My trpg EXUVIAE uses cards, not dice, so its got quite a few natural countdowns built in ─ the longer the game goes on, the fewer cards are left, which intensifies the game state itself. Hell, when the (largest pile that is the) stock runs dry, all players suffer an intense drawback and it's very easy to see the dwindling pile shrink before you...
It's important to remember that clock timers can be an accessibility issue for people. If you have it in your game, you need rules for not using it as well.
I've been using the Underclock from Goblin Punch in my dungeons to great success. Using clocks and countdowns as progress trackers is very easy and makes running dynamic scenarios a breeze.
My trpg EXUVIAE uses cards, not dice, so its got quite a few natural countdowns built in ─ the longer the game goes on, the fewer cards are left, which intensifies the game state itself. Hell, when the (largest pile that is the) stock runs dry, all players suffer an intense drawback and it's very easy to see the dwindling pile shrink before you...
That sounds really interesting! Having a physical representation of the shrinking time (e.g. a pile getting smaller) is always a nice touch!
It's important to remember that clock timers can be an accessibility issue for people. If you have it in your game, you need rules for not using it as well.
I've been using the Underclock from Goblin Punch in my dungeons to great success. Using clocks and countdowns as progress trackers is very easy and makes running dynamic scenarios a breeze.