Hello today! While this game is technically fully playable, I want to keep polishing the experience of it until I consider it perfect. Since this is a tabletop, testing changes in sessions and applying them takes a lot of time, but I want to keep you guys updated and I like the idea of having almost this kind of "blog" to gather feedback, so please leave comments with suggestions if you have any! Heads up - if you're reading this, it's assumed that you know how the system works, so there will be minimal context given. With that out the way, let's get to the fun stuff...

What's new in 1.7?

Playbook Art #3 - The Guardian (by Peachy Owl)

Can you feel the storm?! Introducing The Guardian, a brave thunder lion, coming from a long-lasting line of warriors sworn to protect an ancient Storm Stone, an artifact of great importance, which is totally targeted by multitude of villains every day! "Guardians" in the Sonic settings are usually strong power-types, so we went with the Boom-Knuckles figure, making him look intimidating and large. There was an option to make the Treasure way bigger and more complex, to the level of the Master Emerald, but I wanted it to fit well on the page, so this was the compromise. 

You also might've noticed that the cover changed just a little. I always really liked bold and vector-based energy effects in art and this little tweak was the only thing I wanted to change. At this point, I would even say that it looks perfect. Very happy with it. Please support the artist, she's doing great work!

Battle System Overhaul

Alright, this is the big one. This is what consumed most of my work and QA time on this update... And I'm really happy how it turned out. Before we begin, I would like to highlight that what you see here is like the 3rd iteration of this system since 1.6. It was tested with the help of my amazing Discord server and dedicated players, GMs and friends. Couldn't have done it without them. So what did we cook up for you?

The new system aims to imitate the bosses in games. Battles where the boss is floating around, doing their things against the players, who evade or cancel them until an opening is created, at the same time giving an option to press forward through these obstacles and do damage via risky maneuvers. I also wanted to reduce the "power gaming" aspect of the previous system a little, where players could just destroy a boss with 1-2 attacks and minimal roleplay. 

Now here is what we ended up with - Boss Phases and Defenses. GM will design each boss with a number of Phases in mind, each being a unique, different and colorful step of the encounter. In order to push the battle to the next phase, heroes will need to use the Kick Butt move, to attack and damage the boss. But they won't be able to just "shoot" him and get it over with, as each Phase is filled with different Defenses. Don't let the name fool you, "Defenses" are not just shields and barriers. In the context of our system, they are everything standing in the way of heroes just shooting the boss, so anything from using cover and evading your attacks, to them shooting a missle cloud at your group or threatening hostages. 

With all that in mind, new battles are generally expected to play out this way - you encounter the boss and as a team, then proceed to use your moves to remove all or most Defenses stopping you from Kicking Butt. At which point the roll is made and the boss switches to the next phase, greatly changing the battlefield, themselves and bringing out a new set of Defenses. This cycle repeats a number times equal to or less then the number of heroes and ends either with a victory or a Final Gambit - a last ditch effort of the Boss to do something with the loss they just suffered.

Now, this is just a basic description. In practice, it's more complex and free-form, and I also added a lot of bonuses to have the system flow better and give players creativity in the process! Kick Butt, most notably, has two new mechanics for the players: "Approach" and "Battle Counter".  Approach will determine which Attribute is used for the roll, because violence, while enticing, shouldn't be the only solution. And "Battle Counter" adds a bonus to the next Kick Butt roll of the same Approach between heroes, so when you work as a team winning becomes easier. Every playbook also received a pretty decent update to accommodate these rules - many  of them give you the benefit or ignoring or overcoming Defenses to have your character shine as much as possible. There is also, for example, "Saving This For a Special Occasion", which basically turns the battle into a tower-defense of sorts, but more on that in the book. If one wishes, there is also always an option to just take on all the active Defenses, and while you're basically agreeing to eat a cloud of led, you are getting a direct pass to punch the bad guy in the face, no matter the cost.

I also put a lot of the advice and information for GMs, explaining the new boss battles, into the How to GM section of the book and I advise you take a read, especially the sections mentioned in the patch notes below.

Ability Types and To Save Everyone Update

So now that the Damage is gone, I had to think of what to do with the Abilities, because I really like how this system allows you to run pretty much any kind of power you wish and I didn't want to lose that. Here is where the idea for Types came from - instead of forcing players to create an offensive based ability, I decided to give them, basically, specializations. In the new system, you pick an Ability Type at the start of the stage, which reflects your character's main strategy and will give you an edge in a specific basic move of your choice. Power will allow you to attack everyone nearby, Construct will let you build bigger structures, Energy will unlock new support Focus options etc. And not only that, there will be many opportunities to change your Ability Type with your Playbook Moves or Take Five, so it's not a choice set in stone.

With that in mind, Damage is not gone completely, as the power growth is important in games. How is it represented then? It's replaced with the To Save Everyone move, as an extension of the Ability Types. You see, each Type now has 3 states - Core, Charged and a Super Boost. Using a Ring will give you an option to enable the Charged state, which will enhance your Ability making it stronger, like letting Power Type characters ignore hazards or Empathy Types call in friends from their past adventures. But that's not all! Once you truly go To Save Everyone, you will gain a Super Boost, which is a Type-specific huge one-time bonus, letting you show off your golden form. But how would we go about do that?

Going Super is now way more streamlined. It used to be very confusing as to how it when why and how it happened, plus required rolls that slowed down the pace of the game, but no more! When your GM introduces a Boss, they will let you, as players, obviously know that the boss is undefeatable in your current state, and explain that by the end of this stage you need to complete a set number of conditions - be it collecting magical gems or inspiring the masses to give you their energy. And when you do and the time is right, you will just Turn Super, no need for a roll, not other conditions, it just happens when all the conditions are in place and everyone gets the same benefits, with the Boost provided by their chosen Type. What is also interesting, is that if players fail to meet these conditions - they will have to find a way to salvage the situation the best way they can, because beating the boss will be impossible, which might lead to more drama and character development.

Team Assist Update

This one is probably the smallest update but still needs context. You see, original Team Assist required an unreasonable amount of teamwork between players, and that's really hard to do in an active environment. So instead I decided to put up a spotlight on a single leader with a good idea, who will take temporary control over any other characters they need (with their permission) and direct a full scene on their own. Because it became a single person task, I also wanted to make sure that it won't get abused too much, so I used the Teamwork attribute to limit the amount of people that can be pulled in, with a couple of built-in exceptions for that rule, like for the Lead playbook and the Empathy Ability Type. And it gives Momentum to everyone involved!

I also re-tweaked the old Team Assist as a "Distress Assist", which is just the half about dropping everything and helping others, but it's also much more streamlined and effective then it was before, moving the result to Mixed Success, instead of a measly +1 per player. 

Changed Overhaul

We're back here again. I was really happy with the Changed as it was in 1.6, but it was too entangled with the Damage mechanic and since that system is gone, it now needed to be re-tooled. After some consideration I decided to change the Changed from damage dealers to tanks that burn their HP. I really liked the Path system, so that stayed, and leaving all the Feature Names also made sense, but now instead of reducing how much damage you do, Tool and Curse will drain one of your health bars, which you now have 2 of. Changed, affectively, start with 8 stamina, and can take much more punishment than the rest of players, but will burn out harder, as their moves require Stamina. This change might still need some number tweaking, but I'm pretty happy with where it ended up.

Plan for the Future

In the last month I started collecting notes on what to do next, and while these are not as large or game-changing as the Battle System Overhaul or the Ability Type, I do still have some things I would like to polish up:

- Update or retool Advanced Basic Moves, making them more useful, as I do like the idea of them.
- Update Boss Weakness, making it a more useful mechanic.
- Rebalance the (burned) moves, either remove them or make them a bigger part of the system. 
- Revamp Empathy Type to make it less complex.
- Destined - update the Flaws to be more streamlined.
- Start writing more and more "how to play" and "how to GM", as we're getting close to my perfect vision of the game.
- MORE ART! Maybe even two for the next update.
- Plus whatever I find along the way!

In short, it looks like we're nearing the full completion of the system... In about 2 years or so. I don't expect any Major changes, and I'm hoping to start finally updating and writing "How to Play" for the book. Very exciting and I hope you guys enjoy it too!

List of 1.7 Patch Notes:

New Boss Battle Rules:

- Introducing Boss Phases and Defenses.
- Fight the Boss and Kick Butt - combined into the new Kick Butt.
- Kick Butt is the main move to move the Boss Battle forward, and includes a Battle Counter bonus.
- Kick Butt can now be used with any attribute depending on your Approach.
- The book also includes Battle Information to help with the new terms and their use.
- Boss Aspect changed to create a stronger Defense.
- Kick Butt is also used to fight regular enemies, it's just they don't usually have Phases or Defenses.
- To Save Everyone Rework - now it's a Defense you need to overcome.

Ability Type Update:

- Introduced new Ability Types system, replacing the Ability Damage and Burden systems.
- There are 5 Ability Types - Power, Speed, Construct, Empathy and Energy.
- Each of those has 3 states - Core, Charged and a Super Boost.
- Rings - now enables Charged state, but does not give you the Super Boost.
- To Save Everyone - now enables Charged state AND gives you the Super Boost.

Rework of Team Assist:

- Introducing Taking The Lead, replacing Team Assist. It's limited by Teamwork stat.
- Team Assist - renamed to Distress Assist and updated to be only working on a miss.
- Taking The Lead also specifies that everyone participating gets XP, which was an issue before.
- Lead and Empathy Type can go around the Teamwork limitation in their own way.

Basic Moves and Other Updates:

- Kick Butt - removed Advanced and fully remade.
- Make it Through - choosing to back down now gives a +1 to it (7-9 wording).
- Flex Muscles - now has Collateral options, which are triggered on 7-9 and miss.
- Flex Muscles - Aspect/Set Piece option is now GM's choice.
- Ready for Action - simplified to be the "change Ability Type" move and removed Advanced.
- Stand in the Way - redone with more decisive choices.
- Focus - added "create Set Piece or a Boss Aspect" as a glitch, which is now GM's choice.
- Focus - re-wrote flair description fully; minor wording on the move itself.
- Focus - removed the +1 Damage boost option.
- Take Five - changed "change Path" to "Change Ability Type and/or Path".
- Take Five - removed Advanced.
- Peace & Quiet - Brooding now gives Momentum instead of Damage.
- Boss Aspects - added "Provide Context" to gain 2 Momentum to be the same as Set Piece creation. 
- Boss Aspects - added wording on the gameplay use of Aspects. The main section is tweaked to flow better and be more clear.
- Set Piece - now gives 2 Momentum instead of XP.
- End of Stage - removed "Teamwork bonus" question, added "Unexpected solution" question.
- Gear - added the Edge Gear.
- Rings - added suggestion to players to provide roleplaying when using Rings.
- Buddies - more information added - recruiting, moves, revival; added counting and fighting. Idea is the same, just aligned it with the Battle Update.
- Backstories - renamed to Connections, since that was confusing for new players.
- Final Improvement condition tweaked - now just needs 9 of any Improvements.
- Generic Advanced Improvement "use your Feature again" is gone, as it wasn't very useful for half the cast.
- General Improvement - wording tweaked to "accept the negative consequences of a move".
- General Text - replaced a bunch of "(revive)" with "(revival)" for better consistency.
- General Text - every playbook now starts with an "in-character" introduction. 

Documentation and How to Play:

- How to GM - More about Bosses (re-written fully).
- How to GM - Running The Game - The Boss Battle replaced "The Villain and The Boss Actions".
- How to GM - Dialog Boss Battle - added.

Playbook Tweaks and Updates:

- Lead - changed Final Improvement to be a permanent Super Form.
- Lead - added "Heroic Leadership" feature for Taking The Lead.
- Lead - Feature - Helpful - wording.
- Lead - Feature - Coordinated - fixed minor wording.
- Lead - Determination of the Strong - added a condition to have an audience and minor wording.
- Lead - We Fight As One - redone fully; allows Ability Type change.
- Lead - You're the Star of my Scene - wording tweaked.
- Lead - Never Fear The Fall - redone to be about falling!
- Lead - I've Got Your "Limit" Right Here - remade for new rules.
- Lead - Welcome to the Greatest Storm - rewritten to not be just another "speech" move.
- Lead - It's Me! Your Old Buddy! - renamed to "Dear My Friend"; Kick Butt wording fixed.
- Lead - Unleashed - added Ability Type change; tweaked the Team Assist restriction.
- Tinker - Feature - removed Kick Butt restriction.
- Tinker - buffed Advanced Improvement (don't need to take 3 times anymore).
- Tinker - Final Improvement updated, to not require the Advanced one.
- Tinker - I Got It! - redone to be about thinking undress stress, kind of a combo of it and Show 'Em How It's Done.
- Tinker - Show 'Em How It's Done - now a battle move, and is pretty good.
- Tinker - About Earlier - allows Ability Type change.
- Tinker - Thank You For The Hard Work - changed for Battle Update.
- Tinker - Basic Scan - now gives advantage and works for Ready For Action.
- Guardian - Feature - Negate Power - changed for Battle Update.
- Guardian - Feature - Calm of Body and Mind - now a single target.
- Guardian - Feature - Revive a Companion - now a (revive) roll boost.
- Guardian - Advanced Improvement - completely changed.
- Guardian - Operation Big Wave - changed for Battle Update and buffed.
- Guardian - We'll Keep Him Off You! - fully redone; now gives a passive bonus.
- Guardian - History of Our People - rebalance, added Mystic/Smarts choice.
- Guardian - Catch me if you can - allows Ability Type change.
- Guardian - Return to Us - Now gives armor instead of +1 Damage.
- Guardian - Did you let him trick you, again? - minor wording tweak.
- Guardian - Lost Temper - redone a little, and now gives a bonus to breaking stuff.
- Guardian - Unknown from M.E. - a little tweak.
- Guardian - Shift! Rock! Yeah! - tweaked options, now is only for willing, removed ignore armor.
- Robot - Care Unit - wording tweaked; now shares Ability Type with pilot.
- Robot - Cannot Destroy My Soul - allows Ability Type change.
- Robot - Urge To Maim - changed for Battle Update.
- Robot - Worthless Consumer Models - synergy with Urge to Maim, now gives you Power Type temporary.
- Robot - Adoptive Technology - allows Ability Type change.
- Robot - Auto Repair - allows ability Type change.
- Destined - Feature - added options for multiclassing to remove the flaws.
- Destined - Flaws - Updated Clumsy, In Over Their Head, Paranoid, Mysterious.
- Destined - Final Improvement now allows removing of Flaws.
- Destined - It is Done And So am I - renamed to "It is Done" and rebalanced a bit.
- Destined - Catch - a rebalance, can now skip a phase, but gains (burned) on use.
- Destined - Right After One Of These - restores 2 HP and gives a vision instead of Dmg boost.
- Destined - Spiritual Companion - can't Kick Butt w/ Force and changed for Battle Update.
- Destined - Time For Me To Complete My Duty - changed for Battle Update and tweaked with new To Save Everyone.
- Destined - Your Future Depends On It - tweaked with Ready for Action being different.
- Rogue - Feature - Control works with "Taking The Lead".
- Rogue - Handled It - changed for Battle Update.
- Rogue - Part of the Game - fully re-written and simplified.
- Rogue - Cannon Fodder - changed for Battle Update. 
- Rogue - Not Going Down Like a Chump - allows ability Type change; gives 1 Momentum.
- Rogue - Smash and Grab - now gives info.
- Rogue - Attention All Scrubs! - remade to be a reflection of "Greatest Storm", Attitude based attack move about swearing.
- Rogue - Attention All Scrubs! - renamed to "It's Time for School".
- Rogue - It's Been Fun - removed, replaced with new "Attention All Scrubs!".
- Clumsy - Sidekick - changed for Battle Update.
- Clumsy - I Can't Feel My Hands! - buffed to give Points.
- Clumsy - A Cup of Tea - wording to make Take Five option permanent.

The Changed Overhaul:

(Changed v3 I think? Or is it v4 at this point?)
- Changed - The Prosthetic - Redone from a DPS into a tank, replacing the Sum Rule section with Robotic Stamina. Prosthetic is now a Second Health Bar.
- Changed - The Prosthetic - Curse path now "uses" Natural Stamina and Tool path "uses" the Robotic Stamina, and Blessed mostly stays the same "once per turn".
- Changed - Advanced Improvement - changed to not overlap with Final.
- Changed - The Path - added wording about Ability Type since they are the same Take Five option now.
- Changed - How Many Upgrades Do You Have?! - changed for Battle Update, rebalanced a bit, Curse and Tool change.
- Changed - Back Off! - minor wording tweaks, Curse and Tool change.
- Changed - Integration - can restore Robotic Stamina, Curse and Tool change.
- Changed - Saving This For a Special Occasion! - remade and rebalanced for Battle Update.
- Changed - Special Medicine - tweaked, reduced and buffed the options.
- Changed - A Little Self-Improvement - changed for Battle Update, Curse and Tool change.
- Changed - Full Conversion - now gives you a very large health bar.
- Changed - How Many Upgrades - wording changes for Ability Types. Blessing burns the move.
- Changed - Mine's Bettah! - changed for Battle Update, Curse and Tool change, small rebalance.

Sheets and Supporting Documents:

- End of Stage - results are now a neat table!
- Basic Move Summary - added Ability Types, TSE and reshuffled things around.
- All Sheets - removed Damage and added Drop-down for Types.
- All Sheets - added checkboxes for Gear Use.
- All Sheets - fixed the "anther" spelling error.
- Guardian - added a checkbox to Treasure, since it's once per stage.
- Changed - added a second Stamina Bar.
- Updated all the above Playbook changes in sheets.
- Updated and uploaded all changes to Playbooks and Summary doc.
- Updated and uploaded all changes to Basic Move summary doc.