My New (Expanded) Armory... (yes, another one)

[Kurgan]

Came up with a new accessory Tile for the Torch (and updated the Torch card text) here...

[Kurgan]

FURTHER THOUGHTS ON THE BUCKLER & RAPIER :


So I was thinking more about the Buckler and realizing if interpreted a certain way it would make it way too powerful. After all, for 275 gold, any of the Heroes (other than the Wizard) can use it with a sword to substitute 1 white shield for a skull when defending (which is no big deal after you get some other armor too). One body point monsters are going to drop like flies simply by attacking you!

Instead I envisioned it this way:

If you attack the enemy and you happen to get 1 white shield, you can turn that into a skull. Okay, so stronger attack with the Buckler than with just the basic sword.

When defending, the Buckler only adds a black die (which is weaker than a white die for defense, having 1 less white shield, so 1/6 chance of defense) which is weaker than a standard shield. However, you can substitute 1 white shield for a skull. This could result in you taking damage but the enemy getting hit! If you have other armor, you are probably going to get enough shields to defend against all enemy damage AND have one you can turn into a skull.

However in that case I WOULD allow the Monster to roll his standard defend dice against that one skull. It's still a neat way for the hero to get an extra attack (albeit a weak one) against the enemy when he's being attacked.

If the Hero is somehow prevented from attacking (by a spell, let's say) then he could simply not switch the White shield to a skull in that case.

Here I'm interpreting the usage of the Buckler such that the Hero blocks the attack as he normally would and bashes the enemy with the shield, rather than assuming he blocks the whole attack with the buckler and kills the enemy with the sword (which while cool, would seem to make it overly powerful for not a lot of gold).


The idea behind the Rapier is if you combine with a dagger (a reason to hang onto it!) if the enemy misses you get a counter attack using 2 dice (and yes, it could be against a diagonal monster, though very few monsters attack diagonally). While you can only count 1 skull against the enemy, it is an unblockable hit! So it will be rare, but powerful for 275 gold!

[Kurgan]

Based on feedback I'm adjusting the Buckler so that it adds 1 White combat die (instead of black). It really is an upgrade and can be a complete replacement for the regular shield but for the price it gives you a chance to inflict damage on those really good defensive rolls. I realize I'm leaving it open for a Hero to be able to use a Buckler AND a Rapier simultaneously, if he also has a dagger in his inventory, but oh well, it will still cost him a pile of gold to do that (575 including the dagger)... and if the dagger is ever thrown (and therefore lost) or the sword is rusted, there goes that double bonus.

[Karlssonontheroof]

Perhaps to tone down the power of the reposte rule, it can only come into effect if you don't suffer any damage.

Eg. If you completely block an enemy attack, you may roll a CD, on a skull the attacker suffers 1 BP damage.

As a side note, I wonder why nobody recosts the short sword to 100 gold. Considering the 150 gold price tag it had originally came from the UK version when it allowed you to attack diagonally. At 150 nobody will ever buy one, and it is too big a reward for finding one in a quest (if you have rules for weapon racks or whatever).

[Kurgan]

I think I agree with you on the functionality.

Why even offer the shortsword for sale? More for completeness and to show how much it is worth for resale, I imagine. But if it's all you can afford and you lost your best weapon...

Then again, actually losing your weapon (other than dagger) is fairly rare in the NA edition, as you don't often run into monsters that have Rust spells through the official quests (or monsters that steal them) or the occasional quest features that will destroy a weapon permanently.

Looking through the official quests, actually finding weapons (other than the three artifact weapons) is fairly rare. You find them most often in the (extremely difficult) solo quests of the BQP/EQP. So usually you're trying to accumulate gold in order to buy the stuff (or selling what you do have to supplement it).

Playing with homebrew rules of course can change all this.

Similar arguments have been made lately about how "there is no reason" to ever buy the Longsword vs. the Crossbow (neither of which are identified as impeding shield use, that is, they are one handed), if you already have a broadsword, because the rules technically allow diagonal shots without needing to move an extra square between you and the target, but there you can still say you have to move away one for adjacent shots (only one hero starts with the Broadsword). Nevertheless, the game gives you the options and you play it how you want to. Lowering the price slightly to entice its purchase seems like a nice idea (100 might be too low though). But more often than not wouldn't players just save for the broadsword?

The Buckler combined with any sword gives it its strength and the rapier with a dagger give it its strength, so I figure that could be an early compromise to keep around some of the "weaker" weapons for some adventurers.

[Karlssonontheroof]

Crossbow really shouldn't be allowed to use with a shield for balance of reasons. I understand the rules allow you to, but this is got to be the most standard house rule

[Kurgan]

So you'd make it into a two-handed weapon alongside the Staff and Battle Axe... (possibly the spear from EU too)

Would you do the same with the Longsword? Or would you stop there?

I made the buckler a smaller shield, but it does take up one hand...

[Karlssonontheroof]

Yes. Crossbow would definitely be two handed.

Spear not.

Longsword one handed as it costs 100 more than the broadsword. Perhaps if it cost the same or only marginally more than the broadsword, it could make sense balance wide to be two handed (for those saving up for the battle axe who wont buy a shield).

The staff makes sense to be two handed, although it makes little difference, only the wizard tends to buy it and he can't use a shield anyway (others can get the spear).
If the staff is 2 combat dice it could be a cheap alternative to the spear as an intermediary weapon while saving up for a bigger weapon (like the longsword as described above).

Thinking about it, an intermediary custom character (between the elf and the wizard) might be suited to these weapons.

Like a Battle Mage. 1AD 2DD, 5 body 5 mind, 6 spells. Same as the wizard (and count as a wizard for item restrictions) but can wield in addition, a short sword (including orc's bane), spear, shield and longsword.
He'd start with a Dagger so would want to upgrade to a cheap 100p short sword then get a shield, later upgrade to a spear. Or he'd get the staff and then save up for the two handed longsword (if he wants to be more offensive).

[Kurgan]

If your normal Staff is 2 dice, what would you do with the Wizard's Staff? (I made it use black dice in the hands of a Champion Wizard).

I did tinker with the prices of the EU exclusive equipment (and who could use it) for balance sake when adding it to my NA armory.

My "Battle Mage" is the Mystic (see link in signature about new heroes). 5 spells (from set of 8), 6 as champion, can use up to broadsword (no bows or spear type weapons), Wizard armor restrictions.

[Karlssonontheroof]

I would make the Wizard staff have done magic power rather than a physical one.
Could even leave it at 1 combat die, so the regular staff of worth having for physical attacks.

Ideas for Wizard staff could be;
Increase power of spells (1 more damage or 2 more combat dice with damage dealing spells), or have the same power as a spell ring, or a weaker spell ring (saves a spell but it only works if you roll a skull)