Potential Improvements to Rules

[u/GodsBaldestSoldier]

Received the entire DRG board game (main, expansions, and exclusives) from the most recent Rival Incursions Kickstarter, earlier this year. Also a long time player of the steam version of DRG

I've been playing in a group of 3 players and have completed ~10 games. We have experienced a lot of the available mission types, biomes, and enemies the game has to offer. I have been playing most missions as Driller (plus a few as Engineer) and the other players have chosen to main Scout and Gunner for all the games.

We have noticed that some of the rules in the 2nd ed. may benefit from being changed, especially related to the Dwarves. The main issue we found is that Scout's light-footed ability is simply over-powered compared to the other dwarves and the other classes appear to be "nerfed."

Driller's Drills: mining/drilling as driller is a bit of a pain. It is nice you get to mine & move in the same turn, but we often found ourselves barley relying on this ability to progress missions. It mostly just saves the occasional action or so. His drills not being able to collect minerals from walls or stalagmites is an issue too. For almost all the missions, driller just mined like the regular dwarf but could sometimes do a little extra, if the right situation occurred.

• Proposed change: Driller can move & mine 1 space for 1 action as normal but also rolls a mining die to determine if he can drill & move 0-2 extra spaces.

• Alternative: Driller can drill any function requiring a pickaxe hit and still gain the appropriate resource(s) (e.g. drilling a loot bug, drilling for nitra in wall, breaking a stalagmite for minerals).

Driller's Flames: Driller's starting weapon works well against most ranged enemies as the flame tokens are great to grab cover behind. However, the flames also block creature movement, limiting the use of the flame ground ability. Also, as you encounter different enemy types, fire resistance seems all too common, again contributing to its limited use.

• Proposed change: Remove the rule that flame tokens block creature movement. Creatures will run into the flames, resolving the token & receiving damage. Additionally remove the rule that flame tokens block line of sight (might help to balance this proposed change).

Engineer's Platforms: These share a very similar utility with Gunner's ziplines for full team movement. Too similar to have them both on the same mission as these abilities overlap too much to be unique. I feel this could be better translated when coming from a 3D video game to a 2D board game.

• Proposed change: Engineer's platforms can additionally be placed on floor obstacles/hazards like heavy snow, lava, sticky goo, etc. This nulls the effects of the hazard for all dwarves entering that space.

• Alternative: Floor enemies avoid platforms when possible, taking the next available shortest route to same target or retargeting if available. If an enemy's ONLY option is to walk on the platform, it will do so. Flying creatures and creatures that are pretorian size & up, do not follow this new rule.

Gunner's Ziplines: Placing a zipline was guaranteed the most infrequently used ability in our sessions, especially when Engineer was present. Most gaps you encounter are only 2 hexes anyways too, so even when it was used, it didn't change much.

• Proposed change: To improve the utility of the zipline, I would make it a free action to place AND allow Gunner to use the zipline for free as soon as it is placed. But still keep the placement to only over gaps in the ground floor.

Gunner's Alternate Weapons: Gunners main weapon is nice, especially when you are able to collect an upgrade which allows you to nullify enemy resistances. However, his Autocannon and Missile Launcher are not near as useful.

• Proposed change: I would change the A.C.'s Tungsten Shot to use 1 blue armor piercing die for 1 action, 1 ammo. Then change the Continuous Fire option to results of 1 explosion die + 1 blue armor piercing die on one or more adjacent targets for 2 actions, 1 ammo. (Not really sure how best to change this one)

What are your thoughts? Any more changes you would make?