In the Guild Guide, there's a "Preparing the Game Box" section on p. 13. This post is about that section.
Background: One thing that the Guild Guide has to allow (which makes sense) is that multiple groups might be using the same store box for their OP campaigns. That's exactly what the "Preparing the Box" section is for, I think - to ensure that one group's campaign doesn't wreak havoc on another group's campaign.
For example, in an OP campaign, if my group slowly removes basic boons the "regular" (non-OP way) starting with Adventure 3, the other group will have to mix them back in whenever they play - which doesn't make sense unless my group recorded exactly which boons had been removed. This would be a huge pain to track.
"Preparing the Box" takes care of this. It gives groups two options on how to remove basic/elite cards from the box - methods that prevent the group campaigns from messing with each other
However, if only one group is using the store box, can they remove basic/elites the regular (non-OP) way? If so, is it OK to remove basic blessings over time? (like in this thread)
The phrase, "You may use the standard rules in the current rulebook for preparing the box, but the following options are designed to streamline your setup process" leads me to believe that you can, but I wanted to be sure.
P.S. The funny thing is that my OP group removes basic/elite cards the regular (non-OP) way, but they don't allow basic Blessings to be removed (when locations are permanently closed, e.g.) because of the phrase "Regardless of the method you use, do not remove blessings that have the Basic trait" on p. 13. So, in my mind, they're actually combining the OP and non-OP methods together in a way that they weren't meant to be combined.
There's a couple of oversights in the Card Guild Guide, first of all.
For example, Redemption rules for temporary characters given by the Season 4 Promotional scenarios are entirely undefined, and there's actually other flaws with that particular reward which I've listed elsewhere.
As another example, there's nothing saying you cannot use a Card Upgrade, or refill an empty deck slot, with a Loot card in the Class Deck (though there's only 1 Loot card in any class deck that I know of, and that's Honaire). Enjoy your Rivani or Meligaster with the powerful Honaire ally which is supposed to make up for Estra being a bit weaker to start with...
As yet another example, it doesn't seem to ever define the order of Traders vs Loot cards for Seasons 3 and 4 (nor do the Seasons 3 or 4 adventure books).
From my perspective, you're correct. Rules-as-Written, it seems that you only don't remove Basics if the following is true...
You may use the standard rules in the current rulebook for preparing the box, but the following options are designed to streamline your setup process.
Which, strictly speaking, suggests that the "Following Option" is, well, an option.
Don’t Remove Basic Blessings: Regardless of the method you use, do not remove blessings that have the Basic trait.
So sure enough. It seems if you're using the standard rules you absolutely can banish blessings (though standard rules do say it's optional to do so). I'm not sure that's the intent, but that's how I would parse the rules-as-written. With that said, I do think there are faults with the rules and I suspect it would be more in line with the expectation of how OP is run that you avoid banishing basic blessings either way.
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The phrase, "You may use the standard rules in the current rulebook for preparing the box, but the following options are designed to streamline your setup process" leads me to believe that you can, but I wanted to be sure.
P.S. The funny thing is that my OP group removes basic/elite cards the regular (non-OP) way, but they don't allow basic Blessings to be removed (when locations are permanently closed, e.g.) because of the phrase "Regardless of the method you use, do not remove blessings that have the Basic trait" on p. 13. So, in my mind, they're actually combining the OP and non-OP methods together in a way that they weren't meant to be combined.
In version 5 of the Guide, there are 3 legal methods: The standard rules in the rulebook (which really means "do whatever the season's Adventure Path says"), the "Remove Basics and Elites When Adding Adventure Decks" method, and the "Remove Basics and Elites on the Fly" method. The sentence "Regardless of the method you use, do not remove blessings that have the Basic trait" applies to all 3 of those methods.
The reason behind that sentence is that there may be circumstances where removing all Basic blessings could result in you not having enough blessings in the box to fill out all the locations and build the blessings deck. (That could theoretically happen using any of the three methods.)
In Core, the way we instruct you to build the vault (that is, set up the box) is a bit different, so to make previous seasons work more like Core, I am currently planning on removing the "do what it says on the Adventure Path" option from the next version of the Guide. Specifically, here's the current draft:
Building the Vault for Older Scenarios
Starting with Season 6, each adventure includes rules for building the vault. In earlier seasons, each adventure lists the products that adventure requires. To build the vault for a scenario in one of those adventures, start by adding all of the cards from the listed products to the vault, then remove all Basic and Elite non-blessing cards whose level is at least three lower than the # of the adventure. (If you don’t have time to remove those cards in advance, you can remove them as you find them—when you come across one, just replace it with another card of the same type from the vault.) Ignore any instructions on the Adventure Path card related to banishing Basic and Elite cards.
Thoughts?
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Thanks for the post.
There may be other feedback, but my main comment would be to give an example of "at least three lower than the # of the adventure".
Is this what you mean?
For example, to build the vault for a scenario in adventure 5, remove all basic and elite cards (except blessings) of levels 0 (B, P, and C), 1, and 2.
Thanks for the post.
There may be other feedback, but my main comment would be to give an example of "at least three lower than the # of the adventure".
Is this what you mean?
For example, to build the vault for a scenario in adventure 5, remove all basic and elite cards (except blessings) of levels 0 (B, P, and C), 1, and 2.
Good call. Examples are always helpful.
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Building the Vault for Older Scenarios
Starting with Season 6, each adventure includes rules for building the vault. In earlier seasons, each adventure lists the products that adventure requires. To build the vault for a scenario in one of those adventures, start by adding all of the cards from the listed products to the vault, then remove all Basic and Elite non-blessing cards whose level is at least three lower than the # of the adventure. (If you don’t have time to remove those cards in advance, you can remove them as you find them—when you come across one, just replace it with another card of the same type from the vault.) Ignore any instructions on the Adventure Path card related to banishing Basic and Elite cards.
I'd like Sunburst Market to remain useful after AD2 in Season 3 and 4 (it is often used to fill out Cures for characters who only have 1, or for Basic Armors, or for characters who desperately need an extra explore somehow). How do we achieve that, since I assume that traders will pull from the vault?