Hi there! Based on my feedback from 0.3.0 I released a balance, metagame, and accessiblity update.

Integral Traits

A few Integral Traits received minor tweaks:

• Hairpin Controls (L1-RECON) now only works on the first 4 rolled in a turn.
  • It was a little too consistent with high-dice attacks.
• CQC Plating (L3-GLADIATOR) is now Riot Shielding and does the opposite - it grants +1 Armor vs Near/Far attacks.
  • This is a more useful bonus overall and makes more sense given L3’s Big Shield characteristic.
• Long-Range Optics (M2-ARCHER) now allows them to extend their Far range to 3 hexes with a die/Harm penalty when no enemies are in Close/Near.
  • This makes their Trait more distinct from the Scoped add-on and lets them have something no other Frame has.

Integral and Modular Systems

I made a few changes to Systems based on two observations: longer-range Systems are more powerful/useful than shorter-range Systems and Near/Far range area-attack Systems are very powerful.

To the first end, close-range Systems were buffed as necessary:

• Flamethrower (H2-LANCER) is now 3 Harm but has Limited.
  • This makes it more distinct from Point Defense Cannons.
• Point Defense Cannons now have Piercing.
  • They didn’t need much, this mostly just makes using them more reliable against shielded enemies.
• Shoulder Spear has +1 Harm (5 total).
• Reactor Backdraft has +2 instead of +1 Harm when at half or less Vigor.
  • These should bring them in line with similar offerings at higher ranges.

To the second end, some various ranged area attack systems were nerfed:

• Net Launcher (H3-ANGLER) now targets one Near area instead of two.
  • It was still way too good! Especially with the v0.3+ Tension/Ammo split.
• Arc Mortar is now 2 Harm instead of 3 Harm. It loses Limited but gains Piercing.
  • Less harm but no Limited means you can achieve a similar effect by spending more ammo, which is fine. Piercing removal makes it a little more reliable, which is good given enemies have a chance to react to it.
• High-Explosive Missile is now Sniper Cannon and loses its area-attack potential (just deals 3 Harm).
  • It was good on its own merits without that, Far-range System damage is very powerful.

Based on these changes I rearranged a few of the default layouts for Frames as well.

Armament Tags

• Focused gives +1 Harm at greater than half instead of maximum Tension.
  • As per the first Other change below, Aces will be at lower than maximum Tension basically all the time.
• Mobile gives +1 Harm instead of +1 die and needs at least two moves before it kicks in.
  • +1 die and just one move is too easy with how Tension works now to offset low-die Armaments. Now you have to have spent at least 1 Tension or 1 Ammo for it to be active.
• Splash does its thing on a 6 only.
  • This brings it in line with, for instance, Burst.
• Incendiary now creates a fire-based Hazard instead.
  • Makes it a little more distinct from Splash.

Other

• Aces stabilize at Max - 3 Tension between combats by default.
  • This cuts down on first-round alpha strikes a bit (which then slows the tone of the whole combat).
• Enemy changes:
  • The “main” Colossus parts (Consul Control Center, World Serpent Head) have gotten a Vigor buff. They just died too fast.
  • Added a new move for Prime enemies, Purge, which lets them clear conditions.
• Some campaign changes (pacing-related changes to the various Clocks/etc around crises):
  • Crisis Clocks are now 2 segments, but each clock gets cleared when one fills.
  • GMs are encouraged to use a Crisis to “upgrade” a Standard Mission.
  • This means a Crisis will happen roughly every 3/4 missions by default.
• Added an epub version!

As always, happy to answer any questions. Let me know!

Until next time!