Alternative NegaTrait System

[plasmoid]

Hi all,
I'm not sure whether this should go into the house rules forum, but it is related to the rules for big guys.

I don't much like the fact that there is a vast difference in the impact of the different negatraits. Neither do I like the fact that some of them have their effect "off the pitch" - and can decide the game there.

This is a shot at streamlining the negatrait system.
Feel free to comment:

1. Whenever a player with a negatrait is about to take an action, roll 1 die. On a roll of 1, the following happens:

*Bonehead: The player doesn't get an action, and loses his TZ.

*Take Root: The player can not leave (or be forced to leave) its current square, until this drive ends.

*Off for a bite: If the player is within 3 squares of the sidelines or "endline", the player is moved to the reserves box.

*Very Stupid: The player must declare a block action. If there are no opponents to block, then he must block a team mate. (Knocking over a team mate in this way is not a turnover).

*Very Stupid v2: Your opponent decides which action the player declares. Treat the action as though declared by yourself.

*Wild Animal: The player declares a foul action, even if your team has already taken one! If there is a prone opponent in his TZ then he must commit the foul.

*Always Hungry: If there is a (or more) stunty team mate in the players TZ, pick one, and make a "sigurds" casualty roll against the poor blindsided fellow. This is not a TO.

Suggestions are welcome
Martin

[Lucien Swift]

i've always been in foavor of a serious re-think on negative traits because they have always struck me as being quite unbalanced in comparison with one another... some negs are severely limiting, some are barely a problem, some control a player, some are mere nuisances.... my dislike is based not on the fact that despite the huge gulf in effect, they are considered as equicvalent in limiting big guys... which clearly they don't do... also, i'm not a big fan of adding complexity, which new skills and traits does...

personally, i've always been happy with a blanket big guy rule where a d6 roll of 1 prior to the player's action is a turnover. you can justify this roll as any special effect you want, a minotaur's feasting on a limb he'd just ripped off, a mummy's plodding nature, an ogres density, etc... just because you can describe something differently doesn't mean it needs different rules... if one team's players attacked with shoulder charges while another swung punches, would the block skill need to be split in half? of course not, the game's mechanics and the narrative behind it are and should be seperate... so, a blanket, evenly applied and easilly used big guy limitation, however you want to describe it in the flavor text, is far more appropriate to teh spirit of the game, the flow of the game, and the sanity of those who play the game...

why make things harder?

[GalakStarscraper]

Sorry, I just don't see the problems with the negative traits. I find them pretty well balanced against the others. I'd like to know which ones you specifically disagree with, but on the whole to me they are fine and are very low on my list of things to get worked on.

Galak

[Acerak]

I wouldn't be so sure that all RCs are priced the same. Consider:

* The Minotaur is worth 17 pts based on his regular stats, which means that he "should" cost 135,000 gold pieces. Add Wild Animal, however, and he's priced down as if he were worth 12 pts (110,000 gold pieces).

* The Treeman is the same as the Minotaur: 17 pts down to 12, worth 110,000 gold pieces on the pitch because of Take Root.

* The Rat Ogre is worth 20 pts based on his regular stats, which means that he "should" cost 150,000 gold pieces. Add Wild Animal, however, and he's priced as if he were worth 16 pts (130,000 gold pieces).

* The Troll is worth 13 pts based on his regular stats, which means that he "should" cost 115,000 gold pieces. Add Really Stupid, however, and he's priced as if he were worth 10 pts (100,000 gold pieces).

* Finally, the Ogre is worth 15 pts based on his regular stats, which means that he "should" cost 125,000 gold pieces. Add the minor Bonehead RC, however, and he's priced as if he were worth 14 pts (120,000 gold pieces).

I left TTM out of the equation, as it only applies to value when added to Stunty teams. I also left out the Kroxigor, who's just mispriced.

But if you look at those numbers, I think the vaunted "fudge factor" has already done a good job adjusting for the relative worths of these RCs. A Minotaur's stat line is clearly better than an Ogre: Horns and Frenzy for AV+1. But he costs less. Why? Because Wild Animal is clearly worse than Bonehead.

-Chet

[neoliminal]

I actually like almost all of these. Well done Martin!