CZuschlag
Mongoose
I have been off the board for quite a while -- apologies for my absence. I reply because the criticals chart is near and dear to my understanding of the balance work that we have done.
First of all, I agree with Ripple and a few others that the PL-level modifier to the critical roll is the wrong way to go. Indeed, this would render the Batrado more vulnerable to criticals than the Avioki, whereas the Avioki is a Batrado with the guns strapped on. The same agrument applies to the Xaak/Xill, Assault Hyperion vs. Standard Hyperion, and so forth. I think the future for solving some ships' vulnerability to critical effects is the modifications of said critical effects and the implementation of some form of Redundancy.
A 2d6 system? Makes it more of a predictable bell curve. I wouldn't object.
Provided, of course, that the average damage and crew done was the same before and afterwards. And, in this, the current version of the chart is significantly off. Burger is right on this -- the 1.65 : 2.04 number is not particularly negociable. Those races that rely on Precise for what they do --- ISA, Minbari, Shadows, Vorlons, Drakh, and those that rely to an usual extent on criticals (Dilgar) --- will need some help to make up for this. I don't see that help here. And, adding that help elsewhere will only mean that we have yet more moving parts.
I do have things here that I do like.
> Proportional speed crits. Good!
> Fewer criticals that result in bad long-term effects. Also good!
The damage numbers need to be recomputed to put us back to average, however.
First of all, I agree with Ripple and a few others that the PL-level modifier to the critical roll is the wrong way to go. Indeed, this would render the Batrado more vulnerable to criticals than the Avioki, whereas the Avioki is a Batrado with the guns strapped on. The same agrument applies to the Xaak/Xill, Assault Hyperion vs. Standard Hyperion, and so forth. I think the future for solving some ships' vulnerability to critical effects is the modifications of said critical effects and the implementation of some form of Redundancy.
A 2d6 system? Makes it more of a predictable bell curve. I wouldn't object.
Provided, of course, that the average damage and crew done was the same before and afterwards. And, in this, the current version of the chart is significantly off. Burger is right on this -- the 1.65 : 2.04 number is not particularly negociable. Those races that rely on Precise for what they do --- ISA, Minbari, Shadows, Vorlons, Drakh, and those that rely to an usual extent on criticals (Dilgar) --- will need some help to make up for this. I don't see that help here. And, adding that help elsewhere will only mean that we have yet more moving parts.
I do have things here that I do like.
> Proportional speed crits. Good!
> Fewer criticals that result in bad long-term effects. Also good!
The damage numbers need to be recomputed to put us back to average, however.
