Proposal: Establish Separate Entities for Snails and Slugs
Amend Rule “Slugs” to replace:
“Slugs are considered to be Snails for the purposes of all Dynastic Rules.”
With:
“Snails and Slugs are distinct entities, each defined as follows:
- Snails: Any non-Slug participants in the game, defined as per the rules under ‘Snails.’
- Slugs: Special game entities governed by their unique rules under ‘Slugs.’
When a rule or action needs to refer to both Snails and Slugs, the term ‘Gastropods’ should be used. By default, unless explicitly stated otherwise, rules or actions that refer to ‘Gastropods’ apply equally to both Snails and Slugs.
Restructure and adapt the following rules:
Rule “Snails”:
Define Snails as independent participants in the game, distinct from Slugs. Snails are governed by all rules and actions under the “Snails” section. Actions or rules referring to Snails do not apply to Slugs unless explicitly stated.
Rule “Slugs”:
Define Slugs as game entities with their unique mechanics, distinct from Snails. Slugs are governed by all rules and actions under the “Slugs” section. Actions or rules referring to Slugs do not apply to Snails unless explicitly stated.
Amend all references in the Ruleset:
- Change any occurrence of “Snails” that unintentionally includes Slugs to “Gastropods” where the rule should apply to both Snails and Slugs.
- Update rules that specifically reference Snails or Slugs to ensure that their effects are confined to the appropriate entity.
- Introduce the term “Gastropods” in relevant sections to clearly group Snails and Slugs without ambiguity.
This proposal establishes Snails and Slugs as entirely distinct entities while creating the unifying term “Gastropods” for cases where both need to be referenced together. This ensures clarity, reduces ambiguity, and prevents unintended interpretations in the Ruleset. The separation strengthens the framework by avoiding conflicts in rules or actions that affect Snails and Slugs differently.
Josh: he/they
I like the intent of this and have been thinking about doing something similar for a while! I think that this doesn’t quite stick the landing - “unless a rule or action explicitly distinguishes between Snails and Slugs at least once in the rule or action” is very broad and full of potential for mishaps. For example: the rule Races ‘explicitly distinguishes between Snails and Slugs’ (“Set each non-Slug Snail’s Pecking Order”), so the entire rule now maintains that distinction, including clauses later in the same rule where that apparently wasn’t the intent (“Set the Status of all Snails to Healthy”).
Might be worth another pass - or maybe a more full-fat version of the same impulse that completely breaks the link, starting from the presumption that Slugs and Snails are completely distinct.