So, I am interested in how everyone's group goes about playing their games. Hoping to pick up some fresh ideas, while maybe giving others some as well.

Picking Characters

We usually have 5-6 people playing at a time. We all roll, and the highest roll is dealt a card first then going clockwise. We each get two cards, and select the one we wish to use. We then 'bank' the other for future use if we die with our original pick. Sometimes people can get extremely lucky and pull the Sage/Wizard combo, and others not so much with a Priest/Monk (Both happened in our last game), as stated earlier I got 'lucky' with a DC/Troll draw. It makes it fun when we can moan at someone's luck and laugh when others get drawn two less valued characters. I mean, it is all about fun anyway!

Reaper

Just to make the reaper come into play more, we made a house rule that allows him to be moved on a roll of '1 or 2' instead of the normal 1. We also allow him into the new dungeon and he can teleport to/from Treasure Chamber/Portal of Power.

Trophy

No, No. Not the trophy you get from killing an enemy! Our group has a travelling trophy of sorts. Whoever wins that weeks game gets to write their name on, take it home, and put it on the mantle over the bed, with the wife's permission of course! Just to be cheesey, we decided to use a $10 plastic WWE (Professional Wrestling) Gold Bling Belts. We write our names on the belt, kinda like the Stanley Cup Trophy. It is totally a status symbol to take home at 2am so your wife isn't as mad. Maybe throw in some flowers, and all is forgiven for being out so late!

Food

Now with this, we are pretty basic. We have our soda, usually consisting of the new sugar Mtn. Dews and IBC Root Beers. We then have our resident host make up a batch of his cheese dip. It consists of Cream Cheese, a couple Glass Jars of some cheese I have no idea what, jalepenos and green chile. Fantastic I tell ya! Ever since our first spill of water onto a BI 4th edition, we make sure to have nothing around the table with the new FF Revised 4th, Reaper, or Dungeon boards though.

I was also wondering if anyone has ever lamenated their cards? I have thought about doing at least the Character cards as it seems the new FF adventure, purchase, dungeon, etc.. have a glossy finish to them. Just wanted to see if anyone had a rough estimate of the cost to do all of the cards. Not looking to do it at home, would prefer like a Kinkos or something.

Thanks!

Cool topic.

Our playgroup actually does the exact thing your group does in regards to dealing characters (yes even 2) and we also play the reaper moves on a movement roll of 1-2.

As far as trophies go, we don't actually have a trophy like you guys do, but we do something kinda different also. It goes hand in hand with reaching the Crown of Command though. We have made 6 different possible endings for the game (similar to the old variant endings of old 2nd edition) if you get to the top you must roll a dice: (If you are fortunate enough to have any fate counters left over, you may spend 3 on this roll to add +1 to the die roll)

1) Horrible Black Void

2) Talons of Ruin

3) Perseverence

4) End of Days

5) Crown of Command

6) Ascension

Anyone who wins the game, doesnt have to help clean the game up, but the real fun is if you get the "Ascension" result ...

Basically, if you roll a "6" and get the "Ascension" ending, you automatically win the game and you record your name on a list we have made as an immortal character. Everyone who lost gives you a $1.00 and you have the distinct title of "immortal" until someone else "ascends" (by rolling a 6 on a future talisman game) to take your place. As an immortal, any future game of talisman that you play (any character) starts with a +1 fate counter.

As far as food, we always pick up some kind of junk to eat and drink (usually games last 3+ hour) Nothing laminated at this time.

Its all about the fun!!!

Nice topic. These are the rules we usually use:

Base game:
-If you have the hag, you can stop at the village mystic if your move would take you through/past the village.
-Spells gained by the "you always have one spell" ability cannot be used on the turn you draw them (instead of "you can only cast as many spells as you had at the start of your turn").
-All Talismans are removed from the Adventure deck.
-Each player choses a character from 2 or 3 randomly dealt ones.
-Your stats have no limit. Use colored dice or something if you run out of stat counters.

The Reaper:
-Warlock's quests are chosen randomly.

Since we don't have the new Dungeon, I'm still using the 2nd edition Dungeon, with the following alterations:
The Old Dungeon:
-Enter from the ruins space.
-You can move into and out of the dungeon using the new dungeon rules.
-You can choose which way to move after rolling for movement, unless you are retreating from a lost combat. (Don't use "fleeing from the dungeon" rules, but still use retreating move rules)
-The riding horse and flying carpet cannot be used in the dungeon.
-The Sage can look at the top adventure card when he's outside and the top dungeon card when he's in the dungeon.
-The treasure chamber is guarded by a miser dragon (str 8). If you defeat it, gain 1 str, d6 gold, and a Talisman. If you beat it, exit to the Plain of Peril, otherwise exit to the Chasm.
-Death can enter the Dungeon. If the dungeon is empty, Death may move leave the dungeon for 1 move.

Great Ideas. We have also decided to take all the Talismans out of the adventure deck, but we left the one in the Dungeon deck. We do draw randomly for Warlocks Quest as well and also do draws for the Treasure cards. We decided not to let the Sage look at the Dungeon cards, but your variation might make it work out ok.

I like the Ascension ending. Might have to try some variation of that.

Keep em coming!

I definitely remove all Talisman cards from the Adventure deck. I think it is something you should definitely have to earn (or steal ).

About picking characters.

We roll a die first and the player who rolls the highest can begin with drawing a character card.

If each player has drawn 3 cards, then he picks one etc

If a character is killed, that player draws 3 new character cards..

This is the way how we play it...

We use the reaper too in our games..

And i am thinking to change the trapdoor card..

Nice and funny topic.

Picking characters : before sitting on the table each player rolls the die to determine the order of play. The one who scores the highest goes first and we sit down in the order determined by the dice. In the same order each player randomly takes a Character Card, then each one draws another card and chooses which Character to use among the two. The remaining card goes under the chosen Character Card, ready for replacement in case of mid-game death.

Reaper : I do not complain about the Reaper if we're playing with 4 or more players. We tend to roll 1 very often. She's not very active in 2-3 player games though, but I've never made a house rule to increase the use of the Reaper. Reaper can enter the Dungeon according to a still unofficial FAQ and teleport from Treasure Chamber to the spaces listed on it (except Inner Region)

Trophy : I keep a ranking list for all players/Characters, but I use to play with too many different people to use something as "official" as a Trophy.

Food : we don't eat too much while playing games, but some of my friends enjoy drinking beer while playing Talisman. This leads sometimes to quite confuse endgames but it's definitely good fun. Nobody spilled any liquid on my copy of Revised 4th edition, but I know of a Runebound board being flooded by beer once. I must say that FFG board did a good job and survived the disaster with no damage. Anyway, youìd better be careful with beverages.

I also remove Talisman cards from the Adventure/Dungeon Deck if playing with 4 or less players. I like the idea that there's only one Talisman per player in the game and that you can't find one just by walking around. The reason is that in my very first game of Talisman the first drawn adventure card was a Talisman and it looked like a big anti-climax to everybody. We won't let it happen again. If we're playing with 5 or 6 players I just put 2 Talismans in the Decks (1 in the Adventure and 1 in the Dungeon, if used), otherwise there won't be one Talisman for every Character in play.