XP-based campaign

[macgowan]

OK, it's official. 2 weeks in, and Malifaux is my new favorite game. In honor of its greatness, I'm working on a system for ongoing experience-based campaigns where your crews can "level up," suffer debilitating injuries, and expand their power base in a characterful way. Kinda like Necromunda or Mordheim for you GW fans (or haters) out there.

Here's my conundrum. Is it OK to post ideas like this to the forum? I've seen other companies where fan-created rules or sub-games were frowned upon. They basically said "if you build it, then we WILL NOT."

"At the moment we are not accepting unsolicited submissions."

I take this policy to mean it's still OK to post my ideas here, right?

[greenstuff_gav]

Whisper and I were discussing this recently, and a rough idea was;

you pick a 25SS (our standard game size) list and this does not alter at all.

Each VP earned in game converts to a SS out of the game.

Soulstones gained from other methods (abilities or terrain pieces) are lost between games.

minis carry wounds across games, but after the game you can pay 1 SS to heal a mini back to full health (masters get this free).

If they die, they start the next game at half wounds, rounding down. if they start on 1 and die in game, they're dead, dead dead!

you can fire any uninjured warband members (either if they're not damaged, or if you pay the 1SS above) and gain half their SS value back (rounding down) and hire new miniatures as normal.

so, a bit rough-and-ready, but Malifaux isn't taking off here so we've not dedicated alot of time to expanding or playtesting

[macgowan]

Here are some ideas I have for an ongoing, "experience-based" league at my shop.

PREGAME: Start with a Crew size of 25 Soul Stones. Your crew can change every game, but for models to keep experience advancements they must play in every game. You must keep the same Master throughout the whole league.

DURING PLAY: Non-insignificant models can earn experience points (xp). Keep track of it on a sheet, and award it as follows:

Red Joker - 1 XP to the model that flipped it. (Initiative=Master)

Eliminate higher cost enemy model - XP equal to difference (minimum 2)

Eliminate equal cost enemy model - 2 XP

Eliminate lower cost enemy model - 1

Master eliminates model - 1 (ignore cost)

Complete Strategy/Scheme - XP equal to VP's, divided as you see fit among the models who completed it.

Survive - model gains 1 XP if it is not removed from play.

POST-GAME:

INJURIES: Models still in play automatically heal all wounds. Models removed from play flip a card to see what happens.

Soulstones not used during the game may be used to re-flip.

Black Joker: Tragic loss. The model is dead, cross them off your sheet. Your Initiative flips are at [-] [-] for the next game.

1-5: Dead. Cross model off your sheet.

6-10: Injured. Model starts next game with an unmodified damage flip 1/3/5. When the next game starts, your Master may spend a soulstone to re-flip the damage.

11+: Just a Scratch. No permanent effects.

Red Joker: Heroic Return. No permanent effects, and flip a card to gain 1/2/3 XP.

Post-Game XP:

Underdog - Every uninjured model who fought gets 1 XP for every 5 SS by which your crew's cost was lower than your opponent. Your Master gains the difference in SS in XP, no matter if you won or lost.

Unused Soulstones - 1 XP each to be divided among your crew.

Here's how XP works:

Non-Masters can spend XP to increase the following stats: Wk, Cg, Wp, Ca, Df, Wd, Cb. Simply pay XP equal to the new stat (ex: going from Ca 5 to 6 would cost 6 XP).

You can also spend 10 XP to give a model the Use Soulstones ability.

Your Master spends XP to increase the size of your Crew. For every 2 XP spent, your Crew size goes up by 1 SS. You may not spend more than 6 XP on this after each game.

Models with XP advancements need to play in every game, or they lose their advancements and XP.

I'm planning on adding some scenario-based "Bounty" missions, where players can choose new Schemes and scenarios to get extra XP, increase their Crew Cost, etc. I'd like to run some arbitrator scenarios: jailbreak, train robbery, kidnapping, etc. But these won't be ready for awhile.

Any suggestions or advice? I'm especially looking for ideas about what to do when Seamus turns your favorite model into a zombie, or Lady Justice performs Last Rites. Should Sacrificed models just be crossed off the roster? Would this make certain Masters too powerful?

Battle reports will be posted in that forum as soon as we get rolling next week.