Wizkids Tournament Rules 1.8.1 > House rules can not substantially alter the core mechanics of the game.


Do you suppose this rule was made with anyone particular in mind?

But seriously folks....what is "substantially" anyway, isn't that a subjective term?

Many of the players at my venue don't like the fact that Indy rules changed "Taxi/Shoot" into "Telekinesis/Shoot"...and as a much improved alternative choose on many days to play using "NAAT+TK" and allowing all figures to have Charge and Running shot. (Then allowing figures with Charge or Running shot on their dials to move their full movement and attack, or move half movement and still use RCE or CCE). This seemed to restore much needed comic realisam to the game, no longer are figures dependant on another figure for manuverability.

Would this represent a "Substantial alteration to core mechanics?"

The rest of the house rules we use are fairly trivial compared to this one.

I believe that in your example, it alters the "core mechanisms" of the game in amanner that qualifies like "substantially".

But for sure it's quite difficult to know what is a part of the "core mechanisms" and what is a part of the "lesser mechanisms", not couting the degree of change you can input in the game without being too "substantial".

After giving birth to something like this, I think Wizkids should maybe give some tips about what's the "core mechanisms" of the rules.

Hopefully for my own sake I don't play in tournies.

That is a broad enough statement that it basically lets them reject any tournaments they want. Without a definition of which of the printed rules are 'core rules' and the absurd qualifier 'substantially' they can say almost any house rule is a violation.

This post continues along a theme that I've seen for the last few weeks; namely "What the heck is WK trying to do to this game?" The figures they are releasing are good, but the rulings, FAQs, and other community communications (or lack thereof) are eating up whatever good will surplus they might have had previously.

I believe the "core mechanics" they are refering to are in the realm of the tournement rules.

For example, registering a restricted tournement, and hosting an un-restricted tournement in it's place...

As far as I know, anything in the rulebook itself (and supliments) are fair game.

That's my take on it anyway....

I would take "core" mechanics to be:

Damage causes clicks;

The movement, attack, defence, and damage of a figure are shown by the dial (tho' modifiers to this would probably not be "substantial");

Action markers for actions taken;

No action if already 2 markers (tho' specific exceptions like big figures would not be "substantial");

Pushing damage (again, specific exceptions not "substantial").


almost everything else up for grabs.

Yes, it is. If the issue arises during an event then Andrew

Much better than the "official" rules, to be sure. Great idea!