Not sure if this belongs in this group or in the Home brews......

Our group is a little bored with the standard endgame. Often times frustrated with stalemates, dragging out long games, etc. Does anyone have any good alternate endgames you use and care to share? I have 2 that I have come up with but have not fleshed them out or play tested.

1) Fighting a main boss in the Crown of Command instead of the command spell

2) Command Spell mechanic. If you miss with the Command spell, you may gain a spell if your craft allows. You may then cast a spell or discard any spell that you hold.

Go to my website (see sig file) or www.talismanisland.com and download my unofficial expansion, The Gauntlet.

This has LOTS of different options for the end game.

Best Regards

DTH

My group, which has been playing different versions of Talisman since 2nd edition came out, has recently started playing like this:

The Command spell is insta-kill, but must be aimed at a single character.

We play like this unless another character is in the Inner Region or the last stretch of the Dungeon. In the latter case, we play as the rules say.

This simple deviation of the rules has shortened out games quite a bit, as well as causing a mad scramble towards the endgame when someone is about to win, which is always fun.

Our endgame is very much like L's, though we do not use the instant kill option - that's just more of the same endgame to us. If no one is in the Inner Region when some takes the CoC, one more round is played for all other characters (and the command spell can still be used as normal). If no one makes it into the Inner Region in that round, the winner is declared. We played this way in 2e as well, though the Dungeon was not counted as for the Inner Region; anyone using that route was attempting a "chance" shortcut that didn't count, making it more risky to try for the CoC if someone else was doing the hard slog the normal way.

We play 6 possibly different endings (determined by the roll of a dice when someone reaches the CofC)

Upon reaching the Crown of Command roll a single dice for your destiny. (This roll may be modified by +1 for every 3 fate counters you spend)

1. Horrible Black Void
2. Talons of Judgment
3. The Face of Death
4. The End of Days
5. The Crown of Command
6. Ascension

Horrible Black Void : You cease to exist!! All items, gold & followers are discarded. You lose the game immediately.

Talons of Judgment : All of your items & followers are stripped from you and sent to the discard pile. Return to your home space and gain +2 Strength & +2 Craft. If you persevere enough to make it back to the Crown of Command space you automatically win the game!! (no additional roll required)

The Face of Death : “The Reaper” has come to claim you but you will not go quietly. “Dice with Death” 1 time each turn ignoring any loss of life. If you claim 4 victories before The Reaper claims 4 victories, you become The Reaper and win the game!! Fate counters may not be used to modify any of these rolls, however, before any “Dice with Death” roll, you may sacrifice any number of followers or magic items to gain a +1 to your overall dice roll result for each item or follower sacrificed this way.

The End Of Days : Upon reaching the Crown of Command, the lands begin to quake mercilessly, the world is left in chaos, destroying the Crown of Command and Inner Region in the process!! But, before your demise, you are transformed. Move your character to the temple space. You are now an avatar & may allocate +5 counters distributed any way you choose among your strength, craft, fate or lives.

Continue game play as normal with these few game modifications …

1) The reaper moves on every players movement roll of 1, 2 or 3.
2) No life gain or healing is permitted.
3) All enemies encountered on cards, or board spaces are +3 strength & craft.
4) The only victory condition left in this game is by destroying all other players.

The last player left alive wins the game.

The Crown of Command : You acquire the Crown of Command and proceed to defeat your opponents through the normal process!!

Ascension: You are judged "immortal"!! You win the game and your name will forever be remembered!! Record your name, character & date on the back of this sheet. ANYTIME in the future that you play Talisman, if you are recorded (on the back of this sheet) as an “immortal” you may start the game with a +1 fate counter to any character you play. (Whenever a new player achieves Ascension, the title of "immortal" is relinquished to the new winner)

Sorry for the double-post. These aresome optional rules I came up with, really aimed at speeding up the end-game.

• Lych's Curse:
  
  When a character is on the Crown of Command, no Lives may be gained or healed.
• The Gathering:
  
  When determining the destination from the Lord of Darkness' Treasure Chamber Portal in the Dungeon, roll one die for each player on CoC and add to the total.
• Blood Lust:
  
  No objects or followers may be picked up from the CoC space if you are not alone.
  If you win a Battle or Psychic combat and force the character to drop an object or gold, no Character may pick it up until they are alone.
• Reaper's Hand:
  
  When the Reaper is in play, you may cast the Command Spell on the Reaper instead of the other Characters.
  If successful, you command the Reaper to materialize in front of the character of your choice who must encounter him as normal.

Thanks for the ideas. All very interesting. Keep 'em coming!!

Does anyone remember what the Dragon King's stats from the 3rd Edtion Dragon Tower (or was it Dragos?)

Gonad the Ballbarian said:

Third edition dragon has a Strength of 12 and a Craft of 12

You can choose if you want to fight him with Strength or Craft

If you lose, then you are throwing back at the Causeway..

Hi all!

This is my first post here at the FFG forum.

Anyway I hope I don't step on any toes now...

Here is an alternative twist and also sort of a combination of both Malthule's and BanthaFodder's endgame ideas (full credit to you).

I haven't had the chance to try it out yet but I can't wait to. Tell me what you think of this.

The first player to arrive at the Crown of Command must roll one die (no fate - or anything else for that matter - may change this result)

1-3 Crown of Command (Credit to BanthaFodder)

* All the normal rules for the crown of command apply with the following exceptions.

* When the Reaper is in play, if you successfully cast the command spell you may cast the Spell on the Reaper instead of the other Characters. You then command the Reaper to materialize in front of the character of your choice who must encounter him as normal.

* If you roll a 6 on the dice when casting the command spell, instead of the normal effect, you may take from one character one of the following: a strength counter, 1 Strength, 1 Craft, 1 Fate, 1 Life or 1 spell. This is added to your own character. (this will hopefully discourage people to linger in the outer and middle regions too long replenishing lives every other turn).

* When you win a battle or psychic combat on the crown of command space, if you choose to take an object, gold or follower from your opponent you may not keep them, instead they are left on the ground. As long as there are more than one character on the crown of command no one may pick up any objects or followers on the crown of command.

* When a character have won over the the Lord of Darkness in the Dungeon, roll one die and add to the total to determine where you exit.

4-5 The Judgement (Credit to Malthule)

* The character who enters the Crown of Command space heals all life, replenish all fate and gets 5 points to spend as you wish of the following: gain 1 Strength, gain 1 Craft, gain 1 fate, gain 1 life or gain 1 Spell. You may not spend more than 3 points in a single option.

* All characters in inner region (including you) teleports to Portal of Power. Events and results that dictate that you are moved to anywhere in inner region instead moves you to Portal of Power. The Portal of Power is sealed and none can enter the inner region.

* The reaper moves on every roll of 1,2 and 3.

* All creatures are +3 strength and/or craft.

* Last player staying alive wins.

6 The King of Kings

* You win the game.

Hinnyboy said:

Hi Hinnyboy,

Welcome on the Talisman Forum

I hope you will like it here

I have already discussed a lot about the official endings ( Ending cards and Dragon Tower) Can't wait to have them in my collection

Welcome Hinnyboy. No worries about stepping on toes here, it is about sharing ideas to make the game more fun. People enjoy discussing the pros and cons of game varients, it is all part of the fun.

With that in mind...new bad guys for the CoC.

Tavashtri: A four armed demon, Craft 12. If he is not beaten by the first character to arrive he will start to use the Crown of Command on ther players.
Maximus Meany: STR 12 Manticore, it attacks with a volley of tail spike each turn (free attack, if this attack fails he does not lose a life) then he fights as normal.
Nighting Gale: Vampire STR12, Craft 12, attacks against your weakest stat. If she wins she gains the Life you loose.
Zola the Gorgon: STR 10, roll below your Craft on three dice before each attack or loose a life before each round.

These are intended to be a boss monster for different Inner Regions I want to make but I am easily distracted so only Maximus Meanies Monster Maze has been finished for 2nd edition.

Bonus points...two of these monsters are referenced in another game. If you can tell me which game and which monsters,in your next Talisman game your character starts with an extra life (if your game buddies agree of course).

FYI, this thread should be moved to Home Brews...

Hinnyboy, Don't worry, as had been said, everyone's opinion is valid.

Thanks for the credit, I have not even had the chance to test out the ideas I had, hope you have.