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Hello. Shawn Tomkin could you please explain to me your design thought process as to why the characters never gain stat increase as they level up? Thank you!
Hi, Maxime Lacoste. Thanks for asking. Assets tend to be fairly focused on mechanical boosts, and it's my goal to encourage focus vs breadth for bonuses via the assets. Also, there are a couple of assets which "shift the stat numbers around", and I'm leaving an opening for future assets as a means of leveling up stats. Finally, it's a tonal thing. If anything, your struggles wear you down via debilities versus making you stronger. Your assets help balance that out.
That said, there is an option if you prefer stat progression in your game: Raise a stat +1 every 7 earned experience points, with no stat exceeding +4, and limited to no more than 5 stat boosts (it stops at 35 XP, in other words). Adjust the milestone for the reward to your liking. For a shorter campaign, make it every 5 XP.
This is in addition to being able to spend those experience points on assets. If you're looking for a bit more of a zero-to-hero flavor, this will help.
This game as dethroned PBTA for me. Thats a HUGE achievment!
Is the stat raise rule written somewhere in the book? I don't recall seeing them in there.
II'll keep them as an option but will continue playing RAW for now.
I was thinking about my question today and sorta came to the same conclusion by myself. Assets can accomplish many things! I'll start playing around with them and making my own soon. (The rules for doing so at the end of the book are very useful for this BTW).
Hi, Maxime Lacoste. Thanks! The stat option didn't make the cut in the rulebook, but I've shared it here a couple of times. I'll probably knock out a 1-pager at some point to make it semi-official. But, as you suggest, give it a try RAW. I hear it a lot as a request from folks who are initially reading the game, but less so from those that are actively playing, which makes me think that it works out OK.
But, feel free to add in stat boosts it makes the game better for you. It won't break anything.
Hi, Maxime Lacoste. Thanks for asking. Assets tend to be fairly focused on mechanical boosts, and it's my goal to encourage focus vs breadth for bonuses via the assets. Also, there are a couple of assets which "shift the stat numbers around", and I'm leaving an opening for future assets as a means of leveling up stats. Finally, it's a tonal thing. If anything, your struggles wear you down via debilities versus making you stronger. Your assets help balance that out.
ReplyDeleteThat said, there is an option if you prefer stat progression in your game: Raise a stat +1 every 7 earned experience points, with no stat exceeding +4, and limited to no more than 5 stat boosts (it stops at 35 XP, in other words). Adjust the milestone for the reward to your liking. For a shorter campaign, make it every 5 XP.
This is in addition to being able to spend those experience points on assets. If you're looking for a bit more of a zero-to-hero flavor, this will help.
Wow thank you for the detailed answer.
ReplyDeleteThis game as dethroned PBTA for me. Thats a HUGE achievment!
Is the stat raise rule written somewhere in the book? I don't recall seeing them in there.
II'll keep them as an option but will continue playing RAW for now.
I was thinking about my question today and sorta came to the same conclusion by myself. Assets can accomplish many things! I'll start playing around with them and making my own soon. (The rules for doing so at the end of the book are very useful for this BTW).
Once again, THANKS!
Hi, Maxime Lacoste. Thanks! The stat option didn't make the cut in the rulebook, but I've shared it here a couple of times. I'll probably knock out a 1-pager at some point to make it semi-official. But, as you suggest, give it a try RAW. I hear it a lot as a request from folks who are initially reading the game, but less so from those that are actively playing, which makes me think that it works out OK.
ReplyDeleteBut, feel free to add in stat boosts it makes the game better for you. It won't break anything.
Nah! I don't want to go the High Fantasy" way anyways. :-)
ReplyDelete