Invulnerability

By Bashwilly, in Descent: Journeys in the Dark

Hi

I know that the invulnerability potion is not use ine RtL.

But I think that I have read something in this forum (Somes month ago), a house rule that allow to use this potion in RtL. something like change the +10 armor by +5 armor. Somebody remind what was the exact value?

Nobody use a house rule for this?

Not I.

(Extra text for stupid forum software)

I also seem to recall the number +5, but I'm pretty sure it was just someone making casual speculation on whether it would be possible to rebalance invulnerability potions to work in RtL, not something that was analyzed or playtested. I think you're on your own.

A variant I have considered using is to change the potion similar to the invisiblity potion. It reduces damage from each source by 1 wound (like Corbin's ability, treat all burn tokens not removed as one source). The potion remains in effect until the hero drinks another potion or at the start of each turn roll 1 power die and on a surge the potions effects end.

Does anyone know why the Invulnerability potion was banned from RtL? It looks nice, but not too terribly broken, since it'll negate one hit at most. Was it too strong for the avatar battle?

I'd assume that and LT. Battles. 6 Invulnerability potions per hero would make it impossible for the OL to kill anyone.

I didn't notice that the potion's trigger was in the player's hands. I thought it just applied to the next attack. Yeah, I can definitely see that being too nice.

Maybe make it based on tier? +3 or +4 armor per tier sounds about right, though I haven't looked at the increased average damage of monsters to see what would work best.

I thought about how to use Invulnerability potions as well, seemed a waste to have them in the game without practical application. While we aren't playtesting it on this run of the campaign. My suggestion to try a persistent potion, like invisibility potions. Roll the stealth die with an attack against the hero, on a clear result (a non-x) the player adds 5 armor against the attack. And during the start of the hero's turn roll a power die. On a power enhancement roll, the potion wears off. It adds a similar dynamic to the invisibility's persistent effect, while having a greater chance as a functioning effect, and a lesser effect when it does function.

I also toyed with the idea of having it stop working on surges (as per the invisibility potion), and having the effect add 4-9 armor (3+2/campaign level), but have yet to have the chance to playtest it. Any thoughts? And if anyone does try this, I'd appreciate the feedback.

I say allow the potions, but they cannot be bought. Only converted via Aurims potioning ability. That might make him worth considering.

Only allowing them to appear on chest surge rolls could be a limit also.

Is there a treasure cache card that gives them out?

James McMurray said:

Is there a treasure cache card that gives them out?

There is, and it is removed.

Honestly, I don't understand the need for them. Pathological? gui%C3%B1o.gif

Seriously, having them available in some form of temporary armour boosting is a very bad idea. At some stages of a campaign, depending on monster upgrades and heroes/equipment, they will be likely entirely reasonable in whatever form is eventually houseruled.
But at other times they will reduce the minimal chance of hurting a hero to nil and break the game completely.
There are often very few actual attacks available that can do any reasonable amount of damage to a well equipped group of heroes.

Take a group with;
1. Tank, Base Armour 2, RoP, item w +3 armour, +1 Armour from Gold Legendary Relic, Crystal Shield (Armour 6, +2 Shield)
2. Mage, Base Armour 0, +2/3 armour Relic but Spiritwalks and is almost never get to-able
3. Jaes, Base Armour 2, Ghost Armour w 6+fatigue, +2 Armour Chainmail, +1 Armour from Gold Legendary Relic, Crystal Shield, Silver +3 Shield (Jaes is runner and often uses 2 shields) (Armour 5, Fatigue cancels wounds, +2 and +3 Shield)
4. Ranger, Elven Robe (+2 Armour + negates wounds on power enhancement), Base Armour 1, +1 Armour from Gold Legendary Relic, Gold +4 Shield. (Armour 4, 50% wounds cancelled, +4 Shield)

Never mind that you rarely get any attacks at all because the heroes can virtually clear a dungeon in a single turn...
Ignoring the mage, who is almost never targetable, each other hero can first absorb an attack doing 8+ damage without turning a hair. You need a second attack of 8+ damage to get a scratch, and more often that not that won't be enough.
There are also Feats that give +4 armour vs an attack, or +2 armour for the rest of the turn to the hero playing it and all other heroes within 3 spaces. Not to mention Feats giving Stealth, Ghost etc, and Feats that allow counterattacks before the monster attacks (or after).

And you guys want to give the heroes options to further negate the very few powerful enough attacks the OL can get? Insane!!!

Ok, I know that the heroes are usually not this powerful or well equipped. But they can be, and they will be if they play through a campaign properly. Once they are, 90% of monsters won;t even scratch them. You NEED to be able to get the few big attacks through with some effect.

Be reminded that for the sake of a scratching a minor pathological itch, needlessly adding something deliberately removed from the game by the designers may well break even your own games in ways (or situations) you haven't anticipated.

Badend said:

I say allow the potions, but they cannot be bought. Only converted via Aurims potioning ability. That might make him worth considering.

Only allowing them to appear on chest surge rolls could be a limit also.

The only probelm is see with that is that if Aurim is in the party, he can make as many of these potions as he wants from other types the party finds lying around. If Aurim is not in the party it's the same as banning them. It's an all or nothing deal, and it would still be broken with them in the game.

I think the main reason so many people want to bring invulnerability potions back is so that they can use the bits for something. As it is when playing RtL they have a whole stack of potion tokens that aren't doing anything. I know that's the reason I'd like to see them used again, although as yet I haven't seen or thought up anything really worth using them for. I have no desire to re-introduce invulnerability potions (I'm actually hesitant to use them in vanilla), but I'd like to see the tokens used for something.

Steve-O said:

The only probelm is see with that is that if Aurim is in the party, he can make as many of these potions as he wants from other types the party finds lying around. If Aurim is not in the party it's the same as banning them. It's an all or nothing deal, and it would still be broken with them in the game.

I don't get this, so what if Aurim is in the party in RtL. Whenever you draw potions you get to CHOOSE which potions you draw. There is rarely a specific potion laying on a map to grab, instead you get potions from the chests (or Alchemist) at which point you simply decide which potion you want to have. In fact Aurim's special ability is one of the few really worthless ones for RtL...

-shnar