Hey everyone,
I've attempted this post before, but it didn't show up in the message boards after, so if it's no doubled, I'm sorry. My friends and I have the German Rise of the Ruinlords Game (since we are German), and the rule book is rather terrible. So although we have played a few times, there are still some things we are confused about, especially after I've been reading through these threads.
1. How to defeat a monster?
When fighting a monster/henchman/bad guy is it true that only Strength and Melee can be used? Would Seoni be able to use Melee, which is not one of her listed skills, with a d4 and then play a Mercenary to add another d4 to her check? Why can Seoni for example not use her Arcane trait? What about her using a spell like "energy projectile" (probably not correct translation). It reads: "Discard this card during a combat check, to add 2d4 to your die on Arcane as well as the trait Energy." Doesn't this mean Seoni would have to use her Arcane skill on a combat check already, to add this one? Or does her Arcane magic only become eligible for a combat check because of adding the energy projectile?2. If a skill is not listed a character can still use it with 1d4?
A few examples:
a) Someone who has neither the Divine nor the Arcane skill could play a spell with 1d4 + whatever the spell adds, but ban it after, because the skills aren't listed?
b) When using the Snake, for example, who adds 1d10 to Secrecy/Sneakiness (not sure about transl.), can it be played by someone who doesn't have the Secrecy trait using 1d4 + 1d10?
c) Can then a potion that lets e.g. "a character in your location have a successful check on Diplomacy" be used by anyone, even if this skill is not listed?3. Could you die at the end of your turn?
Seoni has 3 cards in her hand, because she used some to help other players during their turns. Now she loses a combat check and has to suffer four pain. She only has to discard the three cards in her hand, correct? So if she had enough cards in her deck still, to...
Everyone has questions when they start playing. Happy to help.
1) Yes, anyone can use Melee. If the skill is not listed on their character sheet, they just use a d4.
You can normally only use Strength or Melee for a combat check but some cards and powers allow you to make exceptions to this. For example, Seoni's power (I don't have her card in front of me for the exact wording either) does allow you to use her Arcane die (which I believe is Charisma + something) plus 2d4? for her combat check if you discard a card. And no you can't use Seoni's Arcane skill for a combat roll without discarding a card to activate that power.
Many spell cards allow you to use your Arcane or Divine skill for combat as well for that one combat (and then the spell card is either discarded or recharged depending on whether you make the recharge roll). And some weapons use different stats such as Dexterity or Ranged for your combat check instead of Strength/Melee. Similarly to Arcane, you can't roll Dexterity or Ranged for a combat check without a power or card allowing you to do so - Strength or Melee is the default.
2) Yes.
a) Exactly. Anyone can use a spell, but without the appropriate skill (most) spells are banished after being played.
b) Yes.
c) Yes. Also the Crown of Charisma, same thing, item that lets you automatically succeed at a Charisma (or Diplomacy? can't remember) check. It doesn't matter whether you inherently have the skill when using a card that allows you to succeed at a check.
3) Your example is exactly correct. You only have to discard as many cards as you have in hand, even if you take more damage than that (unless the card dealing you damage tells you otherwise). And if you had to draw more cards than you have in your deck at the end of your turn (or any other time) you would die.
It is in English, not German, but if you have a Boardgame Geek account, you might find look at this guide helpful.
You probably understand Brainwave's answer to (1), but I just want to reiterate: in practice, characters very rarely use Strength or Melee for their combat check without using any other card or power.
(Usually this happens because a caster was caught without an Attack spell, or the bane is immune to the only ones he/she has in hand, or else the a martial character was caught without a weapon in hand).
Strength fighters usually use Melee, but with a weapon.