N18 House Sub-plots with Outlaw Gangs

[Bearbottle]

Hello, Hive citizens,

I come with a question that is troubling me, and it's about House Sub-plots. Let's say I want to run a Dominion Campaign, but want to include the Black Market and Criminal Alliances that came in the Book of Judgment as well as Guild Alliances from the Book of Peril and I want to give the players the chance to become outlaw, using then, without penalty the Black Market and if they want, to form an alliance with Criminal Organizations. At first I wanted to use House Sub-plots, that is somewhat standard from what I have read on the Rulebook, but that doesn't make sense for an outlaw gang and I don't think applying Intrigues to only one gang and Sub-plots only the other in a match makes sense either. Do you have suggestions to this strange problem?

Thanks in advance.

 

[JayTee]

Intrigues entirely replace Sub-Plots according to the BoJ so that's a pretty easy fix. It does say you can combine Sub-Plots and Intrigues, but as you've noted I think it'll result in some wacky effects. You could if you want only give out the Outlaw Intrigues to Outlaws and the Sub-Plots to non-Outlaws, but I think that detracts from the risk-reward mechanic that having 'opposing' Intrigues provides.

 

[Bearbottle]

Intrigues entirely replace Sub-Plots according to the BoJ so that's a pretty easy fix. It does say you can combine Sub-Plots and Intrigues, but as you've noted I think it'll result in some wacky effects. You could if you want only give out the Outlaw Intrigues to Outlaws and the Sub-Plots to non-Outlaws, but I think that detracts from the risk-reward mechanic that having 'opposing' Intrigues provides.

Thanks for the reply, they do get replaced, but only in a Law and Misrule campaign, that's why I'm not sure I should allow those and restrict Sub-plots.

 

[Baffo]

Locally we normally use Intrigues for everyone (the normal 3 random intrigues per player; each player with a separate Intrigue deck), while House sub-plots are 'limited as House patronage options' (you can 0-2 randomly draw 1 per 100 'underdog points or 0-1 Choose a Subplot for 200 points - they are available to both Law abiding and Outlawed gangs, but not if they are in an Alliance, as per normal alliance drawbacks).
This way everyone has equal access to Intrigues with their risk reward mechanic and underdogs can choose to take Sub plots in addition if they want (some are pretty good, but most subplots are nearly un-achievable or the reward is almost useless, like random Tactic cards late game).