Or you could see the choices not for the final rewards but for the outcome they have. In the case of BaL and the Network: utterly, very finally killing the Vake. Which, given BaL is very much a vindication story in its own right, feels very appropriate.
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Itâs hard not to when the final rewards reflect the benefits and story options you enjoy going forward long after the Ambition itself is over. I cannot stress enough how underwhelming just having a big pile of money feels next to a tamed FL dragon. And I donât feel BaL is solely a vindication story given the options youâre allowed to select, for me it was very much a case of becoming the monster I hunted.
A completely valid reading of it is one predator usurping another and fooling his allies into thinking heâs still on their side.
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Honestly, big stories like the Ambition, the Railway, Evolution and presumably Firmament are the moments where I go for story and choices over mechanical rewards.
If you donât do that, itâs perfectly fine, but I donât see the point in bringing back story consideration once youâve reached that point.
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Each to their own. To be clear, both matter to me and my primary motivator was because I much prefer the story where Iâm feared over the story that comes across like a very hollow victory in the grand scheme of things. But in all fairness this thread was initially about Treasures among other things for maximum High Wilderness influence.
I thought it was about how to pair professions, treasures and destinies to reach a goal, with a sample one being provided.
And it is still very distinct from the question of âhow many unique options does it open on in-game cardsâ.
Alright, then if weâre still talking about that question Iâm thoroughly confused what the point being made here is, then. How else do you propose to judge the effectiveness of a vaguely described story option if not by what it unlocks? I mean, Iâm assuming there is some finitude to what the Network offers you just as I assume the Society doesnât encompass every government ever so I donât see how you can assess them relative to each other apart from what they unlock.
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The latter was a tangent that spun from the former, and doubles handily as a convenient measure of what a given Treasure actually does for you in-setting.
And per that measure? It actually makes sense the Lazarus set is all but literally useless. Social calls are about all you can do with a doe-eyed amnesiac.
That said? From a game design POV? It is a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge middle finger to give people who chose the high road in Nemesis almost nothing for their troubles when Light Fingers and Heartâs Desire players get to fiddle with their chosen toys every day. And honestly itâs something of a spectacular failure of imagination on FBGâs part that they couldnât come up with some creative uses for Lazarus 2.0 and/or the Bloodied Coat.
(Make Lazarus into a teatime-related option like the Elegiac Cockatoo? Bring them as your plus one during society parties? Câmon. Itâs not like FL is a game that lacks range and/or non-combat related gameplay.)
You can optionally do that in 2/3 non-network options. You can get the Intriguer Veils to drink itself to death (spilling its beans in the process), and very famously eat Ritualist Veils.
Only the Bazaar and April insist on being difficult because you drew things out. No one else cares (nor should they).