Leaving aside all the mechanics of the game, and focusing only on the setting and narrative. How do you justify the use of the OL deck?.

That is, the skills of heroes and monsters are held because the figure in question is there, but not so with the OL, who works in the shadows, who knows where. So how do you explain the effect as happened?

Cards like Dash or Frenzy, You can say that the monster brings a potion and drink it makes the effect. An effect like "Critical Blow" you explain the magic weapon that has the monster (effect of 1 single use), because this cards that act directly on them.

But in a card that affect the field or directly heroes, how they would explain?

Tnks and sorry for the bad english...

I do not think of the cards as representing objects. "Frenzy" just meams the monster has gotten all angry and attacks out of spite- a dashing monster has a rush of adrenaline and sprints a little farther. Something like "Word of Misery" can be a hero morale issue- they are feeling hurt and dejected, so when they get injured they have less motivation (fatigue) to pull off heroic acts (skills) later. Alternately, it could be a literal spell sloken by the OL. The titles of the cards tend to provide a bit of explanation- "mimic" is a monster pretending to be a treasure chest. "blackout" indicates a dense shadow or fog, etc.

The Overlord is not physically represented on the map, but it is the rampant evil that is omnipresent in the world. You can feel it already during the Travel Phase when obscure events take place, resulting in fatigue or conditions being dealt. You can feel that evil when monsters are granted dark powers all of a sudden, inhuman strength and speed. Heroes are turning against their friends in a moment of madness, and dark spells wrap the hero party in shadows. Doubt and fear are instilled in the heroes heart. That is the works of the Overlord in the dark places of the world.

Sometimes these powers come at a price, sacrifices are made in the ranks of monsters, to serve the greater good. Lieutenants channel that dark magic, but they are all but puppets in the hands of the overlord.

The Overlord is growing stronger and stronger, and time is precious so the heroes do not get lost in that darkness.

The Overlord is actually the entity linking all of these campaigns together. You never get rid of him, it comes back when summoned by his minions.

Quite easy. In my own board game, we had a version that include a kind of overlord deck, but somehow different. Well, the entire game is different, but you'll get the point.

It's a dungeon explorer. Every time a door is open, there was a chance to something happen. Same to the treasure's they find. Every time e monster scores a critical hit, a card was drawn too. And so on. We called them fate cards . After few sessions we aboned the idea cause it's sometimes devastating to the heroes. In my game there is no KO, if you die, you stay dead unless someone can revive you.

Even on descent, I never had problem imaginig the effects as something natural, not a influence of an overlord. Let's call it bad luck

A bad wizard did it will suffice for pretty much most issues.

I always picture myself spying the heroes through a crystal ball and sending them all sorts of curses and hexes.

I always picture myself spying the heroes through a crystal ball and sending them all sorts of curses and hexes.

Agreed. we see it as magic.

Pretty story aside, my hero players' interpretation of the Overlord is some dude trying to destroy their fun at the only biweekly break they have in their tight work schedule, bribing them with crisps and booze, and try to bend the rules in his favor claiming that the designer team itself has send personal replies to rules question.

Pretty story aside, my hero players' interpretation of the Overlord is some dude trying to destroy their fun at the only biweekly break they have in their tight work schedule, bribing them with crisps and booze, and try to bend the rules in his favor claiming that the designer team itself has send personal replies to rules question.

My definition exactly.

Pretty story aside, my hero players' interpretation of the Overlord is some dude trying to destroy their fun at the only biweekly break they have in their tight work schedule, bribing them with crisps and booze, and try to bend the rules in his favor claiming that the designer team itself has send personal replies to rules question.

My definition exactly.

I know, right? Who gets emails from "the designers of the game"?