N18 Skill rework

[JawRippa]

A lot of skills are basically a stat advance with condition (Ex: Berserker charge: gain an additional attack on charge. So +1A advance is strictly better.), while others just lazily copy weapon traits (Backstab, Disarm, Parry). Few skills are just no-brainers (Overseer, Nerves of Steel, Fast Shot, Overwatch...), and they are so good that they completely dominate their skill tables when it comes to selecting a skill. I wanted to try to change that.

In my opinion, an interesting skill should not

• ... be a stat advance in disguise, especially if it is worse than a stat advance
• ... do what an existing equipment item already does
• ... be a straight downgrade of any other skill

But rather

• ... offer a unique, if situational tool to allow different approach to tactical problems
• ... have a powerful in-game effect, but with a hard condition

Maybe you had an idea for a skill rework, or an idea of your own unique skill, or maybe you just feel like throwing ideas at the wall and seeing what sticks. In any case, feel free to share your ideas.

As a starter, I wanted to share my attempt at reworking Enforcer skill table, to make each option unique and useful in it's own regard.

Spoiler: Palatine Drill Skills

1. Read their sentence: fighter gains following action:
   
   Vox threat(Basic): target visible enemy fighter within 12". He has to pass a Cool test with a penalty of -1 for every enforcer model within 6" or be able to do only one action during their turn.
   
   
2. Restraint protocols: Rather than perform a Coup de Grace you may select one of the following actions and perform it for free:
   
   - Enforcer brutality (Simple) - remove selected injured fighter from the battlefield: he counts as OOA. All enemy models within 9" have to pass Nerve test; enemy models within 3" have to pass Nerve test with -2 penalty.
   - Restrain (Simple) - Shackle and subdue an enemy fighter. He is removed from the battlefield, but does not count as OOA. At the end of the game, when rolling to see if you've captured an enemy fighter add +2 to the roll for each different restrained enemy fighter. When randomising to see who got captured, prioritise rolling amongst restrained enemy fighters. (edited for the roll to give +2 instead of +1)
   
   
3. Non-verbal communication: Once per turn, whenever enemy targets another non-engaged friendly fighter within 6" with a non-blast, non-template ranged attack, make a Leadership test with this fighter. On success, targetted friendly fighter is pinned: if he is behind cover relative to shooter, attack automatically misses but firepower dice is still rolled.
   
   
4. Team Work: Assisting and receiving assists in hand-to-hand combat gives +2 to hit instead of +1.
   
   
5. Threat Response: Whenever opponent attempts to make a group activation and this fighter has a Ready token, you may attempt to pass an Initiative test: on success, immediately activate this fighter in the usual manner. This fighter can't initiate a group activation.
   
   
6. Got your six: Whenever opponent ends a charge move within 6" of this fighter who is standing and active and with ready token, immediately spend a ready token, and perform a Charge(double) action towards that opponent with this fighter, followed by Fight(Basic) if you've made it into basic contact with an enemy. This can interrupt enemy activation.

 

[TopsyKretts]

This is very good initiative. I'll share my skills later.

 

[Thorgor]

I like your approach! (though I'd point out that conditional +stat skills are not strictly worse than regular +stat advancements, as they can stack with a maxed out stat — but they sure are boring)

One thing about the proposed Restrain action though: I think it should give at least a +2 bonus to the capture roll (since the enemy fighter is not actually taken out of action, you miss on the usual +1 to the capture roll, so a +1 bonus merely compensates for that)

 

[Trafalgar Law]

Don't agree that they shouldn't duplicate weapon effects. Being able to parry with a axe or disarm with a sword is potentially useful at least.

Otherwise I largely agree.

 

[el_guestos]

Some of the changes we're currently playtesting:

MARKSMAN
Ignore Target Priority. On any aimed ranged attack the weapon does 1 more damage than normal. Cannot be used with rapid fire, scattershot, template or Blast weapons.

PRECISION SHOT
On any aimed ranged attack the weapon gains an additional -1 save modifier. Cannot be used with rapid fire, scattershot, template or Blast weapons.

BALLISTIC EXPERT
Add +1 to any ammo tests the fighter has to make.

MIGHTY LEAP
May retake a failed test for leaping. When the model makes a TAKE COVER action they may move their full movement and then go prone.

CATFALL
Always counts as Jumping down even when falling. Suffers no modifiers to I when Jumping Down. If falls down pitfall and lands successfully they may climb out next activation.

CLAMBER
When climbing vertical distances, the move is not halved. Crawl Through (Double) action for ductways is a Simple action.

 

[JawRippa]

MIGHTY LEAP
May retake a failed test for leaping. When the model makes a TAKE COVER action they may move their full movement and then go prone.

I'm definitely stealing digging this one. Allows to do some sneaky stuff, and the skill actually gives a unique tactical tool. I'd reword "may retake" to "may reroll" though. It is extremely broken alongside Leap Up - but to be honest, I'd rather change Leap Up to make it less of an auto-take.

Here is my take on some Ferocity skills to make them less lame and give them more reckless, violent flavor:

BERSERKER (FEROCITY)
Gain +1A for every Flesh Wound a fighter has. Whenever a fighter makes a Coup De Grace, you may remove one Flesh Wound from him.

FEARSOME (FEROCITY)
Enemy fighter has to pass a Cool test whenever attempting to charge this fighter - immediately ending activation if it fails. Change FEARSOME to TERRIFYING if fighter has made at least one Coup De Grace action during this mission.

TERRIFYING
Enemy fighter has to pass a Cool test whenever attempting to charge this fighter - immediately ending activation if it fails. In addition, whenenver an enemy activates within 6" of this fighter he has to pass a Cool test, or be able to do only one action during this turn.

 

[TopsyKretts]

Only problem I found was with modifying the Shooting skills. Don't want to make them more powerful!

 

[el_guestos]

Only problem I found was with modifying the Shooting skills. Don't want to make them more powerful!

Yeah I did think that but was swayed by the image of Brody snarling ‘Smile you son of a *****’

Im also more than a bit taken with snipers and this makes these skills useful for a non overwatch long rifle sniper, whereas when you do the math on the original skills and they might get used once every 2 games or so, and may or may not actually have an effect even when they do work...that’s pretty bad

 

[Al_Weeks]

Loving this.

I'd change the Headbutt skill so you could use it instead of normal fight action (thus usable as part of a charge)

 

[JawRippa]

Loving this.

I'd change the Headbutt skill so you could use it instead of normal fight action (thus usable as part of a charge)

I’d say that this is the least thing that you can do to make it viable. Rain of blows is clearly superior to headbutt in my opinion.

I think that Headbutt could be a cool melee defensive mechanism.
Something like:

HEADBUTT
Whenever this fighter is targetted by melee attacks but before they are resolved, interrupt enemy activation and pass an Initiative test. On success do an immediate single attack with Knockback trait which deals no damage.

So when you are targetted by melee attacks, you may push enemy away from yourself and not follow, resulting in enemy not hitting you, as long as they don’t have versatile. Headbutt those pesky toxin knife Juves away!

 

[MrAndersson]

I think Trick shot is a bit too powerful. One possible solution is to have it work only on shots under X". Shooting from the hip, I'd say X should be somewhere between 12 and 18, but that's something that would need to be tested.

Infra sight could possibly be changed as well, since it's a similar effect.

 

[JawRippa]

I think Trick shot is a bit too powerful. One possible solution is to have it work only on shots under X". Shooting from the hip, I'd say X should be somewhere between 12 and 18, but that's something that would need to be tested.

Infra sight could possibly be changed as well, since it's a similar effect.

Compared to Fast shot or Hip shooting from shooting skills, Trickshot is rather tame. Still bonkers though.

 

[Al_Weeks]

I’d say that this is the least thing that you can do to make it viable. Rain of blows is clearly superior to headbutt in my opinion.

I think that Headbutt could be a cool melee defensive mechanism.
Something like:

HEADBUTT
Whenever this fighter is targetted by melee attacks but before they are resolved, interrupt enemy activation and pass an Initiative test. On success do an immediate single attack with Knockback trait which deals no damage.

So when you are targetted by melee attacks, you may push enemy away from yourself and not follow, resulting in enemy not hitting you, as long as they don’t have versatile. Headbutt those pesky toxin knife Juves away!

That's not a bad idea, especially as brawn skills are liked to gangs that have average initiative and makes an initiative upgrade desirable on those fighter.

I however I have find the few times I've used headbutt with goliath champs that the strength 6 2 damage hit is pretty nice and against most standard enemy's the method you use to hit with it makes it pretty accurate.

 

[Jacob Dryearth]

Loving this.

I'd change the Headbutt skill so you could use it instead of normal fight action (thus usable as part of a charge)

I made Headbutt and Hurl usable on a charge. After 3 campaigns I've yet to see the actions even attempted.

 

[Kiro The Avenger]

For Agility, I like the idea of making clamber also ignore the 2" penalty for jumping over obstacles, and giving catcall some protection from pitfalls.
Perhaps roll a dice, on a 4+ they catch themselves and are places in reinforcements to arrive in the end phase of the next turn.
It stops these skills being totally useless.

They still don't really stack up to Spring Up - but ignoring pinning is just amazing. Nerves of Steel is the same.

 

[JawRippa]

For Agility, I like the idea of making clamber also ignore the 2" penalty for jumping over obstacles, and giving catcall some protection from pitfalls.
Perhaps roll a dice, on a 4+ they catch themselves and are places in reinforcements to arrive in the end phase of the next turn.
It stops these skills being totally useless.

They still don't really stack up to Spring Up - but ignoring pinning is just amazing. Nerves of Steel is the same.

I think that it is Spring up and Nerves of steel that need a change. Something like a condition to ignore pinning, since it is a very powerful effect.

Clamber change is cute I think it'd push it into "average" skill on usual boards and "very good" on boards with very tall terrain. Catfall is still bad.
Problem with Clamber and Catfall is that they are oriented towards very specific thing, multi-level board. Sometimes you end up with buildings lower than 5" all around the board (we have a lot of 1-2 floor terrain) and catfall results in not seeing much use. Honestly, I'd just scrap the skill completely and think of something else.

 

[Cpt. Boriel]

I think that it is Spring up and Nerves of steel that need a change. Something like a condition to ignore pinning, since it is a very powerful effect.

Clamber change is cute I think it'd push it into "average" skill on usual boards and "very good" on boards with very tall terrain. Catfall is still bad.
Problem with Clamber and Catfall is that they are oriented towards very specific thing, multi-level board. Sometimes you end up with buildings lower than 5" all around the board (we have a lot of 1-2 floor terrain) and catfall results in not seeing much use. Honestly, I'd just scrap the skill completely and think of something else.

You need more verticality. Catfall is great as part of a charge off the top of a building

 

[JawRippa]

You need more verticality. Catfall is great as part of a charge off the top of a building

I agree but not all people have access to terrain with good height. In my nearest club we have a lot of cool looking shanty buildings that look like post-apocalyptic settlement, and while they provide good LOS block overall, they are not very tall. I'd rather have a skill that isn't useless on "flat" terrain (unless you've agreed upon having infinite pits on your board to jump over), but rather offer something both for tall terrain and flat terrain.

Like in the enforcer's redone skill list I've made restraint protocols have function both for skirmish game (enforcer brutality) and for campaign (restraint), so the skill isn't useless no matter how you play.

 

[JawRippa]

Suggestion for an infamous Overseer to make it less bonkers, but still useful:

OVERSEER (LEADERSHIP)
Whenever doing a group activation as fighter with this skill, but before participants are chosen, this fighter may attempt to pass a Leadership test - on success he may immideately do following action:
- Overseer(basic) : target visible friendly fighter within 9". Target may immediately become a part of group activation as if he was within 3" and counts towards maximum ammount of fighters who can be a part of group activation.

 

[el_guestos]

Suggestion for an infamous Overseer to make it less bonkers, but still useful:

OVERSEER (LEADERSHIP)
Whenever doing a group activation as fighter with this skill, but before participants are chosen, this fighter may attempt to pass a Leadership test - on success he may immideately do following action:
- Overseer(basic) : target visible friendly fighter within 9". Target may immediately become a part of group activation as if he was within 3" and counts towards maximum ammount of fighters who can be a part of group activation.

I like it, I honestly think the only problem with Overseer is that it can be combined with a group activation, giving one fighter 2 rounds with no response possible, I think if you said it couldn't be combined with group activations it would be a useful but not the super OP monster it is at the moment.