This will come as a shock to many of you, but we sent out a newsletter. If you did not get it, you either never signed up, or your email address has changed.
To update your email, contact Tim at tim@kennardweb.net. He is handling the Guild list now.
I uploaded a new Universal Beta 2 PDF. I thought I would add a few thoughts about the cards. As you know, not all Beta cards will ever see print, they are out there for your entertainment and for us to get your opinions.
Battle Moves is an experiment to reduce the number of cards in play. While some of us do not mind keeping track of several active cards, others want it simple. Battle Moves is made to look at some simpler combinations. We shall see how it works.
Shifted Boost is designed to compensate for role-playing choices. As an example, I have a gargoyle who likes rocks. His fists are rocks, he wants to use them. With the current cards I am penalized for making that choice. This card let's me play the way I want without taking a no Melee weapon penalty. The tricky part of this card is that it is meant for actual forms, like Gargoyle, not for being a Tigrean. We also don't see it working for small forms. However, a player may have a good explanation why she should be able to use it in a Pegasus Horse form, so we added "Ask GM" to let role-playing work. Power players will want to abuse this card, so despite the card covering a needed category, it may never see print.
Dual Weapons. In DS 2 we are keeping extra attacks to combat trained people, but anyone could use two weapons. The biggest advantage of having Dual Weapons is that they are harder to defend against. The New version gives a damage bonus most of the time. There is a roll to succeed, although good role-playing may get you the bonus without a roll at all. To make faster games I also added a simplified roll GM's may want players to use.
Totally alert was in the Awareness/Perception set, but it seems like something that should be Universal. Almost more of a role-playing skill than one that would be limited to a specialist.
Nightvision, like Totally Alert, was in the Perceptive type skills, but it should be Universal. Everybody and their sister had Nightvision in Classic DS. We have been looking for a way to limit Nightvision. After several different experiments, we think being a Boon will restrict Nightvision to just those characters who have a good reason for using up a Boon slot.
Keep checking on the Beta's. Keep trying them. I know there should be a form on the page to deal with comments on these and when I can carve out the time I will get that done.
See you at Origins!
Mark
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Newsletter sent! And some Beta thoughts.
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Quick comment on Shifted Boost that Mihailis really don't want to me to make, but I like the card and don't want to see it disappear from abuse.
ReplyDeleteAs written, this combines with the classic Unarmed Mastery and doubles its effect. If one is also a classic Essense Master it gets bigger. If this is abusing the card, then I would add text or rule that it doesn't combine with Unarmed Mastery. Since classic Essense Master requires Unarmed Mastery, it's covered.
If such a combination is not abuse, then Mihailis thanks you very much... ;-)
Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteOnce we got it through our thick heads that Classic DS was a commercial failure we stopped using any Classic cards. We had to play 2.0 to make it., that was well over four years ago. So we have to rely on the players to play in the spirit of the game, but if we can avoid abuse we will.
This also explains why we put cards up. It allows DS loyalists, like yourself, to protect the game.
Been thinking about what you want to do and not do with this card.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend changing this to a Universal Form Enhance that works with Basic, Greater, or Prime forms and does not combine with weapons or Unarmed Mastery.
I would use IND/Enhance/C(IUK)(L1P)for the timing, although leaving it unchanged works just as well, to emphasize that it is a form enhancement, since you want it to only work in Basic or better forms from what you wrote.
Since it requires a Basic or better form and neither animal or racial forms are defined as Basic forms, your covered for that part.
Designating forms as Racial, Animal, Minor, Basic, Greater, and Prime was a great idea. Reduces text requirements. ;-)