\u00a0with feedback on this topic. We will try and read everything on topic but can only respond via articles we write addressing shared concerns.<\/em><\/p>\nHey HeroClix fans,<\/p>\n
As mentioned last article, we are at the end of our journey of \u201cbig\u201d changes to HeroClix. There\u2019s other fun stuff to share, and plenty of corner cases to clean up, but nothing else that playtesters rated as \u201csweeping\u201d. We won\u2019t guarantee that no other tweak will feel big to you personally, but for the majority of players, this article should be the last of the big changes. After this, our posts will be more sporadic, but we have heard all the wonderful feedback and there will be at least one article directly addressing that feedback.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s time to talk about Probability Control. Way back in article #2 on keywords, we mentioned some changes to Probability Control. (We said: \u201cNote that a character that has already used Probability Control can\u2019t also use it again in the same turn, because of its inherent once per turn restriction.\u201d)<\/p>\n
The change we hinted at earlier in the sidebar (though not the primary one made) is that instead of dividing Probability Control into \u201cplayer\u201d and \u201copponent\u201d effects, it combines them together with the more common phrase \u201conce per turn\u201d, which has big implications for multi-player games. Here\u2019s MOST of new Probability Control.<\/p>\n
Probability Control<\/span>
\n Once per turn, you may reroll a target character\u2019s [\u2026] roll. A targeted character must be within range and line of fire, minimum range value 6.<\/span><\/p>\nThat looks pretty familiar, and we\u2019ll talk about what\u2019s in the [\u2026] box in a bit. First, though, the concept of \u201crounds\u201d was only used in this power, and it\u2019s a concept that\u2019s only relevant in multi-player games. Rules only for multi-player games should be in their own rulebook section. Now the rule is simply once per turn. This means Probability Control\u2019s stock will go up in Battle Royales, as you can reroll on each opponent\u2019s turn. Playtesters have reported it\u2019s pretty good, but as expected those characters now have a much bigger target on their heads than before. Multi-player games tend to balance themselves out in just such a way. It adds more opportunity to \u201cplay politics\u201d in a multi-player game by offering or withholding rerolls, which some players definitely enjoy.<\/p>\n
One other note on the language. We make it very clear in the rules that a player who made the original roll is always the one to physically reroll the dice. We eliminated the terminology of \u201cforcing\u201d rerolls. Rerolls happen, but no matter what it\u2019s always the same player, and we don\u2019t need to specify.<\/p>\n
We heard a lot of speculation that Probability Control was going to give action tokens or be only once per turn for your force, etc., but none of that is happening. The big change that\u2019s coming has to do with the scope of Probability Control, not its use. Right now, it\u2019s just too broad. Anytime you pick up the dice, for any reason, you have to think about whether you or an opponent are going to want a reroll.<\/p>\n
The primary reason a change is necessary involves special powers (and traits). They weren\u2019t around when it was decided Probability Control could reroll \u201canything\u201d. Now, we have special powers in the game that have special and powerful effects, and they often require a tradeoff for using it \u2013 and one common tradeoff is that it doesn\u2019t always work (or does less), based on the roll of a d6. Since Probability Control actively works against that kind of tradeoff there\u2019s some possible roads that could be taken.<\/p>\n
\n- We could make those special powers immune to Probability Control, but this results in having to ensure every single special power of this type has a \u201ccan\u2019t be rerolled\u201d statement. This is what we try to do today, but it\u2019s inelegant at best and if missed in editing\/layout can cause unnecessary errata or metagame problems.\n
\n- This also results in the players needing to read the card to know if Probability Control can affect a particular special power.\u00a0This slows down the game and there is no inherent logic if something will or won\u2019t be able to be rerolled until you read it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Cost Probability Control higher than it is now to take into account special powers that involve special kinds of rolls, which have increased in recent years. This would result in Probability Control being costed very steeply for the vast majority of situations that it\u2019s actually used for.<\/li>\n
- Focus Probability Control on what it\u2019s most commonly used for.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
We watched a lot of players play a lot of games with Probability Control. We made sure they all had characters with other powers that used d6 rolls. The vast majority of the time (and in many games all of the time) Probability Control was used to reroll either an attack or breakaway roll, mainly attack rolls. Though some local game scenes may vary, this seems pretty typical and certainly supports the notion of what Probability Control\u2019s bread and butter is.<\/p>\n
Here is where Probability Control has ended up:<\/p>\n
Probability Control<\/span>
\n Once per turn, you may reroll a target character\u2019s attack roll or break away roll. A targeted character must be within range and line of fire, minimum range value 6.<\/span><\/p>\nThis is a big change, but really, it probably should have always been this way. There are two rolls that are fundamental to every single game of HeroClix, one associated with attacking and one associated with moving, and here they are. Every other kind of die roll is something that only shows up occasionally in specific circumstances.<\/p>\n
This is a downgrade in utility for Probability Control, no question, but based on its probable use we believe it\u2019s only a slight downgrade in overall power. Players are still able to reroll the vast majority (and in many games all) of same the rolls that they were actually rerolling before. Whatever that difference is you\u2019ll almost certainly be able to fill with more attack or break away rerolls, so Probability Control should seldom go unused, just like now. We definitely heard about those rarer times when it was used to reroll something else and may have been key in a particularly memorable match. We can understand and appreciate that but in the playtesting confirming this change, Probability Control still shined brightly and will continue to be a vital tool in the HeroClix toolbox.<\/p>\n
As we said, some important changes affect standard powers, and this is no different. Force Blast, Blades\/Claws\/Fangs, Regeneration, Support, and Leadership can no longer have their d6 rolls be rerolled.<\/p>\n
Allowing anything else to be rerolled, even some of those standard powers, is opening a Pandora\u2019s Box and moving the power away from the fundamental rolls of the game. It would make you need to remember which non-fundamental rolls can or can\u2019t be rerolled. And for all of these standard powers, we have been very cautious in design with the kind of special power tweaks we\u2019ve made, because looming over everything was the possibility of multiple Probability Control turning those effects into near certainties, without adding clunky \u201ccan\u2019t be rerolled\u201d clauses to every single instance.<\/p>\n
Some playtesters felt that Blades\/Claws\/Fangs, Regeneration, and Support in particular got \u201cmuch worse\u201d. But if the only reason these powers shine was their \u201ccombo\u201d with Probability Control, then that\u2019s not good enough. Those powers should be tweaked themselves. Ideally every standard power in HeroClix should be able to stand on its own and have useful and interesting things to do without needing to combo with other powers.<\/p>\n
However, while those powers have been identified as probably needing a hard look at their relative power levels, as stated in our goals we also want to minimize the scope of changes this pass. So at this time, we are not going to rebalance them. They all still do what they did before, with some adjusted language. Just like Poison, they simply no longer combo in ways that impact important aspects of the game and its overall clarity and consistency. If they prove to be too weak, they will be on the short list for individual power-level adjustments next rules pass. Here they are for reference.<\/p>\n
Blades\/ Claws\/ Fangs<\/span>
\n When you hit and would deal normal damage during a CLOSE action, you may roll a d6. Deal damage equal to the result instead of normal damage.<\/span><\/p>\nRegeneration<\/span>
\n POWER: Roll a d6. Heal a number of clicks equal to the result – 2.<\/span><\/p>\nSupport<\/span>
\n POWER: Choose a target adjacent friendly character. If this character and the target aren’t adjacent to any opposing characters, roll 2d6. Add the result to this character’s attack value, and if that is equal to or higher than the target’s defense value, roll a d6. The target is healed of that result – 2, minimum result 1. (This is not an attack.)<\/span><\/p>\nA few notes about these powers:<\/p>\n