Hello

i play RTL with me friend first time, and we got some problems with the outdoor/lieutenant encounter. We hope that we have over seen some thing.
But by following the rules, placing figures (heros or monsters) in trees is a good idea. Cause people have to move next to attack(shadow cloak given by trees). So our encounters end that way, that every one is with in trees and the range of range or magic attack is use less. Heros running next to monsters, keep some fatigue or normal movement to enter the tree, after killing the monster within.
So also monster counting on AOE damage, like hell hounds, are useless, when everybody is immune to such effects...

I'd like to know if we making something wrong.

Regards
Flotsch

I don't see anything that makes me want to say you are doing anything wrong.

We had the same problem and established a new house-rule.

Breath and Blast weapons can damage anyone who hides in a tree field.

And the Telekines skill also added a lot of fun to our outdoor encounters. Suddenly the heroes could make use of their ranged weapons

Flotsch: Are you the famous Flotsch from Dresden, Germany?

Shakkar said:

I wouldn't do that, takes away the entire point of the trees! And even thematically makes sense, you're hiding behind the trunk of the tree as the flames scream past you. Trees work great, both for the heroes and the overlord. Leave them as is.

And don't forget, Telekinesis was removed from RtL...

-shnar

Parathion said:

back to topic.

what would you think about giving figures in trees a free dodge-orde instat of shadowcloak?
So there i a good bonus, but range attacks can go on as „normal“. It also fits with „hiding in trees and trying to dodge“...

You're always welcome to house rule whatever you want.

That being said, I think house-ruling away the shadowcloak gained from being in a tree space takes away one of the most interesting aspects of outdoor encounters. Why would you spend an extra movement to enter a tree space if it did not give you such an advantage? Keep in mind soaring monsters must choose between "landing" in a tree for shadowcloak or staying 4 spaces away from everyone. And realistically, shadowcloak is only so powerful. It really means nothing to a melee monster/hero anyway, as being adjacent is already required. And for a ranged hero/monster it means you have to take the risk of getting up close and personal to shoot that bow. Thematically, it makes sense as well...since you would have to get right next to someone hiding behind a tree to be able to shoot them.

Tactically, I think it totally changes the game and gives a fresh perspective to combat that you just don't see in dungeons. Monsters can spend threat for movement, so the idea that this only benefits heroes is untrue. Granted, heroes can hide in trees and guard, but ols can also hang back and build up a million threat so they can run their leader up and hit that guarding hero with 5 gold dice and then run away again.

I wouldn't house rule it, but...once again, feel free to do whatever suits your fancy. In the words of Obi-Wan Kenobi: "You must do what you feel is right, of course."

Feanor said:

Also you should be aware than neither breathe nor blast attacks are now forced to use AoE. They may, if desired, instead operate as a 'normal' attack of their type (usually Magic or Ranged) that affects only the target space.

Flotsch said:

I think you are actually making the bonus granted by trees much stronger than giving them Shadowcloak if you give a free Dodge order.

Shadowcloak just prevents damage from attacks made from sources nonadjacent. So it means you are vulnerable to melee all the time (excluding Reach), and ranged/magic if made from an adjacent square.

You give that same figure Dodge instead and it can cause all attacks (melee, ranged, magic, AoE) to miss if they get the reroll their way or at least reduce the damage, and it will work on multiple attacks. Some might disagree, but giving a free Dodge order is far more powerful than Shadowcloak.

Big Remy said:

I, for one, am not "some"...as I do not disagree. Consider that you could run and spend fatigue to get in close to something, spend one movement to chug an invisibility potion and get a free dodge order just by stepping into a tree. Now there's like a 12% chance that you can be hit by anything and you're in the thick of it. If you're sihlouette and you have 2 fatigue left, you can start your next turn with full fatigue by changing to a rest or switch it to a guard for an attack after all the monsters have missed you. I suppose you could say that the order isn't placed, so Sihlouette's hero ability wouldn't function..but it's still a sick way to cover a lot of ground and end up nigh invulnerable.