When you close a location, you check the location deck to make sure there isn't a villain there. If there is a villain, you banish all cards except the villain, and the location isn't closed after all. But if there is no villain and you close the location, the location deck remains in place (albeit reshuffled), and you can still explore it.
So if (when checking for a villain) you see there is a really amazing boon, and a tough monster, you might be willing to spend the time to explore, and risk having to face that monster, for a chance to get the amazing boon. This location keeps its penalty in place to make that a harder choice.
Hmmm... I don't have my deck yet, but I wouldn't think it applies to every location, just that one. Compare with Giant Lair which makes clear that it's when closed rule applies for every location.
Are there any barriers that cause a mass encounter, but don't have the "open location" restriction and instead say simply "every character"?
Oops, you're right! We've been doing that wrong. Thanks for the correction, folks!
Okay, I'm trying to setup the 2nd scenario of AP6, and I just need some clarification on how the location effect works.
The "At This Location" effect says "The difficulty to defeat banes is increased by 5". Sounds straightforward, right? The problem is that is also on the flip side aka after it is closed too. Does this mean that it is supposed to apply to all the locations throughout the scenario? I mean there will never be a bane at that location once it is closed. If that is the location that triggers the Villain to show up, you don't get a chance to close location. Basically, why is it printed on the closed side of the location?
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What's the card that makes everybody summon and encounter an Ancient Skeleton? Skeleton Horde, I think? If somebody's sitting at that closed location for some reason (maybe they just closed it and that was the end of their turn) and they have an unexpected guest drop in, that location effect would apply, right?
Skelton Horde only effects characters at an open location.
The ally that makes you roll a D12 and summon the Sandpoint Devil on a 12? I can't remember what his power does,so maybe you'd never use him at a closed location, but her may be a good example
Would you ever use him at any location?
I've never understood the point of that card- I can't recall what it does offhand, but I don't think we've ever even been tempted to use him.
His main function seems to be providing disappointment and frustration when you acquire a copy of charm person and immediately play it.
It is Ilsoari Gandethus
During your turn, reveal this card and put it on top of your deck to examine the top card of your location deck; if it's a monster, you may shuffle that monster back into the location deck. After you play this card, roll 1d12; on a 1, summon and encounter the villain The Sandpoint Devil.
He can be a great ally for Merisiel, since she can evade the Sandpoint Devil and by going to the top of your deck he's available for use again your next turn (or the next time you draw cards). But you probably wouldn't ever use him at a closed location, since closed locations that have cards only have boons (at least pre-Adventure 6).
Doesn't sound like Heptaric Locus has cards after it is closed, so Ilsoari Gandethus wouldn't be useful there anyway.
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I think the text is on the "closed" side just in case you somehow get a bane put back in the location deck after closing the location. Even a location deck of 0 cards is still a deck per the rules, so if you had a monster that could, say, shuffle into any random location, it could end up there after the closing.
By the way, that location just about kicked the tar out of our group. Every monster that ended up there was from AP 6. It was just a murderous chain of DC 26 or so combat checks followed by the brutal closing requirements. We went right at it first too since under no circumstance did we want to fight the villain there.
Unless it specifically mentions other locations, like the Giant Lair's closed effect, it only applies to its own location. In this case it doesn't change anything, because I don't believe there is currently a way to encounter a bane in a closed location.
Yeah. That might just be correct for how the flavor of the location should work. Maybe closing it doesn't disable whatever it is that makes the Banes more difficult, so flavor-wise, having it on the other side makes sense. So even though it isn't relevant, doesn't mean it isn't "correct".