I can't find much on google relating to FAQs of the Nether Realm Expansion, so I guess it's not that popular of an expansion.

One big question we had was with the orb of knowledge and prophetess looking at an adventure card and then discarding it for a new one:

" Whenever you draw Adventure Cards , you may discard one card of your choice that you do not wish to encounter and draw one more card to replace it, which you must encounter ." - Orb of Knowledge

It says must encounter so we thought that meant if you use the orb's ability, then you must encounter the new adventure card and may not discard it to draw from the nether deck. As per the FAQ below, the word must is not a be all and end all, however so we were not sure...

Orb of Knowledge

Q2: If the Prophetess chooses to replace a faceup Adventure Card, can she use the Orb of Knowledge to replace the new card that she draws?

A. Yes.

So we ultimately decided that a player can use orb of knowledge or prophetess ability, or both, and can still discard the card which supposedly must be encountered to draw from the nether deck. Is this correct? open to interpretation?

The Hunt:

• Whenever a character draws Adventure Cards , he may discard one card of his choice that he does not wish to encounter and draw a card from the Nether Deck to replace it, which he must encounter .

The FAQ is correct. The "must" part in the Orb (or Prophetess' ability) means that You cannot discard a card, draw its replacement, and then ignore it, and discard it. It meants that once You decided to replace a card, You may not discard it and encounter nothing. However, if You have other abilities that allow You to replace cards, You still may use them as long as You finally will encounter something, or the final card ability explicitly will state that You can encounter nothing.

Regarding the Nether cards, You must remember that according to the Rules of the Nether Realm, the Nether cards are NOT Adventure cards until they're on the board. So once You decided to draw a Nether card, You cannto use the Orb (or ability) to discard it, and replace it.

I'd like to think that the lack of FAQs for the Nether Realm is not a measure of its popularity, more that it is straight forward and easy to play...

I think the Nether Realm is a bit popular, based on comments here, but in general, the FAQs stopped being updated since, before The City, I believe. (or I'm just supposing?).

I think Nemomon's answer is right on.

Yes, Nether Cards aren't Adventure Cards until drawn; that's the key. There are 5 Adventure decks: main, Dungeon, Highland, City, and Woodland. "The Adventure deck" is the main deck if you are in the Outer, Middle, or Inner Region; otherwise it is the deck of the corner Region you are in. These cards are considered Adventure Cards at all times, so the Prophetess can use her ability on them.

There are 11 decks that are not considered Adventure Cards when facedown or in their discard piles... but, they are considered Adventure Cards when faceup on the board: Talisman, Treasure, Relic, Dragon, Nether, and all shop decks (Purchase, Wanted Posters, Armoury, Magic Emporium, Potion, and Pet). This is why the cards have encounter numbers. They transform into Adventure Cards when faceup.

This means that while the Prophetess cannot use her ability on the above decks, the Philosopher could. He could land on a face-up Nether Card, or Dragon Card, or Purchase Card, etc., which would be considered an Adventure Card, and then replace it with an Adventure Card (which would be the Adventure deck of his Region).

Thanks for the replies.

My main question which was probably unclear is outlined below. We allowed this and I think, after reading Nemomon's reply, we played it correctly.

1. Pick adventure card

2. Use orb of knowledge to pick new adventure card

3. Discard new adventure card for nether card

1. Pick adventure card

2. Use prophetess ability to draw new adventure card

3. Discard new adventure card to pick a nether card

Is this allowed or not? Thanks guys

I am not fully certain, but I think the Prophetess's replacement card may indeed be a Nether Card, even if her original was an Adventure. It just seems consistent with the wording. Nether Cards can be drawn instead of Adventure, and the replacement Adventure is still Adventure...I would like to hear if anyone agrees...

It's ok to replace the replacement Adventure card with a Nether card when using "The Hunt".

There are little chances that the replacement card would be worse than drawing a random Nether Card, but the action is still possible.

As Nemomon said, the "must" instructions are there to tell the player that he can't ignore the new card, but they don't preclude the use of other effects and abilities applicable to a just drawn Adventure card. This is endorsed by the FAQ.

Yes, Nether Cards aren't Adventure Cards until drawn; that's the key. There are 5 Adventure decks: main, Dungeon, Highland, City, and Woodland. "The Adventure deck" is the main deck if you are in the Outer, Middle, or Inner Region; otherwise it is the deck of the corner Region you are in. These cards are considered Adventure Cards at all times, so the Prophetess can use her ability on them.

There are 11 decks that are not considered Adventure Cards when facedown or in their discard piles... but, they are considered Adventure Cards when faceup on the board: Talisman, Treasure, Relic, Dragon, Nether, and all shop decks (Purchase, Wanted Posters, Armoury, Magic Emporium, Potion, and Pet). This is why the cards have encounter numbers. They transform into Adventure Cards when faceup.

This means that while the Prophetess cannot use her ability on the above decks, the Philosopher could. He could land on a face-up Nether Card, or Dragon Card, or Purchase Card, etc., which would be considered an Adventure Card, and then replace it with an Adventure Card (which would be the Adventure deck of his Region).

Not to forget the Bridge and Tunnel decks from the Deep Realms expansion, these are adventure cards too, although the way the Tunnel deck is played (draw three cards and place them face down in front of you, encounter 1 each turn) would seem to prevent the Prophetess/Orb of Knowledge ability because they are drawn separately to encountering them.

But because you encounter the Bridge deck as you draw it (even though they're shuffled back into the deck at the end of the turn) it would seem the Prophetess/Orb of Knowledge ability would be allowed with the Bridge deck.