You Don’t Have To Leave Wolfy Behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' Your Companions Level Up With You!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="aramis erak" data-source="post: 8375659" data-attributes="member: 6779310">Momentum isn't shared in JCoM; it's individual.The level of differences is sufficient to be problematic if playing two different ones at the same time in different groups.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mutant Chronicles<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Group momentum Pool</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">8 atts, fairly traditional</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">29+ skills (I'm working from the QS, as I don't have the core to hand)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Focus Value seems to be bought separately from the linked skill's level.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">uses effect dice (called "Dark Symmetry Dice")</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Two damage tracks (physical & "dread")</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Metas: Momentum, Dark Symmetry, Chronicle Points</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Extra d20s cost: flat</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Conan<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> GRoup momentum pool</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">7 Atts, fairly traditional</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">25 skills, fairly traditional</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Focus value generated equal to skill expertise (skill level), but independent after.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Uses effect dice ("Combat Dice")</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Two damage tracks</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Metas: Momentum, Doom, Fortune</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Extra d20s cost: flat</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">STA<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">group momentum pool</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">6 atts, not traditional ones, either.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">6 disciplines (super wide skills)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Focus value is either 1 or the discipline, depending on if the player has a relevant focus.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">uses effect dice</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">one damage track</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Metas: Momentum, Threat, Determination</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Extra d20s cost: increasing</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">JCOM<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Individual Momentum Pools</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">6 Attributes</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">0 skills</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Focus Value lower attribute used in roll.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Uses Effect Dice ("combat dice")</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">3 damage tracks</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Metas: Momentum, Threat, Luck</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Extra d20s cost: flat</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dune<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Group momentum</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">5 "Drives" (attributes)<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">high drives have "drive statements" - if the action doesn't jibe with the statement, you cannot use that belief.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">5 skills (super broad)<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Skills may have focuses</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Focus value is 1 or (if a focus of the skill applies), the skill level</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">No effect dice</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1 damage track (Stress)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Metas: Momentum, Threat, Determination</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Extra d20s cost: increasing.</li> </ul></li> </ul>By flat, I mean: 1st extra costs 1, second extra costs another 1 (for 2 total) and the final costs 1 (for 3 total)And increasing: 1st extra costs 1, second costs 2 more (for 3 total), and final costs 3 (for 6 total)This difference has tripped up players. (Especially since early playtest for STA was flat)There are a few flaws with the core system that stand out:<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">injudicious use of increased threat range (or really bad luck) can create situations where player success is clearly due to GM's pulling punches  - as indicated by a stack of threat unspent at end of adventure. (I've had "Doomed to Repeat the Past" end with 20+ threat in the threat pool 3 times. The initial playtest adventure I had one session with snowball - and that ended with over 20 as well. Players were sorely demoralized by this.)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">since there's no mechanical benefit to the player, nat 20's being unannounced by the player have been an issue with a less than scrupulous player. (I've seen this in two different occasions and a total of 3 players.)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">the difficulty labels only seem to fit if no momentum is used.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">roll low. </li> </ol>Of these, only #1 is a significant issue. Dune reduces the impact of snowballing by limiting threat spends, so a session ending with a pile of 20 threat isn't "Damn, he took it easy on us!"#2 is fundamentally a player honesty issue, but one that, for example, Cortex Plus solves by making the bad number pay the player when the GM uses it, rather than charging the player to ignore it. #4 is really a matter of preferences, since the math can be coerced to work either way... but, even by grade 4, IME, Alaskan kids have a significant (2/3) preference for roll high. (I asked a bunch of kids while subbing.)</blockquote>

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