by Ludus Rex
fastlane wrote:
Might be alright, but it weakens heavy combat as a strategy, and healing is less important, making holding out for VP rolls stronger. Right now, I find victories are fairly evenly distributed between the VP and last man standing. That's my only real concern. Perhaps the missed turn is enough, but I'd have to try it to see. Maybe I'll give it a try at lunch/after work just for shiggles.
EDIT - you know, 5 points is a lot to lose, so maybe that alone balances it out (the extra 2 for the attacker helps as well). I also like that a longer game allows for more power cards to get out, since that's often a complaint. I'm definitely going to give this a try. Thanks for sharing.
EDIT - you know, 5 points is a lot to lose, so maybe that alone balances it out (the extra 2 for the attacker helps as well). I also like that a longer game allows for more power cards to get out, since that's often a complaint. I'm definitely going to give this a try. Thanks for sharing.
Fastlane,
It has not been my experience that this variant weakens a heavy combat strategy. On the contrary, since the win condition is now VPs only and the game runs longer, it's important to build a fighting monster so that you're not being punished with constant KOs and opponents who are gaining VPs off of the beating you took.
Because the game runs longer, KEEP cards give you their benefit over a longer period of time, and are thus more desirable. It's common for most players at my table (we average a 4 person game) to spend the first couple of turns rolling specifically for energy so that they're not left in the dust in the monster-arms-race. People really only tend to roll for VP when the end is in sight (around 12 VP or more already), though they often keep any sets of 3s because the value is so high.
Regarding healing: I wouldn't say that healing is less important, but instead that it is now a tactical decision. Consider, if you're in the range of 5 health, you may decide to roll for a few hearts to top yourself off so people don't view you as a viable target for a VP swing. You absolutely do not want people feasting on your corpse.
On the other hand, if you find yourself leaving Tokyo after a particularly savage attack and are clinging to life in the 1 or 2 heart range when the dice come your way, you can consider that trying to recover 6-7 hearts over multiple turns with a high probability of being knocked out anyway to be a waste of time. Accepting your fate, you can try and launch an attack, gain a few VP, or stockpile some energy for pending revival.
The difference is that healing is a choice, not a mandate. If you opt not to heal, you will be punished, but you still get to play the game. As with most player choices, we find this to be an improvement. Your mileage may vary.
Happy rolling!