Post originally by Dan Davenport at 2004-09-17 06:57:12
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Thanks for the review!
One thing, though: aside from the Perversity Points, I really didn't get any sort of idea what the system is like. Yes, I know it's "classified," but GMs may want to know before buying the game nonetheless.
Post originally by Elliot at 2004-09-17 08:38:45
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I liked it alot overall but a few things bugged me about XP.
Lack of generic NPCs, its nice to have some statted up goons, or traitors for the players to fight. Its also useful when figuring out what "elite" is and what "incompetant". Does your average intsec goon have a laser skill of 10, 15? Do the elite vulture troopers have them at 20 or higher, how good is that?
For all the vaporized shoes, the standard weapons (like lasers and firearms) seemed pretty underpowered. Especially if the foe has non bad armor (like intsec goons). I know those goons aren't suppost to go down easy, but I'm also not sure that these computer stormtroopers should be taking 4 or 5 shots to go down on really good rolls.
Say the intsec goon's armor is a combat suit, a rating of 5, your troubleshooter's laser skill is 16 and your gun is a laser pistol. To even wound the insec goon you would need to roll a 1 on a d20.
One of the things that I really liked about some of the old paranoia books (and this one two) is all the great gunfight pictures. Not just a guy with a gun, or a guy with a gun shooting at somebody. No, a team of half a dozen people jumping and running around with lasers and bullets flying all over the place. Those pictures just scream (do a big gunfight in your next game!) But when it takes 4 or 5 (or 8 or 9) shots to take down an intsec goon, this becomes harder to do
Note that I'm sure someone's gonna chime in with "The GM is always in control, especially in paranoia, whatever you think makes sense, happens." Their right but consider this...
I am however a relative newbie to paranoia. Are insec goons and vulture troopers supposted to be really really hard to kill, I don't know? Unlike say the star wars setting, I really don't know how its suppost to work. In star wars, the storm troopers go down after a hit, do vulture troopers, how do I know?
Post originally by Alphonse at 2004-09-17 09:34:39
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Nice review!
Since I already own (and love) the WEG edition (3rd ed., I think), I'm wondering if there are any reasons to upgrade to XP. The only 'new stuff' mentioned in the review are the ability to buy new clones and Perversity Points, and that hardly merits a 40$ purchase. Can anyone elaborate on the changes between editions?
Post originally by D.J. Babb at 2004-09-17 09:38:01
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It's all based off of a d20 roll against an ability (say Violence if it's a physical act, or Management for a social act). Characters have specialties and penalties within their abilites, based on who they work for and what not. You roll the ability in question or less, and the difference between what you roll and the ability is your margin of victory/defeat. 1's are always good, 20's are always bad. It's simple and fast, and recommended that the GM ignore dice rolls anyway and just "kill the bastards" (in the old 2ed anyway). Besides normal situational modifiers (dark room, intoxication, etc.), Perversity points allow players and GM to aid/penalize rolls, by spending points and then justifying how they take effect. "Before he shoots me I spend 5 points (the max) to hinder his shot. See, he didn't realize it, but a scrubbot decided to approach behind him and use him as a rubbish storage site." So, not only is the attacker penalized, but there's now a highly confused robot in the scene as well.
Post originally by D.J. Babb at 2004-09-17 09:42:53
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> In star wars, the storm troopers go down > after a hit, do vulture troopers, how do > I know?
Let me put it like this. If Paranoia were like star wars, you'd wish your characters were half as tough as Star Wars stormtroopers. Ultimately it's not that the goons are so awesome, as much as your character is so pathetic.
Insec and Vultures have the best equipment and sometimes even the best training. At least compared to your troubleshooter, who was likely cleaning food vats as a career until... 26 minutes ago. 2ed Paranoia had skills like Chutzpah and Moxie for a reason, and those are what you'd use against the goons. XP has Management, but it lacks the same feel.
Post originally by D.J. Babb at 2004-09-17 09:45:37
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They add in Service Services and a "capitalist communist" society. Basically, you have creds and a "day job" now. It's a good book, but if you're happy with an old version I'd stick with that. Especially with that $40 price tag....
Post originally by Allen Varney at 2004-09-17 10:02:33
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I wrote most of the new edition. My excuse for the indeix is simple: I ran out of time on an extraordinarily tight deadline. Mongoose Publishing will do a second printing of the rulebook soon, and I hope they'll let me do a better index for that.
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