This scenario looked harder than it played for us (a team of Zarlova, WotR Kyra, Flenta and CD Merisiel).
Like many scenarios, everything was made much easier by Augurying the villain to the top of a location deck with just one location closed. All we had to do was close one more location, then get into position for the final fight.
Kyra took the villain, which usually would not have made sense (since she would have a 5-card hand after the scenario recharge, then take d4+1 damage before facing two checks). But earlier she encountered the Blood of Eustoyriax barrier (display next to your deck; while displayed, at the start of your turn bury d4-1 cards from your deck to draw d4-1 cards). As a rule we ignore temptation barriers nearly always, except the Merisiel player, but this was helpful. Kyra buried two cards to draw two cards. Now she would have a seven-card hand after the recharge.
When she drew after the recharge, she drew an armor. It was that kind of night. Even with minimal help from other characters (Zarlova wiped her hand to temp close the Molten Pool, and Merisiel couldn't pass the villain's check to play cards) Kyra easily passed the 30 check and managed a 79 on the 40 check.
Whoa whoa whoa someone was tempted by the Blood of Eustoyriax?! There's a first time for everything, I guess! :D
The only temptation I've succummed to was the Temptation of Sorcery. Get a 3 spell (in an early scenario in Adventure 3), and all I have to do is banish a card with the magic trait? Goodbye Force Missile, hello Ice Strike!
I soloed this scenario with CD Harsk, CD Kyra and Radillo without much trouble. A villain power helped Radillo in the final fight.
Recall the villain is Yealek-vor whose powers include:
Before you act, you are dealt 1d4+1 Combat damage, then each character must succeed at a Divine, Knowledge, or Wisdom 12 check. If you fail, bury your hand and draw the same number of cards; other characters who fail cannot play cards during this encounter.
Recall also the scenario power:
When you encounter a card that has the Cultist or Demon trait, recharge your hand, then draw 1 fewer card than the number you recharged.
Cavern and Sanctum were the only open locations. Radillo Auguried the villain to the top of the Cavern. Harsk had a Blessing of Nocticula in hand, so he moved to the Sanctum to temp close it. Kyra had three blessings in hand, including Dawnflower. Radillo was nearly at full health (one card buried, one card discarded).
I decided Radillo would take the villain, as Kyra was the only one who could make the BYA check and so still help out. (I realize Kyra was a viable choice for the villain fight, as she could roll d20s even without a weapon.)
Radillo encountered the villain and played Transmogrify. (Since both the scenario power and the playing of Transmogrify occur when the villain is encountered, I ruled I could decide the order.) Radillo recharged six cards (taking care to put an Attack spell on the bottom) and drew five cards, none of which was an Attack spell.
She did, however, draw an armor, which she buried for the BYA damage, which was three. Harsk failed the BYA check. Kyra used a blessing of Harsk's to pass it.
At this point, Radillo could have lost the fight, depending on the Transmogrify rolls. But the final villain power kicked in and helped me. Radillo buried four cards and drew four cards, three of which were Attack spells. At this point, she could have taken down Deskari. Defeating Yealek-vor was trivial.
This brings up a question in my mind. If Kyra had taken the villain fight instead of Radillo, could Radillo have played Transmogrify, even though she couldn't make the BYA roll?
My initial thought was she could, because the playing of Transmogrify happens when the villain card is encountered, and the play-cards check occurs in the BYA step.
Now I'm thinking that's not correct. When the BYA step imposes a limitation on playing cards, that limitation applies to cards played in the when-encountered step as well, even though this seems out of order. Correct?
We had the Gift of Shamira this scenario, which we used to this effect as well.