I've played through Skinsaw with Valeros and Seoni and after some learning curve it wasn't too hard.
I then played through with Amiri, Sajan, Kyra, and Seoni. I expected this to be kinda tricky, but turned out to be pretty smooth and fun.
So now I'm trying Harsk, Merisiel, Valeros, Ezren. It's been tough going. I find that Harsk sucks at closing locations and the team just doesn't have the card turning power to get through. I can generally overcome whatever banes they hit (with the normal bad rolls aside). But I run out of time as often as not.
With Harsk's top card ability there is always at least one card a round that I can hit with the perfect character. And that is actually a fun different approach to the game.
But then the clock runs out. Just not enough blessings and allies to keep the extras explores running.
Any suggestions or insights?
Thanks
(Great fun, just finding this combo tricky)
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Ezren and Valeros are a tough combo when you don't have other characters with lots of exploration-power to even them out. Consider "exploration power" to be equal to the combined number of blessings + allies in a character's deck. Ezren does have an ability, it's true, but it's very situational and can't be relied upon. Those two characters in particular need a Sajan or someone to come along and help them get those extra explores, generally...except when you're in a smaller group, when extra explores aren't as important.
From my some what limited insight:
Its interesting you mentioned the order of experiencing your groups. With 1 or 2 characters, tie usually isn't a factor. Taking damage is. In fact I'm impressed you go Seoni through with Valeros. I had the same group and Seoni was often dangerously close to death. I added in Kyra to help her alive.
In your second group, you had Kyra. It was a four person group, so the blessing timer is now a bit more of a factor. But you had Kyra. She's great in groups of about that size. She can put blessings and allies back into your hand that you can use to explore again. That would be especially true with Sajan and Seoni who can burn through their decks and get those blessings and allies cycled for more exploration.
Your third group might just be a tougher combination. Many people feel Ezren is the most challenging to play. And Valeros can get stuck with his hand not cycling, keeping him from getting to his allies and blessings to explore.
So here's my advice, for what little it is probably worth. This is of course all opinion.
In General
-You need to use your allies and blessings more for exploration then for boosting checks to acquire or defeat. Don't be afraid to recharge an ally that will help with a check, but don't wast a blessing because you are greedy and Ezren found the Large Chest.
-On that note, keep little to no allies in your deck between games that don't offer you the ability to explore. Acolyte is no good for Ezren.
Particular Characters
-Merisiel's evade power, while helpful, also wastes a turn, so use it sparingly and only when necessary or when it doesn't cost you a turn. (Evade that Ancient Skeleton Henchman you had to encounter because some one got Skeleton Horde, it doesn't cost your team a turn. But don't be so quick to evade a location deck card that you need to get through to close the location.)
-Send Ezren to the location with the most spells. If he acquires them, he can explore again.
-Magic sure Ezren packs some detect magic and detect evil, so he can get some explores. He has no blessings, so he has to earn his explores another way. Charm Person isn't bad for him to keep either since he gets another ally from it.
-Have Valeros use his weapons discard power (he gets to recharge it instead) pretty much every time he fights something. He needs to turn his deck over so you can have his allies and blessings for exploration. In fact, the one place I would say to get greedy in acquiring is to get Valeros armor he can recharge when resetting his hand. Both those things will keep his deck cycling and get you to the blessing and allies you need. And make sure his allies can help him explore.
You are probably just experiencing the change in the game from small groups to large groups. And maybe you have one of the tougher combos. Keep at it and I'm sure you'll get it.
Thanks for the good feedback.
Some of it I had figured out (Ezren has gone from 0 to 2 detect magics)
Others are interesting new thoughts.
I think all in all I went from a very effective (aka relatively easy) group to a more challenging one. I'll just roll with it.
Thanks all
I think you are right about Detect Evil. I was typing faster than I was thinking. Haven't played a spell caster in a bit.
Also, note that Ezren's power is if he acquires a card with the magic trait, not just if he acquires a spell. When you are choosing the location to send him to, the only thing in the location you can be sure will have the magic trait is the spells, so I'd still choose that way. But don't forget that if he picks up a weapon or item with the magic trait, he gets to explore again. And if on that next explore he acquires another card with the magic trait he gets to explore again. Repeat, repeat, repeat. I once saw Ezren close the Academy on the first turn of the game.
That actually creates an interesting situation where other characters are ok playing blessings to help Ezren acquire something with the magic trait, because their blessing can still result in an extra exploration. Hypothetical:
On his turn, Ezren encounters "Magic Weapon X" which takes a strength check of 9 to acquire and has a penalty if used without weapon proficiency. Which of the following should Ezren be thinking:
A. "This requires weapon proficiency which I don't have and I can't role a 9 with my strength die. Not worth trying anything extra to get it."
B. "Hmm...this card has the magic trait. If I get it, I can explore again. Maybe I've got a spell or ally in here some where that can help me get it."
C. "Hey Valeros (or Amiri or Seelah whoever your friend is playing), if you play a blessing to let me get this, I'll get a free exploration and I'll give you the weapon next time we meet up."
D. "What??? I didn't know there was a card named 'Magic Weapon X' in this game!!! What does it even do?"
Answer (at least in my mind): Probably some combo of B, C and D, but certainly not A.
Also, back to the original question. I want to clarify for the OP that detect magic has a typo on it that is in the errata. It only takes a Arcane 4 (not 14) check to recharge. An extra 1 slipped in on the card. So its almost automatic for Ezren, and is automatic if you take a skill feat in intelligence after Perils of the Lost Coast. That makes it even better for Ezren to play because it is basically auto-recharge and he can draw his next card if it is a spell.
I didn't know about that typo the first 2 times I played Ezren and couldn't understand why Detect Magic was (at least according to its recharge) viewed by the design team as the most powerful spell in the game. Because at 14, only a perfect roll of 12 + 2 would recharge it. I actually got rid of it as soon as I acquired another spell. But after I discovered it was a typo, I felt ok in swapping it back in between games, since I'd only dropped it due to the typo.
But also not that if he plays detect magic and the next card is a spell and he encounters it and acquires it, he doesn't get a free exploration for that. Because detect magic isn't an exact of encountering the card via exploration, it is encountering it from a spell. And since Ezren has to acquire the card during an exploration, he doesn't get a free exploration from acquiring a card due to the encounter from detect magic.
And as sometimes happens when I play Ezren, I now have a small headache from the combined excitement of his capabilities and the subtle details of understanding his powers. He can be awesome, but he can also be a challenge learning to play him right. I'm not even sure I'm totally playing him right yet. But keep at it, practice helps.
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Just wanted to point out that playing Detect Magic and finding out that the next card is a henchman or villain can really be the difference between victory and defeat in a scenario - especially one with more players. Preparing for one of those fights rather than "winging it." In one five-player game we played, I was Ezren and played a Detect Magic - discovered the villain. Most locations were still open. We left that villain there, cleaned everything else up, put everyone in position (only one location was still open, so we could put resources into a temporary close), and nailed them (it was Gogmurt + Ripnugget) with a targeted strike, pouring on a lot of bonuses.
Lining up one's ducks in a row for a "sniper shot" and taking down a key obstacle is a big win...Detect Magic (and Spyglass, and Harsk's "scout" ability, etc.) can be very powerful if used correctly.