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3 years ago ::
Dec 11, 2010 - 6:17AM
#1
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Date Joined:
Aug 18, 2007
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Just wondering what people thought of the first Gamma World expansion. Personally I liked all the new origins and the Dah-Ko-Tah gamma terra description. The new monsters were nice...lol we got more minions. The hidden addition of skill challenges and the adventure looks fun. But was a little disappointed that there were no Vehicle rules...have to stick with the house rules. I also was not really thrilled with the alliances, I guess they add a consistent set of factions to deal with....
What are your thoughts?
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3 years ago ::
Dec 11, 2010 - 6:57AM
#2
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First off: The box mentioning on the opening that mutant chickens were inside was a nice touch and got an honest laugh out of me. The new origins are all pretty spiffy and offer a lot of new potential character options (and only a few look really bad or good). The monster section was overall pleasing, with a hodge-podge selection of classic GW critters (including most of the classic mounts), repurposed D&D monsters, and some fun new entries like the Visitors and Neep Neeps (though I wish they could have used the Brubba space for something more interesting). The setting info looks detailed enough to work with in a creative pinch, and the adventure is relative big (though I haven't looked that section to much so far). The Cryptic Alliance information was solid enough. Other then some of the minor alliances they are all just the classic ones from previous editions so its all familiar to me. I didn't really see the need for cards though: They could have just included the power in the book instead of the sample alliance member, and had a random table to roll. Then they could have justified powers for the "Dangerous" alliances in there to be used by enemies or in villainous campaigns. Information on joining the groups in play rather then just drawing a card would have also been nice: Most of these alliances (even the "Nice" ones) are supposed to be dangerous hardcore societies that wouldn't let some rank nobody in as they started their adventures... The big problem area in my opinion is organization: The skill challenge rules should have been in a rules section, not adventure notes. 15+ new monster stat blocks (including some good ones for use in home brewed adventures) are spread through the adventure (along with filler reprints of some critters from the core book). They have an additional Starting Gear tabke after the new Junk table, but don't mention it can actually be used (sure its obvious enough, but still). The lack of vehicle rules is annoying, but I find the lack of riding rules far worse, considering they included 4-5 mounts (counting Thornies) in the monster list. Several of the mounts have rider triggered abilities, but clarity on what natural attacks they can use when ridden, how much of the rider's attention must be spent on control, etc would be nice. Without busting out the non-GW D&D books of course. Speaking of which, this was a missed chance to put in some brief rules on common moves like Charge that should be available but you have to reference other books for: A few pages gained by skipping the minor alliances and a monster or so could have probably provided enough space for the added rules pages. And what is with the recycled art on page 30?  If desperate there are decades worth of classic GW art they can dredge up for filler...
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3 years ago ::
Dec 11, 2010 - 8:44AM
#3
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Date Joined:
Aug 23, 2010
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Is the new Famine-in-Fargo adventure similar to the original? Or is it different enough to make it interesting. I've been playing GW for a long time & my players have already gone through the original Famine-in-Fargo. Is the new adventure different enough or could it be modified sufficiently to run again for players who have already gone through the original scenario?
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3 years ago ::
Dec 11, 2010 - 8:58AM
#4
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@Santakas it is mostly similar with enough differences that you could definitely spin it a different direction.
Lots and lots new monsters.
The new Far-go module has twice as many encounters as the Iron King module from the base set.
Detailed descriptions of major/minor cryptic alliances are mostly for the DM so that the players can be introduced to them little by little through creative adding them into the story and the new CA cards. The fluff on them is great; the cards' actual use is a little ambiguous so explaining how the party members 'get hired' by the cryptic alliances is something the dm has to work into the story; potential to be good.
New origins are good, additional junk tables are welcome.
Gallus gallus have two eyes, but still have vision difficulties at range...
Achievements:
06/28/10 - MODERAT0WND!!11
06/30/10 - A Friendly Nod
07/04/10 - Troll Infiltrators
11/16/10 - RIP CB (What you are paying for should work; is it?)
12/20/10 - "No Way! That's Great...*chuckle*...WE'VE RERELEASED GAMMA WORLD!"
Scapegoat of the Month for November: Pirates
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3 years ago ::
Dec 11, 2010 - 10:48AM
#5
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Date Joined:
Oct 13, 2010
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 First off, let me say that I am a degenerate completionist, so if the set had contained nothing more than 4 Far-Go encounters printed on napkins, I would've bought it. That said, I guess I expected more. I'll cover the individual elements below, but specifically, I think that even a couple of Alpha or Omega cards would've been called for in a game expansion for a game whose distinguishing innovation is the collectible card 'innovation.' COMPONENTS: MAPS (2 Double Sided)
- Actually 5 maps here and I'm glad to have them. 3 are full side 21x15 maps and one side is split 10x15 maps. 3 outdoor locations and 2 interiors. They are generic enough to use for home-brewed adventures.
You may be asking yourself, "how can the conduct 16 encounters on 5 maps?" The Answer: by recycling the maps from the core set in many of the encounters at Far-Go. So you will be using the core maps for the encounters in that set, for Far-Go, and for home-brew adventures. Frankly I would like more maps.
CRYPTIC ALLIANCE CARDS (10)
- These are for use with the new (and discardible) Cryptic Alliance rules. I continue to be unimpressed with the lack of effort put into the cards in this game. The card backs are the same as the Alpha/Omega cards which will lead to mix-ups and I don't think it's too much to ask to have the CA icons printed on the cards. More on the rules below.
POGS (a bunch)
- I don't use them. I have spent a fair amount of time tracking down and moding figures to use as proxies. I understand that lacking figure support, they needed to provide something for players to use as board markers, but using these checkers is not for me.
EMPTY SPACE AND CARDBOARD SPACERS
- The other half of the box is taken up with cardboard spacers and empty space, presumably as insulation from the HOT-HOT contents inside.
RULEBOOK (158 Pages)
- Blessedly, the same size as the original RULEBOOK, but same seemingly cheap binding (although I've put the first one through it's paces and it's held up so far.)
CHARACTER OPTIONS EXPANDED ORIGINS
- 20 new origins. I still haven't used the first 20. I think it's a matter of personal taste whether you'll like these or not. My opinion is that some of them take the game from spoofy to goofy.
NEW GEAR
- 50 new entries of Ancient Junk. .
- Starting Gear. 19 items with descriptions. Pretty cool.
CRYPTIC ALLIANCES
- 20 pages for a system that I predict 90% of players will not use. It takes the game closer to ParanoiaTM than many people will probably be comfortable with, but it is optional, and if you run for the kind of gaming group that will dig this, then it might give Gamma World a whole new level of play. I will be interested in hearing how it goes from those that do use it.
MONSTERS
- Excepting the module, this is probably the meat of the expansion. 39 new monsters (not including the module variants,) with full color illustrations (with the curious exception of the Brubba's.) I'm glad to have them, but now I have to start a whole new search for figures and another 50 hours or so to mod them.
I agree with earlier posters that it is inexcusable to include mounts but no rules on how to use them. Also, it feels like the section on Zombies could've been 'fleshed out' a bit more. One (2?) of the new zombies has no explanation at all. Fond memories of the Froghemoth. FAR-GO
- This section is background on the setting for the module. Fairly complete information and good reading.
FAMINE IN FAR-GO
- 16 encounters which I will not review until I've absorbed it all, but the initial skim-through has me encouraged.
That concludes my initial thoughts on the expansion. In summary, I think that GM's will want this expansion, but I see no reason for most players to buy and in fact, their access to the module makes this set one that most GM's will dissuade their players from buying. Perhaps it is advisable for WotC to keep adventures separate from new rules and components for this reason.
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3 years ago ::
Dec 11, 2010 - 1:42PM
#6
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Since all of the origin 1st power are at-wills, I am houseruling that all 1st powers of origins are at-wills.
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3 years ago ::
Dec 11, 2010 - 10:05PM
#7
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Date Joined:
Jun 16, 2008
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Since all of the origin 1st power are at-wills, I am houseruling that all 1st powers of origins are at-wills.
Agreed. I am also house-ruling that all the expert and utility powers are encounter powers. The lone daily power which is weak compared to others in the same book seemd rather stupid to me.
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3 years ago ::
Dec 11, 2010 - 11:12PM
#8
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Date Joined:
Sep 19, 2007
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Since all of the origin 1st power are at-wills, I am houseruling that all 1st powers of origins are at-wills.
Agreed. I am also house-ruling that all the expert and utility powers are encounter powers. The lone daily power which is weak compared to others in the same book seemd rather stupid to me.
+1
At-Will for damage, Teleport 4 AND Daze, or At-Will Area Burst 1 within 10 for damage + Immobilize are not less powerful than Encounter Close Burst 2 for damage and Push.
The Novice powers should all be At-Will, and the other powers should all be Encounter.
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3 years ago ::
Dec 12, 2010 - 2:01AM
#9
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I am houseruling that all 1st powers of origins are at-wills.
Out of curiousity (since I'm leaning towards the all at-will thing to), are you declaring the Yeti novice a standard action rather then minor as well or just allowing them to double tap attacks?
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3 years ago ::
Dec 12, 2010 - 7:35AM
#10
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I am houseruling that all 1st powers of origins are at-wills.
Out of curiousity (since I'm leaning towards the all at-will thing to), are you declaring the Yeti novice a standard action rather then minor as well or just allowing them to double tap attacks?
Good call. Yeah, the Yeti's would be an at-will standard action.
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