When it comes to fantasy gaming, I like a good dose of reality in it. That includes historical reality. But not too much.
I run my GURPS DF game with the "usual" Tech Level (TL) range: 0-4. That's stone age to Renaissance, minus the firearms and gunpowder.* But within that range are some things that require some later mechanical, social, or scientific advances.
Some of the things that allows me to do this are:
Dwarves & Gnomes. Racially, these guys are a good excuse for advanced tech of all kinds. They're long lived and obsessed with perfect demonstrations of skill. They have time to get good, higher levels in the relative skills in the first place, and a strong social drive to make tech things happen.
Magic. Distilling is easy with spells that can concentrate alcohol by removing water, and it's no stretch to say a mechanically advanced magic-using race that lives a long time and needs strong booze to get them tipsy might really see the value in making hard liquor.
Quick Gadgeteer. Artificers, too, are a good excuse for one-off functioning devices of all kinds and the occasional breakthrough that doesn't have sufficient social/mechanical/scientific scaffolding to support its widespread use. The latter especially allows for crazy traps, one-off mechanical contrivances, and strange results you couldn't make happen without something of that sort.
Here are some of the anachronisms in my DF Felltower game:
Cut Gemstones - Anything, up to and including diamonds, can be cut (even magically shaped, with sufficient magic and skill) as well as smoothed and polished. Races that prize technological advances, crafter skill, and magic (gnomes, dwarves) and races that prize beauty (elves) mean that even if humans haven't gotten up to the whole cut-and-facet level of fine gem working, other races have.
Precise Time & Measurement - Lots of magic and precision measurement via magic allows for precise timekeeping, where necessary. It's not necessary for most folks, and it's not like you can go buy a watch, but it's possible to link things to precise times simply by access to knowledge magic. If adventurers didn't waste their lives on get-rich-quick schemes like dungeon raiding and learning Explosive Fireball spells, they could get a solid job using magic for timing and measuring just like their mom told them they should. But noooooo, they had to run off with that barbarian friend of theirs and that no-good thief of a neighbor and raid the lich's tomb. Sorry, where was I?
Distilling - Booze, for one, and advanced chemicals of a wide variety of sorts. Since Alchemy works - you can mix elixirs that do truly wonderful things advanced science and medicine can't touch ("Rub this on, your missing hand will regrow perfectly" and "Drink this, you'll be able to fly"). So it's no stretch at all to have hard liquor.
Social Equality - No sexism, racism, etc. unless you go ahead and take a Social Stigma, in which case you do suffer some effects. This isn't even a modern problem we've solved, but in Felltower? It's all fine.
Felltower lacks a few things I usually include:
Banking - I tend to have fairly advanced banking instruments in my gaming. Bearer bonds, notes, deeds, stock, etc. and a lot of investment and banking options. Felltower? All that has is the First Bank of Honus, which pretty much is because no one robs a barbarian wearing an owlbear hide cape he made with his bare hands (plus a knife and some teeth).
Advanced Shipping - Players tend to be more familiar with pirate ships than cogs, carracks, and naos, so I tend to go for more advanced shipping, regardless of the actual tech level we're at. No ships yet in Felltower, so this hasn't come up.
* Of course, GURPS has rules for them, and DF has the Demolisher and Musketeer. And I have minis aplenty with guns thanks to all of the Warhammer, Mordheim, pirate, and weird fantasy minis I purchased. But still, for my game, no guns.
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Saturday, December 20, 2014
D&D 5e Monster Manual: Black Dragon Awesomeness
Good monster description writing is clear, but inspirational.
I always liked black dragons. Swamps, acid-spitting, cool looking forward-angled spiky horns in the pictures. Swooping up out of Xak Tsorath, lurking in the fetid swamps in I8 The Ravager of Time, and menacing from the edges of dangerous territory.
So this description of a black dragon lair from the new Monster Manual grabbed me.
"A black dragon's lair is a dismal cave, grotto, or ruin at least partially flooded [. . .] where its victims can ferment. The lair is littered with the acid-pitted bones of previous victims and fly-ridden carcasses of fresh kills, watched over by crumbling statues. Centipedes, scorpions, and snakes infest the lair, which is filled with the stench of death and decay."
- Monster Manual, p. 89
That and this bit from their "Foes and Servants" section.
"Evil lizardfolk venerate and serve black dragons, raiding humanoid settlements for treasure and food to give as tribute and building crude dragonic effigies along the borders of their dragon master's domain."
- Monster Manual, p. 89
I read that and basically sat up and thought, I need to write up a black dragon's lair. I can picture that in my head, picture the swamp with the lizardfolk lurking on the fringes of vision and you look at their crude, fog-shrouded effigies hoving into view as you walk on a wet "road" that only takes you deeper into some place no one has lived in centuries for reasons that become clearer with each step. A sinister black dragon waiting within, patiently building up its power and wealth, as its servants stalk you and try to end your trip before you reach the half-sunken ruins that house the dragon.
Really evocative stuff.
So yeah, to my players - don't go into any swamps on my map of the area. You already know what lurks there. Don't doubt for a second that I would spraypaint that dragon mini black if I had to.
I always liked black dragons. Swamps, acid-spitting, cool looking forward-angled spiky horns in the pictures. Swooping up out of Xak Tsorath, lurking in the fetid swamps in I8 The Ravager of Time, and menacing from the edges of dangerous territory.
So this description of a black dragon lair from the new Monster Manual grabbed me.
"A black dragon's lair is a dismal cave, grotto, or ruin at least partially flooded [. . .] where its victims can ferment. The lair is littered with the acid-pitted bones of previous victims and fly-ridden carcasses of fresh kills, watched over by crumbling statues. Centipedes, scorpions, and snakes infest the lair, which is filled with the stench of death and decay."
- Monster Manual, p. 89
That and this bit from their "Foes and Servants" section.
"Evil lizardfolk venerate and serve black dragons, raiding humanoid settlements for treasure and food to give as tribute and building crude dragonic effigies along the borders of their dragon master's domain."
- Monster Manual, p. 89
I read that and basically sat up and thought, I need to write up a black dragon's lair. I can picture that in my head, picture the swamp with the lizardfolk lurking on the fringes of vision and you look at their crude, fog-shrouded effigies hoving into view as you walk on a wet "road" that only takes you deeper into some place no one has lived in centuries for reasons that become clearer with each step. A sinister black dragon waiting within, patiently building up its power and wealth, as its servants stalk you and try to end your trip before you reach the half-sunken ruins that house the dragon.
Really evocative stuff.
So yeah, to my players - don't go into any swamps on my map of the area. You already know what lurks there. Don't doubt for a second that I would spraypaint that dragon mini black if I had to.
Friday, December 19, 2014
Starter Adventures is out
Starting Adventures by Tim Shorts is out. You can find it here:
Tim was nice enough to send me a preview back when I was looking for material to use to teach a new player to game. The player ended up choosing GURPS Lite over Basic Fantasy. But I read all of Starting Adventures and I was impressed with what's in it.
Based on the preview I've received, I'm pleased to see the final version is out.
If you:
- need a starting adventure to play right now, with minimal (maybe no) prep for a solo PC just learning the game
or
- need a solo adventure for a starting character of any class for a DnD or a retro-clone
or
- want to ease someone into gaming without starting a long, drawn-out adventure
then this is a book you can use. So many of the adventures are short enough you could generate a character and then play for an hour or so and give someone their first taste of gaming. They're very short, but also very open to the actions of the players. There isn't a lot of script here, just opportunities and obstacles. They're mapped (by Robert Conley), fully detailed, and ready to go.
I haven't seen the final copy yet (and I'm too busy to read it right now if I had it), but my impression of the preview was extremely positive. I keep a copy on hand, just in case I need it as speaking practice with a student or to use to teach a new gamer. It's like having a ready-to-go adventure for any one PC of any type in your pocket.
I think it's worth checking out if you need anything remotely like that.
Tim was nice enough to send me a preview back when I was looking for material to use to teach a new player to game. The player ended up choosing GURPS Lite over Basic Fantasy. But I read all of Starting Adventures and I was impressed with what's in it.
Based on the preview I've received, I'm pleased to see the final version is out.
If you:
- need a starting adventure to play right now, with minimal (maybe no) prep for a solo PC just learning the game
or
- need a solo adventure for a starting character of any class for a DnD or a retro-clone
or
- want to ease someone into gaming without starting a long, drawn-out adventure
then this is a book you can use. So many of the adventures are short enough you could generate a character and then play for an hour or so and give someone their first taste of gaming. They're very short, but also very open to the actions of the players. There isn't a lot of script here, just opportunities and obstacles. They're mapped (by Robert Conley), fully detailed, and ready to go.
I haven't seen the final copy yet (and I'm too busy to read it right now if I had it), but my impression of the preview was extremely positive. I keep a copy on hand, just in case I need it as speaking practice with a student or to use to teach a new gamer. It's like having a ready-to-go adventure for any one PC of any type in your pocket.
I think it's worth checking out if you need anything remotely like that.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Melee Academy: Unarmed vs. Knife
The is (was?) a whole thread about this over on the SJG Forums. I saw the title, and emailed Doug and said, "That's our next Melee Academy." But I haven't read the thread itself. I wanted to basically put forward the tactics I've seen work in play when forced to fight unarmed versus a foe with a close combat-capable weapon and the intent to use it.
Unfortunately for this post, I also got a sudden, huge, last-minute influx of good paying work, which killed the free time I'd budgeted for a page reference and turn-by-turn tactical description. But this still might help, so I'm posting what I have.
These assume Basic Set and Martial Arts rules. If you use Technical Grappling, some of these options will work very, very differently. Lucky for you, Doug has you covered over at Gaming Ballistic.
The basic tactic for unarmed vs. knife is pretty much:
- Don't get hit.
- Defend if you do get hit.
- Grapple the weapon arm. Per B371, this makes it impossible to strike with the weapon in it.
- Arm Lock (if you can) or strike (if you can't). Don't let go of the arm.
Don't Get Hit
Goal number one, avoid getting hit in the first place. There isn't a lot you can do to ensure this, but if your skill is better you can try this one:
Defensive Feints
If your skill is much, much better (think, 10+ skill points) than your opponent, consider this option. Use Defensive Feint to lower the chances of being hit. Hopefully, this forces your opponent into a normal, non-Deceptive Attack, or possibly even a Telegraphic Attack. Then you can use your effectively improved defenses.
Otherwise, All-Out Defense is your friend while you just pray the guy rolls an 18 on his attack.
Defend
All-Out Defense is probably the best option to start with. The unarmed fighter will want to All-Out Defend (Increased Defenses) for a +2 to Parry if intending to use the Parry to set up an Arm Lock. +2 to Dodge is also good if you have a superior Dodge and intend to set up your own grapple later. Double defenses (use Dodge first) is also a good option.
Retreat is tough, because you want to avoid getting hit but you don't want to stray any further from the foe than you can. A weapon gives him a reach advantage (in Tactical Combat) so you will want to stay close so you can attack when your turn comes around.
Eventually, though, you'll need to stop using AOD and start attacking.
Grapple the Arm
There is a -1 penalty to eat up when you grapple the arm (and -2 for hand), but you need to - just like in real life, in game, you'll want to immobilize the weapon.
Feint, then Attack
If you think you've got superior skill to your opponent, use Feint to lower his defenses. Use Beat if you think your ST+skill and you successfully used Parry to defend against his weapon.
In any case, when you attack, use Deceptive Attack aggressively. As in, drop your skill all the way down to 10. You can afford to miss but can't afford to be parried since that will result in a free chance to cut you. Once you've got it, look at Arm Lock or using strikes (I like Knee Strike here) to disable your opponent or remove the weapon. You no longer need to worry about being weapon parried, because you've got the arm.
Ultimately, though, none of these are optimal - it's a case of "X-1 vs. X" and, surprise surprise, you're better off being the X not the X-1 in that equation.
That's the basic cycle I use. Avoid getting hit, Feint is you think you have the skill edge, use Deceptive Attack aggressively to ensure you only hit when you've stomped his defenses down, and hold to the arm and do violent things to your opponent.
Unfortunately for this post, I also got a sudden, huge, last-minute influx of good paying work, which killed the free time I'd budgeted for a page reference and turn-by-turn tactical description. But this still might help, so I'm posting what I have.
These assume Basic Set and Martial Arts rules. If you use Technical Grappling, some of these options will work very, very differently. Lucky for you, Doug has you covered over at Gaming Ballistic.
The basic tactic for unarmed vs. knife is pretty much:
- Don't get hit.
- Defend if you do get hit.
- Grapple the weapon arm. Per B371, this makes it impossible to strike with the weapon in it.
- Arm Lock (if you can) or strike (if you can't). Don't let go of the arm.
Don't Get Hit
Goal number one, avoid getting hit in the first place. There isn't a lot you can do to ensure this, but if your skill is better you can try this one:
Defensive Feints
If your skill is much, much better (think, 10+ skill points) than your opponent, consider this option. Use Defensive Feint to lower the chances of being hit. Hopefully, this forces your opponent into a normal, non-Deceptive Attack, or possibly even a Telegraphic Attack. Then you can use your effectively improved defenses.
Otherwise, All-Out Defense is your friend while you just pray the guy rolls an 18 on his attack.
Defend
All-Out Defense is probably the best option to start with. The unarmed fighter will want to All-Out Defend (Increased Defenses) for a +2 to Parry if intending to use the Parry to set up an Arm Lock. +2 to Dodge is also good if you have a superior Dodge and intend to set up your own grapple later. Double defenses (use Dodge first) is also a good option.
Retreat is tough, because you want to avoid getting hit but you don't want to stray any further from the foe than you can. A weapon gives him a reach advantage (in Tactical Combat) so you will want to stay close so you can attack when your turn comes around.
Eventually, though, you'll need to stop using AOD and start attacking.
Grapple the Arm
There is a -1 penalty to eat up when you grapple the arm (and -2 for hand), but you need to - just like in real life, in game, you'll want to immobilize the weapon.
Feint, then Attack
If you think you've got superior skill to your opponent, use Feint to lower his defenses. Use Beat if you think your ST+skill and you successfully used Parry to defend against his weapon.
In any case, when you attack, use Deceptive Attack aggressively. As in, drop your skill all the way down to 10. You can afford to miss but can't afford to be parried since that will result in a free chance to cut you. Once you've got it, look at Arm Lock or using strikes (I like Knee Strike here) to disable your opponent or remove the weapon. You no longer need to worry about being weapon parried, because you've got the arm.
Ultimately, though, none of these are optimal - it's a case of "X-1 vs. X" and, surprise surprise, you're better off being the X not the X-1 in that equation.
That's the basic cycle I use. Avoid getting hit, Feint is you think you have the skill edge, use Deceptive Attack aggressively to ensure you only hit when you've stomped his defenses down, and hold to the arm and do violent things to your opponent.
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Black Tree Design Orcs WIP: Part II
Here are the orcs from yesterday, next step closer to finished:
Left: Orc Shaman
Right: Orc Barbarian Shaman
Love that fish.
The shine off the minis is the glossy cote that Quickshade gives it. But it's a very good all-in-one sealer and dark wash, and it really filled in the many little crevices on these guys that called for a blackwash or brownwash to give them shading and depth.
All they need now is to sit another day or two just to make sure they're completely dry. Then I'll re-dot the eyes and put on a few tiny highlights. Then, finishing the base (color it black, possibly flock it.) After that, matte spray. The spray will need to wait for better weather - it's either been too cold, or too humid on the days that it is warm enough.
Left: Orc Shaman
Right: Orc Barbarian Shaman
Love that fish.
The shine off the minis is the glossy cote that Quickshade gives it. But it's a very good all-in-one sealer and dark wash, and it really filled in the many little crevices on these guys that called for a blackwash or brownwash to give them shading and depth.
All they need now is to sit another day or two just to make sure they're completely dry. Then I'll re-dot the eyes and put on a few tiny highlights. Then, finishing the base (color it black, possibly flock it.) After that, matte spray. The spray will need to wait for better weather - it's either been too cold, or too humid on the days that it is warm enough.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Black Tree Design Orcs
Also on sale around the end of last month were some Black Tree Design minis. I got a couple of orcs:
Left: Orc Shaman
Right: Barbarian Orc Shaman
Those guys are fully base-coated, and if I (somehow) have time tonight I'll brush them with Army Painter Quickshade. I half-painted them in one session (primed, then painted the flesh) and then finished the whole job yesterday while I was doing some listening (painting helps me concentrate on what I hear, I find.) Very quick paint jobs, using the painted examples on the BTD website to give me some ideas (or all of my ideas, for the first guy.) I really like the quality of these figures.
Overall, I'm quite impressed with them. They have just enough detail to get better as you paint them, but not so much detail I had to fiddle with the mini and blackline and shade and choose colors to get all the details right. The have a low, squat, but not too-short stance, which bodes well for packed orc vs. PC fights. For some reason, I didn't notice this orc shaman, but I guess I have plenty. I wanted a couple more basically because my players see the same 2-3 orc shaman figures I have regularly, and have to ask "Same guy as last fight? Or just the same mini but it looks like a different orc?" I'd rather have a little variety.
Originally they came on square 20mmm bases but as usual I based them using my "cup base" style and put their slot-tab bases into inverted 25mm round bases. Once they've been Quickshaded, I'll do the bases. I find that works best because I don't worry about the Quickshade gumming up the bases, and if I miss when shading or painting or gluing I have a tiny window to fix it because the hard shell of Quickshade keeps the material from scarring the paint underneath on the actual figure.
Actually, I also got some other figures I'll debut at another time. I had a (positive but time consuming) change in my non-gaming life which probably means I'll be painting a little less. So I'm hoping to get a few more done ASAP so they can be used on the table.
Left: Orc Shaman
Right: Barbarian Orc Shaman
Those guys are fully base-coated, and if I (somehow) have time tonight I'll brush them with Army Painter Quickshade. I half-painted them in one session (primed, then painted the flesh) and then finished the whole job yesterday while I was doing some listening (painting helps me concentrate on what I hear, I find.) Very quick paint jobs, using the painted examples on the BTD website to give me some ideas (or all of my ideas, for the first guy.) I really like the quality of these figures.
Overall, I'm quite impressed with them. They have just enough detail to get better as you paint them, but not so much detail I had to fiddle with the mini and blackline and shade and choose colors to get all the details right. The have a low, squat, but not too-short stance, which bodes well for packed orc vs. PC fights. For some reason, I didn't notice this orc shaman, but I guess I have plenty. I wanted a couple more basically because my players see the same 2-3 orc shaman figures I have regularly, and have to ask "Same guy as last fight? Or just the same mini but it looks like a different orc?" I'd rather have a little variety.
Originally they came on square 20mmm bases but as usual I based them using my "cup base" style and put their slot-tab bases into inverted 25mm round bases. Once they've been Quickshaded, I'll do the bases. I find that works best because I don't worry about the Quickshade gumming up the bases, and if I miss when shading or painting or gluing I have a tiny window to fix it because the hard shell of Quickshade keeps the material from scarring the paint underneath on the actual figure.
Actually, I also got some other figures I'll debut at another time. I had a (positive but time consuming) change in my non-gaming life which probably means I'll be painting a little less. So I'm hoping to get a few more done ASAP so they can be used on the table.
Monday, December 15, 2014
GURPS 101: Using Meta-Traits
Here are some thoughts on meta-traits, for those relatively new to GURPS and wondering how to use them effectively. Some of the advice might help more experienced GMs as well, if only by reminding them of the reasons meta-traits make life easier overall.
Meta-Traits (p. B262) are package traits. They collect a set of advantages and disadvantages into a short name you can apply to creatures and characters. This post assumes you've read the description and examples on p. B262-3.
Why use them?
There are a few reasons I like to use meta-traits.
- They ensure everything of a like kind gets all of the same effects. If every demon in your world is Immune to Metabolic Hazards and has Doesn't Breathe and has Dread (Holy Objects), it's just easier to put them in a meta-trait called Demon and stick that on every demon than to remember to put each of those on each demon you generate.
- It vastly speeds up monster generation if you don't have to comb through all of the advantages and disadvantages to find what you need each time. You never get caught out thinking, "why doesn't this wild animal have Bestial?" because you just bolted on the Wild Animal Trait which includes it.
- It makes modifying creatures a much simpler task. The idea is to speed up and simplify the process of making and playing a creature.
For these reasons, I use meta-traits aggressively in my creature descriptions for my games.
What are the downsides?
Nothing is free of downsides.
- You have to know the package. If you're wondering if skeletons have Immunity to Mind Control because you didn't check if it's in the Mindless Undead meta-trait, you'll know what I mean. Any meta-traits you use, you need to keep track of. Know them before you use them. Know that Body of Fire means "know the stuff on B262 is on there."
- They come with everything on the meta-trait. Obvious, I know, but the point is that by choosing the meta-trait you're accepting all the items on the list pending subtractions. The bigger the trait is, the less broadly it is able to be used.
Some pro tips:
- Make it the minimum overlapping set. It's easier to add more traits (and more meta-traits) than to keep track of subtractions. If the creatures with the exceptions are truly rare, or the subtractions are single traits with no spillover into other traits (for example, SM modifying cost), it'll be okay. But it's generally easier to add more traits or a new meta-trait than to say "This without that." The moment you end up with, say, Dwarf (Remove Greedy, Add Miserliness and Callous, Remove Lifting ST) you end up with so many changes to track it would be easier to just list the parts that are there.
- Don't be afraid to use multiple meta-traits. A demon-dog might have Wild Animal and Demon. An air elemental-like mindless slave might have Automaton and Body of Air. And so on.
- Stay on topic. If you mix too much into a meta-trait, it becomes less broadly useful. "Rubber-Bodied Alien" is not as good as "Alien" and "Body of Rubber" because you can't use the former easily for non-aliens or non-rubber bodied types, but the latter are useful on their own.
- Make the meta-traits as simple as possible - don't include a lot of if:then or "raise X by Y" in them. The DF prefixes do this, it's true, but they also require a little more work to use. Once you start including variable modifications, expect the work load for using the meta-trait to go up.
- Use meta-traits to drive campaign themes. If all of your demons are unable to harm the truly innocent (directly), or all of your golems can only be disabled by removing their scroll, or all of your bug-eyed aliens have Lecherousness (after all, Mars needs women), put that kind of stuff in a meta-trait and use it widely. This will ensure players begin to see the patterns in creatures, and understand what drives them or harms them. It helps to establish a shared experience because of the commonalities between creatures.
Compare that to making up each demon, golem, or BEA separately. If each is basically different, with no common trait beyond a name with no shared game effect, then it's just a name. There isn't a predictive knowledge to be gained, just a pool of possible effects ("Demons can't harm the truly innocent. Well, some of them.")
Meta-Traits (p. B262) are package traits. They collect a set of advantages and disadvantages into a short name you can apply to creatures and characters. This post assumes you've read the description and examples on p. B262-3.
Why use them?
There are a few reasons I like to use meta-traits.
- They ensure everything of a like kind gets all of the same effects. If every demon in your world is Immune to Metabolic Hazards and has Doesn't Breathe and has Dread (Holy Objects), it's just easier to put them in a meta-trait called Demon and stick that on every demon than to remember to put each of those on each demon you generate.
- It vastly speeds up monster generation if you don't have to comb through all of the advantages and disadvantages to find what you need each time. You never get caught out thinking, "why doesn't this wild animal have Bestial?" because you just bolted on the Wild Animal Trait which includes it.
- It makes modifying creatures a much simpler task. The idea is to speed up and simplify the process of making and playing a creature.
For these reasons, I use meta-traits aggressively in my creature descriptions for my games.
What are the downsides?
Nothing is free of downsides.
- You have to know the package. If you're wondering if skeletons have Immunity to Mind Control because you didn't check if it's in the Mindless Undead meta-trait, you'll know what I mean. Any meta-traits you use, you need to keep track of. Know them before you use them. Know that Body of Fire means "know the stuff on B262 is on there."
- They come with everything on the meta-trait. Obvious, I know, but the point is that by choosing the meta-trait you're accepting all the items on the list pending subtractions. The bigger the trait is, the less broadly it is able to be used.
Some pro tips:
- Make it the minimum overlapping set. It's easier to add more traits (and more meta-traits) than to keep track of subtractions. If the creatures with the exceptions are truly rare, or the subtractions are single traits with no spillover into other traits (for example, SM modifying cost), it'll be okay. But it's generally easier to add more traits or a new meta-trait than to say "This without that." The moment you end up with, say, Dwarf (Remove Greedy, Add Miserliness and Callous, Remove Lifting ST) you end up with so many changes to track it would be easier to just list the parts that are there.
- Don't be afraid to use multiple meta-traits. A demon-dog might have Wild Animal and Demon. An air elemental-like mindless slave might have Automaton and Body of Air. And so on.
- Stay on topic. If you mix too much into a meta-trait, it becomes less broadly useful. "Rubber-Bodied Alien" is not as good as "Alien" and "Body of Rubber" because you can't use the former easily for non-aliens or non-rubber bodied types, but the latter are useful on their own.
- Make the meta-traits as simple as possible - don't include a lot of if:then or "raise X by Y" in them. The DF prefixes do this, it's true, but they also require a little more work to use. Once you start including variable modifications, expect the work load for using the meta-trait to go up.
- Use meta-traits to drive campaign themes. If all of your demons are unable to harm the truly innocent (directly), or all of your golems can only be disabled by removing their scroll, or all of your bug-eyed aliens have Lecherousness (after all, Mars needs women), put that kind of stuff in a meta-trait and use it widely. This will ensure players begin to see the patterns in creatures, and understand what drives them or harms them. It helps to establish a shared experience because of the commonalities between creatures.
Compare that to making up each demon, golem, or BEA separately. If each is basically different, with no common trait beyond a name with no shared game effect, then it's just a name. There isn't a predictive knowledge to be gained, just a pool of possible effects ("Demons can't harm the truly innocent. Well, some of them.")
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