When Owlcat left behind the bloated Pathfinder system, a numberhead ruleset that held back the otherwise excellent Kingmaker and Wrath of the Righteous, I rejoiced. Finally, with Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, they'd have the opportunity to focus on their strengths: storytelling and player freedom.
But while Rogue Trader did have at least a couple of acts' worth of great writing and a neat warp exploration system, the rules were an absolute nightmare. Rather than trimming down the clunky rules of the tabletop game they were inspired by, Owlcat overcomplicated them, resulting in mechanics so fiddly I resented every level-up and trudged through every combat.
