Estra: retrieve spell during an encounter?

[Iff]

We played the demo game of MM yesterday. A question came up regarding Honaire. Situation was as follows: Estra encountered a monster. She had Honaire in hand, but no spells. Could I use Honaire's ability to retrieve a spell from my discard, and then use that spell to fight the monster?

[Frencois]

I would say no because during the different steps/checks of an encounter you are only allowed to play cards/powers that directly impact the step/check.

Retrieving a spell from discard to your hand doesn't directly impact.

But for fictional example if you had a displayed card that had a permanent power saying: "add the number of spells in your hand to your checks", then you could retrieve it because the simple fact of putting it back in your hand would affect the check.

[elcoderdude]

Frencois is right.

It has been determined that gaining a card you could then use is not relevant to the encounter (unless, as Frencois says, simply having the card has an effect). The action you take has to itself be relevant, and not rely on a further action.

[Theryon Stormrune]

As one of the many that playtested MM, I had played Estra all the way through the adventure path. I had played Estra incorrectly. I used my discard as the ultimate sideboard and was retrieving spells during encounters.

I don't have a link since the conversation was verbal (at PaizoCon) but Vic confirmed that Estra cannot retrieve spells during an encounter. Part of her power is to be able to scout ahead. Once she knows something is coming, she can use Honaire to retrieve a spell from her discard (or more than one spell once she gets Speaker to the Dead role).

[Iff]

That seems fair enough. Getting whichever spell she needs on the fly might be a bit too powerful. And the rules seem to back that up as well. Thanks for the answers.

[Talonius]

Another Estra related question, can she choose to discard a spell instead of recharging?

[elcoderdude]

Yes, definitely.

Look closely at the card in question. The recharge check is optional.

[Talonius]

I thought so since the spells say "you may attempt to recharge".

I was confused since I found a post discussing this topic via search where Mike said the unofficial rule was to roll if you could but you didn't have to improve the roll... but that was in 2014 and a lot has changed since then. :p

[Malcolm_Reynolds]

If I remember correctly, that had to do with the villains from one of the S&S AD 1 scenarios that have a BYA check that you might not want to pass even if you can. The point being if you're told to attempt a check, (as in that case), you must, but you don't have to use your best skill or use powers to make it easier. If you're told you may attempt a check, it is optional.

[elcoderdude]

Right. You cannot skip, or autofail, a mandatory check.

[Theryon Stormrune]

Talonius wrote:

Another Estra related question, can she choose to discard a spell instead of recharging?

There are most times, with Estra, that you want to put your spells into discard. When playing her, it was rare for me to actually recharge spells unless my deck was running low. It was also rare that I Cured myself.