a few questions

[dekrass]

I've been reading the playtest and I have some questions. So here we go.
Does age affect attributes? It's mentioned in the advancement section, but I didn't see rules for it.
A table in the advancement section lists a +1 to reputation and luck for the starting tier. Do PCs get that to begin with?
Mental defense has two ways to determine it. 10+(willpower x 3) or the table for defense. Which is it?
The luck pool section says the number of dice used is determined like other attributes. Then it says it's Attribute/2 rounding up. That's not the same as the core mechanic section. Which is correct?
It seems strange to me that you can make a character that can jump further vertically than horizontally. Is that intentional?
I really like the game so far. I can't help but like a game that uses the Elements of magic as a default. Now I just need to create extra time to playtest it somehow.

 

[Morrus]

I've been reading the playtest and I have some questions. So here we go.
Does age affect attributes? It's mentioned in the advancement section, but I didn't see rules for it.

It used to. Playtesters hated it! Age now gives unique benefits at each category, but doesn't penalize.

A table in the advancement section lists a +1 to reputation and luck for the starting tier. Do PCs get that to begin with?

Gah! No, not at starting. That's a mistake.

Mental defense has two ways to determine it. 10+(willpower x 3) or the table for defense. Which is it?

The table. The other way is the old way.

The luck pool section says the number of dice used is determined like other attributes. Then it says it's Attribute/2 rounding up. That's not the same as the core mechanic section. Which is correct?

It's that table. The formula is just supposed to be an expression of the table. Maybe it has a typo!

It seems strange to me that you can make a character that can jump further vertically than horizontally. Is that intentional?

It is not, but it is something I have noticed too. The jump distances will be revised soon, but for now cap vertical at whatever horizontal is.

I really like the game so far. I can't help but like a game that uses the Elements of magic as a default. Now I just need to create extra time to playtest it somehow.

Awesome!

 

[dekrass]

Thanks for the speedy response.
I've come up with a couple more questions.
How many turns are in a minute? This becomes important if someone foolishly tries to cast a spell on the fly during combat.
Do you have to take aim and feint as tricks to use them? The information under combat actions says no, but they're listed as combat tricks.

 

[Morrus]

Thanks for the speedy response.
I've come up with a couple more questions.
How many turns are in a minute? This becomes important if someone foolishly tries to cast a spell on the fly during combat.

10. That doesn't mean a turn is 6 seconds - they vary - but 10 of them average to a minute.

Do you have to take aim and feint as tricks to use them? The information under combat actions says no, but they're listed as combat tricks.

Welcome to an in-depth conversation we've been having in another thread. You didn't, now you do, but it may go back to not. This is one thing I'd love playtest feedback on. Even more so, Deadly Shot.

 

[dekrass]

Wow, you're fast!
Thanks, again, for the info.

 

[Morrus]

Wow, you're fast!

It's the age of the iPhone! I'm not even at home!

 

[dekrass]

I thought of more questions and observations.

There's a special fate use entry under explosive objects. Should that be luck instead of fate? Or perhaps removed entirely?

The competency table shows that you can't take a skill twice until you increase your tier. The knight tradition requires heraldry x2. Is the knight requirement a holdover from a previous version, or are you only supposed to become a knight after a campaign has started?

I didn't see rules for nonlethal damage anywhere. So I'm guessing those just aren't done yet?

From what I've seen, attributes affect accuracy only, not damage. I don't recall other ways to increase damage other than getting better gear or taking the deadly strike trick. If that's the case I'm inclined to think deadly strike should just be a combat option anyone can use.

 

[Morrus]

I thought of more questions and observations.

There's a special fate use entry under explosive objects. Should that be luck instead of fate? Or perhaps removed entirely?

Correct, yep. Fate got removed from an earlier playtest.

The competency table shows that you can't take a skill twice until you increase your tier. The knight tradition requires heraldry x2. Is the knight requirement a holdover from a previous version, or are you only supposed to become a knight after a campaign has started?

Holdover. Ignore any x2 requirements. There may be tier-based requirements for traditions at a later date, but they'll be expressed in terms of tier rather than skill ranks.

I didn't see rules for nonlethal damage anywhere. So I'm guessing those just aren't done yet?

I know it's in N.E.W.; I can't remember offhand if that section is in O.L.D. But if it's not there use the N.E.W. rules - they'll be exactly the same (it's called "Stunning Weapons", I think, in N.E.W.).

From what I've seen, attributes affect accuracy only, not damage. I don't recall other ways to increase damage other than getting better gear or taking the deadly strike trick. If that's the case I'm inclined to think deadly strike should just be a combat option anyone can use.

Yep, that's a conversation we're having (as I discussed above). Deadly strike only recently got moved to a combat trick; that seems to be an unpopular move, and it'll be back as a general option very soon. The intention of combat is that you increase damage by trading attack dice. So a big strong giant still only does 3d6 or so base damage with his club, but his STR gives him a big 10d6 attack pool which he'll usually trade much of for massive damage. So yes, I agree - deadly strike will be moved back to a regular combat option.

 

[Morrus]

So on that note (and I realise this is happening in various threads, so I'll post it to the KS comments section too), here's what's happening:

• As a core combat option, attack dice are traded for damage dice. This is an important part of combat, and without it a character may find it difficult to do much damage. Before making an attack roll, the attacker must choose how many of those attack dice in his pool he wishes to sacrifice for additional damage. He can do this at a 2:1 ratio (for every two attack dice he removes, he gets an additional damage dice; the Deadly Strike combat trick improves this to a 1:1 ratio). This means that a highly competent or very strong attacker will be able to deliver more lethal, damaging blows or shots. A giant robot, for example, may have a 10d6 attack pool due to its great strength, but its metal fists only do 3d6 damage; it would tend to use much of that attack pool to boost that damage up to 4d6 or 6d6 damage.
• Deadly Strike (AGI or STR 5+): An additional 1d6 damage. For a ranged attack, this is likely a headshot. This stacks at a 1:1 basis as long as you have attack dice to spend (by default any character can trade attack dice to increase damage on a 2:1 basis).
• Characters begin play with one free combat trick of their choice plus either Aim or Feint.

 

[dekrass]

So on that note (and I realise this is happening in various threads, so I'll post it to the KS comments section too), here's what's happening:

• As a core combat option, attack dice are traded for damage dice. This is an important part of combat, and without it a character may find it difficult to do much damage. Before making an attack roll, the attacker must choose how many of those attack dice in his pool he wishes to sacrifice for additional damage. He can do this at a 2:1 ratio (for every two attack dice he removes, he gets an additional damage dice; the Deadly Strike combat trick improves this to a 1:1 ratio). This means that a highly competent or very strong attacker will be able to deliver more lethal, damaging blows or shots. A giant robot, for example, may have a 10d6 attack pool due to its great strength, but its metal fists only do 3d6 damage; it would tend to use much of that attack pool to boost that damage up to 4d6 or 6d6 damage.
• Deadly Strike (AGI or STR 5+): An additional 1d6 damage. For a ranged attack, this is likely a headshot. This stacks at a 1:1 basis as long as you have attack dice to spend (by default any character can trade attack dice to increase damage on a 2:1 basis).
• Characters begin play with one free combat trick of their choice plus either Aim or Feint.

That sounds like a good fix to me.

On another note. For health it says if you roll less than 3 times your END you increase it to that amount. Should that be 3 times the number of dice rolled?