Alchemy's Workbench #15: Even More Panic!

It's official, I am hooked on Castle Panic. Tunnels and Trolls, obsessed and, it seems that when I'm not homebrewing for one of late, I'm tinkering with the other.

It's no surprise though. Both systems are elegantly light (although it has to be said that the Wizard's Tower expansion is far too convoluted for it's own good) and, welcome said tinkering.

Convolution aside, The Wizard's Tower expansion has certainly given me some food for thought though. Particularly the new rules that it introduces that allow some cards to strike certain monsters at ranges they normally couldn't given the right circumstances. It's a simple tweak (although you wouldn't think it looking at the rulebook) and, a great idea! It adds some real depth.

This set me thinking, why not go the whole hog and completely redesign the deck, and if I'm redesigning the deck, why not the monster tokens and theme too.

So after a quick brainstorm, I came up with what I think are two ideal candidates. Doom and Resident Evil, of which I decided to run with Doom. Not that Resident Evil isn't a fine game but, with Fireside Games already having a zombie style panic game in the works, creating my own when I had a choice seemed a bit moot. Not to mention, I know a damn sight more about Doom. :0).

The New Board

The board itself won't change much, other than the names of the rings, which will become Short (S), Medium (M), and, Long (L).

The New Deck

The new deck will keep the color codings of the original game but, the actual cards themselves and their capabilities will change vastly. Each card will have a value after S, M and, L, showing how many points of damage that it will deal to any one target within that ring (of the appropriate color). If it has no value, it cannot hit a target at that range and, a value of zero means that it can be expended (should you just want to remove the card from your hand) but, will do no damage.

Each card can be used to hit only one target at one range regardless of the number of various values and ranges listed on the card before it must be discarded.

Weapon cards will include Chainsaw, Pistol, Shotgun, Super Shotgun, Chaingun, Rocket Launcher, Plasma Rifle, BFG9000. Doubling up on the original four "Hit" cards (Swordsman, Knight, Archer, Hero).

The New Horde

Like the weapons, I am still working on the special rules and values for the monsters but, I expect them to include the Zombie Man, Shotgun Guy, Commando, Imp, Demon, Cacodemon, Mancubus, Revenant, Lost Soul, Pain Elemental, Baron of Hell, Hell Knight, Arch Vile, Arachnotron, Spider Mastermind, Cyber Demon.