WOIN SOAK exploits and stacking

[Steven Barker]

I made a NEW character using the WOIN Character Assistant tool (which gots its exploit descriptions from the Rules Reference doc). However, upon double checking the exploit descriptions against my book, it seems all the exploits that I thought would give me a SOAK bonus on top of my armor are instead giving a "natural" SOAK bonus that won't stack. That makes my a big part of my character concept fall apart (I'm supposed to be a heavy-armor wearing tank, and none of my SOAK related exploits help with that).

The specific exploits I encountered this issue with are "Battle Scars" from the Marine career, and the "Tough as Nails" trait. The description of tough as nails in the book seems contradictory, since it says it gives a "+2 natural SOAK bonus which stacks with any other SOAK scores you may have". Since I thought the whole point of "natural" SOAK is that it doesn't stack with armor, I have no idea how it's supposed to work. Reading the trait description in the O.L.D. book, it seems like it really is supposed to be natural SOAK (though it's +3 in O.L.D. instead of +2).

Is the WRRD just wrong when it gives some exploits plain old SOAK bonuses? Are there any normal-SOAK bonus granting exploits left in N.E.W.? I don't mind some exploits granting natural SOAK, but it's annoying to me that the reference doc got my hopes up for SOAK bonuses when it shouldn't have.

 

[Morrus]

Exploits cab have rules exceptions. In that case, it describes a natural SOAK bonus which does stack. Each exploit will describe how it works if it’s different to the standard stacking rules.

 

[Steven Barker]

OK, if tough as nails is supposed to be an exception, that's great. But it should probably not use the "natural" term at all then, since that's the contradictory part ("natural SOAK" usually means "doesn't stack with armor"). If it just said "a +2 SOAK bonus" (as it does in the RRD currently), the stacking would be expected, not an exception.

Is there any clarification for Battle Scars? It is a plain SOAK bonus in the RRD, but a natural SOAK bonus in the book (with no special language about stacking).

 

[Morrus]

OK, if tough as nails is supposed to be an exception, that's great. But it should probably not use the "natural" term at all then, since that's the contradictory part ("natural SOAK" usually means "doesn't stack with armor"). If it just said "a +2 SOAK bonus" (as it does in the RRD currently), the stacking would be expected, not an exception.

Is there any clarification for Battle Scars? It is a plain SOAK bonus in the RRD, but a natural SOAK bonus in the book (with no special language about stacking).

Looks like the WRRD needs updating. v1.2 of the books is current rules iteration.

 

[Steven Barker]

Yeah, my questions in this thread arose from a the differences between the NEW v1.2 book and the WRRD. It's useful to know that the book should be more up to date.

Another thing I recently noticed missing from the WRRD (again, via the WCA program, but also missing on the web version) is the Human Belter racial Exploit "At Home in Space". It's in the EONS descriptions of the race, but appears to have been omitted from the reference doc.

 

[Morrus]

The WRRD should not be viewed as a definitive rules source. It’s a developer tool and updated occasionally, but is fairly low priority compared to producing actual books.

Plus the definitive Belter is in Xenomorphs, and the upcoming Galactic Sentience Catalogue. EONS stuff doesn’t usually make it to the WRRD.

 

[Steven Barker]

Hmm, looks like I should buy the GSC when it comes out. Do the newer versions of the Belter differ in any other ways from the one in EONS? Belters seem pretty amazing for maximizing defense scores, with their great agility and Hard to Hit racial exploit.

It's really a shame the WRRD can't be more authoritative, so it could be the go-to source when two other sources contradict each other (like NEW and OLD having different versions of tough-as-nails). Though with the amount of new content you guys put out, I understand how keeping it fully up to date could require a lot of work (and thus isn't the highest priority)!

One more thing I wish the WRRD had (as it could then be put into the WCA tool) is helmets.

 

[Morrus]

It's really a shame the WRRD can't be more authoritative, so it could be the go-to source when two other sources contradict each other (like NEW and OLD having different versions of tough-as-nails). Though with the amount of new content you guys put out, I understand how keeping it fully up to date could require a lot of work (and thus isn't the highest priority)!

It’s just me updating the WRRD I’m afraid.

If NEW and OLD contradict, look at the version number. NEW is v1.2 while OLD is v1.1.