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!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
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!
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!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
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!
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!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
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!
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!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
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!
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!
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