I would like some feedback on this new version of the metarules. Thanks in advance!
Mike
This is a great start. I'm a little wary of these sweeping statements since they can create new issues as well as solve old ones! However, here are my thoughts on what's written in detail:
You can play an armor card even if there isn’t one in your deck list.
I'd rewrite this Armor card sentence to read: "If you pick up an armor card during a scenario you can use it even if there isn’t one in your starting deck list."
Without this start it is unclear what it refers to and the first time I read it I thought it was talking about using an armor card that wasn't in your deck.
Cards Don’t Do What They Don’t Say.
This section is ok, but I fear it has the most potential to tie people in knots. It's true that "Cards do what they say and cards don't do what they don't say" but it's important to understand the rules fully first. You can't just dive into the game and hope that the cards have all the info you need. E.g. Defeating a summoned henchmen does not give you a chance to close your location.
No One Else Can Take Your Turn for You.
I would add one more example: "If Amiri encounters a treasure chest, Lini cannot use Thieves Tools to defeat it."
Cards Don’t Have Memories.
I completely understand where you're coming from with this, but I've seen people confused by it. Maybe there's just no helping some people? ;)
Some possible sources of confusion here:
- the reveal example is correct but the distinction between 'before the encounter' and 'during the encounter' is really subtle and may be lost on a new player.
- the explore again example is a little odd. Are you trying to say that a player is allowed to play 3 blessings at the same time to 'explore again' even though they only get one extra exploration as a result? Or that, after an exploration finishes you can then play a card to explore again even if you already explored again earlier in your turn?
- the displayed example is hard to understand at the moment since there are no displayed cards (except the FAQ'd versions of some spells). It also kind-of clashes with the reveal example (you reveal it and the effect kicks in and persists, whereas displayed cards end as soon as they stop being displayed) and these differences are not covered in the rules or FAQ other than in this reference.
- For editing purposes you might want to remove the first "Your" so the first sentence becomes "Cards forget they’ve been played after they’ve done whatever they do." It applies to banes and non-player cards.
Finish One Thing Before You Start Something Else.
Looks fine. A hyperlink to the turn sequence docs might be useful too ;)
A Ghost deals Combat damage when it damages you, even if you failed a Divine check to defeat it.
I don't think this particular example follows from either the originally written rules or the cards. There are separate "combat" and "divine" checks to defeat the Ghost so a new player would not know that failing the divine check causes combat damage until they get to the revised check sequence later in the FAQ.
Be a little wary that some examples, like this one, might put off a new player since they're just trying their best to figure things out. If the examples are too brusque or obtuse then it may cause confusion or offence.
Skills and Dice Are Not the Same Thing.
Except when they are ;) E.g. when you say "after you determine the skill for a check" but Vic is adamant this action should be called "determine the die you're using" and the printed rulebook uses both variations.
I've already put forward my case to rename this, so won't repeat it here (but I still think it would help and see no reason at all for that action's name/title to mention a die).
Accept the Consequences of Your Choices.
This all looks fine. You might also want to add one which is "do things in order". I know it's a pet project of mine, but it might be worth re-iterating that there's a sequence to follow (as printed on the back of the manual, then updated in the FAQ). If players follow this sequence they will avoid many common errors, such as trying to move after exploring or playing cards to affect a check after making the roll.
As ever, I hope that helps!
Chief Technical Officer
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It's true that "Cards do what they say and cards don't do what they don't say" but it's important to understand the rules fully first. You can't just dive into the game and hope that the cards have all the info you need. E.g. Defeating a summoned henchmen does not give you a chance to close your location.
In the revised rulebook, this section will appear at the very end.
These meta-rules, combined with the new example of play, nicely address the feedback I'd given on the rules presentation.
So, for me at least, they work very well.