How many times can an adventurer explore per turn.
For some reason I thought it was once but a lot of cards say, "Instead of your first exploration," so on and so forth. Is there a static rule to how much you explore, or do you just gain extra via discarding things like blessings?
My understanding is that there is no limit to how many times you can explore in a turn. There's a bunch of ways you can get extra explores. To name a few: blessing, inquisitor ability if you defeat a monster, defeating certain monsters, location and scenario effects, ect. Normally, you'd have to explore your location 1st to trigger one of those effects, so instead of doing your regular explore, there might be an alternative action you can take. Hope that answers your question! :)
There is no limit.
Many effects allow you to explore again on your turn, and there is no limit to the number of times you can explore.
All of the above being said, you only get one free exploration per turn (that being your first exploration). If you want to explore after your first exploration (or if you didn't have a first exploration due to a replacement effect -- e.g. the "Instead of your first exploration" powers), you need to utilize some power that lets you do that. Typically this comes from discarding blessings or allies, but there are numerous other powers that let you explore again as well.
Now, this came up at OP on Tuesday. Athnul wanted to discard an ally that would allow her to explore and get a bonus to her check. Is she allowed to skip her first free exploration to discard the ally to explore?
I ruled yes because the rules say in the steps "Explore Your Location (optional)." But I'd like other people's thoughts. :)
Yes, this came up in a thread a while back (sorry, my search-fu is weak). You may use a card to explore in lieu of your first (free) exploration. However, doing so forfeits your free exploration. So you can't use an ally to explore, then get your free exploration after the ally generated exploration is completed.Now, this came up at OP on Tuesday. Athnul wanted to discard an ally that would allow her to explore and get a bonus to her check. Is she allowed to skip her first free exploration to discard the ally to explore?
I ruled yes because the rules say in the steps "Explore Your Location (optional)." But I'd like other people's thoughts. :)
Excellent, thank you.
Yep.
You may explore your location once each turn without playing a card that allows you to explore; this must be your first exploration for the turn.
If you play a card that lets you explore, THAT is your first exploration now so you forfeit the free one. Similarly, if you take some sort of action that is "instead" of your first exploration, that also counts as your first exploration and so you don't get a free explore.
Fun fact: Opting to not use your free exploration and using a card to explore still counts as your first exploration, however using a power that says "instead of your first exploration" and subsequently using a card to explore no longer counts as your first exploration (in that case it'd be your second). This matters for things that care about the first exploration of your turn, such as minotaurs -- you can use such a power to dodge those nasty effects. It doesn't get you away from face-up cards such as Task barriers, though, since there's an extra rule in the book that says "first exploration of the turn" actually means "first time you explore that turn" for such cards (Faceup Cards sidebar on p11).