Half points of ST

[Joemanji]

I've recently decided that ST ups from Improvement rolls are kinda unbalancing. I thought maybe splitting ST into defensive and offensive components would stop this. But maybe the solution is simpler.

How about if a player rolls (6,6) for an Improvement he can choose to gain an extra half point of Strength?

This works fine within the existing ST scale.

For example, Kurt von Reigel the Human lineman gains + 0.5 ST for a new ST value of 3.5.

Against a rookie Orc Lineman he would get a 2 dice block, since his ST his higher. But against if that Orc lineman blocked him with an assist, he would get a 2D block since his effective ST would be 4, which is > 3.5. Easy peasy.

Cool or no?
Joe

[Darkson]

.5's on rosters would look so blergh!
I'd rather we redid the ST on the existing rosters, but made them 1-10, so that a +ST wasn't such a huge jump.

(But then, I'd rather all stats were redone ona D10 or D12, so what do I know!)

[Jural]

I think it's a fine idea, but as you said, it is pretty limited. You can turn an even die block into a 2 die block, but your opponent's 2 die block remains a 2 die block.

I would like BB to have more gradation in strength, but Darkson's probably right, whole numbers are the way to go.

But that's fairly easy to obtain, just double everyone's strength now Or double and subtract one.

That way a human blitzer could be stronger than a thrower, but weaker than a black orc... I like that.

More range in strength = good.
Decimal remainders = bad

[Joemanji]

But that's fairly easy to obtain, just double everyone's strength now Or double and subtract one.

Hmm. What would an assist add? +1 ST or +2. +2 seems counter-intuitive, but I'd like to keep the way ST operates vaguely the same. It is very well balanced IMO for rookie teams. Maybe too finely balanced, as ST upgrades can put things out of whack.

I understand the aethetic problem, though I don't mind it I guess many others do. I don't think its lmited though ... turning a 1D block into a 2D block is great. But when you add in assists against the player he suffers a 2D block rather than a 1D block. Incidentallly this is identical to the mechanism you'd have if you doubled the ST values (and subtracted one from some).

[tenwit]

If it was to happen, it would be accompanies by a raft of new rules and skills, some of which would addess the assisting thing. Perhaps if an assist added +1ST (halving its power), there might be a new skill (or modification to Guard) that meant that a player would add +2ST or even +3ST when assisting.

It's a nice idea, and can be taken further (e.g. AG is changed to a 2-12 stat (well, 2-10, can't ever get 11 or 12) and skill rolls become 2d6), but it's a big enough change to warrant a second set of rules. Like D&D vs AD&D back in the 80s/90s..

[David Bergkvist]

The problem with ST is that having one point higher ST provides a huge benefit (two dice instead of one). Increasing the ST scale so all levels up to 10 are used won't solve this issue. It will just make those ST 10 guys unbeatable.

I prefer the solution of splitting ST into offense and defense. This solution can also be combined with the idea that no player should start with block, by giving blitzers offensive strength 4 and defensive strength 3 instread of block and dwarf and chaos dwarf blockers defensive strength 4 and offensive strength 3 instead of block.

[stormmaster1]

some nice ideas, but will anything be as easy and user friendly as the current system. The more complicated rules and stats may be fairer or more accurate, but also more bulky to use.

[DDogwood]

Berkvist's idea of splitting ST into an offensive and a defensive stat would probably work, and wouldn't really be much more complicated than the current system.

The biggest problem I see with this, apart from having to rewrite and re-balance all the teams, is that AG would take the place of ST as the "super stat", and then we'd be having the same discussion about how AG increases are kinda unbalancing...

[David Bergkvist]

I think that even if ST is split, those two stats are going to be as good as AG.

[Beholden]

Instead of using decimals, we could add two new extraordinary skills to the game:

Overpowering: All offensive blocks by this player are at +1 STR.

Sturdy: All defensive blocks by this player are at +1 STR.

Then change a skill roll of 12 to read:

12 : Player gains either Overpowering or Sturdy. If a player ever gains both Overpowering and Sturdy that player loses both skills and gains +1 STR instead.

Dwarves could then lose Block and gain Sturdy for example.

- Beholden.

[DoubleSkulls]

.5's on rosters would look so blergh!

I agree. Just doubling strengths and adding 1 is an option, but then what about assists... do they still add 1 or now 2? If you stick to 1 it makes native strength much more important...

[Joemanji]

Instead of using decimals, we could add two new extraordinary skills to the game:

Overpowering: All offensive blocks by this player are at +1 STR.

Sturdy: All defensive blocks by this player are at +1 STR.

Then change a skill roll of 12 to read:

12 : Player gains either Overpowering or Sturdy. If a player ever gains both Overpowering and Sturdy that player loses both skills and gains +1 STR instead.

Yeah, I thought that would be cool too. Mentioned it once in another thread. Glad I'm not alone!

[whitetiger]

Instead of using decimals, we could add two new extraordinary skills to the game:

Overpowering: All offensive blocks by this player are at +1 STR.

Sturdy: All defensive blocks by this player are at +1 STR.

Then change a skill roll of 12 to read:

12 : Player gains either Overpowering or Sturdy. If a player ever gains both Overpowering and Sturdy that player loses both skills and gains +1 STR instead.

Dwarves could then lose Block and gain Sturdy for example.

- Beholden.

I like this idea as well. It makes the strength gain a little less dominating and puts a new wrinkle into the game without being bulky. Very little rebalancing would need to be done.

[Highlander]

Works for me.

Just to promote more discussion, what TV would you put on these skills and what changes, if any, would you make to the existing Star Players if these skills were added?

[drathul]

Personally, feel that the game would be best served by removing attribute increases altogether.

As you have noted they are very unbalancing, which is ultimately bad for the game.