From:	Matb <mbreton@**.NETCOM.COM>
Subject:	Re: [COW] Challenge replacing Objectives
Date:	Sun, 14 Sep 1997 05:34:50 -0700

> >One gripe I'm starting to develop against the Challenges: they all cost
> >the same. Seen one way, actually, it's cheaper to play a Dracoform
> >(voted Most Likely to Make Midden from your Remains) than, say, the Lone
> >Star Patrol, since a defender will most likely pay nuyen to pump up the
> >cops. This seems to lead toward Big Wallet games, with whoever shelled
> >out the most money (ie, got the most rares) wins.

> >Maybe that's just my own gripe. I'll go to bed now.

> I have to disagree...

> The Draco Form is cheap, but... It's also Unique and gets fragged when it
> hits the trash, wether it actually got beat or got around...

This is what happens when I don't own the card in question. Bleagh. I
must go memorize the spoiler list.. But honestly, getting fragged isn't
much, since there's nothing to grab Objectives from the trash (yet)
except recycling, and we all know how quickly that happens.

But it's a design.. design quirk, yes, that's it. Since all the
Challenges are priced the same, they have to be evenly balanced against
each other. That's easy for the basic set, but becomes more and more
difficult as time goes on.

Looked from a certain angle, the equation is made that the Security
Mages + (?) 6Y = Dracoform - Unique, Frag. (Or, in other words, that
getting fragged and being unique is a 6-point Flaw.) I suppose if
someone spent enough time at it, they could crack the "code" behind
assigning toughness to the Challenges. I was going to when I designed
my subby, but then I decided to go for completely different effects than
basic damage...

-Matt