I used to have the 2nd Edition when I was younger, now own the 3rd Edition, and am awaiting the revised 4th Edition to be delivered along with the Reaper. I have noticed there are some big and some small differences between the two, such as the middle region having spaces to navigate in the 4th instead of just a pack of cards as in the 3rd, and the Sentinel just requiring 1 gold to pass to the middle region in the 3rd instead of having to fight him.

Is there a list of the differences between these Editions? I would love to go more into how they compare. I am very much looking forward to the 4th Edition, as if it's anything like the 2nd but with better balance, then it should blow the 3rd out of the water.

wastedyuthe said:

Hi wastedyuthe,

There is a third edition FAQ where you can see what has been change, so that you know the difference between 2th and 3th edition.

www.faqs.org/faqs/games/talisman/edition3/

You can also take a look in this topic

www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp

PS:

I am a third edition player too

There are still some things that i don't like in 4th edition( as there is less draw 2 spaces in the middle region, and swords can't break..

But there are also a lot of positve things that is better than third edition..

like the chapel, tavern, village, warlock cave, temple etc

You have also more chances to get a spell card in 4th edition.

I am still missing the bows in 4th edition !!

Thanks Velhart. This will give me some idea as to the differences between the 3rd and the revised 4th, although there are of course differences between the revised 4th and the 2nd.

Looking at the FAQ, I can't believe how much they cut out of the 3rd- the City and Village options. I do like Experience points added in the 3rd though, as it gives you options as to what you want to do with them. Do these work in the same way in the 4th?

I had a quick play of the 3rd last night with a family member and was disappointed in it this time. We were playing for about an hour and a half and my character had hardly got off the starting block in terms of advancing him. The problem was I was constantly picking up weapons and other items from the adventure pack, including a Talisman no less, and must have had only 2 fights with monsters the entire time. The way for your character to grow is of course winning battles or psychic combat, then gain experience points. But how can you gain experience points if you hardly ever meet any monsters or spirits? It got very frustrating as I had a talisman, a magic belt (+1str), shield, water bottle, and had many other items I just had to discard to the square because I couldn't hold any more. I JUST WANTED TO FIGHT SOMETHING!!!!

I heard the revised 4th Edition has this problem UNLESS you also have the Reaper pack, so I ordered that too.

I also had more money than I needed- so much so that I didn't know what to do with it! I eventually managed to get the Mercenary follower which helped (pay 1g for +3str in battle), but other than that, I didn't need to buy new weapons and there wasn't much else to spend it on other than the toll bridge (which I didn't want to cross with such a low strength and craft value).

I also don't see the point in the toad cards as the few times I have played the 3rd Edition I have NEVER seen the toad cards used with any players! What a waste!

Yet another issue was the spell cards were only touched ONCE in the time we played, for my opponent to pick a card that was never used. They just aren't implemented well in the 3rd Edition at all.

All this BEFORE we even get to the anti-climactic Dragon King.

I really hope the 4th Edition fixes these issues.

On a side note, does everyone else have troubles with this forum? Every time I visit, I have to log in again, but when I return to the forum I am logged out again! What I have to do is then go back to the log in page where it shows me as already logged in, then click my name, then click to view posts by myself, then click the post to be able to reply! That's on my Macbook. On my iPhone, these text boxes must be an older format as I can't even type in them on it as I can with every other text box on any other forum I am on. Great site and company- pity about the usability.

wastedyuthe said:

Hi Wastedyuthe,

I am sorry to disappoint you, but in 4th edition, there are no experience points..

The 4th edition works with trophy cards. It's not so effective as experience points.

The problem with trophy points is that you can only use craft enemies to get a craft token for each 7 points you can get ( and the same is for strength,

This also leads to a negative effect. If you trade a giant enemie card of strength 6 and a raging bull of 3 strength for example, for a strength counter, then you lost all your other points, because you have a total of 9 strength, and you need only 7 to get a strength counter etc

But you can also wait until you can double the points( 7+7= 14 ( so 14 strength do you need to get 2 strength counters etc.

This leads also to the point that you can't choose if you want to level up craft or strength.

But we must accept it, and i am getting used to it.

About the spells and the toads...

This has been increase a lot in the 4th edition !

You have a high chance to get a spell card in this edition. ( also there are some possibilities( not much but still better than 3th i think..) to change into a toad

So the conclusion is that the 4th edition has fix a lot, and made some things far more better than 3th edition.

But i am still missing the less draw 2 spaces in middle region and the swords and bows, but other than that, i have nothing else to complain !

I am only hoping that FFG will make the dragon tower because for me.. it;s the best ending you can get !

And yes, the reaper expansion is very important for the gameplay, to have a large deck with plenty of different encounters to get !

I hope that you are satisfied after reading this post.

Greetings,

~Velhart~

I am glad you told me about the lack of experience points in the 4th Edition Velhart. Indeed I will miss them. Using the adventure cards as trophies to earn strength and craft will help, but I will miss deciding for myself what I want to use experience points on- strength, craft, lives, or gold.

I suppose it doesn't really make any sense though does it- firstly, if you win battles against monsters with strength, why would that earn you an extra point in craft or lives or a gold piece? It makes no sense at all. So really, the 4th Edition has got it exactly right, that enemies with strength will only gain strength, and likewise with enemies with craft will only gain craft. After all, in real life, the more you do of something the better you get. The same should apply here.

So as I say, I will miss the options, but it makes absolutely no sense, so I won't be too unhappy.

Also, with the trophy points being restricted to what is on each card, there is an added strategy- do you increase your strength earlier and lose a few points in the process, or do you wait to get two strength and hopefully lose less points? Adds an extra bit of thought, which is always good.

Regarding swords, if they can't break in the 4th Edition, can the axes? What is different about the bows?

You have been very helpful, informative, and welcoming Velhart. Thank you.

wastedyuthe said:

Hi Wastedyuthe,

About 4th revised edition,

You can decide for yourself when you trade the trophy cards for strength or craft ( depending if you have enough strength or craft enemies of course..

So, if you have enemie strength trophies with a total of 9 strength, then you can decide to trade it immediately for a strength counter on your turn, or you try to get more trophies so that you can reach 14 points of strength trophies and get 2 level ups for trading them in for 2 strength counters.

About the weapons. All the weapons in 4th edition so far, can't break !

This means that you never lose your sword, axe etc unless you ditch it or a card says that you lost your weapon etc ( but it don't break from itself)

There are no bows yet in 4th edition, i am only hoping that they will be included in the future..

You know what bows do.. right?

Feel free if you have more questions about this:)

I like to help people, especially if it goes about third edition vs 4th edition

Velhart said:

Yes I know what bows do, and I like the use of them- they come in handy for adding 2+ strength when you need them. I would have liked them in the 4th Edition. Shame. What is the advantage of the axe over the sword in the 4th? Are they both the same as in the 3rd Edition? It is also a shame they don't break, as sometimes even that added a little strategy- should you risk using your sword for an extra strength point in the risk that it will break, or save the sword for a more powerful enemy? I liked that. It also meant that there is more chance of you having to buy more weapons in the future if they broke.

That reminds me, there is one more question- in the 3rd Edition, there isn't much to spend your money on except weapons, the occasional event, or special cards such as the Mercenary, as well as paying 1g toll to cross the bridge. As I said above, I kept gaining gold, and had so much I didn't know what to do with it! So, my question is this- does the 4th Edition add anything new to spend your gold on? I do know that there is actually one LESS item to spend your money on in the 4th, as you have to fight the sentinel instead of paying 1g to cross the bridge. But does it give you anything else? I am concerned that there won't be enough use for gold, especially if your weapons don't break so there is less chance of you needing to buy new weapons during the game.

wastedyuthe said:

Hi Wastedyuthe,

In 4th edition: The axe and sword give you the same + 1 in battle BUT you can build a raft with the axe.

Third edition has no raft. and i can only remember that it has a great axe that gives +2 in battle?

Yeah, i am also missing the part that swords can't break. It's fun if you must buy new weapons because of it..

Now you must ditch the swords or keep it so that you can sell it at the city..

You don't have to worry about that you have too much gold. there is enough to spent your money on, if there are adventure cards on the board where you can spent your money on..

Examples are: a sorcerer shop to buy spells, a academy to buy training, so that you can grow stronger for 3 gold and so on..

Those cards are not included in the 3th edition.

But don't get me wrong, i like 3th edition very much.

And if FFG will go on with making the regions and the dragon tower, then it will defeat the third edition easily.

I am very satisfied at this moment with the 4th edition. But i am only complaining about those little things.

But the gameplay has been improved and it is more fun than the 3th edition because of the higher chance of spell gaining and other things on the board.

So this is the list of postive and negative points for 4th edition revised compared to 3th edition

- no bows

-no broken weapons

- less draw 2 spaces

- No neutral alligment change cards

- no experience points counters

+ more spell gaining

+ more cards to spent your gold on

+ tavern, city, village, tavern, temple, warlock etc has been improved

+rafts

+ spell limit for casting spells

+ you can keep spells while you are a toad

+ if a character is death, you must ditch all your objects on the space

+ fate is new to the game

+ warlock cards are new to the game

+ treasure cards are new to the game

+ dungeon has become bigger

+ More cards for the main board and the dungeon !

----------------------

+ = plus points

- = min points

Velhart said:

Where'd they go in the 3rd? Discard pile?

Velhart said:

Wrong symbol (and too few) . I think you meant

---------------------------------- fate

Dam said:

Hi Dam

If a character is death in third edition, then the new character get all the objects, gold and followers..

well, fate is a plus point for me, but i know that you don't like it too much..( for everyone his own) but how will you deal with that, if the fate tokens are getting the light and dark rules?

On second thought... maybe you can use that light/dark fate rule but leaving the old rule out of the game..

Velhart said:

Ewww, ewww, ewww.

Velhart said:

I still use Fate, mainly because I don't want to leave out cards that deal with it (including the Witch these days). I just play the BI board with only the Village modification, so no Fate replenish. Cuts down on Fate, but rerolls still suck. At least in Talisman.

Dam said:

Yeah, it's pretty weird he

Luckily, the 4th edition has made that better

Velhart said:

The axe gives you +1 in battle, the same as the sword, in the 3rd. There is also the same chance of it breaking (by rolling a 1). So there is not much point in having two weapons the same. However, in the 4th edition, the axe has the benefit of being able to make a raft, as you say, so it has an advantage over the sword. Better in the 4th edition then.

Also, the sorcerer 'shop' card is in the 3rd too, but not the others you mentioned.

Regarding your list of plus and minus points, I agree with all of them (from what I can tell without having played the 4th edition yet) except for the toad, which also allows you to keep your spells while you are a toad in the 3rd edition too- but you can't use them until you revert back to your character, which I assume is the same in the 4th.

Just played another game of the 3rd tonight and enjoyed it a lot more this time, as the fountain cards for craft and strength were placed on the board early allowing us to level up a lot quicker. We also had the sorcerer 'shop' card on the board, so spells were used a little more (I actually managed to use my one spell before the game was won). I have played 2 games in the past 2 evenings, and lost both, but it doesn't matter as I thoroughly enjoyed myself. A great game, even with the 3rd edition. I can't wait for the revised 4th and the Reaper pack to arrive. I love the new artwork judging by the pictures of them on the net. And I can't wait to have a proper inner region again.

One thing- once again, no-one was turned into a toad again, and after checking the adventure pack, there is only one witch card that you have to roll a 1 on to turn into a toad- that's all!!! Very silly having toad counters and cards just for the small off-chance of rolling a 1 on one single card of the adventure pack, which was never put on the board my last two games.

Well, "Inherited Items" is listed as an alternate rule. Same for "Evading Unfriendly Individuals".

Fate has ruined the Toad in the R4th. Pre-Fate Toad rate was 1/game, current rate with Fate is less than 1 in 10 games (total of 40+ games).

wastedyuthe said:

About the toad difference.. ( it seems i have made a mistake. ( It's long ago since i have play the 3th edition, because i play 4th now.

I always thought, that you must discard the spells while you are a toad in 3th edition...

The same for the axe.

I only remember the great axe that gives you plus 2 strength. It is sold in the city for 3 gold at the armoury shop

yeah, FFG must add more toad encounters, but maybe for the future or in the frostmarch expansion... ( who knows ! )

Is there anything in the 4th edition which tempts you to have more PvP's? You can fight others in the 3rd, but can't gain experience if you do, and can choose to steal an object or force them to lose a life if you win. Is that the same in the 4th? I would really like it to be more worthwhile having PvP's in the game, but too many times have I decided to pick an adventure card instead- likewise with other players.

With the 3rd, you could easily have a house rule to gain experience with a PvP, but obviously that can't happen with the 4th.

wastedyuthe said:

yeah, it's the same with the 4th edition.

But there is one arena card, that you can use one time, to transfer someone to your space and encounter him

But that's one card from the 206 cards of the main deck....

But third edition has that card too...

So it remains the same...

wastedyuthe said:

For me, it's more about the players whether or not PvP is common or not. PvP shouldn't be "greater" than a regular draw, meaning the benefits shouldn't be greater (times when you kill another player and get all their stuff notwithstanding). Adventure card draw or PvP, you can get 1 Object.

Around here, people go for PvP if they have an edge (2+ advantage) or if the other char something you really would like to see removed from that char or just 'cos they can. Games with more PvP than combats with Adventure cards aren't by any means uncommon here.

Velhart said:

But there is one arena card, that you can use one time, to transfer someone to your space and encounter him

But that's one card from the 206 cards of the main deck....

But third edition has that card too...

So it remains the same...

Actually, the Arena card is in the 3rd, yes. But, the rules only allow you to fight someone of the same strength or craft as you. It doesn't explain that you have to move their piece to your location either. And again, there is no other advantage of fighting them other than making that player lose a life or object- you gain no experience points.

Is it REALLY worth having PvP's in Talisman, which ever version you play? The only time I think it may be worth it is if the opponent is on their last life, or if they have a talisman you want to steal.

wastedyuthe said:

Or Wand or Ring or Solomon's Crown or Magic Belt, etc. Talisman is an okay choice, better later on, but there a lot of those to go around.

Never underestimate the power of grudges. One game, the Wizard hounded the Troll early on, ****** him in Psychic Combat again and again. Then later in the game the Wizard ended adjacent to the Troll and drew Blizzard. Next two turns were butt-kicking returned by the Troll on the Wizard. Sure, I suppose the Troll could've drawn Adventure cards, but getting payback was much more fun . I suppose that tells you a lot about how we play Talisman.

Winning is nice and all, but if you can kick some ass AND win, that's much better. Kicking ass and losing, well, that comes below winning, but if you kick enough ass, not by much.

wastedyuthe said:

Velhart said:

But there is one arena card, that you can use one time, to transfer someone to your space and encounter him

But that's one card from the 206 cards of the main deck....

But third edition has that card too...

So it remains the same...

Actually, the Arena card is in the 3rd, yes. But, the rules only allow you to fight someone of the same strength or craft as you. It doesn't explain that you have to move their piece to your location either. And again, there is no other advantage of fighting them other than making that player lose a life or object- you gain no experience points.

Is it REALLY worth having PvP's in Talisman, which ever version you play? The only time I think it may be worth it is if the opponent is on their last life, or if they have a talisman you want to steal.

You are right. I have look at the card on internet, and the arena is indeed not the same as the 4th edition.

It's not the other player that you are batling too..

PVP's are only good for stealing objects or if you want to kill your opponent....

I must say that i evade pvp fights..( Unless there is really something that i need) or i can kill the player to get all their stuff

Dam said:

Haha! Fair enough, Dam. I guess my fellow players and myself will have to learn to be a bit more devious and nasty!

wastedyuthe said:

To add something about the money issue..

Yesterday when i have play talisman, i have also drew a lot of money bags.

I think about more than 10 gold...

But i drew the dungeon keeper in the dungeon and i lost all my followers, but because i have not spent my money yet at the academy ( that lays on the main board) i could buy all my followers back in a instant. ( off course, it has cost me about 6 gold i think...

So... the gold will always be worth for something...

True, but I won't be buying the dungeon expansion for a while. Hopefully there is enough in the main board and Reaper expansion to spend cash on.

wastedyuthe said:

In our 3-player games, there is usually at least 1 char who ends up with 10+ Gold. Unless Academy is sitting pretty and the Event that removes Places has gone before Academy is drawn, there isn't really anything to spend money on.