As the system grew and evolved the effects system seemed to lag behind. I liked the idea that player’s tactics would be influenced by how they wanted to impair their enemies, rather than doing damage in the most effective way. This is the same direction that Gloomhaven takes, one of the main inspirations for this system.
This post is about how I took Effects and Statuses from being a system that felt tacked on to the rest of the system, to being the core means by which players make tactical decisions in combat.
The Problem
I want players to be able to create characters that the unmovable Goliath, the nerves of steel sharpshooter, or the unshakable investigator, but the system where players gained static bonuses to resisting effects felt bad. I also wanted to reduce the number of card draws for defensive options in an attempt to speed up combat.
Physical and Mental Resist Skills
These two skills, as shown below, were given a target number, similar to how avoidance works. If an effect’s chance to hit is above the avoidance number, the status is applied to the target. 4 is the base. Then, as the characters leveled up the specialized skills, and were granted points in the general skill, their passive resistance would increase.
This left a weird position for the specific skills that made up the general Resist Physical and Resist Mental skill. Before we discuss the result of those systems, what each individual effect became needs to be understood.
Tiered Statuses
There are a lot of different effects that could befell a character or monster. Losing an eye, degrees of being on fire, a slight limp. All of these have mechanical effects that vary in severity. First I wrote all of the stats that make up a character, then wrote positive and negative status. If the effect does modify something that defines a character, it can be ignored.
This lead me to a list of 23 different things I wanted a player to resist. Which was still quite a lot to deal with and track.
The solution came in the form of grouping statuses so that there are Tiers of effectiveness. For example, Immobilized status was broken into two tiers:
Tier 1 - Crippled: The character has 1 less movement action per turn. If the character is hasted, this removes haste in addition to its effect.
Tier 2 - Immobilized: An immobilized character has no movement actions available on their turn.
In this way, a character can spend a skill point to become more resistant to Immobilized effects, covering both the crippled and Immobilized statuses. Furthermore, those effects can be intuitively amplified or dampened in combat.
Combining the Systems
When a player takes a point in one of the resist specific skills, that status has less effect on them. If an immobilized effect would be applied to a character with 1 point in the Immobilized specific skill, then that Immobilized effect would be downgraded by 1. An Immobilized would become a Crippled and a Crippled would be ignored completely. In this way the character can in a way, shrug off statuses becoming seemingly unstoppable.
Conclusion
This system still need more testing, but for now it feels at home with the rest of the mechanics. Additionally, it gives players a clear way to interact and express their character’s combat in game. The Tiered statuses, allow for a more intuitive grouping, and meaningful resistances to be built up. Instead of a binary now you are stunned cause this hit, there is the additional feeling of being able to shrug off a stun and instead just have your senses dulled for a turn. I like the way this allows characters to be expressed through the skills.
Finally, the statuses and effects defined here allow for a clear vocabulary that can be used to define the next two systems that need an update: Magic and Maneuvers.
Example Effect Tiers
Paralyze (Physical Effect)
Tier 1 - Slowed
A character or Monster moves 5 less feet, or one less hex, with every movement action. Slowed characters have 1 less Avoidance.
Tier 2 – Restrained
The character struggles to move. No attack, or movement actions can be taken. A character may spend their turn to break their restraints. Restrained characters have 3 less Avoidance. All attacks against a paralyzed target have advantage.
Tier 3 – Paralyzed
The character cannot move. No attack, movement, or social actions can be taken. The character’s avoidance is considered 1. All attacks against a paralyzed target have advantage.
Charm (Mental Effect)
Tier 1 -Charmed
The charmed character acts more favorably toward the charmer. The charmed character cannot attack the charmer. All Charisma based skills by the charmer have advantage against a charmed target
Tier 2 – Captivated
The Captivated character acts very favorably toward the charmer. The character cannot use attack actions and can only move toward the charmer. All Charisma based skills by the charmer have advantage against the captivated target.
Tier 3 - Controlled
The Controlled character’s attack, movement and social actions. The character can only move toward the charmer. All Charisma based skills by the charmer automatically succeed against the controlled target.