Why are promos set indicator zero instead of 1?

[pluvia33]

I'm not sure if this question has been brought up before. If it has, I couldn't find talk about it.

So by the rules for the base game, you typically don't add promo cards to the game box until you have started Adventure 1. Therefore, I would think that promo cards would be on the same level of power as Adventure 1 cards. So is there a reason that in organized play they are instead treated as "zero" type, or the same as a B set indicator?

[Andrew Klein]

Probably to keep it all simple -- if it doesn't have a number, it's a 0. Instead of "Well these letters count as this, these others ones count as that". No number, no adventure number.

[pluvia33]

I could almost accept the simplicity argument, except that saying B and C = B/Zero, P = 1 is much simpler than other things in the Guide such as how upgrading your deck works for organized play. I don't think having promo cards count as Adventure 1 is very complicated and if you are used to playing with promos in the base game, it should make sense for it to work that way.

[Andrew Klein]

There's the key part -- "if you are used to playing with promos in the base game". And if you aren't? A lot of people are probably going to be Organized Play only, and shouldn't be expected to know a rule that only applies to the standard game.

Also, one thing being complicated (although I disagree with your example of what is complicated, I still don't get what anyone is having a problem with) is hardly justification for setting a simplicity level for something else.

[pluvia33]

Right, many of the players who are doing organized play could likely only be doing OP. But I find it pretty unlikely that the person running OP scenarios with a box containing promo cards wouldn't know how to use those cards in their base set. If OP is being done with the free store box, there are likely to not be any promos within it.

"Cards with a set indicator of B or C are treated as zero or B when upgrading your deck or removing cards from the box. Promo cards (set indicator P) are always treated as having a set indicator of 1 for all purposes."

I'm just saying that this isn't very complicated at all. The rules for upgrading your deck, on the other hand, take up more than a full page's worth of text.

[Vic Wertz]

When cards care about the adventure deck number of a card, we want P to count as 0, not 1.

While we *could* say that it counts as 0 for that purpose and 1 for the purpose of deck upgrades, it's a whole lot easier for everyone to remember when it just counts as 0 for *every* purpose.

[Tiercis]

I think it would be pretty cool if promo cards counted as whatever adventure number you are currently playing. That way if you are in box 3 for instance, and you happen to pull one of the very few promo cards, it can be used as an upgrade of it's type for adventure deck 3 or lower. (Fire Sneeze would unlock a Spell 3 slot in this case) It would make finding promo cards in the box just a little more fun, and wouldn't hurt the game. It doesn't come up very often with 12 or less in the box at any given time, and no trouble remembering since it scales with the adventure.

[MattCaulder]

Tiercis wrote:

I think it would be pretty cool if promo cards counted as whatever adventure number you are currently playing. That way if you are in box 3 for instance, and you happen to pull one of the very few promo cards, it can be used as an upgrade of it's type for adventure deck 3 or lower. (Fire Sneeze would unlock a Spell 3 slot in this case) It would make finding promo cards in the box just a little more fun, and wouldn't hurt the game. It doesn't come up very often with 12 or less in the box at any given time, and no trouble remembering since it scales with the adventure.

I actually kinda dig this idea because it gives me a reason as an organizer to add the promo cards into the box. Kinda bummed my OP players will never see/use Vomit Twin.

[Theryon Stormrune]

I've had people use Goblin Lockpicks and Vomit Twin or encounter Goblin Keelhauling within a scenario actually. Why don't you add promo cards to the box?

But I do agree that it would be better if when it comes to rewards that "P" is equivalent to the current adventure deck numbers.

[Dave Riley]

We hit a goblin lockpick during one of the (many? >:|) scenarios with Cryptic Runes, which Seelah and Amaryllis's d4 Int are not equipped to handle. We were pretty happy to soak the lockpick's fire damage for a guaranteed win against one of them.

Sucks that Vomit Twin was the last promo card of the cycle. It's one of the most obviously useful ones, so it's too bad you don't see it til AP6 your first time through.

[Tanis O'Connor]

Vomit Twin is probably my favorite promo card. In testing, my Ranzak would take it and scroll-cast it to, ah, avoid trouble. I tried to always leave it in a group of people, because I am a griefer.