Spike IV

[Mystic Force]

Got the new Spike! New wizard is interesting either make an opposing player lose their hands or have a turn of super zombies and skeletons. Not to much in surprise for the star players. Hopefully get to put a few minis together later this afternoon too. You must all be at tournaments or something today to not have come on here to discuss.

[Jip]

I stunned the crowd into silence when I posted about it a few days ago, too!

http://talkfantasyfootball.org/viewtopi ... 24&t=45449

[stashman]

Some stars are typically the same but diffrent.

Sinnebad - Throttlesnot
Both have Stab and Secret Weapon, stunty vs skeleton.

Hack - Bryce
Chainsaw loonies! How will NAF do with the rules that you can now have two chainsaw guys in a tournament team?

Earlice - G'Ral
Sprint vs. Wrestle

Setekh - Ivan
Almost same. Break Tackle vs Tackle+Disturbing Presence

Ithaca - Skrull
MA7 vs MA6

[Mystic Force]

I have been thinking about the new wizard, and although an opposing player losing their hands for a turn sounds great, it is still only a 2/3rd chance and a fireball to the face will have similar results (lying on your back has zero hands for a while too!). But it might be a useful threat to the stall. If you put tackle zones around the cage and pop the ball free with magic, it is probably safer then dodging or leaping into the cage, then you can hope to get a lucky bounce, as the rest of the cage will not be able to catch (-1 per tackle zone) imagine doing that to dwarves with the blockers having low AG. Alternatively an unreachable receiver can be neutralized., although a fireball to the face has similar consequences.

Your other option is the super powered zombies and skeletons, but my developed Undead teams tend to run light on them, but against an over dog a sudden burst of resilience, speed and agility could turn the tables, you could even run a whole team of them for fun wanting to be TV efficient to pop of the spell and be a terrible version of halflings..... Actually now I come to think of it that is exactly how to make a fluff Halfling undead themed team.... I might need to have a lie down at this point.

Undead were my first team and they have a special place in my heart. I look forward to them shuffling on to the pitch once more.

[Jip]

Your other option is the super powered zombies and skeletons

I just want to hear tales of mirror matches going crazy for a couple of turns ‘cos the rule says “...all skeleton and zombie players”.

[gjnoronh]

Picked mine up yesterday and again am greatly enjoying it. Only as far as the tactics article so far.

I guess I missed the stars being leaked in advance. The Football Widow looks like a fun new addition.

[Heff]

I have been thinking about the new wizard, and although an opposing player losing their hands for a turn sounds great, it is still only a 2/3rd chance and a fireball to the face will have similar results (lying on your back has zero hands for a while too!). But it might be a useful threat to the stall. If you put tackle zones around the cage and pop the ball free with magic, it is probably safer then dodging or leaping into the cage, then you can hope to get a lucky bounce, as the rest of the cage will not be able to catch (-1 per tackle zone) imagine doing that to dwarves with the blockers having low AG. Alternatively an unreachable receiver can be neutralized., although a fireball to the face has similar consequences.

Your other option is the super powered zombies and skeletons, but my developed Undead teams tend to run light on them, but against an over dog a sudden burst of resilience, speed and agility could turn the tables, you could even run a whole team of them for fun wanting to be TV efficient to pop of the spell and be a terrible version of halflings..... Actually now I come to think of it that is exactly how to make a fluff Halfling undead themed team.... I might need to have a lie down at this point.

Undead were my first team and they have a special place in my heart. I look forward to them shuffling on to the pitch once more.

Good god, all of this just sounds dreadful. What is the need for this garbage? The game is(was) tight and all the extraneous crap had been removed by the BBRC, now it is being drip fed back in.

But "fun" sigh.

[Mystic Force]

Good god, all of this just sounds dreadful. What is the need for this garbage? The game is(was) tight and all the extraneous crap had been removed by the BBRC, now it is being drip fed back in.

But "fun" sigh.

I do believe that the game needs variety, "tight" to me says stayed. In an attempt to make a "competitive" game the nature of the game has changed from random sports inspired parody. I think the world should have room for both and in fact can work with this same game. A couple different wizard options are not going to over complicate things, the effects are not that different from the special play cards. A "tight" game that has been around for 20+years sounds a little predictable. If the epitome of the game is aiming for a 2-1 grind, I think we need to add a few mechanisms to make people have to rethink a little. The best players will still be the ones who know how to adapt and take best advantage, even as things change.

[Heff]

Good god, all of this just sounds dreadful. What is the need for this garbage? The game is(was) tight and all the extraneous crap had been removed by the BBRC, now it is being drip fed back in.

But "fun" sigh.

I do believe that the game needs variety, "tight" to me says stayed. In an attempt to make a "competitive" game the nature of the game has changed from random sports inspired parody. I think the world should have room for both and in fact can work with this same game. A couple different wizard options are not going to over complicate things, the effects are not that different from the special play cards. A "tight" game that has been around for 20+years sounds a little predictable. If the epitome of the game is aiming for a 2-1 grind, I think we need to add a few mechanisms to make people have to rethink a little. The best players will still be the ones who know how to adapt and take best advantage, even as things change.

Cards, do not get me started on cards.

[Christy42]

Definitely don't get him started

I feel like we will figure out layers of acceptance for different rules eventually but they are fun to read and if a few groups get some benefit then why not.

Interesting that they changed the fluff on the attempted hit on Morg. It used to be coach led but now it seems to be Ramtut breaking free of the coach and making the decision to go after Morg himself.

[JT-Y]

Interesting that they changed the fluff on the attempted hit on Morg. It used to be coach led but now it seems to be Ramtut breaking free of the coach and making the decision to go after Morg himself.

Well, it's more that Tomolandry was blamed for Ramtut's actions because he had form, and Ramtut said he was compelled by Tomolandry knowing it'd be believed.
Ramtut at that point possessed enough free will to do as he wished; what he wanted to do and what he couldn't was renegotiate his contract. So he staged a scandal to intimidate his 'master'.

Undead players don't just up and leave the necromancer that's fueling their magical unlife. There needs to be more to it than that, and in the case of beings like Ramtut that's the legacy of the Great Summoning that raised every dead thing in Nehakara to a form of undeath; not actually resurrected but not really dead any longer. Tomolandry's magic was enough to fully resurect Ramtut, but at first it also bound him. Once he had sufficient will to start acting freely, he wanted to change his contract.

Really, Ramtut's actions in trying to kill Morg and blame Tomolandry were him threatening Tomolandry, showing how little control remained. Same story, different perspective. It's just a detail that wasn't previously known.

[peo2223]

The banshee star player made me chuckle. I'm saving showing it to my wife until she starts complaining about another tournament.

[Christy42]

Interesting that they changed the fluff on the attempted hit on Morg. It used to be coach led but now it seems to be Ramtut breaking free of the coach and making the decision to go after Morg himself.

Well, it's more that Tomolandry was blamed for Ramtut's actions because he had form, and Ramtut said he was compelled by Tomolandry knowing it'd be believed.
Ramtut at that point possessed enough free will to do as he wished; what he wanted to do and what he couldn't was renegotiate his contract. So he staged a scandal to intimidate his 'master'.

Undead players don't just up and leave the necromancer that's fueling their magical unlife. There needs to be more to it than that, and in the case of beings like Ramtut that's the legacy of the Great Summoning that raised every dead thing in Nehakara to a form of undeath; not actually resurrected but not really dead any longer. Tomolandry's magic was enough to fully resurect Ramtut, but at first it also bound him. Once he had sufficient will to start acting freely, he wanted to change his contract.

Really, Ramtut's actions in trying to kill Morg and blame Tomolandry were him threatening Tomolandry, showing how little control remained. Same story, different perspective. It's just a detail that wasn't previously known.

You're right. We knew the publicly believed version of events. This doesn't contradict it but certainly goes against what was commonly believed to be the case previously. And indeed what Morg believes given it is his reason for avoiding Undead teams.

I more meant that it is a twist that seems to be thought of by the people writing the story now as opposed to whenever that line was first published.

Tomolandry got the worst of both worlds there. One he got blamed for it and Two he didn't even get Morg out of it!

It is a good way to err flesh out Ramtut a bit as players should take stage over coaches IMO as we play with the players and not with the famous coaches really.

[gjnoronh]

The banshee star player made me chuckle. I'm saving showing it to my wife until she starts complaining about another tournament.

You know that might _not_ be the best of ideas I think. . . .

[garion]

Overall another very good edition of spike, but still errors of judgement or possibly just errors I am not sure?

Before that though I want to say thank you for updating the rules in print regardings the inducement phase and how cash is handled in the new almanac big thumbs up here !!!! If only we got the same sort of write up for the cards....

Regarding the possible mistake - Throttlesnot 'the Impaler' -

1 - Why doesn't he have Very Long Legs. He is specifically listed as a pogoer. Pogo stick gives Leap + VLL as seen on the Goblin Pogoer positional, and the star player Scrappa Sorehead.

2 - Why does he have Secret Weapon skill? Pogo players do not have Secret Weapon

3 - Zombie Goblins are called Dust Goblins in Games Workshop fantasy law. Not a big deal but would be better for it to be right.

Breaks in continuity like this (specifically point 1 and 2 ) are bad for the game and spoils the verisimilitude. I understand you probably gave him SW for a few reasons; to keep his cost down, to stop him being able to take advantage of stunty. Similarly I imagine the removal of VLL was so that he was not rolling a 3+ to leap in to a cage and then stab. However you could have just made him Ag2+VLL, (which is in keeping with him becoming a zombie) that way the leap would a 4+, then you also wouldnt need to bolt on SW to negate Stunty's positives.
Its a shame, but its just shoddy design.

@heff yes I agree the (in)famous coaching and extra wizards are horrible additions to core rules and should be specifically labelled as optional only like card along with all the other silly stuff. But sadly the ball has already been dropped here. At least all the optional wizards are sub optimal, so its good restraint has been shown here and they will almost never get used. Shame Horatio is still broken and unfixed though...