So I am new to the Adventure Card Game and I have questions that the rules didn't seem to answer and that I couldn't find watching youtube video demos.
1) When you are placing random monsters or barriers or other card types in locations during setup, can they be elite or should everything start out basic at 1st level?
2) During a combat where the monster card says must be defeated by magic, and you have none, does that mean that you automatically take damage, less your defense, if any?
3) I'm unclear of how to take damage when the monster or encountered card says take 2d4 damage. Is this in addition to the normal damage, can you reduce the damage with additional defensive cards you have in play? It seems like this extra damage could wipe out a 1st or low level character in one hit.
1) You shuffle all of the monsters (basics, elites, and everything else) together and draw enough of them to fill the locations. Same with other card types.
Just remember that the box should only contain cards up to the adventure deck you are currently playing. If you are playing a "B" scenario, then the box should only have cards with set indicator "B", "C", or "P." If you are playing a "1" scenario, then the cards should have "B", "C", "P", or "1", etc.
2) You still get to roll your dice. If your roll is equal to or greater than the check to defeat, then you do not take any combat damage. The monster is still undefeated, however, so it gets shuffled back into the location deck. The only time you aren't allowed to roll dice against something is if it would be with a trait the card is immune to. For example, if your only weapon added the Poison trait and you were fighting an Undead card (all of which are immune to Mental and Poison), then you cannot use that weapon; you'd need to fight with your bare fists (which is a Strength Melee check).
3) It is in addition to any damage you would suffer by failing the check. Sometimes you take the damage even if you succeed at the check to defeat, sometimes you take it before even attempting the check. Just follow what it says on the card. Note that you take damage by discarding cards from your hand. If you run out of cards in your hand to discard, then you ignore any extra damage. Any damage can be reduced by cards and powers unless the thing dealing the damage says otherwise.
If you are playing a "B" scenario, then the box should only have cards with set indicator "B", "C", or "P."
Actually, if I remember correctly, you should only add Promo cards (P) to the box after you start Adventure Deck 1 (so no B scenarios qualify).
3) In addition to the above answer: in previous sets, some cards do not deal normal damage. However, such cards expressly state "If not defeated, instead of normal damage, this card deals ..." or some such. (So yeah, any damage that is not said to be *instead* of the normal damage is *in addition* to it)
If you are playing a "B" scenario, then the box should only have cards with set indicator "B", "C", or "P."Actually, if I remember correctly, you should only add Promo cards (P) to the box after you start Adventure Deck 1 (so no B scenarios qualify).
3) In addition to the above answer: in previous sets, some cards do not deal normal damage. However, such cards expressly state "If not defeated, instead of normal damage, this card deals ..." or some such. (So yeah, any damage that is not said to be *instead* of the normal damage is *in addition* to it)
PS: I should probably add - any additional damage is usually stated to be dealt "After you act...". So if for example you fail a check and the Monster deals 3 combat damage to you and then it has a power "After you act, this monster deal 2d4 damage to you" - those are TWO separate events. So you cannot prevent both the Combat and the Fire damage by burying/banishing a single Armor.