WizarDru
Adventurer
So as I'm sure most folks know, WotC released a new version of Gamma World. Being a fan from all the way back when it used the system from Metamorphosis: Alpha, I was interested. Seeing it branded as 'D&D: Gamma World'...well, not as great. The new model that WotC is testing with the 'sell it all in the box' concept was a neutral concept to me. Having joined with the Red Box way back when, I could see the appeal...but wasn't sure whether it was the consumer's best interest for that format.
So I purchased the game. I'd heard differing reviews and wanted to see for myself. I know about the fact that it would feature cards and that the cards would be also sold in boosters. Some folks have found this a troubling aspect, but the reviews I'd read indicated that this was more a question of options than necessity. I read through the game and found that it's, as you might have guessed, Gamma World using the 4E rules.
I have no experience with 4E Essentials, but I assume Gamma World shares a lot in common with it. Clearly the smaller book form factor is something WotC's having some success with, but I'm not a fan of large boxes that are...well, mostly filler. The token pages are nice and the components are all well made...but there's a lot of air in that box. The small book format, however, is all lean meat. There's no wastage here (though a more comprehensive index would have been appreciated).
Mechanically, there are some tweaks. It is impossible to make a character who isn't good with their powers, whatever they might be. Weapons and armor have been simplified to classes of weapons: a crossbow is the same as a pistol, a lead pipe the same as a broadsword. This allows for some fun customization for character work. Character creation is, rather than a chore, an exercise in silly fun.
And THIS is where people will fall into one of two camps. D&D: Gamma World is NOT the hard-bitten tale of the apocalypse. It's a somewhat tongue-in-cheek game of mutant action in the bizarre hybrid world of Gamma Terra. A world where humanoid badgers team up with Mad Max-ian pig men and are led by a robot-programming bunny. The writers clearly decided to have fun with the idea of Gamma World and treat it more as a romp than as a game of SERIOUS ACTION.
...And for me, it works. It works REALLY REALLY WELL.
My players were curious and last Friday, due to some cancellations, we played GW instead of D&D. And we had a BLAST. Character creation was extremely fun. Our three starting characters were a Android Pyrokinetic, a Plant Rat Swarm and a Doppelganger Gravity Controller. We played half-way through the sample adventure and it was a romp from start to finish.
The biggest change/controversy about the game is the use of cards. The game ships with two kinds of cards: Alpha Mutations and Omega Tech. Alpha Mutations are essentially temporary powers that players randomly draw before every encounter that ONLY last for that encounter. Omega Tech are remnants of future tech or otherworldly tech that the players have managed to salvage. They may survive an individual usage, but it's not certain.
Players can purchase cards to make their own decks of Alpha and Omega cards, customized to match their characters special abilities. Each character's origin is tied to a type of power source that matches the Omega Tech. Omega Tech can be 'overcharged', a risky maneuver that can make a power supercharged or incur a penalty. Further, when you roll a '1' on d20 roll, you encounter 'Alpha Flux' and your Alpha Mutation is discarded and replaced with a new one.
All of this leads to a game that is exciting and chaotic. It changes constantly...and the 'alpha flux' rule means that rolling a '1' isn't just a failure: it's a second chance for action. In our game, one player rolled a '1' and suddenly his new power transformed his combat completely around.
The game is all about just rolling with it and seeing what develops. In our game, the player with a Doppelganger discovered that summoning another version of himself from some other point in the time stream allowed him to be a total bastard to his future/past self, for example. Particularly when he'd leave him within a square of the Android Pyrokinetic, who couldn't turn his fire aura off. OW.
Character design is focused on a bit or randomness when choosing origins, but virtually no randomness in level and power progression. But with the Alpha Mutations and Omega Tech, the characters are in a constant state of change...and while individual origins don't vary, their combinations with other character powers result in a LOT of variation.
Minor Nitpick: the character sheets need to be bigger and slightly redesigned to handle their information.
Final Verdict of the group was that this was a Good Thing and it will be added into our game rotation. If you're looking for a good Beer and Pretzels RPG that doesn't take itself too seriously, this may be the game for you.
So I purchased the game. I'd heard differing reviews and wanted to see for myself. I know about the fact that it would feature cards and that the cards would be also sold in boosters. Some folks have found this a troubling aspect, but the reviews I'd read indicated that this was more a question of options than necessity. I read through the game and found that it's, as you might have guessed, Gamma World using the 4E rules.
I have no experience with 4E Essentials, but I assume Gamma World shares a lot in common with it. Clearly the smaller book form factor is something WotC's having some success with, but I'm not a fan of large boxes that are...well, mostly filler. The token pages are nice and the components are all well made...but there's a lot of air in that box. The small book format, however, is all lean meat. There's no wastage here (though a more comprehensive index would have been appreciated).
Mechanically, there are some tweaks. It is impossible to make a character who isn't good with their powers, whatever they might be. Weapons and armor have been simplified to classes of weapons: a crossbow is the same as a pistol, a lead pipe the same as a broadsword. This allows for some fun customization for character work. Character creation is, rather than a chore, an exercise in silly fun.
And THIS is where people will fall into one of two camps. D&D: Gamma World is NOT the hard-bitten tale of the apocalypse. It's a somewhat tongue-in-cheek game of mutant action in the bizarre hybrid world of Gamma Terra. A world where humanoid badgers team up with Mad Max-ian pig men and are led by a robot-programming bunny. The writers clearly decided to have fun with the idea of Gamma World and treat it more as a romp than as a game of SERIOUS ACTION.
...And for me, it works. It works REALLY REALLY WELL.
My players were curious and last Friday, due to some cancellations, we played GW instead of D&D. And we had a BLAST. Character creation was extremely fun. Our three starting characters were a Android Pyrokinetic, a Plant Rat Swarm and a Doppelganger Gravity Controller. We played half-way through the sample adventure and it was a romp from start to finish.
The biggest change/controversy about the game is the use of cards. The game ships with two kinds of cards: Alpha Mutations and Omega Tech. Alpha Mutations are essentially temporary powers that players randomly draw before every encounter that ONLY last for that encounter. Omega Tech are remnants of future tech or otherworldly tech that the players have managed to salvage. They may survive an individual usage, but it's not certain.
Players can purchase cards to make their own decks of Alpha and Omega cards, customized to match their characters special abilities. Each character's origin is tied to a type of power source that matches the Omega Tech. Omega Tech can be 'overcharged', a risky maneuver that can make a power supercharged or incur a penalty. Further, when you roll a '1' on d20 roll, you encounter 'Alpha Flux' and your Alpha Mutation is discarded and replaced with a new one.
All of this leads to a game that is exciting and chaotic. It changes constantly...and the 'alpha flux' rule means that rolling a '1' isn't just a failure: it's a second chance for action. In our game, one player rolled a '1' and suddenly his new power transformed his combat completely around.
The game is all about just rolling with it and seeing what develops. In our game, the player with a Doppelganger discovered that summoning another version of himself from some other point in the time stream allowed him to be a total bastard to his future/past self, for example. Particularly when he'd leave him within a square of the Android Pyrokinetic, who couldn't turn his fire aura off. OW.
Character design is focused on a bit or randomness when choosing origins, but virtually no randomness in level and power progression. But with the Alpha Mutations and Omega Tech, the characters are in a constant state of change...and while individual origins don't vary, their combinations with other character powers result in a LOT of variation.
Minor Nitpick: the character sheets need to be bigger and slightly redesigned to handle their information.
Final Verdict of the group was that this was a Good Thing and it will be added into our game rotation. If you're looking for a good Beer and Pretzels RPG that doesn't take itself too seriously, this may be the game for you.
