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Hi, I recently joined the BGA-community mostly to play HEAT online with a couple of friends. But since we have varying degrees of skill, we usually used the optional rules from the physical game to impose a handicap for more experienced players, in which case they remove one or more heat cards from their motor block at the beginning of a game.

Is it currently possible to impose such handicap in the BGA-version of HEAT? If not, is it planned, or would it be sensible to add such an option?

I understand that for the most part - for tournaments, arena games and regular matches between random people - no such handicap rule is needed. This is just a thought to enhance casual friendly games between predetermined players.

Anyway, have a nice day.

Spawnferkel wrote: ↑01 April 2026, 23:08 Hi, I recently joined the BGA-community mostly to play HEAT online with a couple of friends. But since we have varying degrees of skill, we usually used the optional rules from the physical game to impose a handicap for more experienced players, in which case they remove one or more heat cards from their motor block at the beginning of a game.

Is it currently possible to impose such handicap in the BGA-version of HEAT? If not, is it planned, or would it be sensible to add such an option?

I understand that for the most part - for tournaments, arena games and regular matches between random people - no such handicap rule is needed. This is just a thought to enhance casual friendly games between predetermined players.

Anyway, have a nice day.

It isn't currently planned, but maybe it's possible. Fortunately for you, this is a rule actually stated in the rulebook (on page 3), so isn't actually a house rule, which will help, however it is kind of niche, as you're never going to use it in a competitive game, so it's only really for a fun game with friends, so you'd have to see what the developers think.

You could either let them pick your upgrade cards in the chat or just pick the worst ones.

Spawnferkel wrote: ↑01 April 2026, 23:08 Hi, I recently joined the BGA-community mostly to play HEAT online with a couple of friends. But since we have varying degrees of skill, we usually used the optional rules from the physical game to impose a handicap for more experienced players, in which case they remove one or more heat cards from their motor block at the beginning of a game.

Is it currently possible to impose such handicap in the BGA-version of HEAT? If not, is it planned, or would it be sensible to add such an option?

I understand that for the most part - for tournaments, arena games and regular matches between random people - no such handicap rule is needed. This is just a thought to enhance casual friendly games between predetermined players.

Anyway, have a nice day.

I don't see the need for this to be implemented. If you want to give yourself that handicap, simply ensure you never go below 1/2/whatever heat. Done!

Arjuna92 wrote: ↑10 April 2026, 15:42 I don't see the need for this to be implemented. If you want to give yourself that handicap, simply ensure you never go below 1/2/whatever heat. Done!

Have you played heat? And also risked something? There are situation that can not be handled with your idea: for example gambling for a corner with a +, that could bring you lower than 1 or 2 heat. If you hadn’t had those you would just spinout. There are also some (more niche) situations where this could make a huge difference.

I agree with SpawnFerkel und would love that option. I could also see this option for tournaments to balance groups there could be an Auto Handicap feature that gives a player -1 heat per 200elo difference to the player with the lowest elo in the group.

TKundNobody wrote: ↑16 May 2026, 21:18

Arjuna92 wrote: ↑10 April 2026, 15:42 I don't see the need for this to be implemented. If you want to give yourself that handicap, simply ensure you never go below 1/2/whatever heat. Done!

Have you played heat? And also risked something? There are situation that can not be handled with your idea: for example gambling for a corner with a +, that could bring you lower than 1 or 2 heat. If you hadn’t had those you would just spinout. There are also some (more niche) situations where this could make a huge difference.

I guess part of the unofficial handicap is just that you can't risk spinning out. Sure it can happen just through bad luck (hand full of heat) but you can just count that as a loss or ignore it or whatever.

I realise that risking a spin-out is a legit tactic but I have been doing well in my games so far without ever using it. I just tend to play this game conservatively.

Yeah you could do the heats, Great idea. If they go below two heats, they could be a self imposed spin out. (not ideal but could be done, depends on the rules you create for a spin out.) or they simply lose the game, if the players are as strong as you say they are that would make the risks even more interesting and its a new way to play the game for super experienced players.

You could also not let them use upgrade cards for example and they just need to discard them at the end of they turn or you could even say they are unable to play any 4 or 3 value. That would be a fine handicap that friends can implement for friendly games without the need for an official handicap.

You could also restrict cooldow, so even in gear one they can ONLY cooldown one heat not three, (or two heats not three.)

In fact you could restrict them using heat to jump from gear to gear.
You could just say no boosting in react step or no slipstreaming.

There are so many ways to handicap if you think about it.

Arjuna92 wrote: ↑21 May 2026, 06:27I guess part of the unofficial handicap is just that you can't risk spinning out. Sure it can happen just through bad luck (hand full of heat) but you can just count that as a loss or ignore it or whatever.

I realise that risking a spin-out is a legit tactic but I have been doing well in my games so far without ever using it. I just tend to play this game conservatively.

The willingness to risk spinning out (and knowing when to do so) is part of what makes a good player good. If you say they're not allowed to do that, you're removing a big part of the strategy from the game. It's even worse when you combine it with a reduction in available heat, which makes it harder for them to play without taking such a risk.