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Umm, actually, Gadgets snuck into the fold in EcoFluxx. It’s called Poison.
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As we all know, Zombie Fluxx adds new types of cards to the Fluxx system:
- The Ungoal, which specifies conditions where everyone loses. It is a cool idea, though I don't know if I would have made a new card type for it: it is essentially the same as a Goal.
- Creepers*, an even more interesting variation of Keepers. As implemented so far, they are rather malleable: they usually prevent you from winning while you have them, but can be part of a win for certain goals. It seems that this will be a good tool in giving each Fluxx game its own ambience; Andy has said that Puny Humans will be the Creepers in Martian Fluxx.
But, there is another type of card that has snuck in without any comment that I have seen:
- Gadgets, an explicit card type in Chrononauts. In case you aren't familiar with it, Chrononaut Artifacts are just like Fluxx Keepers: you play them in front of you and can win if you get the right set of them. Gadgets play just like Artifacts, but instead of being part of a win condition, they allow their owner to do special game things.
In Zombie Fluxx we have two Keepers that are essentially Gadgets: the Sonic Tranquilizer and Zombie Repellant. They do not count as part of any Goal, but do have special effects on Zombie Creepers. The Shotgun is a hybrid: it is useful both for Goals and for killing Creepers; so are any "Pow" Keepers when the right Rule is in force.
So what does this mean? Should we demand that Gadgets be explicitly labelled as such? Naw. Any rigid line between Goal and Gadget Keepers is already straddled by the Shotgun. Even in Chronoauts the line has blurred a bit: the Artifacts that came out as Promo cards acted a bit like Gadgets as well, each having some special effect they could do.
It's better just to be aware of them. Using Keepers for more than Goals allows more creative options for Andy in future Fluxx games, and everyone else who likes using the Fluxx Blanxx. Let the ideas flow!
Bryan
*Yes, I know the Party pack came out first with the Radioactive Potato. |