The latest Under a Hostile Sun playtest was a success! I was able to teach my players the new alchemy system and they enjoyed its versatility and ease of use (whilst still keeping the system on guardrails).
We also confirmed that the new movement norms (higher move rates for each archetype, use of squares instead of hexes) works well.
The players continued to enjoy the use of an Opportunity Die instead of a fixed amount of Opportunity, but recommended I make the track more challenging.
They also recommended I include a system for Pets getting damaged, which the rulebook now has in the Optional Rules / Subsystems chapter.
Each rewrite is becoming more and more targeted at specific details, with more and more of the system staying constant. While I don’t rule out making tweaks to the system after the 4th playtest or in the future, I think the rulebook is 99% done.
Be sure to check out the Under a Hostile Sun Core Rulebook and let me know any feedback YOU have! I value any and all feedback. The Creative Commons SRD has been updated to reflect the newest rules – so feel free to use that to grow or expand the system for your own needs and share your innovations!
Under a Hostile Sun – Learn More!
Project Black Flag
“Spending Luck Points A PC with Luck points can spend them as a 1-for-1 bonus to any d20 roll they make. For example, if you have 4 Luck points and roll a 13 on the die, you could choose to spend 2 Luck points (reducing your total Luck points to 2) and make your roll result a 15.
Project Black Flag Playtest Packet II
You can choose to spend your Luck points in this way after you make a roll, but before the GM declares whether the roll succeeded or failed. Luck points can’t be spent in this way to offset the effects of rolling a natural 1 and they can’t be used to create the effects of a natural 20.
Alternatively, immediately after you make an attack roll, ability check or save, you can spend 3 Luck points to reroll a d20 used for that roll.”
Kobold Press has released their new Playtest Packet. This one gives us more to explore. We have classes for Wizard and Fighter and a new replacement for inspiration. These luck points are automatically generated by misses in combat and given as a reward for good roleplaying. Players can spend them on rerolls or for changing the result of a roll on a 1 to 1 basis.
I think the flexibility in how they are used and the auto generation will help them stay more top of mind for players. (Whereas inspiration is often forgotten)
In a couple weeks I will be playtesting the new classes, magic and luck system with a Golden Vault adventure. Will let you know how well it works.
The Martian Muckraker 