Acquisitor:
He displays a card to gain all skills listed on the check to acquire equal to his Intelligence skill until end of turn. Since this is not a replacement skill the check wouldn’t have an attribute attached to it. So if he did this to gain the Stealth skill, blessings of Milani or blessings of Irori wouldn’t add additional dice. So it would follow that his power to “On your Intelligence check, after the roll, you may bury (□ or discard) a weapon, an armor, or an item to add or subtract 3.” wouldn’t work unless it was a strait Intelligence, disable or Knowledge check. Am I correct?
His power “before he resets his hand, he may set aside any number of items; return them to your hand after you reset it” doesn’t work with weapons, spells, or armors that he is “sloting” as items when he builds his deck. My understanding is they only count as items in his deck building phase. Correct?
Channeler:
His power of “During your encounter with a bane, you may recharge a weapon, an armor, or an item that has the Magic trait to summon and play a random spell that has the Attack trait and an adventure deck number less than that of the current scenario (□and shares a trait of your choice with the card you are recharging).” says bane. Why not monster? Can you play an attack trait spell against a barrier? Since it is random, do you get to draw till you find one that applies? Using the second part of the power to share traits seems you could narrow down the scope of spells a lot. If you use this and get a spell that the monster is immune to, could you play a different spell?
Final word: He appears to be a really strong base character but I feel both roles are really lackluster. Can someone point out what I am missing?
Acquisitor:
He displays a card to gain all skills listed on the check to acquire equal to his Intelligence skill until end of turn. Since this is not a replacement skill the check wouldn’t have an attribute attached to it. So if he did this to gain the Stealth skill, blessings of Milani or blessings of Irori wouldn’t add additional dice. So it would follow that his power to “On your Intelligence check, after the roll, you may bury (□ or discard) a weapon, an armor, or an item to add or subtract 3.” wouldn’t work unless it was a strait Intelligence, disable or Knowledge check. Am I correct?
Correct.
His power “before he resets his hand, he may set aside any number of items; return them to your hand after you reset it” doesn’t work with weapons, spells, or armors that he is “sloting” as items when he builds his deck. My understanding is they only count as items in his deck building phase. Correct?
Correct. They only count as item when you are (re)building your deck.
Channeler:
His power of “During your encounter with a bane, you may recharge a weapon, an armor, or an item that has the Magic trait to summon and play a random spell that has the Attack trait and an adventure deck number less than that of the current scenario (□and shares a trait of your choice with the card you are recharging).” says bane. Why not monster? Can you play an attack trait spell against a barrier? Since it is random, do you get to draw till you find one that applies? Using the second part of the power to share traits seems you could narrow down the scope of spells a lot. If you use this and get a spell that the monster is immune to, could you play a different spell?
Some barriers can be defeated with combat, so the "typical" attack trait spell that defines a combat check would apply.
And these spells specifically deal with barriers and have the attack trait:
Disintegrate
Heat Metal
Also, these could potentially apply based on traits:
Dismissal
There are probably more.
Final word: He appears to be a really strong base character but I feel both roles are really lackluster. Can someone point out what I am missing?
I've not played him much, so I'll leave that to others.
1) Yes. If you care to search, there was an early thread on Mavaro where it was officially confirmed to be so.
2) Yes.
3) I can't recall any in MM, but there are barriers with combat checks in older sets - the most egregious example being the Armies in WotR. So, think of it as a little backwards-compatibility bonus.
3.1 Also, there are multiple barriers across sets that make you summon and encounter a monster. If there is an Attack spell that says something like "Display this card. While displayed, you may add 2d4 and the Fire trait to your combat checks" - then, you could (probably; I think there can be an argument that it fails the "relevancy" criteria) play Mavaro's power when you encounter the Barrier and display the spell, and THEN you summon the monster - and you can now play another combat spell for your check against it.
Yes, you draw until you find the appropriate card - no different than if it said "Item with the Accessory trait", etc.
I am unclear on what rule should apply if you draw a spell the bane is immune to:
- I guess most people would fall on the side of "if one card tells you you CAN do something, and another tells you CAN'T - then you CAN'T do it". So you don't play your random spell - and therefore you're allowed to play another spell on the check
- I can see an argument that, since the power instructs you to "play" the spell, you MUST draw until you get a spell you're actually able to play
EDIT: Darned aviary ninjas...
Oh, and also - I just got Mavaro the Channeler role and went full Divine/Arcane spellcaster. He did great, and I don't think I actually used his "main" power anymore... which is kinda sad, since the role and powers turned out so game-changing that they overwrite his original concept.
Chief Technical Officer
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"Summon and play" is covered in the "Summoning and Adding Cards" rules:
If you are instructed to summon and play a card, immediately draw the card from the box and play it, using any power on it that can be used in the current circumstance, then banish it. If no power on it can be used in the current circumstance, banish it.
Final word: He appears to be a really strong base character but I feel both roles are really lackluster. Can someone point out what I am missing?
I haven't played him or MM yet, but just want to say from a balance perspective the stronger the base character the more lackluster the roles ought to be.
I found Damiel like that, none of his power feats were exciting (at least from a power/strength/usefulness perspective, compared to other characters) but that was fine because he was still strong the whole way and would have been too good otherwise. It's a good thing.
Though... having said that... looking at the powers I can't really see why you think they look lacklustre. Both the intelligence check powers give really strong effects even if they are just limited to natively int/knowledge/disable checks. On Channeler you can combine with the other powers and it will also be on your combat check. If it worked on every check (via the easy misinterpretation of his other power) it would be far too good. Maybe everyone's better in MM, but they certainly seem a lot better than the average RotR role power card.
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looking at the powers I can't really see why you think they look lacklustre. Both the intelligence check powers give really strong effects even if they are just limited to natively int/knowledge/disable checks. On Channeler you can combine with the other powers and it will also be on your combat check. If it worked on every check (via the easy misinterpretation of his other power) it would be far too good. Maybe everyone's better in MM, but they certainly seem a lot better than the average RotR role power card.
Well Im going to see. It will be a solo game with me controlling Oloch, Ramexes, Mavaro, and Valendron playing though Shield of Rannick (home brew campaign by Ron Lundeen). I have not seen the first 3 in action and the last is a home brew from the Paizo blog. I plan on seeing how Mavaro plays out and probably won't decide on his roll card until I have too.
For your comments:
Acquisitor: The intelligence check powers are nice but it takes 2 feats to not have to bury. I'm more interested in the "set aside all the items, add to hand after reset". That can be scary good.
Channeler: I do like the discard to reroll on INT checks, but I would need to grab the Arcane=Int+1 for that to be really good. In addition, im going to want that hand size.
I guess my issue is that without it being attached to my combat rolls, which most people agree that combat is king, it isnt as attractive. Those few times I NEED to pass a disable or knowledge roll I can bless it or spend other resources.
Anyway going to see how it goes. In two months maybe I will come back and recant everything and tell you how awesome he is. Only time will tell.
Acquisitor: The intelligence check powers are nice but it takes 2 feats to not have to bury. I'm more interested in the "set aside all the items, add to hand after reset". That can be scary good.
True, this would be THE signature power of the Acquisitor and probably more in-character for Mavaro. I ended up a bit disappointed going Channeler, as I ended up turning Mavaro into just another (albeit very versatile) caster, while the other role would probably have a very unique and interesting flavor. So if you decide to go the Acquistor way, please, do let us know how it went.
Longshot,
I'm getting to the end of AD3 and I have no clue which way to go with him.
I started him out as more of a caster but that was incredibly taxing. If I wanted to play "Find Traps" on someone I had to Display a card then play my spell. That taxed two cards from my hand every time I was playing something on someone else's turn. Also, Not having the typical Arcane or Divine = STAT +2 ment the recharge check is harder than most caster due to the lack of the base +2.
On the first scenario of AD2 I picked up a heavy crossbow and the Deathbane crossbow. So I swapped him over to being DEX based for his combat (since I have two STR/melee based characters). That has been working out little better.
My biggest issue is more a RotRL issue. The items in RotRL are not all that appealing. In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have played him in this set. I need to sit down with the Items and look to see if there are any I really like and can utilize. Sadly I'm leaning toward the channeler with the role card just to pick up the Arcane skill.
Side note: I swapped Valendron with Varanog (the kobold from the Paizo blog) at the last minute. He is a beast.
I started him out as more of a caster but that was incredibly taxing. If I wanted to play "Find Traps" on someone I had to Display a card then play my spell.
IIRC, RotR is even more poor at support spells than at items. What I did in MM however, is carry Find Traps et al. and a Cure or two. Then, I'd try to maximize my spell support within a single 'player cycle' so I only have to lose one card to 'display for Divine. So, I'd cast 2-3 support spells off-turn, then at end of turn cast Cure (as you said, Mavarao is unlikely to recharge his spells otherwise).
On the first scenario of AD2 I picked up a heavy crossbow and the Deathbane crossbow. So I swapped him over to being DEX based for his combat (since I have two STR/melee based characters). That has been working out little better.
For me, weapon combat was even more unreliable as I'd have to display another weapon each turn with combat (whereas I could display any number of cards for my Divine combat spells). Finally, once I got Arcane skill - I just game him 2 Chain Lightnings and never looked back. Those spells are beasts!
The items in RotRL are not all that appealing.
This is not untrue. However, you can stock up on a bunch of Thieves' Tools (good around AD4, but even later add 1 die to Mavaro's Disable) and 2 Masterwork Tools (they still get a bunch of barriers even in AD6).
Even better though - RotR has a bunch of items that add to your Intelligence with reveal - at least 3 of them are loots, iirc, so you'll probably have something like +4 to INT for *reveal*. Additionally, you can carry bury-able stuff like Revelation Quill and Emerald Codex (both excellent loot items in their own right) to thin out your deck.Side note: I swapped Valendron with Varanog (the kobold from the Paizo blog) at the last minute. He is a beast.
Wait, what? A kobold hero? Where can I find this fine gentleman? I don't believe he was promoted in any of the class decks...?
Side note: I swapped Valendron with Varanog (the kobold from the Paizo blog) at the last minute. He is a beast.Wait, what? A kobold hero? Where can I find this fine gentleman? I don't believe he was promoted in any of the class decks...?
He was from Cartmanbeck and Theryon Stormrune's Kobold homebrew special.
IIRC, RotR is even more poor at support spells than at items.
I started him out as more of a caster but that was incredibly taxing. If I wanted to play "Find Traps" on someone I had to Display a card then play my spell.
Um...
Detect Magic, Augury, Scrying
Find Traps
Swipe
Cure, Major Cure
Enfeeble is great as a villain scout as most villains in RotR aren't immune
Haste, Restoration
That being said, there are some stinkers in the set like the Clouds and Blizzard/Corrosive Storm.
Speaking of Spells! Why is Invisibility and Sleep both Basic? Invisibility kicks Sleep's butt. Sleep is limited by the mental trait, and the check to defeat number, while Invisibility is not. In addition, Invisibility can also be used to pass stealth checks.
The only argument is the recharge check is easier, but really now.
@Longshot - Im still torn. Im guessing your pitch about "RotR has a bunch of items that add to your Intelligence with reveal - at least 3 of them are loots, iirc, so you'll probably have something like +4 to INT for *reveal*" is for Acquisitor? But those reveals won't help anything but his Knowledge or Disable. Not really needing help on those at this point.
I see those as more attractive for his Arcane and Divine skill being based off his Intelligence with the Channeler role card. Still the spells in RotRL sucks for damage with exception to Lighting bolt and Discentergrate. Sadly only two good combat spells, and one is adventure 5. So it might take some time to get it. I could easily swap him over to a caster again by just taking the spells off of Varanog (who doesnt really need them, I will be making a post in the homebrew about how awesome he is).
Anyway I kind of wanted to do the Acquisitor role and just draw up my whole deck. Just feeling that will be a more difficult way to run him.
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Slacker is correct, the items add to Intelligence checks, but though Mavaro's skill creation uses his Intelligence skill as a base, that does not make them Intelligence checks.
@Longshot,
I regret to inform you that I have taking the channel role for Mavero. I really really wanted to go with his acquisition role, but I didn’t feel like I had an option in RotRLs due to the limited item selection and the lack of Blessings of the Elements. Blessings of the elements would have been amazing on him. Displaying one blessing and getting all my stats at 1d10+4 would have made him an incredibly versatile character. Instead my blessings are broken up into blessings that at least have the chance to give another stat (ei. Strength, Dexterity, and Wisdom).
Expanding on this, I don’t know if I will be taking his power that “On your Intelligence check, after the roll, you may discard an item to reroll the dice; take the new result.” due to the fact I don’t have that many items in his deck. It’s mostly composed of Spells now. I keep one armor, Masterwork Tools and the robes of ruin. Trying to remember the spells I believe it’s: Lighting Bolt x2, Augury x2, Cure x2, Incendiary Cloud, Scorching Ray, Detect Magic. I do have two Swipes, but they are on Varanog along with the one Haste I found.
Last night I finished up Set 4. I’m upset I still have not found the Holy Candle.
He is a fun character. I’m still sad I didn’t play him in SnS or MM. I think with the items in those decks he would have been a blast.