Alternative Victory Conditions for 4-player SOBAH Campaign

One of the problems we found with A Song of Blades and Heroes (SOBAH) is that the Victory Points were really dependant on killing other Player Characters. In fact, one player pointed out that it was to his advantage to completely ignore the scenario conditions in preference to killing as many other PCs as possible, because he would end up with at least twice as many VPs.

So, I decided to revamp the VP system and increase the VPs that the scenario objectives rewarded players.

Firstly, VPs from Kills: a player gets 2 VP for the FIRST kill from each opposing warband, regardless of points value.

VPs for Scenario Objectives: I am going to increase the number of VPs for succeeding in achieving the objectives and, with four players, add addition possibilities for gaining VPs. We will also be using a time limit for our games, usually about 2 hours.

For example, for the Treasure Hunt scenario in the rulebook, I would place 8 treasure tokens instead of 3. Four tokens are dummies, two are worth 2VPs and two are worth 5 VPs. Carrying a token off the table gains the full VPs, if a PC is carrying a token but still on table at the end of the game, they are worth 1VP.

In some games I’m going to add in Personal Objectives to gain 3 VPs (claim immediately that the task is fulfilled).

ACE	Assassinate Player 1’s leader
TWO	Assassinate Player 2’s leader
THREE	Assassinate Player 3’s leader
FOUR	Assassinate Player 4’s leader
FIVE	Your first melee attack must be by your leader.
SIX	Your leader must single-handedly kill at least one enemy model
SEVEN	A model must touch the table edge on either side of your deployment area (may be different models)
EIGHT	One model must touch the table edge opposite your deployment zone
NINE	Do not kill any members of Player 1’s warband
TEN	Do not kill any members of Player 2’s warband
JACK	Do not kill any members of Player 3’s warband
QUEEN	Do not kill any members of Player 4’s warband
KING	Keep your leader alive on the table until the end of the game

 

Occasionally I’ll also add secondary objectives with possibility of gaining a magic item or extra XP/VP.

For example, scatter 4 bodies around the table. PCs need to spend one action searching a body and draws a card.

Number Card	Nothing
JACK	Find a superior quality weapon: + 1 XP
QUEEN	Find some loot you can sell: +1 VP
KING	Find a valuable gemstone you can sell: +2 VP
ACE	Find a Magic Item

 

As an example of the revised VP system, here is the scenario from the last game I posted on the blog a couple of days ago.

 The Obelisk of Power

 Background

Four powerful wizards are vying to harness the magical energy from an ancient obelisk, that acts a conduit to another realm. Each wants to avoid a direct confrontation, so they have hired bands of mercenaries (the players) to harness the energy on their behalf. In order to harness the power of the obelisk, a Warband must control two of the command discs at the end of the game.

 Command Discs

To control a disc a character must spend an unengaged action standing on the disc. Control remains with the player until another player’s PC spends an unengaged action standing on the disc, when control passes to that player. Each time a disc is activated, all PCs on the disc are teleported.

When a character takes control of a disc, roll 1d6.

1-4 Counting clockwise, and treating the starting disc as 1, the character teleports to the appropriate disc.

5-6 Reroll:

 1-2. The character teleports to a random spot, Long distance away from the disc.

 3-4. The character teleports to a random spot, 2 x Long distance away from the disc.

 5-6. The character teleports off-table and cannot return this game.

If there are multiple PCs standing on on an a disc when it activates, all are teleported, roll for each PC separately.

The game ends after a pre-arranged time (we normally say 2 hours).

Victory Points

VPs for kills

2 VP if your Leader has taken control of a disc at any point

2 VP for controlling one disc at the end of the game

4 VP for controlling 2 or more discs at the end of the game

+1 bonus XP for first PC to stand on a disc

+1 bonus XP if controlling more discs than any other player.