02-25-2009, 07:27 AM | #11 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Macungie, PA
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Re: Thief power
It's a bad game dynamic as a d10 power, and it's not all that great as a regular ability when you'd have to be in the same room or adjacent as another player. I also know that this game requires a certain level of player cooperation, at least early on, and a stealing Thief, especially a low Level one (using the card game mechanic, where a Level 1 Thief quite literally has nothing to lose but the cards he discards to fuel his attempts) would be tempted to not be a part of that cooperation and make the game drag on.
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02-25-2009, 04:27 PM | #12 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Austin, Texas
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Re: Thief power
Eric's got part of it right.
In early playtests the Thief had differing versions of a "steal from players" ability. The shortest way to explain it is: When it was tied to the same room it was too weak, but when it was made a more global power it became way too powerful. We settled for more of a burglar concept for the MQ thief, and I think it works really well, especially when I get to be a Halfling Thief with a search bonus item.
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Will Schoonover Assistant Developer...among other things Steve Jackson Games will@sjgames.com |
02-25-2009, 06:30 PM | #13 |
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Between.
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Re: Thief power
While we're speaking of the thief's backstab ability, in the rules it mentions that movement outside of your turn has no cost and it offers the thief's backstab as an example, but the thief's d10 ability makes no mention of movment. Is a backstabbing thief required to move into the room where combat is occuring? Arguements have ensued...
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Sometimes the appropriate response to reality is to go insane. Philip K. Dick, Valis |
02-26-2009, 10:18 AM | #14 |
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Re: Thief power
Thanks for the replies. It's not every day you get to hear about a game you enjoy from the playtesters. It makes sense that as a d10 power it would be hard to regulate.
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02-27-2009, 07:14 AM | #15 |
Join Date: Apr 2007
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Re: Thief power
I'm confused about the movement part of the Thief d10 Power as well.
Under "Moving Out of Turn" in the rule book, it lists the power as an example of moving out of turn. However, I see no mention of move requirement on the ability at all. Both of the other examples mention it: the helper and running away, but not Backstab. The only thing that the ability says is that the Thief has to be in the same or in an adjacent room. So, the big question is...which way do we approach this ability? 1) Thief is in a neighboring room to a combat. The thief moves into the combat room (at no move cost) and uses their backstab ability for one of the sides. (This is treating the power similar to the helper mechanic). 2) Same situation, but instead of moving into the room, the thief stays in their own room. (This is treating the power similar to the Thrown Items mechanic). Either makes sense depending on your viewpoint. Either the thief is running in with a knife (or sharp pointy stick) to stab someone or he is throwing it from a distance. My gut tells me that the intention is situation 1, but assuming they backstabbed the player, who lost and ran, then when it came to the thief's turn, he would have to fight the monster (assuming its still there). Seems a little anti-thief like to me to take such a risk. On the other hand, if it is situation 1, then that makes an interesting way to try to get additional move without spending any. Want to get to a certain spot near someone? Spend enough to get to a room right next to them (searching along the way) and when they get into a combat near you, you can backstab (to help or hinder) and force yourself into their room. |
02-27-2009, 07:35 AM | #16 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Macungie, PA
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Re: Thief power
Being forced to speculate, I'd say this: Originally, the Backstab ability had the player move, but it was later changed so it didn't. The rules were written before that change, and was not fixed to represent that change. I think the ability to sneak into the room, backstab someone and then sneak back to your original room is how it works best so that the Thief's not getting free moves out of it.
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02-27-2009, 02:43 PM | #17 |
Join Date: Apr 2007
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Re: Thief power
Ok, I guess that works. I was a little excited about the munchkiny shenanigans I could get myself into with that movement.
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03-01-2009, 11:29 PM | #18 |
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: California
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Re: Thief power
Got another question about the backstab ability. Is the attacking thief considered a "monster" for the purposes of that round of contact, and as such do they count for another "hit" to be taken? So if you're fighting one monster and a thief adds in a backstab and you lose the combat, do you lose two HP/ take two hits?
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03-02-2009, 12:24 AM | #19 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Platform Zero, Sydney, Australia
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Re: Thief power
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