SPPs for KOs

[fidius]

Along the lines of this post from 2012, what do you think of giving 1 SPP to a player who delivers a KO?

It would increase SPP generation from casualties by unskilled players by 75%. This would help all players accumulate skills faster, but in particular I have in mind the likes of Tomb Guardians, Flesh Golems, BOBs, and most linos for whom the first skill can sometimes take forever.

If a set of house rules (hypothetically speaking) has the effect of reducing casualties due to a MB / PO nerf for example, this might be a decent way to spread the lost SPP gains around.

Is it too big a change? What other side effects are there?

[anc001]

We used it for a couple of years, it was excellent. Had to drop it when changed to a new data management system

[dode74]

If you do that then I think you need to increase the SPP from some non-bash based actions such as TDs. Maybe 4 for a TD?

[Fold]

Yeah I fear a change this big for a rather narrow problem (first skill up on a select group of players) is a bit heavy handed. As a house rule starting the problem players on 3SPP or something carries far less risk of unbalancing the game in the long term (though interesting that anc011 has tried it without problem).

Or if you instead decided to go with it, but that non bash needed an SPP earning boost too, I've always thought catching a pass ought to be worth something.

[fidius]

Or if you instead decided to go with it, but that non bash needed an SPP earning boost too, I've always thought catching a pass ought to be worth something.

I like that idea. Although my thinking is a) that a PO/MB nerf might need to have the SPP gains replaced somehow, b) finesse teams already have a cheesy way of racking up SPPs (the backfield Quick Pass), and c) finesse will benefit from the KO points as well (75% of a lower number, but still not insignificant). So I'm not sure an equal boost on the finesse side is needed. But if it was, that's a natural way of doing it, yes. Also encourages passing, which may not be optimal but definitely makes things more interesting. Ashamed I didn't think of it...

[dode74]

It encourages the cheese method of backfield quick passes. That's why I suggested TDs being boosted a little instead.

[fidius]

Definitely -- but the question is, is that behaviour bad for the game? Honestly there's nothing that makes me happier than to see an opponent go for the Pass when receiving on Turn 1. It tells me a lot about how the game will go. Those plays fail a LOT -- AG4 to AG4, it's a 69% play, without skills anyway. So 31% chance of sucking up a reroll, or leaving the ball on the ground and players out of position. Love it.

[dode74]

Depends on how and when they do it. Such a play against bash can be fine if there's no chance of getting any real pressure on the ball and it's the last action of the turn. Against other Agi teams it can be suicidal, ofc, as they are better at capitalising on failures of that sort.

Whether that behaviour is "bad for the game" isn't really the point for either your proposed change or any "counter", I think. It's whether they will sufficiently counter each other in terms of SPP gain for KOs vs SPP gain from other sources.

[GalakStarscraper]

The other option to consider to not add something so radical. Go with the selected MVP instead of the random MVP as allowed in the rulebook on the Optional Rules page. A simple change ... already approved in testing ... that helps the LOS players skill up.

Tom