What if Headlines stayed “in play” during the entire phase in which they are played?
I mean the physical card laid on the table - kind of like how Jobs and Techniques linger before heading to the discard. Think about it - it’d be an actual “Headline” - and it could open up design space to create Headlines that function just like Traits do, maybe even in other phases than just Shootouts, because really, Traits are just Reactions that automatically trigger first in their respective windows.
As an example, let’s say that Hot Lead Flyin’ gets a second errata which includes keeping the Headline trait but becomes a Shootout action. The question would come up “When do I make the pull?” - well, if the card is on the table (ie. in the shootout), then it would trigger just like a Trait, which we already have rules for.
Cheers.
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Fairly sure I saw people playing Headlines as ‘stay in play’ when they were new, as a reminder that one had been played that round.
Imagine two types of Headlines: Abilities and Traits. For example:
Nightmare at Noon
Headline
“Shootout: Each dude in the opposing posse gets -1 bullets. Each dude in the shootout with 0 or 1 bullets becomes a draw.”
Hot Lead Flyin’
Headline
“When the loser of a shootout round takes casualties, pull. For each unbooted dude in the losing posse not declared as a casualty with a value higher than the pull, the winner must take one casualty, up to the total number of casualties the loser took. Ace this card.”
…
Admittedly, the distinction between abilities and traits with the Headlines currently in the card base is a little blurred - most have an immediate effect as well as an effect pending on circumstances, while all of them have their card text contained in a single block paragraph…
But, especially for those who enjoyed Events from Classic (which is how the term “Headline” came to be, in fact!), adopting the ability/trait language could open up design space for Noon Headlines. Imagine:
Christmas Day
Ace of Clubs
Headline
Noon: Each player may reveal one Goods or Dude from their hand.
Goods revealed this way may be attached (as Shoppin’) as a noon action, waiving their ghost rock cost. Dudes revealed this way may not be called out by opposing dudes nor declared the mark of a job. Ace this card.
"Peace on earth and good will towards men - fer what it’s worth in this Godforsaken hole." - Clementine Lepp
Cheers.
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Christmas Day seems cool, until I use it to play Nichodemus Whateley.
Nobody told you he is actually Santa Claus?