements or invisibility, now that's some worthwhile consumables... but even those more niche effects can be found in the form of accessories I can swap depending on the situation...

[Demonic Fate]

ToMe4 makes potions and scrolls into infinite-use, double-cooldown items. You have a cooldown before you can use the same type of item again, plus a secondary Saturation status that lingers a little longer: if you use it while the Saturation status is still active, your next cooldown will be longer, and it stacks.

So you have your "steady" rate of item usage (wait until saturation wears off), but in a pinch you can use a few of them faster than normal at the cost of delaying future usage. Pretty nice system.

[rusty_shackleford]

I liked the little firecrackers in deadfire that you could throw to lure NPCs/mobs

[J1M]

Guess it's hard to make consumables matter and also not feel like you depend on them to succeed

I'm fine with depending on them to succeed, but designers are lazy and don't play their own games without cheats so unless there is something artificial like "you can only carry 3 throughput potions into each battle" items are never balanced properly.

[Oyster Sauce]

I think WoW does/did a good job with this. Hour long buffs that don't conflict with player-buffs are worth using, whether you're doing dungeons with friends or trying to beat the newest content.

[Vaako]

Junky build in Fallout4 15% more damage for every withdrawl effect you have and you can have 10 even if 1-3 should be avoided the stat drain isnt worth it. So you would still have to use a few chems to avoid the withdrawl effects.

You spam a lot of potions in diablo. But yeah cant really think of many games where you spam potions.

[Tadeusz]

Are traps and grenades considered consumables for the purpose of this thread? Underrail encourages to use these a lot.
Also, Night Watch has a class that creates consumables (both offensive and defensive) and the game makes their use a necessity.

[Valter]

Are traps and grenades considered consumables for the purpose of this thread? Underrail encourages to use these a lot.
Also, Night Watch has a class that creates consumables (both offensive and defensive) and the game makes their use a necessity.

Grenades are such a good consumable in games where you don't have AoE for class or game reasons. Death to swarms!

[logincrash]

Underrail does a fine job of that, I think. You have to use consumables to prep for and survive combat encounters.
It also makes using them pretty satisfying, so that helps.

[Stack of Turtles]

Wait, consumables can be used? Are you sure? This sounds like some kind of scam to bilk me out of my consumable hoard...

[Oyster Sauce]

Games with programmable companions like DAO and presumably FFXII can reduce consumable friction

[Roguey]

Witcher 3 solved the "But what if I really need it later" problem by making them a one-time purchase that get replenished when you rest.

[DemoGraph]

Permadeath and/or inventory wipe solve the problem.
I never had trouble using consumables in good tacticools (units in X-COM are significantly more expensive than consumables).

Consumables in vanilla murderhobo RPGs might as well not exist, because savescumming is THE infinitely replenishable consumable.

[WaterMage]

Gothic 2 - Returning did it well.

Not talking about base game, the mod. At act 1, a scroll of fire rain or any other 6th circle spell is incredible valuable, when you have 4th tier spells, is valuable and is worthless once you have 6th tier spells. So, spamming is unwise but hoarding is also unwise.

[Zess_T]

Underrail does a fine job of that, I think. You have to use consumables to prep for and survive combat encounters.
It also makes using them pretty satisfying, so that helps.

Playing with crossbows, the entire run is using consumables. The darts themselves worked as consumables. It was a very different experience as someone who usually does 2 handed sword in every game I play. Combined with throwing, my run felt like I kept pulling **** out of a hat and hitting my enemies with it.

[logincrash]

Games with programmable companions like DAO and presumably FFXII can reduce consumable friction

Programmable Tactics in DAO are okay, but they aren't robust enough to automate anything other than "Use health/mana potion when low on health/mana," consumables-wise.

[Oyster Sauce]

Games with programmable companions like DAO and presumably FFXII can reduce consumable friction

Programmable Tactics in DAO are okay, but they aren't robust enough to automate anything other than "Use health/mana potion when low on health/mana," consumables-wise.

"Can a robot determine the ideal time to use a greater healing poultice? Can a robot turn the tide of a fight with a scroll of haste?"

"Can you?"

[Zess_T]

Monster hunter does it in a way I like where at your base, you have a stockpile of consumables you can make, but on missions and field surveys you can only bring a limited amount of certain kinds. Hunts are only made easier by using the consumables (capturing monsters is entirely gated to using specific consumables in tandem), so you are highly encouraged to use them to your advantage.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Any game that regularly has you come across more consumables than you can currently carry (ie capped at keeping 3 health potions at time).