Mike Riley 302's page

** spoiler omitted **

Thanks for the responses, John. In C8, on each side of the spiral staircase, it looks like there are two "brown" staircases that lead up to a balcony?

I'm a bit confused by Map C in Temple of the Twelve.

Are the areas surrounding C8 one big loop with no walls between them? In other words, can you freely move from C3 to C4 or C5. And from C7 to C5 or C4?

What do the dashed lines around C5 represent?

In C8, if you go up the non-spiral stairs, is that open to C3?

Recommendations for starship combat examples/tutorial videos please.

Casting the spell is a standard action. Talking is usually not an action, nor does the spell say it changes that. Other than limiting the number of messages per round. So if you had to cast it every time you wanted to send or receive messages it would be pretty bothersome and you couldn't use it while doing other actions.

I just noticed that (the action usage). Thanks!

Why does Telepathic Message, a 0-level spell for a Mystic, have a duration?

Couldn't the Mystic just recast it as desired?

Is she usable on ANY check?

Don't you add extra allies to each location in this scenario?

If so, it's no worse than "Reward: Each character gains a random ally from the box." In fact, it's a bit better because you can make use of them during that adventure.

We need to build our ships out of witches....or ducks.

Just to chime in for Chicago as well.

Wanderers' Refuge in Lincoln Square. Western @ Wilson.

Hmmm....guess not. Was I just smoking something when I thought this was going to be the case? Wasn't the whole attack spell/arcane armor issue going to be "fixed"?

I thought they'd clarified that damage and the check were separate and that you COULD play the same card type.

IIRC, Vic and/or Mike have already stated that summoned monsters ALWAYS go back to the box, despite text of other cards.

Have you seen the farmer's daughter?

h4ppy,

Mike S. has indicated otherwise.

Each character will encounter a skeleton no matter how many are left in the box.

I think you can also assume that you don't "bleed out" and that allies or villagers will save you from dying.

Keep in mind that Ezren does NOT have to explore on his turn and that he can discard as many cards as he wants at the end and draw replacement cards (up to his hand size limit).

There may be situations where this is a good strategy for that character.

If the question is:

For a standard Melee check (Strength-based skill), do cards the buff Strength checks apply?

If that is what you're asking, Mike S. has already stated that YES, a card that buff the attribute that your skill uses does buff checks for that skill.

Don't worry, TClifford. With an eye like Polyphemus', I'm sure it's "no more tears" shampoo.

Hmm...although the FAQ seems to indicate that you can evade it.

So, I guess that Sanctuary WOULD trump the normal rule of banishing the card if undefeated. Since card text is supposed to take precendence.

If you cast Sanctuary on a summoned Monster (that is legal to cast it on) does it go back to the box, or does it stay on top of the location deck as the Sanctuary card says?

I have posed this question elsewhere with varying answers.

I think the question is actually whether or not you can EVADE a monster that you are forced to ENCOUNTER.

For instance, Black Fang's Dungeon specifies "summon and encounter." Evade should not, IMHO, be an option at that point.

Kirk,
The closing of a location from summoned cards does NOT occur.
Pg 12 of the rules, first paragraph under summoning.

Starslayer and Myriade:
I'm just trying to clarify which way to you think is correct.
Example: Character with Melee of d10+2 reveals a battleaxe (Melee + 1d12).
Are you using:
A) 1d10+1d12+2
B) 1d10+2+1d10+1d12 (doubling your Str die)

It should be A. It would be B if you discard the Battleaxe (since that says to add your unmodified STR die). I think unmodified is simply your raw die roll. Modified would be if you gain a skill feat and add an additional +1 to all STR-based skills and checks.

Pg 11, Determine Which Die you are Using:
Most monsters can be defeated with a combat check. Weapons
and many other cards that can be used during combat generally
tell you what skill to use when you attempt a combat check; IF YOU DON'T PLAY SUCH A CARD, use your Strength or Melee skill. (A few items
that can be used in combat don’t use any of your skills; they instead
specify the exact dice you need to roll or the result of your die roll.)

Starslayer, I think your confusion is in the default Combat check.
Default check is used when you don't use a power or card that defines what you use for your combat check.

Weapons (and many spells) tell you what to use "for your combat check", replacing the default dice for a combat check.

Whoa! Completely wrong.

Greataxe text: For your combat check, reveal this card to roll your Strength of Melee die +1d12.

When you reveal the Greataxe, you change your combat check to Strength of Melee + 1d12. It does not get added on top of your default Melee die.
With revealing, if you have a D10+2 for Melee, your total roll(s) would be: 1d10+2 (default Melee) + 1d12 (revealing Greataxe) for a range of 3-25.

If you DISCARD the Greataxe, you add an additional Strength die. So that would be: 1d10+2 (default Melee) + 1d12 (reealing Greataxe)+ 1d10 (unmodified Strength for discarding axe) for a range of 3-34.

Thanks, Mike S for the clarification. I'll let you know why I open my stupid loot shop. ;-)

So, Mike. What does the page 12 text apply to?

I don't remember seeing that thread.

Wow! I've played this scenario 4 times now and have forgotten EACH TIME about that effect.

I would also point out that, depending on the sleeves, the insert may still work reasonably well.

I have everything in Ultra-Pro Matte sleeves except for the character/location/scenario cards which I have in DragonShield clear sleeves.

Everything to date fits in the correct slots in the insert, some (Henchman/Villain/Loot) with room to spare.

I do have 4 character decks made and slid into the character deck slots, so that may be what is making it work, but the insert holds up for the base box and character add-on even when sleeved.

I just have to comment that I'm using the EXACT SAME sleeves (clear DragonShields for double-sided, and UltraPro mattes for everything else).

One thing I would add (although it's easy enough to house-rule) is that after defeating a monster, the character can explore again. (Defeating monsters has been pretty anticlimactic. Everyone wants the "phat lewt.")

Deekow,
Sorry, I was specifying "AND" to distinguish between "OR" conditions. Didn't realize they used "THEN" on cards.

TClifford:
If you encounter a boon, you do NOT have to attempt to acquire it...you can simply choose to banish it.

If you read the "Golden Rule" on page 2 of the rulebook, it gives a list apriority. In this case, it seems that the location card overrules the monster card, so the monster would be banished.

Forgot about that, Myriade. That's what I was looking for.

This came up in a game tonight:

The fighter was going up against a Shadow(?) which requires Magic to actually defeat (without Magic, it's shuffled back into its location). However, this was at the Woods which says that undefeated monsters are removed from the location.

Which should take priority?

You can also shuffle the cards together on the long edge. That's what I've been doing.

Cheez,
You can always copy/paste just the "card" portion of the character sheets on your own.

I believe boons are only removed if you BANISH them.

and some cards listed for the suggested starting decks that have the elite trait (half plate, star knife, etc)

Although the question becomes whether those cards should be Basic or whether those cards "can be treated as Basic" for those characters.

jj:
Thanks for the page reference. That makes sense (and is what I was looking for).

So, a character could use a Weapon for an attack and a spell that provides a BONUS to the combat check, but not a spell that changes it to an Arcane check.

This came up in a game earlier this week:

Can Ezren (any character, really) use both a weapon (such as Quarterstaff) and a spell (such as Force Missile) on a combat check?

In the Ezren example, he would have d6+d6 (Quarterstaff) plus d12+2d4+2 (Force Missile).

On the surface, it seems to be overpowered, but seems to be within the rules (1 spell + 1 weapon).

Not a check.

Sajan can play any number of Blessings on HIS combat check. So, Myriade, you are correct.

Some abilities and character powers work on other characters at your location. The rogue, however, is better at combat when she is on her own.

krang65:

This rule only comes into play on a card that has an AND between checks (requiring 2 or more separate checks).

For those, the encountering character must attempt ONE of those checks, but any character can attempt the other checks. Each check, however, can only be attempted by a single character.

I have not yet encountered any cards that have AND checks.

Of course, there's nothing preventing Paizo from including updated character cards in one of the APs.

I think, though, it's a tough balance between "helpful" text and causing too much (or too small) text on the cards.

Of course, I might be willing to purchase updated, oversized (double-size) character cards if the price is reasonable. Perhaps that could be bundled with character pawns.

I'd love to be able to get pawns (and stands) for use with this game. But, I can't see spending $40+ to buy the current set that contains these pawns.

I'd probably be willing to pay about $15 to get the character pawns (and 6 stands) for the card game.

Just putting this out there to find other folks' opinions on this and to share this with Paizo.

Sajan's power says: "When you attempt a combat check without playing a weapon, you may use your Dexterity die instead of your Strength die." This would be a melee combat check which then qualifies for Amulet of the Fists. There's no such thing as a Strength combat check.
It's Melee Combat as opposed to Ranged.
This is MY understanding.
Otherwise, Amulet of the Fists would be almost completely useless for Sajan compared to a Blessing.

If memory serves, the Chest banes can be overcome by Melee/Strength checks (in addition to Dex/Disable).

Can you use weapons to boost this? While weapons specify Combat checks, it makes sense (to me) that you can use a weapon to help you break a chest.

It's actually a Strength check or Melee Combat Check (not a Strength Combat Check). Melee as opposed to Ranged.

So, yes, you can use Amulet of Fists for Sajan the Monk with his unarmed melee attacks.