A Shaman on 7
3 Likes
A Lawdog Grifter who raises the probability of drawing an early Gadget (Weapon).
Many new cards trigger various effects upon having a G(W) in play (Darius Hellstromme, Quincy Washburne, Dr. Erik Yaple, Fort 51…), with a single risk: If you do not draw into one early, your deck could potentially stall out 2-3 turns (or more!), launching you sideways into a lop-sided game of futile ketchup.
Alternatively, a Lawdog dude (or Core deed?) who acts like some cross between Janosz Pratt and Maggie Harris, treating your (growing) discard pile as a mining source for coming into a first Gadget (Weapon) with an appropriate risk and/or cost associated.
Love the new 51 art btw. What is that beast the rocketpackman is hunting?
2 Likes
TO be honest I would just like 6 more grifters. They are interesting concept which is underused.
6 Likes
I can’t like this post enough.
So many games have clunky “mulligan” mechanics it’s painful to watch.
But yes, a choice between in-faction Grifters would be excellent design space. Especially as now the deck-building options for starting posses is flexible enough to accommodate many different kinds of wacky / serious decks.
That and poor Travis is toast…
4 Likes
For some of the factions I would like one which was at least playable as a grifter. For a while you saw Freddie more as a non grifting starter. I’ve seen the fixer as a structure dude but its a long time since I’ve seen him start. Howard Aswell is just terrible
1 Like
Frying Pans
2 
1GR, Goods
React, Boot: Prevent this dude from being aced or discarded by opponents ability which isn’t a Cheating Resolution.
“PAN SHOT!!!”
4 Likes
Reminds me of Back to the future 3 
Dunno about exact balance, but i think he only got booted there 
1 Like
Tomahawk
K of Hearts
2 Cost
+0 Stud Bonus
Melee Weapon
The printed cost of Tomahawk is reduced by 2 for a (First Peoples) player.
Resolution, Boot: Boot this dude to choose a dude with lower bullets. Boot that dude. If they are already booted, they must be selected as the first casualty this round. If that dude leaves play this shootout, discard Tomahawk.
Pipe
Q of Hearts
2 Cost
+1 Influence Bonus
Attire
You may boot the attaching skilled dude to reduce Pipe’s cost by their skill rating
React, Boot: Boot this skilled dude after posses are formed for a shootout. Before making a skill check during the first round, you may add this dude’s influence to that skill check and discard Pipe.
Bow and Arrow
J of Hearts
3 Cost
+1 Bullet Bonus
Melee Weapon
The printed cost of Bow and Arrow is reduced by 2 for a (First Peoples) player.
Noon, Boot: Boot this dude to choose a dude with lower bullets in this or an adjacent location. This dude calls out the chosen dude. If this results in a shootout, this dude moves to the chosen dude’s location, and if you are the winner, boot the chosen dude.
3 Likes
Ready, Aim…
4 of Clubs
1 cost
Shootout: You cannot use shootout actions or shootout abilities for the rest of this round of shootout plays. Each time you pass your shootout action, all dudes in your posse get a +1 bullet bonus.
…Fire!
(I’m thinking Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, or maybe that scene from Red Dead Redemption, for the art)
3 Likes
A new Seedy dude or deed, perhaps an Outlaw or Anarchist or Core, who allows your opponent control over lowball draws in exchange for a cool (perhaps formerly “forbidden”) effect. Ex:
Natalie Sherman
Dude
Seedy
If Natalie is in the Townsquare, you may ante an additional ghost rock during the upkeep phase to lower all players’ home production by 1 this turn. Your opponents may draw and discard an additional card for their lowball draw hands.
Cheers.
2 Likes
I like ideas like this as forcing the dude to be in Town Square forces risky interaction with your opponent. The extra ante and your opponent getting to customise their lowball hand help balance this further. Appealing natural tension between needing to be in town square and therefore potentially wanting a tight draw structure for shooting against trying to win lowball. 
That is the eternal conflict, no?
1 Like
Ideally, hence my distaste for things like Spirit Fortress that break that interesting balance. Glad that it isn’t quite as strong as before due to Nicodemus errata. It can still grind out a lot of wins at time admittedly thanks to the influence it stacks up.
As a result of some good debate from this thread (New Faction, and the return of Fear mechanics!), a card to keep check on “free influence” homes such as Beyond the Veil (and the Spirit Fortress archetype) but not designed as a specific counter (thus having general application):
Crossfire (title needs work…)
Condition
While this card is attached to a location, it loses all abilities and traits.
If you win a shootout, you may discard this card or attach it to a location adjacent to the shootout owned by the losing player.
Noon Job: Mark a location owned by an opposing player. If the job succeeds, boot the mark and attach this card to it. Your leader (if still in play) gains a permanent influence or control point (choose one).
2 Likes
New thematic direction (mostly with Lawdog faction in mind): revival of Confederate and Union keywords:
Rules change:
The cost of Confederate and Union cards is reduced by the corresponding number of cards you have in play with those keywords.
New Confederate Legend:
Your Confederate dudes are considered to have the Deputy keyword, and are always considered adjacent to Government deeds while at home.
Resolution, Boot: Boot any number of attachments in your posse and choose an Abomination or Harrowed dude in the opposing posse. If the combined bullets of the dudes whose attires and/or weapons you booted exceeds the chosen dude’s bullet rating, you gain control of the dude until after sundown.
New Union Legend:
Your Union dudes may instead pay booting costs for any skill checks your other dudes make at their location, and vice-versa.
Resolution, Boot: Boot any number of gadgets and/or spells in your posse and choose an equal number of Abomination or Harrowed dudes in the opposing posse. If the chosen dudes are selected as casualties this round, they must be aced and only cover a single casualty each upon doing so. If your opponent cannot fairly cover all their casualties this round, your shooter gains a permanent control point.
…
These are a bit crazy I know, just throwing some ideas at what a direction for “classic”/blessed/madscience LD could look like…
New Government deed(s) on mid-range value (5/6/7/8/9) which are as-of-recently strong values for skilled Lawdogs given their recent surge of cool Blessed and Mad Scientist dudes.
Maybe such that interact with Bounty in interesting / new ways. Perhaps amplify the “control” angle (contrasted with aggression) a la “Too Much Attention” (Too Much Attention · DoomtownDB) which is a unique interaction with Bounty thus far.
Secondary consideration for the “Austerity” theme building out of Anarchists (who also are stepping up their Faith game)? “Seizing means of production” all that…
2 Likes
My take on the ‘fear level’/emres idea to end games before time:
Legend
Starting day 3, each day at the end of sundown (after victory is checked) each player chooses (starting with the Winner) either:
- Give a dude with at least 1 influence you control a permanent -1 influence
or - Give an in-town deed your opponent controls a permanent +1 control
Number 2 needs to be a deed your opponent has, otherwise its a huge fuel to any Fortress archetype. It can still encourage that if the fortress player only has one deed, but you can at least have the choice to put -1 influence on your own dudes. Plus it encourages setting up chess for the next round in any other matchup. I don’t know, maybe a cap on only 1 bonus CP per deed? I was also playing around with ideas about giving the TS control points, and whoever had the most influence there got those CPs, but it seemed more complicated.
Arguable what day it should start on, 3 full days of no pressure seems ok to me, as most games are probably done by day 4 anyway. It’s the longer games we’re trying to speed up.
So, I was working at one point on a way to make the horror aspects of Doomtown more, shall we say, horrible.
Here’s what I had drafted up:
Harrowed
Some poor folk get an evil spirit up inside their heads, keeps ‘em walkin’ ‘round when they should be pushin’ up daisies. The bennefit fer ‘em is they are harder ta put back in the ground, and some have abilities that are downright amazin’. But, that manitou wants their body fer itself, and if they lose control it does some evil things.
When a dude with the Harrowed keyword is involved in a shootout, that dude can absorb more casualties than a normal dude. You can send a Harrowed dude home booted to cover one casualty. Discarding a Harrowed dude covers two casualties, and acing a Harrowed dude covers three.
If a Harrowed dude in play is aced by a card effect (but not through being aced to cover casualties in a shootout), discard that dude instead of acing them.
More so than with other dudes, a Harrowed dude’s value is important, as that value represents the dude’s control over his manitou. When a Harrowed dude’s value reaches Ace, the dude has lost the battle and the manitou takes control.
When a Harrowed dude reaches Ace value, he immediately begins a job marking the nearest other dude regardless of location (if two dudes are the same distance away, the mark is the one with the lowest value, if still tied the winner decides). No other dudes can join the Harrowed dude’s posse. The Harrowed dude starts and leads the job regardless of location, booted status, restrictions, or even if he is already in a posse. If the job succeeds, ace the mark.
The Harrowed dude’s owner places the top card of their deck, unseen, face-down with the Harrowed dude. The mark’s posse can contain any dudes who could legally join, even if already in a posse, not invited by the mark, or controlled by the Harrowed dude’s controller.
The Harrowed dude takes no shootout actions, but cannot be discarded, aced, or removed from the shootout. After the mark’s shootout hand is revealed, reveal the face down card. That card’s value, plus the Harrowed dude’s bullet rating (max 10) is the harrowed dude’s hand rank. That hand is considered cheatin’, as the Harrowed dude already cheated death.
The Harrowed dude must satisfy any casualties his posse would take. If the Harrowed dude is still in play after the job ends, discard him and all cards attached to him. If the Harrowed dude is aced as a result of casualties, the mark’s shooter gains 1 control point.
Harrowed dudes can access some of the manitou’s powers and abilities, referred to as Harrowed powers, but doing so gives the manitou more control.
Harrowed powers have a cost to use of temporary loss of the dude’s value, actions that grant Harrowed powers reduce the dude’s value when attached. Only a Harrowed dude can use or attach Harrowed powers.
Harrowed related Cards:
Harrowed Power
Inhuman Counter
3 of Hearts
Attach: 1
Harrowed shootout react: when an opposing dude uses an ability on a melee or kung fu card, this harrowed gains +3 bullets. Reduce this dude’s value by 3.
Harrowed Power
Supernatural Speed
5 of Hearts
Attach: 1
Harrowed Noon: move this dude to any location. Reduce this dude’s value by 2.
Harrowed Power
Manitou’s Strength
6 of hearts
+1 bullet
Attach: 3
Harrowed Power
Claws
7 of hearts
Attach: 1
Harrowed shootout: if this dude has no weapons attached, he gains +2 bullets. Reduce this dude’s value by 2.
Harrowed Power
Misfire
9 val
Attach: 2
Harrowed repeat shootout: when a dude uses an ability on a non-melee weapon, cancel the effects. Reduce this dude’s value by 2.
Harrowed Power
Vengeance
10 of hearts
Attach: 2
Mark a dude in play. When that dude opposes this dude in a shootout, this dude gets +1 bullet and the marked dude’s posse takes 1 additional casualty each round.
Harrowed Power
Tastes Like Chicken
J val
Attach: 1
Harrowed Noon: Ace a horse attached to a dude at this location. Reduce this dudes value by 1.
1 Like
Lycanthropy
Some dudes are lycanthropes who turn into half-man, half-beasts. This is represented on card with the lycanthrope keyword. On dudes it looks something like “Lycanthrope - Werewolf: 9” This identifies what kind of lycanthrope the dude is and the control they have over transformation.
There are two ways to transform a dude from the base dude to the lycanthrope form. The first is card effect. Some cards will tell you to transform a dude. This is automatic, there is no pull. The second way is to make a noon pull. If the pull exceeds the number printed, the dude transforms.
When a dude transforms, all attire attached to them is aced. All goods attached to them are discarded. The dude and all remaining attached cards are turned face down, and the appropriate lycanthrope token dude listed is placed over the face down cards.
The dude and all his attachments are still considered in play for uniqueness purposes.
Lycanthrope Tokens: Lycanthrope Tokens are dudes that have the following traits; Lycanthropes discarded during shootout resolution cover two casualties, unless the opposing posse has mystical weapons, in which case the lycanthrope cannot be discarded to cover casualties, but may be aced. If a lycanthrope token is aced, the original dude and all attached cards are aced as well. If a lycanthrope token is discarded, the original dude and all their attached cards are turned face up. This is not considered shoppin’, and does not trigger “come into play” effects.
Lycanthropes may not attach goods unless a card overrides this rule.
Lycanthrope tokens remain in play until discarded or aced.
[Designer note: The formula for Lycanthrope rating is 5+((value-5)/2)+(influence/2)]
Lycanthrope Tokens
Like all token dudes they have the token trait and say “Cannot be included in decks” or whatever.
Werewolf
J value
4 stud
0 inf
Abomination * Lycanthrope
Twisted Werewolf
K value
5 stud
0 inf
Abomination * Lycanthrope
Kitsune
10 Value
2 stud
2 inf
Lycanthrope
Werejackalope
8 value
1 stud
0 inf
Abomination * Lycanthrope
React job, boot: When an opponent reveals a cheatin’ hand, but before resolution, mark their shooter. If the job succeeds, ace the shooter.If either side has no dudes left after the job
Lycathrope card examples -
Action
Jackalope’s Rage
8 Value
Cheatin’ Resolution: Target one of your dudes who gains “Lycathrope - Werejackalope: 8” permanently.
1 cost
Action
Wolfbite
9 value
Resolution: If there is a lycanthrope token dude in the opposing posse and you are discarding a non-lycanthrope, non-harrowed, non-abomination dude as a casualty, that dude goes home, booted, instead, and that dude gains “Lycanthrope - (type in the opposing posse): X” where X is the targeted dude’s value. Ace this card.
0 cost
Goods
Lycanthropy Elixir
5 value
Gadget Rating 8
Noon: Transform this dude into a Twisted Werewolf. Ace the Elixir.
3 cost
Goods
Silver Bullet
Attach this card to any non-melee, non-gadget weapon.
Shootout: Ace the silver bullet to ace an opposing Lycanthrope.
2 cost
Hex
Wolf’s Cry
6 value
React Hex 12: Use when a Lycanthrope - Werewolf is transforming, it transforms into a Twisted Werewolf. Discard this Hex.
Hex
Wolf’s Howl
8 value
Noon hex X: Target non-lycanthrope, non-harrowed, non-abomination dude gains “Lycanthrope - Werewolf: 9” permanently. Ace this hex. X is equal to the target dude’s grit.
1 cost
Joker
Full Moon Joker
Red Joker ONLY
This card is only used for draws and pulls. You choose its suit and value. Transform all Lycanthropes. Ace this card after use.
Joker
New Moon Joker
Black Joker ONLY
This card is only used for draws and pulls. You choose its suitsuit and value. Transform all Lycanthropes back to their original dudes. Ace this card after use.
Miracle
Clense the Curse
10 value
Noon Miracle X: Target non-token dude loses the lycanthrope keyword permanently. Ace this Miracle. X is equal to the target dude’s grit.
Spirit
Fox’s Cunning
7 Value
Noon Spirit X: This dude gains “Lycanthrope - Kitsune: 9”. Ace this spirit. X is equal to this shaman’s grit.
1 cost
Action
Forced Transformation
4 val
Shootout: Transform a lycanthrope or discard a lycanthrope token.
3 cost
Goods
Hunting “Dog”
Ace val
Sidekick * Lycanthrope
May only attach to a a dude with the lycanthrope keyword.
Shootout pull 5: Transform the hunting dog to a werewof until the end of the shootout.
8 cost
Dude
Kirika
J val
0 Stud
1 Inf
108
Lycanthrope - Kitsune: 9
Kung Fu 2
React: After Kirika uses a technique, you may immediately attempt to transform her as a react instead of a noon action.
5 cost
1 upkeep
Dude
Ricardo Wulff
8 val
1 stud
1 inf
Eagle Wardens
Lycanthrope - Werewolf: 7
Shaman 1
Flavor: “The spirits blessed him with a great power and a horrible curse.” - Cheif Steven Seven-Eagles
5 cost
1 upkeep
Dude
George “Guy” Fawkes
8 val
2 draw
2 inf
4th Ring
Lycanthrope - Kitsune: 8
Noon job, boot: Mark a deed with the government keyword. If the job succeeds, discard the deed and send all dudes at it home booted.
Flavor: “Remember, remember,the fifth of November…” -Anonymous
7 cost
2 upkeep
Dude
Kassidy Raven
7 val
1 draw
1 inf
4th Ring
Lycanthrope - Werewolf: 7
Repeat Noon: Target a dude who moved away from Kasssidy’s location this turn. Move Kassidy to that dude’s location. Kassidy may call that dude out.
Flavor: “Back East Kassidy was known as ‘Raven the Huntress.’” - Louis Battenberg
4 cost
2 upkeep
Dude
Louis Battenberg
K val
2 Draw
5 inf
4th Ring
Lycanthrope - Werewolf: 12
Noon job: Mark a dude at an out-of-town location. Louis and all dudes joining this posse must be at Louis’ location and unboted. Boot all dudes in this posse. If the jb is successful, ace the mark.
Flavor: “The hunt begins!”
10 cost
3 upkeep
Dude
Shelby Hunt
4 value
2 draw
0 inf
4th Ring
Experienced * Lycanthrope - Werewolf: 5
Shootout: if a dude in the opposing posse has higher bullets than Shelby, Shelby gains +1 bullets, is a stud, and cannot be affected by other player’s shootout abiities.
Flavor: “Finally a group of folks who share my interests!”
4 cost
1 upkeep
Dude
Victoria Battenberg
Q val
0 draw
4 inf
4th Ring
Lycnthrope - Werewolf: 11
Noon: Target a dude at this location with less influence than Victoria’s. That dude cannot move from this location until after nightfall.
Flavor: “How dare you speak to me in such a way!”
8 cost
2 upkeep
2 Likes