We continue our Zweihänder Reforged game, feeling our way through the rich tactical options that the three action economy gives. Early stage in the story too as these opening moves will start to open out some more plot.
Some thoughts on the way the combat system plays out.
- Damage is compared to a threshold to see how many steps down the damage track the target must take. At basic tier, characters are looking for extras to up their damage to have a significant impact on thresholds, including the hoped for Fury Die explosion. Although there are only so many steps on the ladder, this makes everyone reasonably robust to stay in the fight, unless a ‘minion’ who go down with a one step damage effect. I was expecting there to be some mechanical death spiral effect on damage track steps, but there isn’t any that I can see as written. It’s tempting to add a stress test when reaching the ‘Seriously Wounded’ step to reflect the link between body and soul.
- We are staying with both the 1AP Defence action and damage reduction using Fortune, though I think I will play it that you cannot apply both options to an attack. We’ll see how that works out in play.
- I placed people on a grid, which the game supports, but can see the benefits of Reforged going zonal and hand waving some of the consequences of that tactical precision.
- The interplay between tactical choices and Talents started to kick in and felt consequential.
- I liked the to and fro of Fortune and Misfortune coins. I probably need to spend mine quicker to give them back to the players. I’ll get better at that as I become comfortable with the game play.
- The VTT module does not support ‘targeting’ of opponents, so damage is not automatically applied. Now I know, I’m fine with that. The module supported our play very well, I’m glad we have it.
The binding and treating of wounds covers physical healing very well. I might add in that a week of natural rest will recover one step as a lengthier backstop.
Although we are playing online, the experience is giving me a view as to what I would need to prepare if I was presenting a game in the real with new players. As a minimum so far I would have: a print out of combat actions, beads to help people count their actions, and physical coins for fortune and misfortune. I have a plan for a particular setting backdrop, and some one shot potential that I might unleash at ‘Owlbear & The Wizard’s Staff’ this year.
Good times as we explore the game and story further.