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!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
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!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
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!
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!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
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!
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!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
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!
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!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
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?
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?
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