One Year Later - Untold's First Year, In Review

So, technically, Untold hasn't reached its first year quite yet. I'll do an official "Year Later" blog in April to discuss the actual one year anniversary. However, sitting at the edge of the new year (and possibly the last if the Mayans had it right), one can't help but look back over the past year. And since this is an Untold blog, I'll be looking back at Untold's first year. No card mechanics or combos, no building encounters or bad guys. Just a simple reminiscing.

Now, I've known the Wandering Men going on four years now. And I've told the story of how I got into Untold so many times, and I'm sure you're all tired of hearing it. But I remember very clearly the day I found that Untold was officially released. See, Jennifer and I had signed on as Beta Testers, and for nearly a year, we talked it up to friends and family, wrote ecologies and articles. And finally, Ashy made the announcement in the rainy month of April that Untold was officially released. I for one was impressed that not only did Untold release, but released with a large number of products available as well. April was a wet and rainy, but it didn't keep us from setting up C.U.B.E.'s and spreading the word.

Before we knew it, Summer had set in and the con season was upon us. Mobicon, in Mobile Alabama, was Untold's first official con after the release. I remember a lot nervousness and hesitancy going into that con. I didn't sleep the night before the con was set to open. I remember thinking that it could be a big step for Untold. So, that Friday came, and in the blistering sun and sweltering humidity (nothing new for the Gulf Coast), we set up the WM Booth and I hit the Gaming Hall. We were scheduled to do 6 demos, and wound up doing 11. Mobicon was a lot of fun and we were exhausted by the end of it.

Imagicon proved to be just as popular but in far worse environs. Because of where the gaming room was, you had to literally yell to speak to the person next to you. However, Untold remained extremely popular and we had a real heartfelt moment at the end of it. Sunday afternoon, we were packing up the booth and saying our goodbyes to the team members as we all went our separate ways for a few weeks. As we were leaving, I had someone approach me who had sat through a demo with me the day before. He had a rules question. Apparently, a couple of the guys there were setting up an Untold game in the now barren Merchants Room, to get a little more play time before the party was completely over. That moved us in such a way, I can't even describe it.

The final big con of the summer (for me atleast) was ConCarolinas in Charlotte. It didn't start out great. We converged on North Carolina in the wee hours of the morning, with Cap and his wife being gracious enough to open their home to admittedly a bunch of weird folks so that we could rest and prepare for the weekend to come. We were all disappointed Friday when we arrived. They had set up our booth right in the gaming room. But we made the best of a bad situation and set up for the demos. The first day was pretty quiet. Around 7 pm, we were beginning to talk about closing up shop, but were bombarded by folks who wanted to play Untold. We had three games going that night and the booth was doing a lot of good business. We didn't finish up until 11 that night, and had a lot of fun. That was the weekend that Hall first unveiled his skills as a GM on an admittedly tired group.

But this year wasn't all about cons. We had a lot happening on the home fronts as well. Untold picked up two official retailers, in Pensacola Florida and Leeds Alabama. I don't know how many products we've released either, but we had some great ones. Some of my favorites were the Gifts of Maoru, Triple Threat: Slugs and Steel and Primal Powers. We had the opening of the Untold: Elite and even picked up some fans in Canada and Britain.

This first year has been amazing for Untold, but what about the next? Well, Untold is still growing and struggling to put its root down. We've all done our share but I feel like I could do more, and I plan to this next year. I want to get Untold to be a regular fixture at my FLGS again. I also plan to do more C.U.B.E.'s with the help of LK and the other folks in the area. I look forward to upcoming con season and want to help out again if possible. I also really want to help the community, both on and off line grow however I can.

All in all, this last year has been good to Untold. And I know that Untold has made this year good for me. One of the reasons we play games like this is to spend time with friends and family, and Untold has provided me with a large number of friends to share Untold and other things with. I look forward to what Untold and the Wandering Men have in store for us this next year, and I look forward to the work we'll all be doing to help Untold grow.

That's going to wrap it up for this week. Next week starts a New Year and a new blog. Not sure what the New Year will bring either for this game or for me and my blog, but you'll be one of the first to know. I do want to say thanks to everyone who reads and enjoys this blog. Thanks for encouraging me to do it and thanks for sharing my favorite hobby with me. Until next week, thanks for reading and have a safe and happy New Year!

It's an Untold Christmas Blog, Brannon Hollingsworth!

Alright, sorry for not posting one last week, but I was beat. Looks like that'll be the last time I miss a blog for a while, so I guess that's a good thing. So, this week's blog is a present for Ashy: how to build a good role-playing encounter for Untold. Now, I'm going to be the first to say that building a good rp'ing encounter can be very difficult. If you're anything like me, then you usually make it up as you go along with a general direction in mind. However, encounters like this can be planned and prepared for. I am also a very strong believer that a good rp encounter is composed of two primary things: good players/gm's and the right cards and abilities. Keeping this in mind, I'm going to discuss the general lay out of our encounter, and some cards that would be useful in how the encounter would possibly unfold.

Now, the general premise of this encounter is relatively simple, but simultaneously complex: A Highbred soldier is going to infiltrate and investigate the disappearance of a L'na friend (another player in the party), and attempt a rescue of the wayward companion, without seriously harming or killing any of his highbred compatriots. Now, this encounter is going to start out peacefully and end with a daring escape. However, rp'ing is going to be heavy, and the over-arching goal is going to be to rescue the party member without killing anyone.

I'm going to focus primarily on three different cards for the rping section, and five different cards for the daring escape at the end. The cards I'll be focusing on are Diplomatic, Beguiling Speech, and Verbose. However, keep in mind, the Gifts of Maoru has a whole boat load of cards that could really shine in this setting. When it comes to obtaining information through peaceful means, L'na Twilights are the undisputed masters. But I'll talk more about those at another time. The Highbred hero in question is going to have to find out a way to locate where his friend is being held prisoner, talk his way into the prison, and bust his friend out.

Now, Diplomatic is a useful card, but it's better reinforced with Beguiling Speech and Verbose. Diplomatic is a great way to get a foot in the proverbial door, but Beguiling Speech and Verbose can blow the door off the proverbial hinges. Beguiling Speech can make a target friendly and helpful, and Verbose can leave a target as dazed and confused as a Churl reading a Jane Austen novel. A great way to add on to this combo is the card Endless Calm, which can add its MAG to an Aspect boost bonus. So, with some good rolls, the talking your way into the L'na's prison should be fairly easy. But how are we going to get out?

This is where the situation gets a little more violent and dangerous, but remember, there is still a good amount of rping involved. The primary cards involved in this are going to be Grapple, M201 Assault Weapon, M422 Glue Grenades, Smoke Grenades, and the XR3 Tranquilizer Gun. Now, the cards like Grapple, the Grenades, and the Tranq. Gun are all well in good, but how is an Assault Weapon harmless, you ask? Well, I'm getting to that part. Grapple, Smoke Grenades and the XR3 Tranq. Gun are going to be used primarily by the character who's going to be doing the rescuing the wayward companion. Grapple is a good close quarters card, and can leave a target immobile. The Smoke Grenades are an excellent stalling and cover tactic, and the Tranq. Gun neutralizes targets without killing them. The M201 Assault Weapon is necessary to use the M422 Glue Grenades and also provide cover/suppressive fire to help our Highbred hero and the imprisoned party member escape the actual base and meet up with the rest of party.

Alright, so we've got the actual cards we need for this encounter, but how is it going to play out? Well the prologue is that the party strays a little too close a highbred base. A patrol catches the party off guard and a member of the party is captured and taken to the base for questioning and possibly study. So the party is left with the task of infiltrating the base and springing the wayward member from prison and linking up with the party to escape into the night.

With this in mind, the Highbred Hero is going to take two days to infiltrate the base, locate the captured compatriot, and spring them from the prison and meet up with the party. On the first day, the Highbred stumbles onto the base under the guise of being a lost scout escorting a supply convoy from Base A to Base B. Beset by baddies, the Highbred was forced to flee once he determined the situation was hopeless. Through some miracle, he found this base and needs to rest and refit. As the day passes, he begins to ask questions and make friends with some of the locals, using the cards like Diplomatic and Beguiling Speech to locate the location of the captured party member. Over night, he breaks into the armory to obtain some new gear (perhaps using Stealthy and Mad Hops?) and gains the Smoke Grenades and the XR3 Tranquilizer Gun, and sneaking an M201 Assault Weapon and Glue Grenades to a predetermined location and leaving them for other members of the party to find. On the next day, he waits until the base does a guard change, close to the time a majority of the personnel would be on the other side of the base at the mess hall or something similar. Once again, using Diplomatic, Beguiling Speech, and Verbose, the Highbred Hero talks his way into the prison (maybe with a little help from Endless Calm) and the action begins. Using the Tranq. Gun and Smoke Grenades, the two party members make a mad flight for the safety of the wilderness while another member of the party, from an unseen vantage point, uses the Glue Grenades and the M201 to lay down suppressive fire and stalls pursuers.

Now, it may not sound like much the way it is now, but when actually played, this scenario could be very dangerous but a lot of fun. Ofcourse, as is the case with most games, players and GMs may have to improvise to compensate for bad rolls and the like. As you can most likely tell, I'm not great about putting ideas like this into print, but rather am better working with a group of people and kind rolling with the punches, so to speak. But I hope you enjoyed. This is going to be an idea I'm really going to try and develop with this blog for two reasons: 1.) To make this blog more diverse and enjoyable for readers, as they look for ways to expand their Untold experience and 2.) To make me a better Untold GM.

To wrap things up, serious role-playing encounters are fairly simple to build in Untold. With a variety of useful power cards, good minions, and some creativity, a quality rp encounter can be put together relatively quickly and a good time can had by all.

For once, I know what next weeks subject will be: A Year In Review, a look back at Untold's first official year. I'll be taking a look at the highlights of this past year, for me atleast, and would love to know about your favor Untold moments of the last year. Until next week, thanks for reading and have fun! And Happy Holidays!!

A Holiday Get-Together: Building An Untold Encounter

Well, as Jennifer so clearly pointed out, I've been doing a lot of character builds lately. And apparently so much so, that I've run that topic into the ground. So, we're going to change gears a bit and go to a different subject: Encounters. As a GM, I understand that encounters make or break a campaign. If they become too numerous or too large, players may become frustrated. If they are too far between, the players may become bored. So, you need to strike the right balance. Are you running a meat grinder? Or a puzzle solver? But this post isn't going to cover the quantity of encouters in a campaign, as that can be a fluid number. Instead, we're going to tackle the quality of encounters.

Quality encounters can be difficult, as you REALLY have to plan for them. But, luckily with Untold, planning is very easy. I would consider most quality encounters to consist mostly of minions, reinforced by complimenting powers. A quality encouter should also pose a definite threat to the Characters. This doesn't mean that it should a TPK, but rather should be capable of inflicting significant damage on the party. So, bearing this in mind, let's start to build our encounter.

First, let me preface this with saying that you should work with minions and powers you are comfortable with. You need to be intimately familiar with the abilities of minions and powers that you'll be employing, to help answer any question and clear up any problems that your players might possibly encounter. For me, I am most comfortable working with Flux Horrors and Flux Horror powers. In almost every campaign, I employ atleast one major section with Flux, because I love the Lovecraftian feel of Flux Horrors. But I strongly encourage you to use the minion cards that you like.

Alright, so let's take a look at the minions I'm going to be working with are going to be Flux Horrors. This encounter is going to be a major encounter, but not the final one. This is actually intended to be an early boss fight for characters starting at 50 UP. Now, as cannon fodder, we're going to be using four Infested Churls. When compared to other minions, especially other Flux Horrors, Infested Churls are really minor annoyances. However, if left unchecked, minor annoyances can become game changers. Remember, even a pawn can capture a king. The next minion we're going to be using is one of my favorites, the Howling Horror, and we'll be using three of these. Howling Horrors can be really powerful, and very obnoxious. They inflict the Despair bane, but when stacked, Despair can become Insane in one round. I'm going to bolster them a little, by giving them all the Horrible Foes card. Horrible Foes inflicts a penalty equal to the cards MAG to any rolls made by non-Externals. This can be a real pain. Plus, they give you a +4 Initiative, which can give you a definite edge.

Now, we're going to move on to the heavy hitters. We're going to have two real powerhouses in this encounter. A summoned Rift Ripper, which is trouble for anybody. Rift Rippers have the ability to rip chunks of MAG out of its victims, in the neighborhood of 32 MAG per round. If that wasn't bad enough, I'm throwing on a Flux Warp 2 and an Insane Aura 2. Flux Warp can inflict Impaired, and Insane Aura drains Mind boost and can drive a target Insane. Rift Rippers are just bad news. But the real threat in this encounter is going a Weaver of Despair. Weavers are really unsuspecting minions at first glance. They have the IP: Dread Fate, which can either drain a Character or inflict Despair-Insane on a target. I prefer the second ability, but its a personal preference. However (and this may be a typo), the boost is for Body. Well, whatever. Weavers are real dark horses, because once they get going, they don't stop. And they are difficult to kill. I'm going to reinforce this Weaver with Feed on Chaos. Feed on Chaos will provide a very problematic healing ability. I'm also going to throw in the Hot Swap Feed on Sanity which has a similar ability. Finally, we're also going to use the Hot Swap Eye of the Beyond, to reinforce the Weavers IP. So, we have two big baddies. The Rift Ripper is very much the offensive beast, but the Weaver allows the GM some battlefield control (by creating chaos, ironically). The Ripper is the blunt hammer meant to shatter a party physical. But the Weaver is meant to break the party's moral.

To wrap this up, this encounter would go pretty rough. With good leadership and decent rolls, a party could probably carve through this encounter and come out relatively okay. Less experienced or more blunt characters might have a tough go of things. But keep in mind this is just an early boss fight. A turning point in the plot line. But it does what it is required to do, which is instill fear and worry in the Characters for the next encounter. And they say GM's can't have fun! I guess my final comments would be to really put some thought in your encounters, atleast your major ones, like this. Not every encounter needs this much planning and forethought. Random Encounter #37, with a pair of Crag Crawlers and an Apoc Mountain Goat doesn't need a lot of planning. But on the other hand, it took me all of five minutes to throw that encounter together.

So, that'll wrap it up for this week. Not sure what we'll tackle next week. Once again, taking suggestions. If you liked this installment, please let me know. I would love to more in the future. Until next time, thanks for reading and have fun!

Steampunk Tuesday: Klik Gadgets

Today is Steampunk Tuesday, the day after Cyber Monday, and that means that your special today is Klik! Keeping in the tradition of Cyber Monday, Steampunk Tuesday will cover all of the coolest Klik gadgets and toys (well, whatever I've got in my box atleast). We'll be building two great Klik builds to show the flexibility and diversity that Klik have. You can learn about everything you need to know about Klik here: http://www.untoldthegame.com/ss/race/klik

Klik are probably my second favorite race. They usually have a tool for everything, and a majority of these tools can double as weapons. Klik are extremely versatile, just like L'na, and can do everything from support to front line fighting. On a personal note, I prefer Rollers but my wife, who is a Klik fanatic, prefers Tripods. I just can't say enough about the versatility of Klik, so I'll just have to show you.

So let's start off with Rollers. For me, Rollers are meant to do two things: Support and Control. A Roller needs to be able to help out the other party members, but also should be strong enough to control the flow of battle as well other things. The Klik Roller I've built for you today does exactly that! So, let's take a look at the Character Deck:

Total UP- 70

Character Deck- 56 UP

Klik Roller
Mind 3
Soul 3
Alchemical Still
Awareness
Clockwork Communion
Diplomatic
Dispatch Array
Eidetic Memory
Enigma Engine
Horologic Instruments
Insightful
Jury Rig
Klik Armor Plating
Mechanic
Micro-Toolset
Microgear Medic Disc
Quick Response
Racer
Shoulder Mounted Launcher (SML)
SML Dart
SML Net
Wheel Enhancement

Ok, so just with the Character Deck alone, there isn't a lot that this Roller can't do. Alchemical Still is a pre-req card that has some very useful abilities and is extremely flexible, as is the Enigma Engine. The Enigma Engine (if you will recall) is perhaps my favorite Klik card. It can literally bend reality to your will, and give a definite edge over your opponents. Clockwork Communion, Dispatch Array, and Mechanic are very valuable, especially when dealing with other Klik. The SML is a very useful tool, with the Dart providing a damaging weapon and the Net a great stalling tactic. I just can't say enough about what this Roller can do, and we haven't even hit the Swap Buffer. Finally, the QRC is pretty decent: Mind 4/4/5, Soul 3/4/3, VIT:2*. So, now let's take a peek at the Swap Buffer:

Swap Buffer- 14 UP

Acid Stream
Displacement Field
Flamethrower
Grappling Hook
Lamp
Null Pulse
Spatial Distortion
Temporal Disjunction
Tether
Tighten Windings
Torch
vv312d Energy Ray
Wheel Hooks
Winch

Ok, so once again, the Swap Buffer has some neat tricks. Cards like Displacement Field, Spatial Distortion, and Temporal Disjunction all provide battlefield control. But the Swap Buffer is where this Roller has some serious bite. The Flamethrower, Null Pulse, and Energy Ray can all lay down the hurt. The Flamethrower is especially dangerous in closed quarters. Acid Stream is very dangerous as well, as it will continue to do damage until washed off. So all in all, this Roller is a great support Character but can deal some serious damage when needed. But while that is all well and good, the next character we're going to look at is going to be the Klik version of raw destruction.

Tripods are like Churls and L'na Dawns, they are destruction incarnate. Whereas Rollers are specialized and supporting, Tripods are strong and in the middle of the fray. Jennifer loves her Tripods, and it's easy to understand why. However, I like to refer to Tripods in the same way I refer to Highbred, they are smart fighters. Sure they can take a beating and definitely dish one out, but they can also do alot of other things besides handing out pain. So, let's start take a look at our Tripods Character Deck:

Total UP- 70

Character Deck- 53 UP

Klik Tripod
Body 3
Soul 2
Arc Coils
Claw Shears
Driven
Fearless
Hydraulics
Iron Will
Microgear Medic Disc
Quick Response
Reinforced Klik Plating
Resilient
Saw
Steam Engine
Strong

Simple and Straight-forward, this Tripod is meant to move right into the thick of things and start making it thinner. The Claw Shears and Saw can literally cut out massive amounts of MAG, while cards like Driven, Fearless and Iron Will make sure it stays in battle long enough to do it. The QRC is pretty tough: Body 4/3/7, Soul 2/2/3, VIT: 4*. Ok, so it isn't as strong or tough as the Churl, but Tripods are not meant to be pure meat...er, metal shields. They are meant to do other things as well. However, because the cards so far as pretty costly, the Tripod may seem brutish but otherwise unimpressive. However, after putting some more points into it, I would add the Micro Assembler, which allows the Tripod to do amazing things! But on to the Swap Buffer now:

Swap Buffer- 17 UP

E-Bolt
Electrified Body
Electrocute
Steam Jet
Stunner
Tech Surge

Short, simple and to the point. The Swap Buffer is focused entirely around the Arc Coils card. I added 1 more UP than the highest UP in the Buffer, in case I need to use multiple cards at one time. The Swap Buffer is really just for adding an extra damage if needed. I love the Arc Coils card because of what powers it opens up. And there is a great combo hiding in this deck. Try combining Electrified Body with Saw when making an attack and see what happens. You'll love it.

For whatever reason, with Tripods, it has been my experience that when building them you always lay a groundwork build and then add on greatly from there. Unlike other races, Tripods always require a good bit of assembly in the formative early stages. But don't worry, they are worth the work you put into them.

So that wraps up our Klik builds. Like I said in my last blog, my main focus has always been the L'na, but I love everything to do with Untold and wanted to attempt other character builds. I hope you enjoyed them. Now, before we close it out, let me talk about an Untold special just in time for the holidays! New Starter Sets have been released that focus entirely on the three Untold core races. You can read all about these special starters here: http://www.untoldthegame.com/forum/three-new-starter-sets-released. These are great gift ideas to help someone get into Untold. And all of these decks can be reinforced with other decks, making the ultimate Untold gift.

That's going to wrap it up for this week. No idea what I'll be doing next week, but expect a late blog since I'll have to work. I'm taking suggestions for topics, so let me know what you want to see. Until then, thanks for reading and have fun!

Pilgrims and Indians: An Untold Thanksgiving!

Well, friends, this has been a rough past few days. I have a new job at the local Academy Sports and have been working like crazy (holiday shopping started early). The wife and I visited her dad in New Orleans and went to the Louisiana Ren Faire. And honestly, I'm a little under the weather, probably the combination of mead and beer, lack of sleep, driving long distances, and standing for long periods of time in a retail setting. Looks like I need to throw a few more UP into Body and Resilient...Anyways, let's get it started before I decide it isn't worth it.

It occured to me this afternoon that I haven't really focused on the Apoc or the Klik. So, this weeks blog is going to focus on the Apoc and next weeks will focus on Klik building. Please keep in mind that I am by no means a master of either. While I love everything about Untold, and can function relatively well with various characters, my primary focus has been the L'na. But because I believe in diversity, I want to attempt two Apoc builds. And once again, keep in mind that I'll be building with the cards I have access to, and these builds could be greatly enhanced by the decks Lock'n'Load, Melee Weapons, and Apoc Amplifications. Keep in mind that you can read more about the Apoc here: http://www.untoldthegame.com/ss/race/apoc! So, let's take a look at the builds!

We'll start it off with the Apoc Churl. I REALLY like Churl, because for the most part, they're bipedal L'na. Churl are rough and violent, capable of taking a lot of MAG and dealing more out. Churl are the undisputed physical fighters, but have an arcane side as well. I'll be trying to balance it out into a Churl that can fill a multitude of roles. Both builds are going to be based on 70 UP. Here's what the Character Deck is looking like:

Character Deck- 50 UP
Apoc Churl
Body 2
Soul 2
Churl Warbow
Club of the Ancestors
Desert's Blessing
Driven
Fearless
Iron Will
Large
Mountain's Blessing
Quick Response
Resilient
Stone's Bones
Strong

Ok, it's a little all over the place. The Warbow and Club are both devastating weapons, Desert's and Mountain's Blessings are pre-req's with good abilities. Driven, Fearless, Iron Will, and Resilient can all go to making sure your Churl stays in a fight. And finally, Mountain's Blessing, Stone's Bones and Strong all add either VIT or Body Boosts. The QRC is pretty rough: Body 1/1/10, Soul 2/2/2, VIT: 8* (Will vary according to certain Hot Swaps or if it receives physical attacks). Ok, so I hope you're a good roller, because you're not going to get much of a modifier on physical hits, but cards in the Hot Swap can add to it. And if he hits, it's going to be hard. You can easily reach the max boost of 24 with the War Club, but could easily boost it up to 50. And you can thank my dear wife for requiring the "max boosts" on certain cards. In beta testing, she once did 30 MAG with a Claws attack. So, in the physical arena, the Churl is a force of nature. Lets take a look at the Swap Buffer:

Swap Buffer - 20
Adrenalin Push
Charge
Earth Control
Eruption
Grapple
Heat Wave
Knock'Em Back
Lava Maw
Mad Hops
Sand Storm
Shrug It Off
Sunder The Earth

Alright, so once again, the Churl's Swap Buffer is a lesson in raw destruction. Cards like Eruption, Lava Maw, and Sunder the Earth especially can cause massive amounts of MAG; while cards like Heat Wave and Sand Storm make the battlefield hell for all those who can't take the heat. However, Adrenaline Push, Charge, Grapple, Mad Hops, and Shrug It Off all shine in physical combat. So either way you look at it, the Churl is an engine of destruction.

Now on to the Highbred. Highbreds are really unfamiliar territory for me. I've played Klik, Churl, and ofcourse L'na, but never Highbred, so we'll see how this goes. Once again, the Highbred is going to be filling a variety of roles, but mainly fire-support. Here's how the Character deck lays out:

Character Deck- 54 UP

Apoc Highbred
Body 1
Mind 1
Soul 1
Agile
Awareness
Commando Training, Basic
Driven
Fearless
Field Medic Pack
Hunter's Hearing
Iron Will
M422 Glue Grenades
M8 "S1" Carbine
NAU Light Combat Armor
Quick Response
Ranged Specialist
Resilient
Smoke Grenades
Stealthy
Strong
Tactical Prowess
Tactics

Ok, so the Character deck focuses on three things: 1.) Battlefield Control 2.)Staying Ability 3.) Stalling Ability. I tried to attempt some form of balance with the Character Deck, a character that can reinforce the party in a multitude of ways. The only real weapon is the Carbine, but the Glue and Smoke Grenades are great stalling tactics. The other cards try to give the Highbred an edge, like Quick Response, Awareness, Resilient, Stealthy, Hunter's Hearing, Tactics and Tactical Prowess. Alright, so let's look at the Swap Buffer:

Swap Buffer- 16 UP

Accelerated Evasion
Adrenalin Push
Evasive Guard
Fireteam Attack
Grapple
Hail of Gunfire
Knock'Em Back
Mad Hops
Shrug It Off

Ok, so once again, the Swap Buffer does a few neat tricks. Fireteam Attack and Hail of Gunfire are great ways to "finish" a battle. Grapple, Knock'Em Back, Adrenalin Push and Shrug It Off are great for those instances when an enemy closes. Mad Hops, Evasive Guard and Accelerated Evasion are great defensive powers to put more space between you and the target.

So there you have it, two Apoc builds meant to perform two very specific roles. Meat shield in the case of the Churl, and fire support in the case of the Highbred. This was pretty unfamiliar territory for me, folks, but thanks for sticking it out. I hope this gives you some help or insight into building your own Apoc characters.

Alright, so whether you know it or not, this Thursday is Thanksgiving in the U.S. And while I'm not thankful that I have to work on Black Friday (and if any of you go out shopping and contribute to that madness, you are dead to me), I do have a list of things I am thankful for, all Untold stuff ofcourse.

I am thankful for a fun and flexible RPG that is super fast to learn and play. I am thankful for an RPG that is very affordable and listens to the wants and needs of its fans. I am thankful for a RPG that doesn't require me to be a professional weightlifter to take my collection to gaming sessions. And finally, I am thankful for the friends (aw, hell, let's call 'em "family") that this RPG has given me in the process. I know, corny, but I get all sentimental around the holidays. Seriously though, please enjoy your holidays and spend time with friends and loved ones (not shopping!). Next week, we'll be tackling the Klik, both tripods and rollers. Until then, thanks for reading and have fun!

The Art of Creating Destruction

This weeks blog is going to tackle how to build TPK's, Total Party Killers. Every GM should have atleast one TPK in their back pocket. Why? Sometimes it's necessary. Sometimes a party just becomes too good, or too bad, to allow it to keep going. Maybe the Players have gotten a little out of hand, and the only way to put them back on the straight and narrow is turn their Characters into corpses and start over. Ok...so that last bit is a little harsh, but it could happen. So, we're going to be building a big bad guy...er, girl, technically, but you get the drift.

This week, we'll be building the Neonstalker, whose ecology you can read here: http://untoldthegame.com/splintered-serenity/ecology/neonstalker. The Neonstalker has the brains of a beast with the power of a god. And that can make for a deadly combination. Formerly a L'na Dawn who was sucked through a Flux portal and fused with an unknown spectral beast, the Neonstalker can strike anywhere at any time. Which is useful for a GM, who can introduce this beast into just about any setting and level a party.

Before I begin to discuss the actual build, it's important to keep in mind that this build can change as needed. I'm going to be building it around Body and Soul 9 and some other Power cards, but you can raise or lower the stats and everything as needed. I am also not using a UP cost, but instead am building this baddie with the goal of taking out a party around 50 UP. Once again, feel free to stick with a UP cost if you want.

The objective I'm keeping in mind is to totally eliminate a party. With this in mind, the Neonstalker is going to focus on two things: dealing massive amounts of MAG and making sure it stays in the fight long enough to deal it. Once again, since the Neonstalker was a L'na Dawn once, and the fact that I like the deck, we'll be using the Gifts of Oaze, reinforced with Primal Powers.

So, now to the build! Here's the Character Deck:
Neonstalker
Body 9
Soul 9
Body of Air
Flux Strike 4
Investiture of Oaze
Quick Response 2
Sigil of Protection
Storm's Blessing 2
Warp Touch 2

Simple and straight forward. Here's what the QRC is looking like. Body 10/10/9, Soul 10/10/12, VIT: 15. Ok, so once again, Body of Air is present for a defensive tool, and Sigil of Protection for VIT bonuses. Flux Strike and Warp Touch allow some offensive power within the Character deck. Quick Response is around for Int. boost, and the Storm's Blessing and Investiture of Oaze are pre-reqs with good abilities. Keep in mind, this creature is built for a short, violent attack.

Now, because we're not sticking with a UP limit, I'm going to list the Swap Buffer cards, that I would use. Once again, the Level may vary according to the UP of Party. So, here is the Swap Buffer:

Armor of Oaze
Claws of Iron
Concussive Cone
Deafening Roar
Force Blast
Gift of Regeneration
Lightning Scourge
Lightning Strike
Shatter
Soar on the Wind
Stormcaller
Thunder
Webs of Force

Alright, so pretty vicious. So, the Neonstalker is ready to crank out the MAG. The Swap Buffer can rip chunks of UP out of just about any Character. But there is one odd card: Gift of Regeneration. Why is an aid card in this deck? Simple. The Neonstalker doesn't attack alone. When using this creature, I would also throw in a couple of Darkstalkers (Neonstalker value size) for reinforcements. Mini-versions of the Neonstalkers, Darkstalkers are good at finishing off targets, or shock troops. Get it? Shock troops? Eh...you're all dead inside...

Anyways, so here is our Neonstalker. A TPK, lightning in a bottle...well...cardboard, but you get the drift. So, what do you want to see next week? Let me know on the Untold forums or Facebook, or even leave a comment here. I'm not sure what we'll tackle, but I'm open to suggestions! Until next time, thanks for reading and have fun!

The Animal That I Have Become

Ok, so I already did three Blogs on character building, but this blog is going to be pretty focused. This week, we're going to be covering my favorite Untold Race, the L'na. First off, you can find out almost everything you need to know about L'na here: http://www.untoldthegame.com/ss/race/lna.

I love the L'na, which shouldn't come as a surprise. I grew up loving Pokemon, Monster Rancher, and Digimon; so when I first saw the L'na in Untold, I knew they were for me. They may look all cute and fuzzy, but trust me when I say that they are real beasts. When I play a L'na, I try to embrace my inner animal and my character builds show that. But before we jump into character builds, let's talk a little bit about the L'na as a whole.

Hailing from the magical plane of Ai, the L'na can be subcategorized into two groups: Dawns and Twilights. Dawns are users of powerful elemental magics, bending the forces of nature to their will. Twilights are master mentalists, using psionics and other mind powers to confound, confuse, and control their enemies. L'na are incredibly strong and flexible and can be used in a variety of settings to great success. I'm not partial to either Twilights or Dawns, but enjoy playing both of them, as they both have their advantages.

Ok, so let's talk a little bit about character builds. With L'na, it's vital to balance your Character Deck and your Swap Buffer. A majority of L'na powers come in the form of Hot Swaps, and you want a decent sized buffer to handle them. However, with this in mind, don't forsake you Character deck. Balance is the key. I usually take a 60/40 approach when building a L'na, around 60% of my UP goes into the Character deck and 40% goes into the Swap Buffer. I use a majority for the Character deck to balance out my Aspect scores and other defensive abilities, and use only 40% since I'll usually only be casting one or two spells a turn. However, once I start to gain more UP, I'll put most of it into the Swap Buffer. A little confusing but it works. But I strongly encourage you to experiment with your builds and find a combination that works the best for you.

Ok, so let's take a look at a L'na Dawn build. My L'na Dawn, Icewind the Ghost of the North, is a master of ice, snow, and wind. He conjures massive blizzards in a moments notice, and leaves a trail of icy destruction in his wake. A combination a snow leopard and a bird of prey, Icewind is a cold-blooded killer. So, let's take a look at the Character deck:

Total UP- 70

Character Deck- 51 UP

L'na Dawn
Body 2
Mind 2
Soul 3
Arcane Lore
Awareness
Body of Air
Fearless
Hunter's Hearing
Investiture of Oaze
Quick Response
Sigil of Protection
Storm's Blessing
Winter's Blessing

Alright, so this is the lay-out. Body of Air is a useful, defensive card against physical hits and is complimented nicely by Sigil of Protection, which offers spiritual defense. Fearless and Hunter's Hearing help give Icewind an edge in certain situations. And every character should run Quick Response for the Int. bonus. Investiture of Oaze, Storm's Blessing, and Winter's Blessing are all pre-req cards but all have their benefits. Oaze offers some telekinetic abilites, and the Blessing cards give you some control of storms and blizzards. So, already Icewind is a powerhouse. So, let's take a look at the Swap Buffer:

Swap Buffer: 19 UP
Armor of Oaze
Bonds of Ice
Claws of Iron
Concussive Cone
Deafening Roar
Fling
Fog Bank
Force Blast
Frost Breath
Frost Touch
Gift of Regeneration
Gust of Wind
Hammering Blow
Ice Snap
Ice Spear
Lightning Scourge
Lightning Strike
Relentless Gale
Shatter
Soar On The Wind
Stormcaller
Thunder
Webs of Force

Alright, so this is where Icewind really shines. Icewind is a four-legged force of nature, wielding the powers of ice, wind, and lightning to devastating effect. He has some defensive capabilities and healing powers with Armor of Oaze and Gift of Regeneration. Fog Bank is a great control card, allowing much needed cover in open areas. However, Icewind is an offensive powerhouse. Spells like Concussive Cone, Ice Snap, and Lightning Strike can all do massive amounts of MAG in a short time.

If you haven't noticed, while this deck is primarily built using the Gifts of Oaze, it is reinforced by the Primal Powers deck. Primal Powers is a great deck to back up elemental powers, and compliments the Gifts of Oaze very well. I highly recommend it for anyone playing elemental magic users, especially L'na Dawns.

Ok, so let's take a look at L'na Twilights. If you haven't gathered by now, I have a L'na Twilight that I love: Shadow. Shadow is a mental monster, using his powers over the mind to render his opponents useless before ripping them to shreds. I'll be posting a slightly modified version of the Shadow deck I posted earlier. So, here's the Character deck:

Total UP- 70

Character Deck- 40 UP
L'na Twilight
Body 3
Mind 2
Soul 2
Quick Reponse
Hunter's Hearing
Stealthy
Investiture of Maoru
Invisible Hunter
Sigil of Protection
Venomous

In the original post, I had the Bite card. However, I dropped Bite for Hunter's Hearing, Quick Response and Stealthy, to give Shadow an extra edge. Once again, as with the L'na Dawn, a L'na Twilights character deck is going to filled with defensive cards, like Invisible Hunter, and pre-req's like Investiture of Maoru. So, let's take a look at the Swap Buffer:

Swap Buffer- 30 UP

Banshee Scream
Confusion
Cursed Defense
Destroy Undead
Fearful Mien
Mental Susurrus
Mind Control
Mind Lash
Mind Probe
Mind Reading
Phantasm
Sleep
Soul Blast
Soul Rend
Soul Sap
Soul Storm
Supernatural Sight

Alright, so I haven't changed the Swap Buffer much. Shadow's bag of tricks is pretty much the same, but once again, there are several Maoru cards that I didn't (but probably should) include. The thing to keep in mind with Twilights is control. Control is the key to success, and the Gifts of Maoru give you control. Now, I didn't include any additional powers, but the Gifts of Maoru could be very well supported with the Flux Horror Powers, giving your Twilight an extra edge.

Well, I think that's about it. I love building L'na, and I highly encourage you to experiment with your own builds. However, if you want to use my example or even my style, go right ahead. It works pretty well for me. If you want to purchase any of these decks, check out the Untold Online Store: http://www.untoldthegame.com/store or your FLGS. Your store doesn't carry Untold? Send them here: http://www.untoldthegame.com/retailers, and make your town part of the Untold community.

Next week, we'll be covering how to build Bad Guys! Until then, thanks for reading and have fun!

Party Politics and Policies

Well, folks, it is Election Day, and I don't know about you but I've already went and casted my vote. So, if you haven't voted, make sure you do, and if you don't plan on voting then don't complain! But with today being Election Day, I thought I'd talk a little bit about Party Politics and Policies. And we aren't talking about Republicans, Democrats, or taxes. We're talking about playing "political" character, inter-party (that is, adventuring party!) politics, and party (once again, the fun kind!) policies. So, let's jump right into this.

Untold is advertised as a fast and furious RPG, with a lot of action and chances for heroics. However, don't let this action packed setting fool you. There are still plenty of chances for the more subtle play style, and several cards that provide you with the option to take the politically correct way out. Now, ofcourse, you're going to need to use these cards in the correct setting. If you're playing in a meat grinder setting, where the goal is to score as many zombie kills as possible, then you're smooth talking Klik might not be so useful. But given the right setting, you can really make a political character shine.

So, where are these awesome, non-combatant cards? Well, the honest answer is all over, really. Most decks have atleast one or two cards that can be used in a political way. But some decks, like one of my favorites, Gifts of Maoru, is packed to the brim with cards that can be used to devastating effect in a non-combative environment. Cards like Charm, Mind Control, and Mirth can all be used to sway the conversation your way. But even more aggressive cards like Mind Lash, Mental Susurrus, Fearful Mien and Phantasm can be used in this setting. But other cards like Diplomatic, Silver-tongued, and Verbose can be used as well. Keep in mind that you need to pick the right moment to use cards like these, when they can be most effective.

Which brings us to our second topic: Inter-party politics. This subject is two-fold. When I say inter-party politics, I mean both the interactions between Characters as well as the interaction between Players. In several different games with different groups, I've seen Characters play individuals against the others, and interestingly enough, I've seen similar actions from Players. Once again, this can create some interesting games and situations. Playing political, non-combative can be a little tricky, because you are trying to have fun, but at the same time you don't want to hurt anyones feelings. There are a few simple ways to make sure that the game stays a game, and no ones toes are stepped on. First off, at the beginning of each game, put a disclaimer: This is a game. It isn't real or personal. Relax, and try to have fun. Secondly, the GM handles all disputes and breaks all ties, and if an argument breaks out, the GM is one who makes the final call. As a GM, try to end the arguments quickly, and I'm not afraid of "punishing" people in-game for being a troublemaker. You never know when a Flux portal might randomly open and deposit a player in a pit full of hungry Ravagers...just sayin'...

Some other Party policies that you could employ in this setting. A personal favorite of mine is having the party elect a Character to be leader. This leader, who must be elected and choose to accept the position, is henceforth responsible for breaking all arguments and disputes, etc. But keep in mind that the "goals" in non-combative games can be difficult to define, so you need to make sure things like the settings, goals, etc., are clearly defined for the Players as well. For example, a certain goal might be to be elected the leader of a Churl tribe or Confederation. There are contests to display physical strength, but the final decision is made by a vote of a council. The goal then is to win over all the voting members, whether that is by deceit, blackmail, or other means, is up to the Players.

Well, that's going to wrap things up for today. Once again, not sure what we'll be tackling next week, but you'll be the first to know. Until then, thanks for reading and have fun!

Tricks, Treats, and Tactics!!

So, this is the last blog before Halloween. And honestly, I almost gave up on this one. The past few days at work have been tough, and I've got a splitting headache. But, this blog is important to me and I hope on some level, it's important to you too.

So, this weeks blog will be covering a number of different topics. First, we'll be discussing the new Triple Threat: Slugs and Steel that has just released (and I just received!!), and some fun things you can do with it. Second, we'll be talking about two of the fan created cards that are featured in this deck, to show you that yes, you can get a card made, and how the process goes. Finally, in honor of Halloween, we will be talking about the Untold Halloween Horrors: a special set of ecologies that are being released just for Halloween! Ok, that's a pretty big plate, so I hope you brought your Untold appetites, cause here we go!

Ok, so let's tackle Triple Threat: Slugs and Steel. This new deck features not just one but three different playable characters straight out of the box. The three characters out of this deck are Deep-6, Aquatic venturing klik tripod; Sgt. Skinner, NAU Sargeant; and Barnabus, IDF BELIEF soldier. Alright, so you're thinking to yourself, why do I need this deck? And yes, you NEED it. First off, it's got three pre-built HP characters with a variety cards, many of which you can't get in other decks. But there are more fun things you can do with this deck. One of the first ideas that comes to mind is playing out an adventure with just these three characters. On a limited UP setting, this could make for some interesting games; especially if your group is smaller (like mine). Not to mention, this deck could considerably boost your Untold card collection, as it has Race, Aspect, and Power cards, instead of just one type of card. It's also beneficial if you're a heavy Klik or Highbred player, this deck is perfect. Another reason for this deck will appeal more to Boost team members. If your demos have been anything like mine, there is always that one person who wants to play a Klik, but both Klik decks are taken. Or another Highbred, or in the case of ConCarolinas, I had three people who wanted to play Highbred. This deck is perfect. Just keep the handy Deck ID cards around, and you can quickly throw together a few more decks for demos.

Alright, so in Triple Threat: Slugs and Steel, there are two fan created cards. I created one of these cards, Tactical Prowess, and if you look at the bottom right hand corner you'll find where I was credited for it. The second fan created card is Chris Bradley's (MegaMagicMonkey or M3 on the forums) Verbose. Now, I'm going to go into a little discussion about the creation process and talk a little bit about these two awesome cards.

So, what do you to create an Untold card? Well first, you need to take your idea over to the Card Submission thread (http://www.untoldthegame.com/forum/untold-card-submissions). Make sure you follow all of the posting requirements. Secondly, if the Powers-That-Be like your card, then it will go through a stream-lining. Don't worry, the original concept and power will remain the same, but trust me when I say they make your idea better. And finally, there's your card!

Alright, so let's discuss the two cards. My card, Tactical Prowess, is made for the smart soldier. A story swap with an affordable UP, Tactical Prowess offers a Body and Mind Boost of 1. On top of that, it allows you to re-roll a combat roll or add the MAG of the card to a combat roll. Verbose is a hot swap that is for the situations that fighting can't fix. It requires the Diplomatic or Silver Tongued card to use and can quite literally talk you out of just about every situation, inflicting the DAZED Bane on a target.

Ok, so let's wrap this up with some treats...or tricks?...Honestly, I'm tired and it's a little difficult to tell at this moment. In the spirit of Halloween (my favorite holiday, btw), Untold is releasing a special set of ecologies meant specially for Halloween. These creatures are meant to be terrifying and frightful. I should know, both of the ones released so far are my creations...and one of them frightens me still (but there was a LOT of stuff I didn't put in the ecology)...Anyways, here they are:

The Flesh Ripper:
http://www.untoldthegame.com/splintered-serenity/ecology/flesh-ripper

The Apoc Scorpion:
http://www.untoldthegame.com/splintered-serenity/ecology/apoc-scorpion

Well, that's going to wrap it up for this week. If you'd like to purchase a Triple Threat: Slugs and Steel deck, you can find it here: http://www.untoldthegame.com/store/triple-threat-slugs-and-steel

Well, that does it kiddies. Happy Halloween!! See you next week!! Until then, thanks for reading and have fun!

Playing A Player

Ok...so...I'm a little out of it. The past few days have been kind of crazy. I was hired and now have a job. I had to go buy some professional clothes (which was an experience in and of itself, and my wife is a saint for putting up with me). Our wedding anniversary was Saturday, and it was a lot of fun. And my first day of work was today, and that was a lot of info. To top it all off, I'm now running an Untold Play-By-Post (PBP) over on the Untold forums. And for someone who went from having nothing to do to a whole lot to do, that's a pretty busy schedule. But, somehow, I'm managing to hammer out a blog for your enjoyment. I know, I'm a wonderful guy, right?

So this week, I'm getting back on schedule and tackling the issue of what happens when a GM wants to be a Player, and vice versa. With other RPGs making the transition from GM to Player isn't always easy, especially if you're in the middle of a campaign. A new campaign has to be assembled, new characters have to be created, etc. Untold, however, offers a unique solution to this problem.

Untold is a fast game, in the sense that it doesn't take very much time to learn how to play, or to set up a game. Since it's all card based, you can build a character in seconds or a campaign in minutes. Because of how easy it is to set up and break down, it's also easy for GMs to pause a campaign and step aside to allow another GM to step up. Untold is a very flexible system.

But what if your players are really into a game? Or you don't have another GM available to run a game and give you a break? Well, Untold has an answer for that too. Over on the Untold forums, there are two PBP games running, and hopefully more will take off soon. While it isn't exactly the same as playing a game in person, it is a lot of fun, and there are always people willing to play. Untold also has UPU's, Untold Player Unions, where players can contact other players in their state on the forums and find other play groups. A wonderful thing about Untold is it's community. Whether you're a new player still learning about Untold or a grizzled veteran, the Untold community is there for you.

Well, I think that's going to wrap it up for this week. I'm kind of tired...Anyways, not sure what I'll be tackling next week, but you'll be the first to know! Until then, thanks for reading, and have fun!

The Elite of the Elite

To me, Untold is the best RPG out there. And while it may not fill your every want and need at this moment, if you hang around long enough, Untold will eventually cover every possible setting. But it is still the best RPG out there because of the sheer potential it has. Untold is designed from the start to be flexible and accomodating to everyone and everything. You might even say it is an elite game. So, what if I told you there was an Elite within the Elite? Well, there is. Today, we're going to do a little plugging for the Wandering Men and Untold. We're going to talk about Untold: Elite and some of the new products that have been released.

Let's talk about the New Releases first. Three new decks have come out that should appeal to almost everyone. Lock'n'Load is a power deck packed to the prim with guns. Lots of guns. That do lots of things, BESIDES killing enemies. If you're a gun monkey, then definitely check out this deck.

Heavy Metal has released for Klik players, with a large number of tools for heavy lifting. However, don't think that this deck is for muscle alone. From what I've seen, this deck compliments the Clockwork Components deck very well, adding a much needed physical "bite" to Klik.

Primal Powers is incredibly impressive, and can appeal to just about everyone. A variety of powers that allow Players to everything from blow craters into the Earth to controlling wildlife. Want to conjure a hurricane? Then receive the blessing of the Storm and call down Nature's fury on your foes! Want to make some new friends? Then call up some wildlife and run with the wolves. Primal Powers is a great deck.

Finally, we have the brand spanking new Triple Threat: Slugs and Steel deck. This new line of decks has not just one but three pre-built Characters for you to use. Slugs and Steel has the Klik Tripod, Deep-6; the NAU Highbred Sgt. Skinner, and the IDF Highbred Barnabas. PLUS, Slugs and Steel features two fan created cards. You heard me, two cards in that deck are original fan concepts. I can claim one and our prestigious MegaMagicMonkey (M3 for short) can claim the other. Once I have this deck in hand, then I'll be discussing it, in particular the fan created cards.

Alright, so let's change gears a little and talk about the new Untold: Elite. Untold offers a lot to its fans. There dozens of free downloads, countless information about the Setting that is designed by fans (I should know), and even fan created cards. However, there is a section of Untold that only the Elite has access to. The Untold: Elite section offers a variety of benefits and bonuses to fans. Fans can learn about new releases before anyone else does, access to Card Libraries, and even beta-test new cards. It is entire secret section of the web site, and even has its own forum. I am one of the first Elite members, and I can honestly say it's worth it.

So here we are. I'm not sure what we'll be tackling next week, but I'll find something. I do want to offer congratulations to Untold Co-Creator and Wandering Nathan Ellsworth and his new bride, Megan Ellsworth! They were married this past weekend. We wish them all the best for their new life together!

Want to get those powers discussed earlier? Check out the Untold Store: http://www.untoldthegame.com/store.

Want to become an Untold Elite member? Easy! Go here: http://www.untoldthegame.com/store/untold-elite-access

Until next time, thanks for reading and have fun!

I'm on the inside and I'm looking out...

Gee, it's gotten dusty around here. Well, folks, I know it's been a while. Things got pretty busy round these parts, but it's all calmed down now. Since it's been so long, I decided I'm not going to stick to the old schedule but do something new. I asked what kind of blog I should do today and Ashy told me I should do one of an insider's perspective. A fan who received a huge honor by being allowed to actually help build up this game.





Well, let's get things started. I know I've told this story before, but I'm going to tell it again here because it's relevant to the blog. How did I get started in Untold? Well, my wife and I were at Mobicon two years ago. We were already fans of the Wandering Men and we made a bee line to their booth on the first day to say hi and catch up. Then we learned they were doing demo's a new RPG game. Jennifer ofcourse wanted to play, but I had made plans to compete in an L5R Kotei being held at the same time. Guess who won? Yeah...like I had a choice...





Anyways, so we demo'd the game and survived having Ashy as our GM. We liked it so much (Jennifer especially since she hated any other RPG I tried to introduce her to), that we came back and spent the entire next day demoing the game again with Raulston (Captain Blood on the forums), who was a great GM, if slightly intimidating...We loved the game. We bought t-shirts, and went home to share the game with everyone we knew.





It wasn't a week later that I pitched Ashy an idea about character, a L'na Twilight, with the body of a black tiger and bony spikes on his back. Ashy told me that I agreed to through on a scorpion tail, and write up a short backstory for him, then Ashy would find me the artwork. Three months later, sure enough, I had the initial sketches for Shadow, Lost Child of Ai. It was awesome.



It's been over a year since then, and what's it like now? Well, since then I have written dozens ecologies, short stories, and the like. From a purely technical standpoint, it's a good deal of work, including research, editing, and planning. What I do for Untold isn't just for me, but the entire Untold community, and I want to make sure that anything of mine that gets published the best work I can do. And I am really proud of the work I do. I love Shadow, and every creature I write an ecology for and every character that becomes of a Hebdomadal Persona.



From a personal standpoint, it's a real privilege. As both a fan and a developer, I can have fun and play the game, sharing cool combos and making up excellent stories. But as someone who contributes and helps build this awesome world, I can listen to what other fans are saying and try to incorporate what they want into Untold. The Wandering Men pride themselves on listening to their fans, but they are only four guys. They rely on fans like me, and the fan base as a whole, to come to them and tell them what we want.



So, what's new for someone like me? Besides doing ecologies, and the like, I am currently working on a great development team to help build up various areas of Apoc Earth! It really is a great team, with not only me, but MegaMagicMonkey, LumberKlik, and Melissa on there as well. And we really hope you enjoy what we have in store for Untold.



Well, that's it for this week. I know it's short. Next week, we're going to tackle an interesting topic that Untold has a unique solution for: What happens when a GM wants to be a Player and vice versa?

Untold Battle - Straightforward Strategies

So now, we're going to start discussing Untold:Battle! The Battle version functions in the way a stand alone card game does, and favors Yu-Gi-Oh! or Pokemon in play style, but unlike these games (both of which I've played in the past), Untold Battle offers far more complex strategies. And once again, unlike Magic the Gathering and Legend of the Five Rings, the strategies do not become so complex as to completely lose both players under an avalanche of cards. Well, let me post the rules first. You can find just about everything you need to know about Untold: Battle here - http://untoldthegame.com/primer/playing-battle. If this primer doesn't answer your question, then check out this link - http://untoldthegame.com/forums/untold-info/submit-your-untold-questions. Check out this section of the forums to get your Untold questions answered.



Now, so far, there are only three Untold Battle decks: NAU Defenders, Undead Infection, and Flux Horrors (my favorite). All three of them are full of minions that can be a lot of fun to play with, especially when adding their counterpart Powers deck to them as well. But you don't need a Battle deck to do battle. Any Minion will work and this week I'm going to talk about two of my favorite decks, Environments: Ruins and Environment: Mountains. These decks are great for GMs because they offer a sampling of Minions and Powers to make any game more interesting. But they also are great for Untold Battle. The Minions found in these decks are incredibly powerful, and throw in the Power cards, and you can have deadly Battle decks. These two decks were recently reviewed in a Battle Backdrop I did called Colorado Clash!(http://untoldthegame.com/battle/colorado-clash) However, I'm going to go into a little more detail about some of the Minions and Powers in these decks and how they can make any Battle better. But for a more in depth look at both decks and the Battle scenario, check out that link and read the Backdrop.



The first Minion we're going to look at is from the Mountains deck: Mag'grin. Mag'grin is a powerful Minion that is capable of dealing massive amounts of MAG every round. Actually, that is the real beauty of the Mag'grin, once it starts dealing MAG to a creature, it doesn't STOP until the Mag'grin is DEAD which is REALLY REALLY REALLY hard to do. At a cost of 37UP, the Mag'grin is very affordable, and durable with a Body 4/2/4 and a 12 VIT. It deals a whopping 16 MAG which can be Boosted by Soul. Not to mention, it's got a defensive IP of Phase Into Earth that provides an extra Body ATK and DEF. Backing him up, the Apoc Mountain Goat is another lesson in raw power. Even more affordable at 23UP, but a Body of 4/2/4 and 8 VIT, the Goat is a real brawler. Dealing 10 MAG which is Boosted 2 MAG for every 1 Body Boost, it also has two IPs that can Boost the MAG even further. Deadly Combatant 2 adds +3 Body Boost and Charge (which will count as a move) will grant another +4, making the MAG jump from 10 to 32, which is enough to take out most Minions. Now, as far as Powers go, Body of Air is a wonderful card. At 8UP, and not upgradable, it is sort of costly, but is worth the ability. It is an Augmenting Power that makes the target immune to physical damage. Put this card on a Minion like Draft Rider, then you have a real hurricane on your hands.



Now, let's take a look at the Ruins deck. This deck is a lot of fun. Its a good combination of strength and status effects. As far as strength goes, you've got several options. The Crag Crawlers, Ravager, and Junker are all very powerful and affordable. The Darkstalkers have a very interesting role in this deck. They aren't incredibly powerful like the Crag Crawler or the Ravager. And they don't have any status effects like the Rotscourge or Howling Horror. But it does do a nifty little trick. Capable of dealing 8 MAG after Boost, its IP forces the target to only take half of the MAG from VIT. The other half must come from the total UP. Slightly modified with a Soul Aspect, the Darkstalker can become a real nightmare. And speaking of nightmares, the Howling Horrors found in this deck are some of my favorite Minions. At 22 UP, its a cheaper card and has several fun IPs. First off, it adds +4 to Initiative, which can turn the tide of battle. It also has a cone effect, which can inflict a series of Banes, starting with Despair and ending with Insane. Put a couple of these Minions in strategic locations on your front line and watch as most of your opponents Minions go crazy. And the constantly making Overcome rolls can put some real stress on your opponent, but we'll get into that later. Finally, Ruins has a very fun Power card: Invisible Hunter. At 3UP, its very affordable, and doesn't have an upgraded version. This card prevents the target from being by any attacks that require a "To Hit" roll, which is a lot of them. What it does is force your opponent to make an Awareness check vs. your Stealth check. If you win, the attack fails. If you fail that contest, your opponent still has to suffer a 50% miss penalty as well, which can be decided in game (I usually roll odds or evens).



So there you have it, some really fun Minions and Powers that can make any Battle deck better. To give you an idea of charted course over the next few weeks, we're going to discuss the three Battle decks in depth (NAU, Undead Infection, and finish up with Flux Horrors). Finally we'll cap things off by looking at the GM Minions deck and what it can do in Battle and talk a little meta-game.

Thanks for reading and have fun!

Building Your Character - Discussion on Balance and Flavor 3

Well, this is going to be our last installation (for the moment) on Character Design. And for this week's blog, I'm going to talk about raw strength and power. AND I am also going to be making a character out of the "Hostile Hands: Races of New Earth" deck. AND because I like you guys so much, I'm going to be building not just one, but two (yep, two!) characters today. I know, I know...it's like Christmas morning for you right now...but calm down...you might not like what you see...

Untold has some great races. The Klik with their endless tools, the L'na and their mighty magic, and the Apoc with the Churl's barbarian strength and the Highbred's military training. But, I have always been a fan of the unusual and uncommon. I like my monsterous races a lot. Whether playing a bad guy turned good, or just a bad guy (which I like to do), monster races are for me. You get to do stuff others can't or won't. So what are our two races for today? Well, first, we'll be dealing with a Flux twisted Perverse. And secondly, we'll be creating a Loph and for added flavor, it'll be Flux twisted as well. Ok, so I'm cheating a little bit by using the same set of powers for both creatures. BUT the flavor of these characters differ greatly.

I am a huge H.P. Lovecraft fan. I've always liked Lovecraft. His stories of the bizarre elder gods are incredible works of fiction (I hope..) that have greatly influenced the scifi/fantasy community at large. With Lovecraft in mind, we're going to be building our two characters. If you want to have a little more fun with this, then after reading this blog, let me know what TWO stories you think inspired these characters and why.

Both of these characters are going to be epic level, 100 UP, and can be used either as a powerful boss creature or a character as well. Keep it mind that these character designs are going to be fairly simple and straight forward in nature. Some might look at these characters and think the designs are too simple. But that is the beauty of Untold: even a simple character can still be incredibly powerful.

So, the Perverse is first on deck. The Flux horror is the embodiment of tainted and twisted evil. So, here's the Character Deck:
Character Deck: 76UP
Perverse Race Card - 4UP
Soul 6 - 17UP
Flux Strike 3 - 8UP
Greater Regeneration 2 - 12UP
Insane Aura 2 - 14UP
Plague Bearer - 5UP
Soulless Touch - 8UP
Warp Touch - 8UP

So here is our Perverse QRC: VIT 6, Body 1/0/1, Soul 6/6/6. Now, this may not look like much, but this character can do some real damage. My favorite card out of this character deck is "Insane Aura". It's an AoE draining card, and once it has a target down to -30 Mind Boost, that target PERMANENTLY gains the "Insane" Bane. Soulless Touch, Warp Touch, and Plague Bearer can all stack on one another, making any thing within touch range regretting ever looking on your insane visage. Flux Strike provides a straight up damaging ability, and Greater Regeneration allows you to recover any UP you might lose during combat.

So, this leaves us 24 UP for the Swap Buffer. The Swap Buffer is going to have 4 cards total, but more can be added as the character gains more UP. This is the Swap Buffer:

Eye of the Beyond
Feed On Sanity
Insane Eye
Reality Bubble

Eye of the Beyond functions in a manner similar to Insane Aura, but instead of the drain effect, Eye of the Beyond inflicts the "Despair" Bane. Insane Eye inflicts the "Demented" Bane, and combo'd with Eye of the Beyond can send a target running for the hills. Feed on Sanity is another way for the Perverse to heal and gain back UP. Reality Bubble is a really fun card. An AoE card, that can make a target "Prone".

So, here is our first horrible creation. A creature to terrible to look upon or even imagine. Now, remember, Untold can be whatever you want it to be. I might play this character as something that looks "normal" on the outside, but on the inside is really a Flux beast. Once it has gained the party's trust, it can turn on them, making them all insane and slaves to the Flux.

Now, the next character we're going to build is the Loph. Loph's are an ancient race of sea-dwelling creatures, lurking in the murky depths, wishing only to cover the globe in dark water. Now, in my mind, Lophs are related to the Flux. They live in the dark depths, preying on those above with a hatred and menace unmatched by others. And let's face it, the bottom of the ocean is practically an alien environment, so who knows whats down there? Anyways, so here's a Loph character deck:
Character Deck - 97 UP
Loph Race Card - 2UP
Body 11 - 37UP
Soul 4 - 11 UP
Awareness 2 - 2UP
Bite 3 - 6 UP
Piercing Claws 2 - 8UP
Echolocation - 3UP
Quick Swimmer - 4UP
Strong 2 - 4UP
Flux Strike 3 - 8UP
Greater Regeneration 2 - 12UP


So the QRC is looking like this: VIT 4, Body 11/12/13, Soul 5/4/4. So, the Loph shares some characteristics with the Perverse. However, this character shows some real flavor. Loph's are an aquatic race, so this character has Quick Swimmer. Lophs also live in the deep dark ocean, so this character also has Echolocation. Since the Loph has claws and a mouth full of teeth, this character also has Bite and Piercing Claws for physical damage. And the Loph likes physical damage.

That leaves up on 3 UP for the Swap Buffer, but thats ok. The Swap Buffer on has two cards: Charge and Grapple. These cards can be used in combination, and to devastating effect given the Loph's physical strength. And in the open environment the Loph would be found in, these cards are slightly remniscent of a Great White shark ambushing a seal in the water. A quick, brutal attack that will leave the opponent stunned and bleeding out. Raw power.

So there you have it, two powerful characters. Both are a lesson in raw strength and power. So, do you know what Lovecraft stories inspired these creatures? One is a dead (hehe) give away.

These characters are fun but simple builds that can do a lot of damage. Both characters can be found in the "Hostile Hands: Races of New Earth" deck, and all of the powers came from either this deck or "Powers: Flux Horrors". So, for $13.00, you can build two really nasty characters. And remember you can find these decks at your local Untold retailer, or here (http://untoldthegame.com/store) at the Untold store.

Next week, we'll be tackling Untold Battle. Also, if you there is anything Untold related you'd like to see discussed in this blog, let me know!

Thanks for reading and have fun!

Building Your Character - Discussion on Balance and Flavor 2

Alright, so this week we're going to continue talking about how to build characters, including how to balance your deck and adding your own flavor to it. But before I go any further, it was pointed out to me that I am employing a lot of Untold jargon in this blog. This blog is intended for people who have experience with Untold. However, if you aren't very familiar with it, or don't know anything about Untold, check out this link: http://untoldthegame.com/primer. The Primer explains how all of the cards work, how the game is played, etc. So, let's get started with this weeks character.

This week, we're going to be discussing the Klik. Now, my wife Jennifer loves her Tripods, with their powerful tools and weapons and stout defenses. I however prefer Rollers. Rollers aren't as physical strong and powerful as Tripods, but they are just as deadly. The Klik Roller I'll be building today is based on 50 UP. Why 50? Well, it's a good solid middle ground. Not so low that you have to make some hard decisions about what cards you'll include and not high enough to include whatever card you want. So 50 is the magic number.

I built this character this morning, in literally 10 minutes. This Roller is a modified version of my original Roller character, A55-A55-1N (Assassin). This machine is built for eliminating threats, and eliminating them quickly and quietly. To do this, I built this character around the Enigma Engine, which is a very fun card. Before going any further, let's take a look at the Character Deck:
Total UP- 30
Klik Roller - 3UP
Mind 2 - 5UP
Soul 2- 5UP
Enigma Engine- 2 UP
Klik Armor Plating- 2UP
Microgear Medic Disk- 2UP
Racer- 2UP
Soulless Touch- 8UP
Wheel Enhancement- 1UP

Some people might think 30UP is a lot, and it is for a 50UP character. But, every card has a purpose. The "Enigma Engine" is a great card. Not only does it allow you to use some great Hotswap cards, it also allows the player to re-roll a d20 roll and take the roll that benefits you the most. The "Klik Armor Plating" adds a little more VIT, in case of physical attacks. The "Microgear Medic disk" allows the player to make repairs. "Racer" adds some great movement, and if upgraded an extra Body DEF. "Soulless Touch" is always fun, making your opponents regret getting with touch range. And finally, "Wheel Enhancement" allows your character to have excellent balance and mobility, as well as allows you to use the "Wheel Hooks" hotswap card. When I built this character, I wanted it to be able to handle a little of everything. And once it gains some more UP, it will be really powerful.

The Swap Buffer is where the real fun begins. With 20UP, it has the following cards:
Displacement Field
Null Pulse
Spatial Distortion
Temporal Disjunction
vv312d Energy Ray
Wheel Hooks

So, the Swap Buffer isn't very big, but you can do some great stuff. Offensively, the Null Pulse and the Energy Ray can do very easily destroy a weaker minion. But thats not all the Enigma Engine can do. This little toy allows your character to bend and even break the fabric of time and reality. Displacement Field allows your character to bend reality around themselves and hide in plain sight. Spatial Distortion disrupts your opponents spatial perception, and the upgraded version actually allows you to distort space itself. Temporal Disjunction begins with slowing down an opponent, but as you get higher in level, allows you to control the flow of time itself.

So there you have a techno wizard, capable of bending reality and time to its will. However, there are countless other ways to build your Roller, even with an Enigma Engine. Now, if you haven't gathered, I like my more magical characters, but next week I'll be focusing on raw strength and power. If you liked this article and want to build a killer Klik for yourself, check out the Untold store (http://untoldthegame.com/store) where you can find everything Klik and more. Next week, we'll finish up with our discussion on Character Building. From there, we'll be talking a little about Untold Battle.

Until next time, thanks for reading and have fun!

Building Your Character - Discussion on Balance and Flavor 1

Ok, so I promised I would discuss Character Building for this blog, and I'm making good on my promise. I've even decided that because of how flexible and versatile Untold is, I'm going to dedicate three posts to character building. This post is going to discuss how to build L'na Twilights (my favorite!). The next post will focus on building a Klik. And the final post will be something special. We'll be building a character based out of the "Hostile Hands: Races of New Earth" deck. All three articles will be focused on how varied and different individual characters can be, and how they can vary greatly, even when built by the same player.

So like I said, we're going to focus on building a L'na Twilight today, and more specifically my L'na Twilight Shadow. Shadow is a beast, literally, who is just as willing to confuse and confound his opponent as he is to rip them to shreds. Unlike other spellcasters in other settings, Shadow isn't going down without a fight and an army of fallen foes to escort him to the other side. So let's look at the actual cards and start talking a little shop.

Now, like I said before, I'm an experienced CCGer, and I take a decidedly CCG attitude when building a deck in Untold (because, well, it is a card game after all!). So I build everything, from characters to battle decks with a goal in mind: What do I want to accomplish with this deck? With Shadow, I want a character that will confound and confuse, daze and disorient his opponents. And then while they are too busy trying to figure out if they are sane or not, I want Shadow to move in for the decisive kill. This deck is built on 70 UP (and is the same deck I'm employing for Ashy's PBP on the forums).

The Character Deck is small, but costly. It consumes a solid 40 UP of the 70 total. Here's how it looks:
Race Card - L'na Twilight 5UP
Body 3 9UP
Mind 2 5UP
Soul 2 5UP
Bite 2 4UP
Investiture of Maoru 4UP
Invisible Hunter 3UP
Sigil of Protection 2UP
Venomous 3UP

So the QRC looks like this - VIT: 5, Body 3/3/3, Mind 3/4/3, Soul 2/3/3. That stats are solid and balanced. First, the Character deck also has a much needed "kill" card for my character with Bite 2. Then it has some solid status effects, with Venomous and Invisible Hunter. Finally, to round it out, I've of Sigil of Protection, to provide not only a spiritual defense but an extra 2 VIT. So here we are, a solid, strong, balanced build capable of taking and giving hits.

The Swap Buffer is where the L'na Twilight really shines. Shadow's Swap Buffer is 30UP, which is pretty decent, although other Twilight players might want to put more UP in the Swap Buffer. For me, 30 UP fits just right. So, here's what we're looking at for the Swap Buffer:
Banshee Scream
Confusion
Cursed Defense
Destroy Undead
Fearful Mien
Mental Susurrus
Mind Control
Mind Lash
Mind Probe
Mind Reading
Phantasm
Sleep
Soul Blast
Soul Rend
Soul Sap
Soul Storm
Supernatural Sight

Suffice it to say I'm not to discuss each and every card in detail, but every card is in there for a reason. Shadow takes a pretty direct approach when it comes to dealing with threats, but to deal with them adequately, he needs information. That's why we've got Mind Probe and Mind Reading. The other spells are meant to generally confuse and daze his opponents, like Fearful Mien, Confusion, etc. He's also got some other status effects, like Cursed Defense, Sleep, Banshee Scream. Finally, he's got some straight out destroyer cards. Shadow hates (REALLY HATES) Undead. If you follow "Shadows of the Mind", then you know why. Therefore, Destroy Undead is present. Mind Lash is a solid finisher, as is Soul Blast and Soul Rend.

So there you have it, Shadow the Lost Child of Ai. A soild build, meant for causing confusion on the battlefield and then closing in for the kill. Next week, we'll talk about how to build a fun Klik. As for the mystery character for the third article, I'm interested to know what you think I'm going to use as my Race card for it? Private message on the Untold forums or email me. Also, if you are feeling generous, I'd like to know how I'm doing so far. Is there something you would like me to discuss in this blog? Let me know.

Thanks for reading.

The Characteristics of Character

My original intent for this entry was to go through each of the various Untold cards and explain how they work. However, I decided against doing this for two reasons. First, The website explains what the different cards are and how they work well enough. You can find all of this information here in the Untold Primer: http://untoldthegame.com/primer. Second, I do the same explanation at every Boost event and Con we go to, and it gets really old really fast. I mean, we were so popular at our first three cons, that we had to do extra demo's. And I did the same routine at the beginning of each demo. And with repeating the same thing over and over again, I began to have dreams about it. Anyways, you get the drift. I'll spare you the speech. So, this entry is going to be about how easy it is to customize your character to your own preferences in Untold.



In the past few years, the number of RPG's available has exploded. There are RPG's for just about every genre, setting, or world. However, few RPG's have the flexibility in character design that Untold has. Untold has a pretty general rule of thumb when it comes to character customization: Tell the story about why your character can do what they do. Why does your Klik use a L'na Fireball spell? How does your Highbred use a Klik Enigma Engine? Tell the story about why they can. It is as simple as that. There are no schools or fields your character must refer to in order to gain a new spell or ability.



Now this may sound like it allows the player to pretty much toss out the few rules Untold has and say "I can do whatever I want!" Well...it doesn't quite work like that. People are surprised that while they may have the ability to play any card they like, they need to keep in mind how much UP (Untold Points) they have at their disposal. Also, they will need to keep in mind what powers may be required for other abilities. For example, you may see the card "Mind Control" and decide you want that card. You've even got room in your Swap Buffer for it. However, you also need the "Investiture of Maoru" to use "Mind Control", so that will need to taken into consideration since you will need to spend UP on both. But don't let this discourage you! You can still use both cards, but if you're anything besides a L'na Twilight, you might need to give the GM a story as to why you can do this.



Not surprisingly, players are alarmed just as much as they are surprised at this feature of the game. Many players are somewhat off set when this aspect of Untold is presented to them. Many players aren't used to having so much say when it comes to the story telling aspect of this RPG. Despite what we tell people who first try out this game, we still get the question "Can I do this?" This is one of my favorite aspects of Untold. I've told countless people who demo this game that can they use their power the way they are wanting to IF they can tell me the story. At first, some people have difficulty with this. But after a few encounters and a little bit of play, they soon learn and are telling me stories I couldn't even have imagined.



So here we are. Untold shocks a lot of people when they first encounter it, but usually in a good way. Some people look at the flexibility of Untold and find it to chaotic and disorderly. But many see it for what it truly is, an outlet to give the player more room to develop their storytelling techniques and to develop their own unique character. Many people find this unbelievably refreshing.



Alright, so in my next entry, I'm going to tackle a little more of the nuts and bolts of character building.

First Impressions

First impressions are everything. Admit it, you usually make a decision about someone or something before you really even know what it is. It's human nature. So, let's get the first impressions over with. This is my blog, which is about a brand new role playing game (RPG) called Untold. Untold is a card based role playing game (referred to as a CBRPG) which was released by Wandering Men Studios this year (we'll call them WMS for short). I know, it's a lot to keep up with. But don't worry, you'll get used to it. I'm Ben, a certified Untold Game Master (GM), which isn't as glorious as it sounds. I'm going to be discussing the various aspects of Untold as we go a long, talking about everything from game mechanics, to story development, to the Untold community. I guess I'm kind of serving as an unofficial Untold chronicler, providing a record of what Untold was like in it's fledgling years. Anyways, so without further ado, let's jump right in to this.

I've already said that Untold is a CBRPG, but even the most experienced RPGers might scratch their heads at this title. Yes, the entire Untold system, from rules to abilities, are on cards. It's a pretty unique approach. It's card based for two primary reasons. The first is Mobility. RPGs are notorious for the amount of books required to play a game. Bits of information are gathered from countless books in order to build characters or adventures. Even with the advent of the internet and other forms of info-sharing technology, the players still can't get away from the books. And the books are pretty pricy; and gamers, like other addicts, are usually pretty poor. The other main reason for basing an RPG on cards is the ability to quickly construct a character, even an epic level one. It takes a matter of minutes for a player to build themselves a character in Untold. There is no more digging through dozens of books to find the right spells or abilites. Simply look through a stack of cards.

Well, you may be thinking that is all well and good, but why should I pick up this RPG? Well, first off, it's pretty affordable. In a rough economy that has been hard on gamers, Untold offers a very affordable product. A Starter Set, which has enough cards for 6 players and a GM is around $30.00, which is equal to or cheaper than most RPG books. However, you can buy a single character deck for $4.95. Take it out the box and play. Another great aspect of Untold, and one to which I can personally attest to, is the ability to have your character or idea turned into a card. I have the prestigious honor of being one of the first players who had their character idea turned into a character card. But we'll go into more about that later on.

So, there's the first impression. Untold is taking a lot of the old traditions and habits and tossing them out the window. Untold is trying to take a new approach to building an RPG game. One that is player centered, affordable, fast and fun. If you hang around for the next installation, you'll hear more about how the game is actually played. Until then, thanks for reading and have fun!