The notion of “ATK” seems to me to be ambiguous across the reference materials, and especially in connection with Hero Attacks – when trying to get my head around it I was struck by how infrequently this abbreviation is used outside of the context of discussing Companion or Enemy attacks, and I suspect this it related. Italics in quotes below are mine.
- Glossary/Index v0.13: the entry for “ATK” defines it as “base attack stat, set by hero weapon”
- Rulebook v0.13 (RB):
- RB 8 similarly says: “The hero weapon determines the base combat attack stat (ATK).” However, just above this in the inset image, the text on the top of the Stormforged Pillar card reads “ATTACK: MUSCLE” and the inset callout text reads “Attack Modifier.”
- RB 17 uses “ATK” as an abbreviation for the Hero Attack phase of combat, and this should probably be deleted.
- RB 27 says “Passive abilities include:… Stat buffs (like ARM and ATK)”
- RB 34 refers to “the hero’s ATK modifier”
- Learn To Play v0.13 (LTP) LTP 10’s discussion of attacking with Skeggox is a microcosm of how these ambiguities create problems:
- The Skeggox card and Vixen’s Hero card are shown in the 2nd image I embedded above:
- The top of the Skeggox card reads: “ATTACK: MUSCLE”
- Vixen’s MUSCLE stat is “+1”
- The Power on the bottom of the Sekggox card reads “Cleave. +2ATK Overkill.”
- LTP 10 reads: “Vixen attacks with her axe, Skeggox. It requires MUSCLE to wield and so she gains a +1 MOD; A7+F5/4. A Strong Hit. She taps the weapon card and activates her weapon’s Cleave power. This adds an additional +2 damage and Overkill. A total result of 5HP (result [from roll]) +2HP (weapon), less 1 for the Spiderwing’s armour value..”
- Here Vixens “Muscle +1” stat is said to be a “+1 MOD.” This contradicts the Glossary and the first half of RB 8, coheres with the 2nd half of RB and RB 34, and probably means the same as RB 27, which should then say “MOD” and not “buff.”
- NOTE: here the “ATK” value is added to the d6 to set the “target” for deciding whether a d8 fate die produces a hit.
- Notably however, the “+2ATK” abbreviation in Skeggox’s “cleave” power is said here on LTP 10 to be synonymous with “+2 damage” to the attack. LTP 19 likewise says that the text means “Vixen exhausts Skeggox for Cleave: an additional +2 HP” in damage dealt.
- NOTE: here the “ATK” value is added to the result of the skillcheck. Very different.
- Here Vixens “Muscle +1” stat is said to be a “+1 MOD.” This contradicts the Glossary and the first half of RB 8, coheres with the 2nd half of RB and RB 34, and probably means the same as RB 27, which should then say “MOD” and not “buff.”
- The Skeggox card and Vixen’s Hero card are shown in the 2nd image I embedded above:
In short, I think the notion of “ATK” needs systematic review. The d6-modifier must be sharply distinguished from the Result-modifier – one of these can be called “ATK.” In no case does the Glossary’s definition seem to work quite right.
Once that’s settled, I think it is likely that some information on the Hero cards could be re-organized to help the player sort out Attack values. Unless there are plans for (a) an expansion that would allow Heroes to get new weapons, or (b) a variant where Heroes don’t use their “default” starting weapons, then I’m not sure the Heroe’s default Attack Modifier (the thing they add to the d6 in a combat roll) couldn’t just be explicitly stated. Again, it’s thematically cool that this depends on a specific Stat for the character, but seems like it may be functionally irrelevant. Why ask the player to do math on this if it never changes?