Grim Tales: SLAVELORDS of CYDONIA - Advance Copy: Taking Q&A!

[GlassJaw]

Specifically, the crystal weapons with charges are a little too much. They are more high-tech than I would like, and the 'spend a charge, get an effect' routine seems a little arcade-y. Hopefully, I'll feel differently when I read it all.

Well they are more than just ammo clips. As you add more crystals, you enhance the weapon itself. You can also choose the type of crystal to gain different effects. As far as the charges go, it's not different than a supply of arrows.

I'm also a little concerned about the war section, as a couple of my players aren't tactically-oriented, and may feel a little left out of the action.

The mass combat system has rules for running large battles without a battlemat. I found this to be a great addition as it adds values for a lot of players, even though I love using minis and battlemats.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Specifically, the crystal weapons with charges are a little too much. They are more high-tech than I would like, and the 'spend a charge, get an effect' routine seems a little arcade-y. Hopefully, I'll feel differently when I read it all.

They're there to sub in for magical energy weapons. If you drop them out, make sure there's something else to take their place so that melee attacks can bump up the damage to cross the MDT of the bigger, badder foes.

I'm also a little concerned about the war section, as a couple of my players aren't tactically-oriented, and may feel a little left out of the action.

This criticism wouldn't be as much of a worry for me, seriously.

But I am glad you're willing to support it anyway.


Wulf

 

[tameszu]

Specifically, the crystal weapons with charges are a little too much. They are more high-tech than I would like, and the 'spend a charge, get an effect' routine seems a little arcade-y. Hopefully, I'll feel differently when I read it all.

You can definitely thank Ben for toning down the weapons so that they definitely don't feel arcade-y as they might have--actually, are these your thoughts after checking out the weapons sheet Ben posted? Also, when you see the scale of some of the challenges the PCs are up against in the later chapters, you may revise your opinion of the necessity of the crystal weaps. They are definitely somewhat technological, but definitely not "high" tech--sort of mystical tech. At most, maybe a couple of notches below Dune...

As for the war section, almost every war scene has a standard individual-scale combat attached to it. And at the margin, you can always just narrate them through...

Please be gentle - it's my first bigtime review!

Sort of had the same thought myself--it's our first bigtime book!

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

The mass combat system has rules for running large battles without a battlemat. I found this to be a great addition as it adds values for a lot of players, even though I love using minis and battlemats.

I meant 'tactically minded' as in 'not interested in being a leader of troops' as opposed to tactical, battle-mat type combat. If there are other things I could work in for them to do, it's no big deal. The way starship combat is done in Traveller allows everyone to contribute in some way (or at least feel like they are). Those with sensor skills can add 'to hit' bonuses by making a skill check, for example. I'll just have to figure out a way so that the couple of players that aren't experienced with unit tactics and usually don't play combat oriented characters could still feel like they are contributing in a significant way. I could also be mis-interpreting how significant a role the mass combat plays, too, in which case, never mind

The energy weapons make take a little thought, too. It's more of a flavor thing than anything else, so if I can come up with another way to accomplish the same thing, we're good to go. I haven't read the weapon sheet -- I was trying to avoid reading too much prior to buying it. (And that tells you how much I like GT that I'm going to buy SoC sight-unseen.)

Part of my problem is that just reading the title and blurb lo those many months ago got me thinking, and in between then and now I'd kinda tinkered with my own Barsoom/Callisto/Gor type setting and had hoped to just wrap it around SoC. I'd been thinking 'fish out of water' characters rather than hardened adventurers, and I'll have to adjust.

Definitely looking forward to starting after New Years, in any event.

 

[scourger]

It's a good review, Glassjaw. Thanks. Here's a link:

http://www.enworld.org/reviews/index.php?sub=yes&where=active&reviewer=GlassJaw&product=SoC

Even though I don't have Grim Tales, I'm still looking forward to Slavelords of Cydonia. It sounds like a great read at the very least. It sounds as if it may be a great enough campaign to convert to a d20 system more familiar to my group.

 

[tameszu]

I'll just have to figure out a way so that the couple of players that aren't experienced with unit tactics and usually don't play combat oriented characters could still feel like they are contributing in a significant way. I could also be mis-interpreting how significant a role the mass combat plays, too, in which case, never mind

We definitely recognized that mass combat wasn't for everyone--even more so when designing for GT, because with GT, you have to deal characters that might seriously have a tough time in straight up combat situations. Although, ironically, .

Basically, the middle of Book 4 and parts of Book 5 have elements that encourage mass combat events to encourage the feel of a full-out war. But, again, many of the scenes have non-combat hooks and shortcuts. Both Matt and I are pretty political people, so there's quite a bit you can do without fighting.

The energy weapons make take a little thought, too. It's more of a flavor thing than anything else, so if I can come up with another way to accomplish the same thing, we're good to go. I haven't read the weapon sheet -- I was trying to avoid reading too much prior to buying it. (And that tells you how much I like GT that I'm going to buy SoC sight-unseen.)

Well, check out both the flavour and the mechanics before you write them off...I hope that in your case, the feel of the world's tech level and the overall setting doesn't swing completely away from the direction you're thinking, but we certainly didn't just gratuitously throw in the crystal weapons.

Part of my problem is that just reading the title and blurb lo those many months ago got me thinking, and in between then and now I'd kinda tinkered with my own Barsoom/Callisto/Gor type setting and had hoped to just wrap it around SoC. I'd been thinking 'fish out of water' characters rather than hardened adventurers, and I'll have to adjust.

If you were thinking "fish-out-of-water," you'll definitely like it. Or at the very least, you will for around the first 10 levels! We figured that getting kicked around a lot by an entire planet full of sorta evil lizard-guys for 10 PC levels might make most people a little hardened...

 

[GlassJaw]

We figured that getting kicked around a lot by an entire planet full of sorta evil lizard-guys for 10 PC levels might make most people a little hardened...

Very true. The players better get used to being slaves early on in the campaign...

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Both Matt and I are pretty political people, so there's quite a bit you can do without fighting.

Yes, in early drafts of the work, the implacably evil lethid, bent on the subjugation of all life, could be bested with a single Diplomacy roll and the "Big Hippie Hug Fest" talent.

 

[Yair]

The review was excellent, thank you!

It does seem that the adventure is dependant on character-survival; can Cydonian characters rise up to replace the PCs if some die off? Does the book contains advice on how to handle PC deaths?

Yair, a.k.a the "prepare two characters" DM

 

[GlassJaw]

Does the book contains advice on how to handle PC deaths?

It does somewhat. In the Arena section, there is some advice about using the Arena for introducing new characters. It's a faily likey spot for new characters to be introduced.

There is also a resistance (a couple of them actually) on Cydonia that would fit easily as a source for new characters. There are also humans on Cydonia although the majority of them are slaves. It's conceivable that they could rise up like the PC's as well.