WOIN Starter Set Playtest Draft

[Morrus]

A quick thought while reading through the doc: since rolls are usually a combination of attribute and skill, shouldn't they be called something other than "attribute checks"? That term might suggest to the reader that attribute checks use only attributes.

It’s a starter set for an existing game. That’s what they’re called. This isn’t designing a game.

 

[ART!]

It’s a starter set for an existing game. That’s what they’re called. This isn’t designing a game.

Got it - thanks! My editorial instincts are a gift and a curse - as many who know me can attest!

 

[TheHirumaChico]

I also did an initial review and posted it in a different thread. I have some overlap with what @lichmaster already identified, but a few different items also. Reposting via quote below:

I downloaded the draft that was posted on Facebook by Morrus on Jan. 26th. I have a few questions/comments on the draft:

• P. 6 under "Aiming/feinting/focus" - I can see the way this is written as giving the impression that all characters can get all three of these basic feats for free, but choosing only to use one per character turn of course. I didn't think this was correct based on prior reading of the individual rulebooks for NOW, NEW, and OLD, but it might be a good way to play these free feats rather than just having to pick one of them at character creation.
• P. 7 under "Area of Effect" - I think it would be helpful to define the width of the cone (e.g., 30 degrees) in addition to its length.
• P. 8 "Called Shots" - Are these targeted against VITAL DEFENSE or against whichever DEFENSE value is appropriate to the attack being made? If the latter, this is different from the individual era rulebooks, and frankly, I think this interpretation makes more sense in many cases. I can understand VITAL DEFENSE being targeted by grenades, dragon's breath, and similar types of area attacks. But it makes more sense if, for example, a CALLED SHOT vs. an industrial robot's access port is made either against its MELEE or RANGED DEFENSE, depending on which mode of attack the attacker is using.
• P. 9 "SOAK & Vulnerability" - This is an interesting change where SOAK is expressed/measured in dice as -Xd6 to the Damage Roll instead of just as a straight, fixed integer as SOAK X, which is resolved as total damaged rolled - X. Is this intended to be a change that will carry over into future revised editions of the individual rulebooks, or is this just a change solely intended for this "starter" version of the rules?
• P. 21, the Blaster Drone's "Cluster fire. Four blaster drones can create the corners of a 30' wide square and direct their fire to cover the area within that square; all targets are subject to an area attack." What is the magnitude/attack strength of this area attack? Presumably one attack per target in the area?
• P. 26, the Plague Demon's "Nauseaus claws. Any hit from raskillon's claw makes the target Sick. A critical hit also infects the victim with flesh rot." What does flesh rot do?
• P. 33, what is the effect of zombie fever? "Zombie fever. Those who suffer a critical hit from a zombie's bite contract zombie fever. Additionally, any slain by a zombie rise one hour later as a zombie themselves." Is it just that if the target is killed, they rise one hour later as a zombie? The word "Additionally" seems to imply there is more to it than that.
• P. 34, The Assassin's Achilles heel exploit - "Identifying a weakness in his target, the assassin bypasses its SOAK score. This exploit can only be performed once per target." Once per target per turn or once per day or once ever?
• P. 35, the Battlepsyche's Telekinetic shield - " Battlepsyches maintain a permanent telekinetic shield which contributes to their DEFENSEs." How much does this Telekinetic shield contribute to the Battlepsyche's DEFENSEs (just in case this shield is disrupted/disabled)?
• P. 38, the Medic's Medical advice exploit - "Identifying a weakness in a target, the medic can spend a free action in an ally's turn to allow that ally to bypass a creature's SOAK score. This exploit can only be performed once per target." Once per target per turn or once per day or once ever?
• P. 38, the Medic's Healing hands exploit - "Each can only benefit once." Once per day? Once per turn? Once ever in it's entire existence from that medic?
• P. 39, the Ranger's Herbal remedy exploit - "A scout can use natural foliage to create a medical aid which restores 2d6 HEALTH." Once per turn? Once per day?

I have some additional comments after reading the comments from @lichmaster.

• For suppressive fire, it would be helpful to specify how much ammo is expended to do it. I would suggest a percentage rather than fixed amount, such as 25% or 50% of a magazine/clip/belt.
• On p. 5 "The Role of Luck", is the following option only for this starter set, or is this a standard option for the full rules also? - "Characters can use their LUCK attribute in place of another attribute once per day." It's an interesting option, maybe something to add to the Cinematic Mode option?

 

[Morrus]

• On p. 5 "The Role of Luck", is the following option only for this starter set, or is this a standard option for the full rules also? - "Characters can use their LUCK attribute in place of another attribute once per day." It's an interesting option, maybe something to add to the Cinematic Mode option?

This starter set is designed to be used in isolation. Questions about the full rules are out of the scope of this and not intended to be answered by the starter set.

 

[Morrus]

This WOIN starter set goes into layout this week, so it's your last chance to leave feedback on the existing draft. The boxed set will include three adventures, a 32-page rulebook, and various counters and maps. The document linked below is the rulebook. Note that this is a 'basic' version of WOIN and is intended to be used in isolation from the main core rulebooks, may differ from them in some ways, and is not intended as an update or alteration to those books.

WOIN Starter Set Rulebook (FINAL)

docs.google.com

 

[sum1els]

It most certainly is not!

Coin. Join. Groin. Loin. WOIN.

Hmm. The guys who invented the .gif file format call it "JIF" like the peanut butter, but that doesn't make it right. Woe Inn.

Maybe this rule should have been part of the non-starter versions... =]

 

[sum1els]

I noticed this announcement in Facebook first, so I put all of my feedback there sigh. I did want to clarify, though:

The new SOAK dice pools - are they supposed to be rolled like a contested attribute check, or are they supposed to remove dice from the damage dice pool? This part could use some clarification.

Also, this doesn't seem simpler than just using a fixed number, in case this was supposed to be a simplification. Maybe I just don't get it.

 

[lichmaster]

I noticed this announcement in Facebook first, so I put all of my feedback there sigh. I did want to clarify, though:

The new SOAK dice pools - are they supposed to be rolled like a contested attribute check, or are they supposed to remove dice from the damage dice pool? This part could use some clarification.

Also, this doesn't seem simpler than just using a fixed number, in case this was supposed to be a simplification. Maybe I just don't get it.

The text seems to mean that SOAK dice are removed directly from damage dice. A 4d6+3 damage dice soaked by a 2d6 armor would result only in 2d6+3 damage to be rolled, if I got it correctly.

 

[Morrus]

Also, this doesn't seem simpler than just using a fixed number, in case this was supposed to be a simplification. Maybe I just don't get it.

Well, there's no maths. You just physically remove dice from the pool. One thing I've always noticed is that rolling damage ten deducting SOAK does slow gameplay down, especially for the GM when running a lot of monsters. This, I've found in practice, speeds it up noticeably.

It's not a change to the core rues; just a speeded up expression for this starter set.

 

[lichmaster]

Well, there's no maths. You just physically remove dice from the pool. One thing I've always noticed is that rolling damage ten deducting SOAK does slow gameplay down, especially for the GM when running a lot of monsters. This, I've found in practice, speeds it up noticeably.

It's not a change to the core rues; just a speeded up expression for this starter set.

Yes, for some reason subtractions tend to speed down gameplay quite a bit.
Anyone remembers good old THAC0? It's not different from BAB/proficiecy bonus, but since the latter require additions instead of subtractions they make for faster gameplay.