I'm okay with this as well.
I don't think either of us has any help to give, sorry :( I keep trying to draw blessings but they aren't there!
Public CO: I'll raw roll for my ally then :)
Next turn I'll aggressive dump cards when I reset again to try and draw some blessings.
But this is actually good; now that we know the villain is in the Armory we can close 2 other locations and set up. Heggal gets 2d4 (with an ally) and Valeros and I get 1d6, so we'll need a blessing (or a Sage) to attempt the check anyway.
EDIT: Oh monster. Yeah I want a fight. I have no option of evading and have a straightforward combat script right now so I fight.
Mongrel Wizard 12. Plan is discard Dagger to the initial damage, recharge Sage's Journal for the fight, and discard Hand Crossbow for the post-fight. I'll need healing after this fight.
Sadly I can't get the Ally :(
Technically that would have affected my decision whether to be aggressive or not, but sure.
Should
Monster: Mercenary
Monster B
Human Warrior Veteran
CtD 10*
The difficulty of the check to defeat is increased by the scenario’s adventure deck number.
Armed to the teeth, a mercenary has survived both wars and reckless adventurers.
Ally: Quadnys Orlun
Ally 1
Human Wizard
CtA Arcane Divine Charisma Diplomacy 6
Recharge this card to succeed at your check to acquire or recharge a card that has the Arcane trait.
Discard this card to explore your location. During this exploration, add 1d6 to your non-combat Arcane or Knowledge checks.
Monster: Mongrel Wizard
Monster B
Mongrel Wizard Elite
CtD Combat (See Below ==> Draw a Ghost, _12_)
The difficulty of the check to defeat is equal to the highest difficulty to defeat a random monster from the box.
Before you act, the Mongrel Wizard deals 1 Acid damage to you.
After you act, the Mongrel Wizard deals 1 Poison damage to you.
Ally: Frilled Lizard
Ally B
Animal Basic
CtA Wisdom Survival 7
Discard this card to add 2d4 to your check against a bane that has the Veteran trait.
Discard this card to explore your location.
Welp. Turns out the combat script wasn't so straightforward.
Hand: Leather Armor, Whip
Bottom: (bottom up) Sage's Journal, Helm of the Valkyrie, Footpad's Boots
Discard: BotG, Thieves' Tools, Blessing of Shax, Caltrops, Dagger, Hand Crossbow
Deck: 7
Actually, if you were to come heal me (or I go to your location and heal you), I would prefer the healing be after the start of my turn; it would end up with a higher chance of drawing blessings I think.
If healing, I think the preferred option is for me to go to you; you still don't have a weapon so you'll have to find one, and the Defender's Heart still has 2 monsters in it, one of them nasty for you. I won't be alone, but that only matters until it comes around to my turn again unless a summon barrier is found (since the villain is already found). There are only 2 barriers in this scenario.
I'm going to go for that Ally to close.
But first...the monster is...a Mercenary! Well, I don't have to beat him, and I have an armor, so I'm just going to punch him and see if I really am lucky today.
Melee, revealing sage:
Well, turns out that was dumb (bury wooden armor to reduce damage to 0)
And for that ally, I've got a great Diplomacy here, so let's do it!
And I guess this is my niche! I acquire Queldys Orlun.
Hand: Fireblade, Cure, Sage's Journal, Sage, Queldys Orlun
Discard: Holy Water, Cure
Bury: Wooden Armor
Deck: 9
I do have a spell, so I'm not in bad shape against a single combat. It's probably still better for you to come to me if you need the cure, but you're actually not too bad off right now, so we might want to stick to the plan.
Alright then. Villain is evaded.
And I'll end my turn.
On my next turn I'll plan to move somewhere else. Either to team up with Heggal or to the Marketplace. Heggal's strategic choice.
Okay, I'll explore Manor on my turn! Wish me luck, guys.
It'll be a Cold Iron Longsword or a Javelin:
Cold Iron Longsword
Weapon 1
Sword Melee Slashing Elite
CtA Strength Melee 7
For your combat check, reveal this card to use your Strength or Melee skill + 1d8; you may additionally recharge this card to add another 1d6. If the bane has the Demon or Fey trait, add another 1d4. If not proficient with weapons, the difficulty of this check is increased by 4.
Javelin
Weapon B
Spear Ranged Piercing Basic
CtA Dexterity Ranged 4
For your combat check, bury this card to use your Dexterity or Ranged skill + 2d6; you may additionally banish this card to add another 2d6.
Yay a usable weapon!
Huzzah! It's got proficiency penalty, but I can live with that.
Attempt to acquire Cold Iron Longsword, revealing Sage
Got it. So, now I have 6 cards. Do I use an ally to explore again, or discard and end my turn?
I think I'll have 6 cards in my deck when I draw up, which is comfortable. I think you can explore with one of the allies.
Okay, explore using Q.O.
Remember to do your d6 check for the Demonling when you play the ally. I'll load up the explore...
Teamster
Ally B
Human Hireling Basic
CtA Con/Fort 7 or Cha/Dipl 6
Recharge this card to add 1d6 to your non-combat Constitution or Wisdom check.
Discard this card to explore your location.
Interrogator
Ally B
Human Inquisitor
CtA Knowledge 6 or Charisma/Diplomacy 8
If you fail a check against a monster that has the Demon trait, discard this card to reroll the dice; take the new result.
Recharge this card to succeed at your Knowledge check against a bane.
Discard this card to explore your location.
Well, that's one way to catch Tancred.
okay, right, let's check:
okay, we're clear!
I don't think the interrogator is worth the increased difficulty of the check, so let's go Teamster!
Got it! And let's keep rolling, discarding Teamster to attempt to explore:
All clear! Bring it on.
Horn of Battle Clarity of Wand of Paralyze
Horn of Battle Clarity
Item B
Instrument Magic Elite
CtA Melee Ranged Charisma 7
Recharge this card to add 1d4 to any combat check by a character at your location, or 1d8 if you also reveal an ally or cohort that has the Hireling or Soldier trait.
Discard this card to search your discard pile for an ally or cohort that has the Hireling or Soldier trait from your discard pile. Shuffle it into your deck.
Wand of Paralyze
Item B
Wand Attack Magic Arcane Divine Mental
CtA Int/Arcane/Wis/Divine 10
Bury this card to evade a non-villain monster you encounter; put it on the top or bottom of its location deck.
After playing this card, you may succeed at an Arcane or Divine 12 check to recharge this card instead of burying it.
Ugh, tough choice, both of these are good. Wand of Paralyze is better for popping the Villain if we didn't already know where he was, but Horn of BC can pull out an ally for an extra heal or a bit of fighting.
Horn of Battle Clarity actually works pretty well with my character, I'm going to give it a try.
Apparently that wasn't what I was supposed to choose...
Oh, well, I pass my turn.
Hand: Cold Iron Longsword, Fireblade, Cure, Sage's Journal, Sage
Discard: Teamster, Quednys Orlun, Cure, Holy Water
Bury: Wooden Armor
Deck: 9
Ugh, tough choice, both of these are good. Wand of Paralyze is better for popping the Villain if we didn't already know where he was, but Horn of BC can pull out an ally for an extra heal or a bit of fighting.
Wand of Paralyze specifies non-villain, but otherwise, yep.
The 1s returned. :(
What's Merisiel up to? I'll load up that, and a round update in ~15 minutes.
I will actually have only 5 cards in the deck after I draw up, so if I discard this turn I'm going to need healing. However, the Befouled Altar has only 1 barrier and we should be clearing that out now that we know where the villain is. Since I know there's no monsters including the henchman it's relatively safe.
I'm going to go the Befouled Altar and explore.
First hit is that barrier... what you do with it is an interesting question:
Bilious Bottle
Barrier 1
Trap Poison Elite
Display this barrier faceup next to your location. The first time each turn that a character explores this location, each character at that location rolls 1d4.
1. You are dealt 1d4+1 Poison damage
2. You are dealt 1d4+1 Fire damage.
3. Bury the top card of your deck.
4. Discard a card and banish this barrier.
Doing the overall update soon - realized I forgot to flip a couple blessings, so going back through and reconciling.
Befouled Altar already has a spoiler, so I'm looking at that.
OH YUCK Bilious Bottle. I'm going to go evade that. Scratch the plan of clearing up this location.
Ending the turn. Drawing back up.
Hand: Leather Armor, Whip, (NEW), BotG x2, Shortbow
Bottom: (bottom up) Sage's Journal, Helm of the Valkyrie, Footpad's Boots
Discard: BotG, Thieves' Tools, Blessing of Shax, Caltrops, Dagger, Hand Crossbow
Deck: 7
Yay blessings.
I will be out tonight for a few hours; PACG night Thursday. I'll check on the phone occasionally when I'm not playing.
(I am on the West Coast, and I think most of you are on the East Coast.)
Status after five rounds
13 blessings remain (the 3 I just flipped for the 2nd round since last big update - Ascension, Abraxas, Ascension)
Abyssal
0M/1Ba/0W/1S/0Ar/0I/0Al/2Bl (NO HENCHMAN)
Known Cards: Bilious Bottle, Blessing of Shelyn
AT THIS LOCATION
If you fail a check to defeat a monster, discard a card from the blessings deck.
WHEN CLOSING
Summon and defeat the henchman Cultist of Baphomet.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED
On closing, bury a blessing from your discard pile.
Baphomet’s minions and other malefic cultists weaken the resolve of their enemies by defiling sacred shrines. Their acts of depravity and exploitation corrupt temples that once offered sanctuary. Enemies of evil have learned that any resources crusaders redeem are still vulnerable to demonic corruption. Within the Worldwound, the sacred has become profane, the blessed has become blasphemous, and those who seek divinity have become the damned.
2M/0Ba/1W/0S/1Ar/0I/2Al/0Bl
AT THIS LOCATION
When you attempt a check to defeat a bane, you may recharge any number of allies; for each ally recharged, add 1d4.
WHEN CLOSING
Summon and acquire a random ally.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED
For the rest of the scenario, add 1 to your checks to acquire allies by characters at any location.
Mercenaries and crusaders frequent the largest inn Kenabres has ever seen. The owner, Kimroth, is a mercenary who lost his arm fighting demonic hordes. Now he trades tales with other survivors.
AT THIS LOCATION
When you attempt to acquire a boon, add 1 plus the scenario’s adventure deck number to checks to acquire it.
WHEN CLOSING
Choose a type of boon other than loot; summon and acquire a random boon of that type.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED
At the end of your turn, you may give a card to any character.
Merchants often prosper in times of turmoil, as long as they survive. When adversity is at its worst, heroes and cowards alike desperately purchase any goods that will increase their slim chances of survival.
0M/0Ba/3W/0S/3Ar/0I/1Al/0Bl VILLAIN
AT THIS LOCATION
When you acquire a weapon, you may draw a card.
WHEN CLOSING
Summon and acquire a random weapon.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED
No effect.
Faith and knowledge are powerful weapons, but sometimes, all you really want when you’re standing against a horde of demons is a sharpened blade of cold, hard steel. When armies prepare for the latest crusade, they seize any weapons they can find. There’s no shortage of implements of destruction in this armory, but heroes who scavenge here might walk away with exotic weapons they’ve never seen before.
AT THIS LOCATION
When you encounter a boon of a type other than loot here, draw a random boon of that type from the box; encounter 1 and banish the other.
WHEN CLOSING
Summon and acquire a random ally.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED
No effect.
Mendev’s most elaborate estates have fallen on hard times. Wealthy land owners can no longer count on their safety or security. Instead, travelers come and go across their lands. Vast manor houses are now waystations for pilgrims and wanderers, though some of them are decidedly unfriendly. If you’re particularly diplomatic, you might acquire a few boon companions while passing through a neglected estate. If you aren’t, of course, you might suddenly attract some new enemies.
Valeros' Blessing is
Discard this card to add 1 die to any check.
Recharge this card to ignore the Abyssal or Corrupted trait on a card until the end of your turn.
Discard this card to explore your location.
After you play this card, if it matches the top card of the blessings discard pile, recharge this card instead of discarding it.
At just past the halfway mark, things are looking doable, but not easy. Good luck, guys!
Obviously the goal is to get two locations closed while trimming the Armory as much as possible. Should I go back to Defender's Heart now, since I'm a better close option?
Maybe. Befouled Altar has no henchman, so let's save it for a temporary close. If you can get Defender's Heart closed down and then either the Marketplace or Manor house and we can get blessings for that Intelligence/Knowledge check, we can do this. So, yeah. I guess hitting the ones that are most "permanently closable" hard and fast, then getting the most intelligent of us ready for that villain while the other two cover the last two open locations (Befouled Altar + whatever else) is the best chance we have.
For now, I'll move to the Marketplace and explore.
Marketplace contains Nectar of the Gods (now in five fruity flavors!)
Item B
Liquid Mythic
CtA Wisdom Divine 9
Display this card next to a character at your location. While displayed, that character may add 1d6 to her checks. At the end of the turn, banish this card.
Banish this card and choose a character at your location to get a mythic charge.
Well, that pretty much won't happen, even with the +2 from the Marketplace's power. But just for kicks...
I will attempt to use my Apprentice to explore again.
Whew. Ok, give me what's next.
Next up is this lovely Holy Water Grenade, perfect for cleaning out those pesky Crypts. Act now and we'll throw in free curtains.
Holy Water Grenade
Item B
Liquid Magic Divine Basic
CtA Wisdom Divine 6
Discard this card to evade a bane you encounter that has the Outsider or Undead trait.
Banish this card to defeat a bane you encounter that has the Outsider or Undead trait whose highest difficulty to defeat is 12 or lower.
(Alas, not the best items for Valeros)
Hmmm.... I do need new curtains. But I'll just hope I role a perfect 4 here again.
It is not to be. I'll have to just keep those old curtains for now and clear out my crypts the old fashion way. I'll end my turn.
Hand: Greatsword, Longsword, Spiked Chain +1, Chain Mail
Discard: Apprentice, Helm, Crowbar, Quartermaster, BotG, B.Abadar
Deck: 9
Heggal's Blessing is
Discard this card to add 2 dice to any check attempted during the first exploration of a turn.
If the top card of the blessings discard pile has the Corrupted trait, discard this card to explore your location.
Poor Valeros, getting stuck with consecutive Wisdom checks like that...
I think I'm going to keep powering through the Manor. Hopefully we can get something closed.
Magic Padded Armor or Corroded Helm
Magic Padded Armor
Armor B
Light Armor Magic Elite
CtA Con/Fort 4
Discard this card to reduce Combat damage dealt to you before or after you act by 2.
Banish this card to reduce all damage dealt to you to 0; if proficient with light armors, bury it instead.
If proficient with light armors, you may recharge this card when you reset your hand.
Corroded Helm
Armor B
Heavy Armor Corrupted Elite
CtA Con/Fort 3
If this card has the Corrupted trait, bury a random card from your discard pile or you may not play this card.
Recharge this card to reduce Combat damage dealt to you by 2; you may play another armor on this check. If proficient with heavy armors, you may reveal this card instead of recharging it.
Hmm... how about the one of those that isn't corrupt...
Check to acquire Magic Padded Armor:
Got it. But I can't affort to explore again...
I think I'm going to cycle my deck a bit. First I'm going to cure myself
Well, at least I recharged...
okay, I'll recharge the magic armor at end-of-turn, and discard sage's journal. Come on blessings!
...darn, at least I have allies now.
Hand: Cold Iron Longsword, Fireblade, Sage, Quednys Orlun, Dog
Discard: Cure, Teamster, Sage's Journal
Bury: Wooden Armor
Deck: 11
Darn, your Cure stayed in your discard.
Merisiel's Blessing is another Blessing of Baphomet. Where to?
The only place that I can be alone I guess without having to do bad things.
Defender's Heart. Explore it.
I'm loaded with weapons right now. On my next turn, should I come to Defender's Heart and then you can come to Marketplace on yours?
Next at Defender's Heart:
Grizzled Mercenary
Ally B
Human Hireling
CtA Cha/Dipl 6
Bury this card to add 1d8 to any combat check by a character at your location.
Discard this card to explore your location. If you encounter a boon, banish it.
Sure, roll raw.
Boo. Explore with BotG (I have a second one for close, and I have a second weapon to recharge for sneakiness)
hawkmoon: sure, that's a good plan.
Sorry for the delay, next is a +1 Glaive
Glaive +1
Weapon B
Polearm Melee Slashing 2-Handed Magic Elite
CtA Strength Melee 11
For your combat check, reveal this card to use your Strength or Melee skill + 1d10+1. If not proficient with weapons, the difficulty of this check is increased by 4. If you fail this check, you may discard this card to reroll the dice; take the new result.
Yeah not happening. Not evading either.
Saving the other blessing. Only 1 BotG in my deck left. Hand updating forthcoming.
Okay, I believe Valeros plans to go here next; if not, it'll be ready for you.
Discard this card to add 1 die to any check.
Discard this card to add 2 dice to any Arcane or Divine check.
Discard this card to explore your location.
After you play this card, if the top card of the blessings discard pile has the Corrupted trait, discard a card.
Also, warning only 9 blessings left after this one.
Henchman B
Human Conjurer Cultist
CtD Combat 11 or Arcane 8
Before you act, a character at your location summons and encounters this adventure’s servitor demon. If the demon is not defeated, the Blackfire Adept is undefeated.
If undefeated, discard the top card of the blessings deck; if that card has the Corrupted trait, discard an additional card.
If defeated, you may immediately attempt to close the location this henchman came from.
Hand: Leather Armor, Whip, BotG, Shortbow, (NEW) Troubadour
Bottom: (bottom up) Sage's Journal, Helm of the Valkyrie, Footpad's Boots
Discard: BotG, Thieves' Tools, Blessing of Shax, Caltrops, Dagger, Hand Crossbow, BotG
Deck: 6
Yes, move and explore...
Henchman! I have 3 weapons, so I will take the summoned demon too. So basically combat 11 then combat 11. Spiked Chain first then Greatsword.
He is gone. Now the other.
Take that you cultist! That will teach you! Next time you think of being a cultist, remember how last time it got you killed!
Hit me with a random ally and let's close this place down. (Come on diplomacy...)
Mendevian Crusader
Ally B
Human Soldier
CtA Divine 9 or Charisma Diplomacy 6
Discard this card to reduce damage dealt before you act to a character at your location to 0.
Discard this card to explore your location. During this exploration, add 1 to your combat checks.
I have 1d8 + 3 for diplomacy and nothing to help with it. I will wait to see if you guys want to play a blessing.