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I also enjoyed the old augment wind-up because it added a sense drama to important contests. The old way also sometimes sounded a bit like a poker game "I'll see your +4 Hate Barbarians and raise you +5 Lightning reflexes!" ;)
On the other hand, I love how the new rules make characters work for the augments within the story. The focus has moved away from passive augments - limiting them to one, and then only if interesting - and instead encourages augments that occur as a result of PC actions - either as lingering benefits or plot augments. Thus, the quest for bonuses generates story ideas.
For example, if the PCs are a motley band of thieves preparing for a bank job, then they might seduce a bank employee to learn the security codes, or break into the security company to copy the bank's security blueprints. That is much more interesting than simply reciting a laundry list of related abilities.
Note: When playtesting HQ2 I found out that my group of players with HQ1 experience needed to be reminded of the new options frequently, because they tended to focus on the limitations and not the new possibilities. The Narrator needs to keep suggesting plot augments and so forth until the players start thinking of it themselves.
-Kevin McD
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