Author Topic: Just getting into it.  (Read 22979 times)

Stallion12

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Just getting into it.
« on: 27 July 2016, 21:24:27 »
A few questions.

What books have additional rules and scenarios?  I have the main book and companion.

The prebuilt scout has a lot more money than the others, is he a higher level?

Maelwys

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #1 on: 27 July 2016, 22:06:20 »
There aren't really alot of scenarios. The Halloween product "Welcome to Necromo" is a RPG scenario, though its not exactly traditional.

The Scout has more money because he has the Trait "Wealth (2)" which gives him extra starting money. The Renegade Warrior and Battlefield Tech have the same thing.

Stallion12

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #2 on: 27 July 2016, 22:27:12 »
Thank you. I saw era digest have more rules, any others?

So the scout is balanced amount the others? I'm just learning so I want to make sure he's not a higher level.

Liam's Ghost

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #3 on: 27 July 2016, 22:41:51 »
All example characters are built using the same number of points. In the case of the Scout, he's got a lot of negative traits and fairly modest attributes, which gives him more wiggle room for traits like wealth and equipped.

Something worth noting, his wealth score isn't actually that high (it's at rank two). So its relatively easy to start with a hefty sum of money. The thing that really eats points is the equipped trait. You frequently need a lot of that for the coolest toys.
Good news is the lab boys say the symptoms of asbestos poisoning show an immediate latency of 44.6 years. So if you're thirty or over you're laughing. Worst case scenario you miss out on a few rounds of canasta, plus you've forwarded the cause of science by three centuries. I punch those numbers into my calculator, it makes a happy face.

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Maelwys

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #4 on: 27 July 2016, 23:23:40 »
The Era Digests have more rules for those particular eras, and FM:3085 has the RPG rules for that era, because it didn't have a digest.

Also, Wars of Reavings has some minor information...I think maybe just the Feralize Drug and maybe some other minor options.

monbvol

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #5 on: 28 July 2016, 13:47:58 »
To expand on Liam's Ghost's post, there are no levels in A Time of War.  It is a purely XP driven system with what it takes to achieve attributes, traits, skills, and special abilities in XP defined in the various charts through the book.  All the example characters have been generated using the same base XP pool but some have been build using the module system and some have been built using the point buy option and as such there may appear to be more difference between them than there really is.

There are a lot of helpful threads around and plenty of people willing to help answer questions so if you're still confused about anything please do ask.

HABeas2

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #6 on: 28 July 2016, 22:57:07 »
Hi,

Kicking around somewhere in the ether should be a few "Free RPG Day" adventures for A Time of War. Possibly downloadable via BattleCorps and/or DriveThru RPG. They are PDF-exclusive (no print versions exist).

After that, the Halloween Adventures: Necromo Nightmare, Empires Aflame, and War of the Tripods were all written primarily to serve as A Time of War scenarios. Although all three are designed specifically to kill the party or otherwise remove them from the canon setting in one way or another (Fun Note: Necromo Nightmare is the only one that's intended to be fully canon, but its outcome is guaranteed to keep those events from affecting the Inner Sphere at large), they can provide fodder for some really good campaigns, if modified just right.

The Era Books and the PDF-exclusive Era Digests are primarily AToW setting-support books, which are intended to provide backdrop story and rules adjustments to the core game for different periods in BattleTech History.

And the Touring the Stars PDFs that have been rolling out lately provide detailed worlds upon which players can set an adventure, complete with supporting rules usable in both AToW and Total Warfare.

Hopefully, that helps.

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Stallion12

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #7 on: 29 July 2016, 10:17:11 »
You've all been very helpfull.

Is there anything as a new dm I should be on the lookout for? Like common beginner mistakes?

monbvol

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #8 on: 29 July 2016, 11:06:16 »
Don't be afraid to use some of the optional rules, like reduced lethality.  It can be a very deadly system.  Making it more survivable for your players especially when you're first getting into it would probably be a good thing.

The pricing on Vehicle trait may make it seem like it is making Battle Armor rather expensive in relation to the others but that's because it can be a lot more useful in the RPG scale.

How much you want to wing things and keep them simple or diving into some pretty complex rules for what it takes to keep combat units in fighting trim will be up to you but there is a high probability that you'll need to decide how you want to handle NPC support teams for your PCs.

HABeas2

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #9 on: 29 July 2016, 14:02:21 »
Also, if you are a regular BattleTech player (Total Warfare, Tactical Operations, and so on), note that AToW was written with role-players in mind, and thus shows character improvement in the form of increasing levels, rather than decreasing target numbers.

What this means, simply, is that whatever Skill modifiers you might find in the tabletop war game are inverted in AToW, because AToW applies modifiers to the roll, and not the target number.

(In practice, this means the results should be exactly the same.)

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Maelwys

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #10 on: 29 July 2016, 14:12:44 »
You've all been very helpfull.

Is there anything as a new dm I should be on the lookout for? Like common beginner mistakes?

You're talking about the prebuilt characters, so I assume you'll be using those instead of having the players make their own characters, but this sort of applies to creating completely new characters and personalizing the prebuilt. You'll want to keep an eye on the players, or set some limits on the modification/creation of the character, just so you can make the characters fit the game, rather than trying to figure out where a Cloud Cobra Galaxy commander will fit into your 2 lance maximum game.

Stallion12

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #11 on: 29 July 2016, 16:39:23 »
I was thinking of letting them modify the prebuilts. I'll allow them to make their own, but they are used to having base classes in rpg they play.

monbvol

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #12 on: 29 July 2016, 16:53:41 »
I've begun supporting the idea that not all concepts should get the same starting XP to make them a bit more workable so feel free to keep to your idea but indeed be aware of what changes they are making and if creating un-equal XP characters works for the group and the campaign.

As with everything it is more important that things work in a way that is fun for your table.

bluedragon7

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #13 on: 29 July 2016, 16:59:14 »
If you use the ageing rules most characters will end up with more XP than the archetypes. I have seen groups were the most experienced starting character had about twice the XP off the least experienced, but was still the worst mech pilot off all in the group ;-)

guardiandashi

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #14 on: 29 July 2016, 18:51:50 »
one way to deal with allowing players to have unequal xp is to use the random events from the companion per "life stage" yes its luck based but it can throw a few extra xp's into the char build.
whether you use point buy or the modules its still fairly obvious what life stages the char would have gone through.

using the ageing rules can also affect their xp as well.

the 2 biggest things that can seriously change the char are fast and slow learner especially if they are "skill mongers"

Stallion12

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #15 on: 30 July 2016, 00:20:12 »
So using the ageing rules can lead to imbalanced characters?

Liam's Ghost

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #16 on: 30 July 2016, 02:11:54 »
Yes, unless all the characters are the same age.
Good news is the lab boys say the symptoms of asbestos poisoning show an immediate latency of 44.6 years. So if you're thirty or over you're laughing. Worst case scenario you miss out on a few rounds of canasta, plus you've forwarded the cause of science by three centuries. I punch those numbers into my calculator, it makes a happy face.

(indirect accessory to the) Slayer of Monitors!

bluedragon7

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #17 on: 30 July 2016, 05:42:13 »
Its a question what you see as balanced. ATOW is quite good at allowing the XP to fit the expected role. A grizzled Veteran has seen more action in his lifetime than a young hothead. And that should in my mind be expressed by having that character overall being more experienced. In that case a good balance would be to give a skill range for the campaigns primary skills. If your focus is on mech combat both the old and young guy would have similar piloting/gunnery and the veteran has his excess XP poured into skills/traits that affect the campaign less.
A lot of the trait costs are unbalanced to begin with. In a mech centric campaign the few hundred XP for a bigger/better mech are more valuable than spending the same XP on ambidexterity or good looks.
We often house rule certain trait costs, eg in our current campaign all players get fast learner for free for balance
« Last Edit: 31 July 2016, 05:46:57 by bluedragon7 »

Acolyte

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #18 on: 30 July 2016, 20:44:15 »
Keep in mind that the xp gain for age is optional. It  says "At the Gamemasters discretion". I personally use this but it's by no means necessary. If you are worried about balance, take a hard look at allowing it or not.

   - Shane
It is by caffeine alone that I set my mind in motion
It is by the coffee that my thoughts acquire speed
My teeth acquire stains
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It is by caffeine alone that I set my mind in motion.

Stallion12

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #19 on: 31 July 2016, 02:40:45 »
How do the premade characters in the quickstart rules compare to the ones in the book? Are they about the same xp level?

Stallion12

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #20 on: 02 August 2016, 20:41:15 »
Also, how would I lower the necrono  adventure for new characters? My group seemed interested in the plot.

HABeas2

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #21 on: 02 August 2016, 20:52:36 »
Hi,

If I recall correctly, the Quick Start characters are built essentially like those in the books, but are streamlined to the point where the only skills and abilities listed are those that might matter to the sample adventures. They should be comparable, but they are made specifically with beginners in mind.

As to toning down Necromo Nightmare for newer players, the easiest approach I may recommend is reducing all of the combat skills the various "enemies" have by 2 to 4 points. (Combat Skills here meaning Unarmed Combat, Melee Weapons, Thrown Weapons, Small Arms, Support Weapons, and Gunnery.) Reducing the number of enemies per encounter to something no larger than the party's size would also be helpful.

Hope that helps.

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Stallion12

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #22 on: 05 August 2016, 12:31:52 »
What page are the different xp starting values for clan and innersphere characters? I saw it mentioned on here but don't see it in the book. Also is mixing clan and inner sphere characters ok balance wise? Are clan characters generally better or do they have built in drawbacks?

bluedragon7

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #23 on: 05 August 2016, 12:46:26 »
Clan Characters tend to be younger, so they might have less XP, but there is no systematic difference in XP

monbvol

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #24 on: 05 August 2016, 13:14:58 »
There is an optional rule to add 100 XP per year of age above 21 for Inner Sphere characters while it is 18 for Clan characters in the same optional rule.  Conversely this optional rule also subtracts 100 XP per year under 21 for Inner Sphere characters with again 18 being the starting point for Clan characters.

Another advantage Clans have is that Trueborn characters get field aptitudes in their specified field that give a -1 Target Number for those field skills.

Those are the only inherent advantages for Clan characters I know of.

As far as mixing Clan and Inner Sphere characters, it depends on what kind of style of play you want.  For the most part Clan characters will be superior at their focus but fish out of water for anything else.  So it becomes one of those situations where imbalance can occur but it'll be fine if you plan for it.

bluedragon7

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #25 on: 05 August 2016, 13:55:13 »
There is an optional rule to add 100 XP per year of age above 21 for Inner Sphere characters while it is 18 for Clan characters in the same optional rule.  Conversely this optional rule also subtracts 100 XP per year under 21 for Inner Sphere characters with again 18 being the starting point for Clan characters.
Ohh, I forgot about that, so at same age the clanner has 300 XP more.

Acolyte

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #26 on: 05 August 2016, 17:25:50 »
Ya, Clanners really are not balanced. This plus the phenotype makes them a little OP in my opinion. Mixing them really depends on whether your players mind differing power levels between the characters.

   - Shane
It is by caffeine alone that I set my mind in motion
It is by the coffee that my thoughts acquire speed
My teeth acquire stains
The stains become a warning
It is by caffeine alone that I set my mind in motion.

monbvol

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #27 on: 05 August 2016, 18:42:38 »
I sort of disagree with Acolyte.  Sure their phenotype bonuses and skill field aptitude bonus means they are going to have certain advantages but it will be in specific areas.

So yes a Clan Trueborn Mechwarrior will be a better mechwarrior for the same amount of XP but an Inner Sphere Mechwarrior is more likely to be better suited for tasks other than shooting people or beating them up in addition to being a Mechwarrior.

Acolyte

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #28 on: 05 August 2016, 19:06:04 »
I sort of disagree with Acolyte.  Sure their phenotype bonuses and skill field aptitude bonus means they are going to have certain advantages but it will be in specific areas.

So yes a Clan Trueborn Mechwarrior will be a better mechwarrior for the same amount of XP but an Inner Sphere Mechwarrior is more likely to be better suited for tasks other than shooting people or beating them up in addition to being a Mechwarrior.

Here's the thing - they will be better at certain things and can be just as good at everything else. Take a look at the attribute point additions for one thing. A Clan Mechwarrior has a +1 to RFL and DEX with a maximum of 9 in RFL, DEX and CHR. This is a cost of 1100 points for an Inner Sphere Character all for 200 points of the Trueborn trait. In addition the Clanner will have an extra 300 XP if they are the same age.

This doesn't even touch the Field Aptitude that reduces the TN for every skill that the Field has. There is no equivalent for IS characters.

So, yes, the typical Clanner will spend their points on combat skills and not much else, but there are no limitations that reflect this. They are objectively and mathematically superior with really no downside.

   - Shane
It is by caffeine alone that I set my mind in motion
It is by the coffee that my thoughts acquire speed
My teeth acquire stains
The stains become a warning
It is by caffeine alone that I set my mind in motion.

guardiandashi

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Re: Just getting into it.
« Reply #29 on: 05 August 2016, 19:18:10 »
actually there is a downside if you look at the modules ALL clanners are saddled with slow learner by default whereas IS chars aren't