Soooo... I could use some advice on how to better explain using Movement Points vs. Moving Spaces. The following two game mechanics were thrown at me the other day with one of my campaigns:

"Skirmish" Monster Ability:

This monster may move 3 spaces, then perform an attack.

"Charge" Berserker Class Ability:

Activate: Move up to your Speed and then perform an attack with a Melee weapon.

Basically, the warrior was trying to move across some water as quickly as possible in order to kill a monster that they needed to take down in a timely fashion. They argued that since the Volucrix Reaver could move 3 spaces during Skirmish, that the Charge ability should work the same. This is how I understand it:

Charge: The Hero gets a total set of movement points equal to their speed. They are still affected by terrain, such as water.

Skirmish: The Volucrix Reavers can move 3 spaces, ignoring terrain slow-downs, since the wording dictates they move SPACES rather than granting them movment points. This would also mean that any potential action/card that could be played by spending movement points could not be used in this instance, since there are no movement points to spend.

They are differently worded abilities; different words mean different things. Moving abilities are not the same as move spaces abilities. If Charge said "move a number of spaces equal to your speed" it would work the way your heroes want; it doesn't say that.

Honestly, you've got the explanation 100% down. It seems like a real reach that your players would even try to argue it. They aren't worded alike, why would they work alike?

Soooo... I could use some advice on how to better explain using Movement Points vs. Moving Spaces. The following two game mechanics were thrown at me the other day with one of my campaigns:

"Skirmish" Monster Ability:

This monster may move 3 spaces, then perform an attack.

"Charge" Berserker Class Ability:

Activate: Move up to your Speed and then perform an attack with a Melee weapon.

Basically, the warrior was trying to move across some water as quickly as possible in order to kill a monster that they needed to take down in a timely fashion. They argued that since the Volucrix Reaver could move 3 spaces during Skirmish, that the Charge ability should work the same. This is how I understand it:

Charge: The Hero gets a total set of movement points equal to their speed. They are still affected by terrain, such as water.

Skirmish: The Volucrix Reavers can move 3 spaces, ignoring terrain slow-downs, since the wording dictates they move SPACES rather than granting them movment points. This would also mean that any potential action/card that could be played by spending movement points could not be used in this instance, since there are no movement points to spend.

Self plug, check out my glossary on board game geek. In summary though, "Move X spaces" means count spaces- every space, regardless of non-obstacle terrain, is 1 space. Even though the effect of water is "you spend an extra movement point to move here," it's still just "1 space."

"Move up to your speed" is very similar to a move action. The only difference is that it's not. That is, "move up to your speed" isn't a move action (so you can't trade items or use Tripwire) and it doesn't actually involve movement points- however, it works exactly as if it did involve movement points- that is, terrain (read:water) requires any additional movement as normal.

Does skirmish allow to more or less jump over pits?

No. You still enter spaces, and the text for pits in the core rules says: "If a figure enters a space containing a pit, that figure falls into the pit, suffers two damage, and ends its move action." Which also sounds like it would end Skirmish, since it's an action with a movement component.

But as already pointed out skirmish is not a move action. If I remember correctly skills or quest rules might overrule core rules.

Good point... you'd take the damage, at least. Anyone have an idea on this, or should we question FFG?

But as already pointed out skirmish is not a move action. If I remember correctly skills or quest rules might overrule core rules.

Yep. Keep in mind the rule priority order:

Card Text > Skills/Abilities > Quest Rules > Expansion Rules > Base Game Rules

But as already pointed out skirmish is not a move action. If I remember correctly skills or quest rules might overrule core rules.

Yep. Keep in mind the rule priority order:

Card Text > Skills/Abilities > Quest Rules > Expansion Rules > Base Game Rules

The reaver would suffer 2 damage for entering the pit space. Skirmish is not a move action, nor does it grant/use movement points, so the skirmish action would not be affected. However, if the reaver had interrupted a move action to skirmish, that move action would end and his MP pool would go to zero. The reaver would be free to continue his skirmish action without performing the action to climb out of the pit, because his action is already in progress, and therefore he's not "taking an action" other than climbing out of the pit.

Okay thank you.

Self plug, check out my glossary on board game geek. In summary though, "Move X spaces" means count spaces- every space, regardless of non-obstacle terrain, is 1 space. Even though the effect of water is "you spend an extra movement point to move here," it's still just "1 space."

"Move up to your speed" is very similar to a move action. The only difference is that it's not. That is, "move up to your speed" isn't a move action (so you can't trade items or use Tripwire) and it doesn't actually involve movement points- however, it works exactly as if it did involve movement points- that is, terrain (read:water) requires any additional movement as normal.

I know its long forgotten topic but someone noticed that this statement contradict with example from current version of your Glossary, so which is right?

Quote from Glossary:

-If a figure is instructed to “move N spaces” or “move up to your Speed,” it may move a number of spaces determined by counting spaces, not by the MP cost required (for example, moving into a water space usually requires 2 MP, but still only counts as 1 space- therefore moving 1 space allows a figure to move into water.) Normal rules for movement still apply (you cannot move across elevation lines, for example) and each space is still entered as normal.

Self plug, check out my glossary on board game geek. In summary though, "Move X spaces" means count spaces- every space, regardless of non-obstacle terrain, is 1 space. Even though the effect of water is "you spend an extra movement point to move here," it's still just "1 space."

"Move up to your speed" is very similar to a move action. The only difference is that it's not. That is, "move up to your speed" isn't a move action (so you can't trade items or use Tripwire) and it doesn't actually involve movement points- however, it works exactly as if it did involve movement points- that is, terrain (read:water) requires any additional movement as normal.

I know its long forgotten topic but someone noticed that this statement contradict with example from current version of your Glossary, so which is right?

Quote from Glossary:

-If a figure is instructed to “move N spaces” or “move up to your Speed,” it may move a number of spaces determined by counting spaces, not by the MP cost required (for example, moving into a water space usually requires 2 MP, but still only counts as 1 space- therefore moving 1 space allows a figure to move into water.) Normal rules for movement still apply (you cannot move across elevation lines, for example) and each space is still entered as normal.

The current version of the glossary is correct- the old version is incorrect. Between the time I posted the first glossary and the latest version, I explicitly addressed that point with an FFG rules question to confirm it, which is why it ended up being changed.

Your confusion is understandable.

Zaltyre and I have discussed this in the past, and he raises the good point that having effects that 'move up to its speed' be affected by movement points can be confusing because no actual movement points are involved. Cards like Pit Trap become even more confusing than they already are.

What about the many quest-specific powers that require the 'spending of a movement point', such as picking up certain kinds of objectives, exiting off of a map, moving through tunnels, moving with heavy objects, and more? How do they interact with these skills?

The 'easy' answer is just to make 'moving up to its speed' a new category of movement entirely, and make it exempt from all movement-point related things. This does allow for herculean maneuvers, such as running through a passage filled with water at full clip, but it also solves many problems too.

And... Zaltyre just beat me to the punch.. yeah.. there is an official ruling apparently, so that's how it is

Note that this does make these skills less useful in some situations. For example, if a quest has a staircase which requires the spending of a movement point to go from one point to the other, then Jain's heroic feat would NOT let her move through this staircase. She cannot spend movement points while performing her feat, even if she still had some in her movement pool.

Note that this does make these skills less useful in some situations. For example, if a quest has a staircase which requires the spending of a movement point to go from one point to the other, then Jain's heroic feat would NOT let her move through this staircase. She cannot spend movement points while performing her feat, even if she still had some in her movement pool.

Very important point, Charmy!