You see, we have competitive play floor rules, which say that a figure can be modified, if it is still easily recognizable.
In the past, I tried to differentiate between sword and axe. In SKT, I tried to differentiate between a hammer and a mace. That's really pushing it, and now I am wondering if it was worth the experiment.
In ToA, there will be an Empyrion with hammer, and Empyrion with slightly different hammer.
They will, in the end, have the same stats. Right now I am planning on the wereboars having the same stats too, in the next set. Frankly, I'd much rather have seen OTHER creatures with variation in hand weapon than the lycanthropes.
An important point is, these are also one-off production runs. Complicating this, the produced quantity is much less than in the old days, and it can become very hard to find specific rares a few months after they are produced. Having two rares able to use the same card provides at least double the chance of getting a mini. I'd rather have one well-statted card that the design team is happy with than two similar cards that we add variation to in some artificial way just so that they can be 'different' from each other.
We have two new Frost Giants that appear different from the old ones ONLY by gender, and my plan for now is that they may be reprints. I don't like the idea of giving different gendered pieces, otherwise similarly sculpted, different cards. If the pose is more extremely different, we can consider otherwise. We'll see as we get more information.
OTOH, If you are saying there is not enough diversity in a game that has over 1500 legal miniatures, I'll probably ask for some further extension of your thesis.
That said, the 2 hill giants may be different, though the one with a spear could easily be a shaman.
The bards will definitely be different, (easy to differentiate)o tell apart.
The gnolls can be differentiated, and fighting with one or another weapon might actually make a functional difference in combat.
The Slaad can perhaps be, but the difference in the poses can be a single second before the spell begins, and there is not a huge culture of difference in gray slaad, so there is no thematic reason to put variation here.
So, expect the trend to continue. When it is appropriate, and will add to the game, we will do two cards When it adds little, we won't.
Lastly, I do have a few more cards planned. I've little time, but Sirokh has put together an idea for another EPIC set, and it may go forward in the coming weeks. So, more variation.
Its a trade off. If we have two similar creatures with very small variations, its not worth it.
Creatures that are true monsters (demons. etc. )tend to fall towards this.
Creatures with class levels are a bit different.
The last set - I really could have had two different sets of stats for the werebear.
In the end, I combined the best aspects and, IMO, created one card better than either of the original 2 designed.
EDIT: The frost giants look nothing like the prior female warriors, and will get their own stat card or cards. Perhaps as a Frost Giant Skirmisher....
Comments
27 August 2011
21 weeks 4 days
27 May 2013
4 years 11 weeks
10 December 2015
6 years 9 weeks
10 December 2015
6 years 9 weeks
7 July 2011
6 years 36 weeks
12 January 2010
3 years 33 weeks
In the current rules, it is listed at the end of the terrain section.
Max 20 from all damaging terrain types.
In future, there could be lightning terrain or poison terrain.
Imagine.
7 July 2011
6 years 36 weeks
7 July 2011
6 years 36 weeks
11 July 2011
3 years 1 week
7 July 2011
4 years 12 weeks
11 July 2011
3 years 1 week
12 January 2010
3 years 33 weeks
Are you saying, human druid is a *thorn* in the side of Ultraloth?
7 July 2011
4 years 12 weeks
10 July 2013
4 years 4 weeks
27 August 2011
21 weeks 4 days
10 July 2013
4 years 4 weeks
7 July 2011
4 years 13 weeks
10 December 2015
6 years 9 weeks
12 January 2010
3 years 33 weeks
Right, and that's how we'll do it going forward.
You see, we have competitive play floor rules, which say that a figure can be modified, if it is still easily recognizable.
In the past, I tried to differentiate between sword and axe. In SKT, I tried to differentiate between a hammer and a mace. That's really pushing it, and now I am wondering if it was worth the experiment.
In ToA, there will be an Empyrion with hammer, and Empyrion with slightly different hammer.
They will, in the end, have the same stats. Right now I am planning on the wereboars having the same stats too, in the next set. Frankly, I'd much rather have seen OTHER creatures with variation in hand weapon than the lycanthropes.
An important point is, these are also one-off production runs. Complicating this, the produced quantity is much less than in the old days, and it can become very hard to find specific rares a few months after they are produced. Having two rares able to use the same card provides at least double the chance of getting a mini. I'd rather have one well-statted card that the design team is happy with than two similar cards that we add variation to in some artificial way just so that they can be 'different' from each other.
We have two new Frost Giants that appear different from the old ones ONLY by gender, and my plan for now is that they may be reprints. I don't like the idea of giving different gendered pieces, otherwise similarly sculpted, different cards. If the pose is more extremely different, we can consider otherwise. We'll see as we get more information.
OTOH, If you are saying there is not enough diversity in a game that has over 1500 legal miniatures, I'll probably ask for some further extension of your thesis.
That said, the 2 hill giants may be different, though the one with a spear could easily be a shaman.
The bards will definitely be different, (easy to differentiate)o tell apart.
The gnolls can be differentiated, and fighting with one or another weapon might actually make a functional difference in combat.
The Slaad can perhaps be, but the difference in the poses can be a single second before the spell begins, and there is not a huge culture of difference in gray slaad, so there is no thematic reason to put variation here.
So, expect the trend to continue. When it is appropriate, and will add to the game, we will do two cards When it adds little, we won't.
Lastly, I do have a few more cards planned. I've little time, but Sirokh has put together an idea for another EPIC set, and it may go forward in the coming weeks. So, more variation.
10 December 2015
6 years 9 weeks
12 January 2010
3 years 33 weeks
Its a trade off. If we have two similar creatures with very small variations, its not worth it.
Creatures that are true monsters (demons. etc. )tend to fall towards this.
Creatures with class levels are a bit different.
The last set - I really could have had two different sets of stats for the werebear.
In the end, I combined the best aspects and, IMO, created one card better than either of the original 2 designed.
EDIT: The frost giants look nothing like the prior female warriors, and will get their own stat card or cards. Perhaps as a Frost Giant Skirmisher....
7 July 2011
1 year 49 weeks
10 July 2013
4 years 4 weeks
7 July 2011
4 years 12 weeks
10 July 2013
4 years 4 weeks
7 July 2011
4 years 12 weeks
10 July 2013
4 years 4 weeks
15 September 2011
6 years 42 weeks
10 July 2013
4 years 4 weeks