To make them easier to understand and integrate into your games, all of the Sample Characters now have a "Combat Block" that details all the major information needed for encounters in one easy to access place. It also moves the incomprehensible block of detail that used to be under Abilities like Power Move to another section, making the Abilities list much easier to look at, too.
This is a sample of what it looks like, though the final version that appears in the book may differ slightly. So if you notice anything you'd like to see or find any of this version confusing, be sure to leave a comment saying so!
And yes, the character sheet will feature a similar block.
I like it - stats block you usually see in complicated games...but I feel OVA could also benefit. Anything that moves game mechanics during play faster!
ReplyDeleteYeah, it wasn't really NECESSARY, per se, but I think it could really speed up play not having to calculate what all your Perks and Flaws mean to your Attack Roll and Damage Multiplier on the fly. That, and the actual character sheet will have plenty of space under Health and Endurance so you can do all your crossing out and tabulating right there.
ReplyDeleteIf you actually do add extras into a print+PDF bundle, a stack of these could be a good extra.
ReplyDeleteI was putting something similar on my own character writeups, with the roll for attack and damage and everything. This looks much nicer! Thanks Clay!
ReplyDeleteThis looks nifty, particularly in games where everyone is comparing their various combat aptitudes. Perhaps you could use this even in games that don't have physical combat per se, but otherwise genre-important conflicts? Like a competition game where one's various techniques in cooking or sports is what matters, or an Ace Attorney-style courtroom drama game?
ReplyDeleteClay, shouldn't Raging Thunder Slash have something in it saying that it needs a sword?
ReplyDeleteAlso, instead of ROLL, DM, and END, why not #(of dice), X(damage), and COST?
Great idea! Anything that makes things easier and smoother is welcome, and I really dig how easily digestable the information is in this format.
ReplyDeleteRatix: There's already an Expanded Notes box next to "Special Abilities" that talks about this sort of idea at length. The example given is an Initial D/Ex-Driver/F-Zero type game, where all Combat Abilities (Defense, Combat Skill) etc.) could as easily be one, while Pilot would need to be split into Cornering, Overtaking, and Stunts, perhaps. Of course, this information also applies to Iron Chef and Phoenix Wright campaigns. :)
ReplyDeleteNathan: Yes, it should. I was copying directly from the old writeup, in which Raine uses the "Focus" weakness to cover all the "requires a sword" details. This is no longer the case, but it slipped my mind. You likely also noticed I left off one of his Attacks for the sake of a clearly readable graphic. :)
I like Cost, but # seems to ambiguous, as does X. However, I've been considering abreviated Damage Multiplier as "DX" for some time now. It certainly SOUNDS anime, and it's less confusingly similar to DN (Difficulty Number). I'm just not sure it's intuitive enough.
Clay, I did a cheesy mock-up using MSPaint, mind if I email you it?
ReplyDelete-Nate
Of course not. If I were hung up about what people sent me, I'd be more conservative with how readily available my email address is. *laughs* I got it, by the way. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete