Hey folks!

I'm new to the forums (this is my first post) and I'd like to first say hello!

Second, I have question about the spell Flesh Ward.

The description reads as follows: "Any Phase: Cast and exhast to ignore all Stamina loss being dealt to you from any one source. Discard this spell if the Ancient One awakens." Note that it says any one "source" and not "attack" which would seem to mean that the spell's effect contines to function for the entire phase (a monster would be a "source" of Stamina loss during a combat round - correct?).

Now, my concern is this: if a player equipped with this spell focuses mainly on attacking solitary monsters (especially big, nasty ones who do lots of damage) can't said player simply stroll around the board blasting monsters with impunity? Especially if they're using characters with special abilities (Careful Reader comes to mind) that minimize (or negate) Sanity loss from casting spells?

Maybe I'm just being picky, but doesn't this spell (which basically renders the character invulnerable to any one threat - including the Dunwich Horror...) seem a little to good? I mean, it's really not even that hard to cast (Casting Modifer: -2, Sanity Loss: 1), especially for a Lore focused character.

Or perhaps I've misinterperted the meaning and/or wording of this spell's description?

Does anyone have any thoughts on the subject?

First: Welcome to the forums. ;D

Regarding "flesh ward": Even though the monster is the source, the spell is not a permanent one. With other words, you cancel the damage gained from one source in the very moment you cast the spell, therefore the damage taken from in one single round of combat . Spells that work for an hole battle are usually marked with the text "...until the end of combat."

The FAQ has an entry about it:

Q: When exactly can Flesh Ward be cast?

A: When you are told to lose 1 or more points of Stamina,

you may cast Flesh Ward to prevent that loss.?For instance,

this can work on the Stamina from a single failed Combat

check. This does not make the investigator immune to fur-

ther harm from that source, it only prevents it one time.

Vitus_Prem said:

Yep, you're right. Thanks.

zeb said:

Ah crap. I should have looked longer and/or closer at the FAQ than I did. Thanks dude.

Even If you had a Investigator that would be immune to sanity loss you would still have to pay sanity from seplls since It's cost not loss.

Yes, I admit "source" is a little ambiguous, though I never interpreted it incorrectly myself.

Actually, far from being too powerful, Flesh Ward is extremely weak, mostly because Sanity is so much more valuable than Stamina that it's very rarely worth spending a point of Sanity to prevent even substantial amounts of Stamina damage. As you say, if you can ignore the Sanity cost (by playing Daisy, or completing Dexter Drake or Harvey Walter's personal stories, or by having the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan), it is quite powerful, but not the best spell in the game even then. Note that, as mentioned above, Harvey Walter's innate ability and the ally Ammi Pierce do not allow you to ignore Sanity costs of spells.

True, but flesh ward is exceptionally useful in certain situations. Blood Magic, comes to mind. Of course it can save you from dying against a monster about to KO you, giving you another roll of the dice to try and beat him. Naturally it depends on how my character is doing health/sanity wise, but I'll usually at least consider using a Flesh Ward if taking 2 or more points of stamina damage.

Not long ago I'd actually have argued the spell was completely worthless.

After getting Kingsport Horror I've finally found a few situations where it can be useful. E.g. it's extremely neat to prevent an investigator from being devoured by being reduced to zero sanity and endurance at the same time. And of course the spell is great for Daisy.