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What It Does:

- Provides a themed "map" to traverse
- Increases tactical strategy and varies difficulty
- Randomizes each scenario to a small degree, maintaining the integrity of the theme while making each play-through unique
- Completely out of the box: No new cards or pieces to deal with, unless desired (I use pawns from the Pathfinder Beginner Box to move around the board)
- Adds little time to setup, in some cases shortening it especially after the first use

Additional/Modified Rules:

- Themed Locations, Monsters and Barriers: While still mostly random, these cards are dealt from composed theme-centric decks
- Safe/Starting Zones: 2 thematic locations are added, where the Villains and Henchmen are unable to be placed into or escape to. Players choose which Location they wish to start in
- Movement: Characters can only move to a directly adjacent location. (That they share a side with)
- Range: Most cards and powers can be played only in the same or an adjacent location (except Blessings and Longbows)

Full Description and Clarification of Additional/Modified Rules Here

The Setup:

Part A)
The Locations are organized and kept in three Sections:
- 1st for anything "Urban" or in the City/Towns
- 2nd for "Landmarks" anything outside or near civilized areas, as well as places a person would "travel through" like Woods or Farmhouse or Nettlemaze
- 3rd for "Dungeons/Destinations" like Habe's Sanitorium or the Goblin Fortress

These defined areas are not absolute. As long as the locations fit the general theme of the scenario, a number of cards can often be in either of two piles.

Part B)
The locations are picked and the layout is dealt:

- Set aside 2 to 3 locations that are integral to the Scenario
(Usually they are listed in the first 3 slots of the scenario for 1 player or are mentioned in the Scenario Description)

The Starting/Safe Zones

- If the scenario starts in a town - Begin by dealing two random "Urban" Locations on the far left of the board, one above the other.
- If the scenario has no Urban Locations - Start by dealing two random "Landmark" Locations on the far left of the board, one above the other.

The Mid-Board

- If the Scenario is only or mostly town - Deal at least two more random Urban locations in the same fashion, directly to the right of the Starting locations
- If the Scenario has more Landscape or travelling involved - Deal at least two more random Landmark locations in the same fashion, directly to the right of the Starting locations

Part C)

The Destinations (The Far Right) - There are three options to finish the board setup

- Option 1 -
Depending on the number of players and difficulty desired, [u]you can complete the board by placing the Scenario cards set aside in Part B[/u].

- Option 2 -
Continue to add Locations to the "Mid-Board" from the appropriately themed Location group for a longer, more difficult game. Then follow up by placing the Scenario cards set aside as in "Option 1"

- Option 3 -
Pick out the rest of the unplaced listed Scenario Locations, shuffle them and add Locations to the "Mid-Board" according to the number of players. Followed by "Option 1".

The total number of Locations on the board (Including Starting locations and those set aside) should be the default number per player plus 2.

Final Arrangement:

1) Arrange the cards so they make sense
Starting with the Safe zones on the left, travelling through the landmarks in the middle on the way to your destinations on the far right.

For Example:

- If you are travelling through a town, and have a Location like the City Gate, put it to the farthest right of the Urban area.

- Make sure the "Landmark" cards are adjacent to one another and if they are described as being near the Town or City, put it adjacent to the Urban Locations. If they seem farther away, put them closer or next to the Destinations/Dungeon Locations.

2) The Board can be as interesting or as difficult as you want it to be.
For Example:

- I often make a "bottleneck" where the 2 rows join into one Location. (Forcing characters to move through a specific Location)

- If there are an odd number of Locations, I also commonly arrange the Dungeons in a column of 3 on the far right. Making it so the middle Dungeon connects to both rows of Landmarks and both Dungeons.

- Other layouts can include a Location that connects only through another Location. For example: placing "Treacherous Cave" below/above the "Woods" Location, adding a path that stems from the 2 row board.

Thoughts:

I know this may seem like a lot to take in initially, but it's really quite simple with only a few guidelines.
Once you figure out what you prefer in terms of creating the board, you will find it very easy and quick to setup. After the initial play-through it is much easier to maintain and setup if you sort the cards back out into the appropriate Location piles.

This is also versatile and open enough to use in conjunction with any additional mods to the game.

Please try it out, and any feedback is appreciated.

I'll add images to illustrate Board Layout examples in the near future.

These are my first custom characters for PACG, they are original characters that I've used for other games, but this is the first time writing a background for them other than being sisters.
Overall I like the mechanics of them, but I still need to do more testing and adjustments with many of the numbers. I also am unsure of what to make Adina's second Role option.

Origin:
Their family outcast due to their mixed race heritage, the half-elf sisters Adina and Valisa were raised by their human father and elven mother in the wilds of Varisia. While not much is publicly known about their parents, it is said that they had ventured off to assist in a matter of great importance only never to return. Now their two teenage daughters set out to reunite their family.

Valisa Female Half-Elf Ranger

With a thin figure and pale complexion, Valisa takes after her Elven mother, though shorter and with less pronounced ears. Like her sister, she was taught to hunt and track at a young age and it quickly became evident that she had a keen eye and steady hand for archery. Her mother also took notice that she had a hidden potential for magics and decided to teach Valisa how to aid her sister as well as enhance the effectiveness of her archery using spells.
Valisa is a vocal and emotional individual with a thirst for knowledge and a great love for her sister. While intelligent and charismatic, the volatility of her moods seems to affect her focus in the mystic arts and can greatly impact her decisions.

Skills:
STR d8 [ ]+1 [ ]+2
DEX d10 [ ]+1 [ ]+2 [ ]+3 Ranged: +2
CON d4 [ ]+1
INT d8 [ ]+1 [ ]+2
WIS d6 [ ]+1 [ ]+2 [ ]+3 [ ]+4 Survival/Divine: +2
CHA d6 [ ]+1 [ ]+2 [ ]+3

Powers:
Hand Size – 5 [ ]6
Proficient With [ ] Light Armors [x] Weapons
Enchant – You may discard a card or recharge a spell to add 1d6 [ ]+1 [ ]+2 with the Magic trait to a combat check at your location or when playing a bow to add to a combat check at another location
Archery – When playing a weapon with the ‘Bow’ trait, you may recharge it instead of discarding.

Cards List:
Weapons – 3 [ ]4 [ ] 5
Spells – 3 [ ]4 [ ]5 [ ]6
Armor – 1 [ ]2
Item – 2 [ ]3
Ally – 2 [ ]3
Blessings – 4 [ ]5 [ ]6
Favorite Card: Weapon

Roles:
Divine Scout
Arcane Archer

Adina Female Half-Elf Fighter

Quiet, dark and a recluse, Adina has few friends and is always focused on the task at hand. She is an excellent hunter but unlike her sister, Adina seemingly has no talent for magic, and has focused all of her training on her swordsmanship and close combat abilities. What she lacks in stature, and magic, she makes up for in skill, agility and quick thinking.
Though not as outspoken as her sister, Adina has a clear bond with Valisa even when she is being difficult. Dedicated and focused on finding her parents, Adina makes her way across Varisia with her sister never far behind.

Skills:
STR d10 [ ]+1 [ ]+2 [ ]+3 Melee: +2
DEX d8 [ ]+1 [ ]+2 [ ]+3 [ ]+4 Acrobatics: +2
CON d6 [ ]+1 [ ]+2
INT d6 [ ]+1 [ ]+2
WIS d8 [ ]+1 [ ]+2 [ ]+3 Survival/Perception: +2
CHA d4 [ ]+1

Powers:
Hand Size – 5 [ ]6
Proficient With [x] Light Armors [x] Weapons
Shieldplay – You may recharge a shield to add 1d4 [ ]+1 [ ]+2 to your melee combat check or when playing a shield, discard it to reduce the damage by an additional 1 (counts as playing a shield)
CHOOSE 1 POWER IMMEDIATELY:
[ ] Dual Wield – When playing a 1-Handed Melee Weapon for a combat check, you may discard a weapon or recharge a 1-handed melee weapon to add 1d6 [ ]+1 to the check (counts as using a 2-handed weapon)
OR
[ ] Fencing – When using a weapon with the ‘Finesse’ and/or ‘Piercing’ trait for a combat check, add +1 [ ]+2 to the check. If the weapon is a 1-Handed Sword, add an additional +2.

Cards List:
Weapons – 5 [ ]6 [ ] 7
Spells – 0 [ ]1
Armor – 3 [ ]4 [ ]5 [ ]6
Item – 3 [ ]4 [ ]5
Ally – 1 [ ]2
Blessings – 3 [ ]4
Favorite Card:Weapon

Roles:
Duelist
Defender

Original Thread

These variants adjust the game in minor ways without the addition of any cards, while still adding to the level of difficulty, thematics and strategy.

• 24 Blessings - in the blessing deck +1 for each player, for a minimum of 25 and a maximum of 30 for 6 players

• Blessings - can only add a maximum of (x)d8 to checks. Meaning they can match and add base die up to 2d8

• Critical Hits – If a player takes damage from a combat check exactly equal to their current hand size, they receive -1 to all of their checks for the remainder of the scenario or until a card or power with the “Healing” trait is used on him/her. (Kyra’s first power and the Apothecary location effect qualify as heals)

• Range – Cards with the “…at another location…” text or that can be played with no location restrictions can only be played on the same or adjacent locations. (This does not apply to Blessings or Longbows)

• Longbows - are able to add to checks up two locations away.

• Linear Board – The board is built with some randomization, with the addition of starting “safe” zones where the villains and henchmen are unable to escape to or be placed in. Most of the locations are chosen thematically, and are placed from left to right in 2 rows. You can only move to an adjacent location, unless a location is closed, in which case you can move through it freely. (This variant makes each play-through of any scenario unique and require more tactical strategy)

• Monsters – are dealt from a “themed stack” where they are separated into categories like Human, Goblin, Undead and Other. Scenarios with a town or human theme will have mostly humans with some “others” mixed in. Or scenarios like Thisteltop Delve will be dealt from a deck with all of the goblins mixed with a handful of others and a few humans.

I’ve been playing with these variants after multiple Vanilla play-throughs and find it much more challenging and engaging but still fun and much more thematic.
It is much easier to lose if each player is not paying attention to their positioning, how they will interact with others and how many turns are left. Most scenarios that we win are with someone on the verge of death or with only a few turns left.
I think these are some of the best variants without adversely changing the mechanics or adding new materials.

Please try it out for yourselves or just leave some feedback!