I am in the process of updating the uFAQ at BGG . I think this document is a great resource to collect and reference all the unofficial e-mail responses by various FFG representatives on player questions over the years.

So I have been putting all the things in there that have been posted and discussed here recently On the other hand there is this really long thread "FFG Sez" at BGG that also contains a lot of valuable answers. Unfortunately, these have not been put into the wiki on a consistent basis ... So, what I am doing at the moment is going through these 200 something posts and updating the wiki accordingly. I think, in the end it will be a great (searchable) resource for us all. And I will know a lot more about Descent rules .

However, sometimes I find answers that seem to be weird or plainly wrong, I think. I will use this thread to post these things and hope for your feedback. I will update the OP accordingly.

1. Question:

Q: When Astarra moves using her ability, does she actually have to trace a path on the map to reach the target square, or just place herself adjacent to the hero? Would monsters in between her and the hero block her movement? Would she suffer from effects such as lava or freezing? Can the OL pit trap her during this movement?

Justin Kemppainen wrote:

1) Astarra is removed and placed, so there are no terrain or obstacle effects to hinder that movement. However, she is entering an empty space, so the overlord could play a Pit Trap.

I think you are partially right...

Her movement is indeed unhindered, because she's removed from the map. but the trigger is "a hero within 3 spaces", which means, as you said, that you have to abide by the "counting spaces" rules, so no moving through walls or doors. Elevation, hazardous terrain, water, portcullis and overgrowth can be counted through, though.

I'm also not convinced with that reply that when Justin said "obstacles" he meant "obstacle terrain" and not "monsters and water and lava in your way".

Astarra very definite;y cannot count through obstacles.

Question 2

Q: Can monsters with Fly ability move over (through) obstacles?

A: Obstacles are considered terrain for the purposes of movement, so monsters with Fly can indeed ignore them when moving

Very similar to the other one. Can someone explain what "Obstacles are considered terrain for the purposes of movement" means? Obstacles are blocked spaces with red borders. Spaces with enemy figures are "blocked spaces" but no obstacles. Has this definition been changed in the last couple of years? This might explain the confusion.

Edit:

Fly : This monster may ignore enemy figures and the effects of terrain while moving. It must end its movement in an empty space following normal movement rules.

I think I got it. Obstacles are terrain. Fly lets the figure ignore all terrain effects, including the effect that obstacles count as blocked spaces. Thus, they can be ignored by flying figures. Still, how can flying creatures count through that obstacle e.g. to determine movement point costs? The rulebooks states "When counting spaces for attacks and abilities , players ignore any non-obstacle terrain in those spaces (see “Terrain” on

page 18). This means that within a normal move action , flying creatures can count through obstacles! Astarra cannot as she is using an ability .

This also means that technically obstacles do block counting spaces and not movement per se. Never imagined it that way. Really complicated. Hah, it's even in Zaltyres Glossary ... should have read it first ...

3. Question

Can somebody explain this answer that I found on the boards to me?
I always thought that obstacles cannot be counted through. How can Plague Worms "ignore" obstacles then? Or does "ignore" in question and answer mean different things here and this is just a misunderstanding? I am confused now.

"Q: How exactly does the plague worms burrow movement work? Does the worm move 3 spaces as per the large monster movement rules but ignores figures and obsticals because it is esentialy under ground? Or does he need to be placed compleatly within the 3 spaces? Which would be the same as its speed of 2.

A:It works the same way as large monster movement: choose a space within 3 spaces (ignoring figures and obstacles), then "expand" the Plague Worm in a direction of your choice.

Thanks,
Justin Kemppainen
Creative Content Developer
Fantasy Flight Games
[email protected]"

3. Question

Can somebody explain this answer that I found on the boards to me?

I always thought that obstacles cannot be counted through. How can Plague Worms "ignore" obstacles then? Or does "ignore" in question and answer mean different things here and this is just a misunderstanding? I am confused now.

"Q: How exactly does the plague worms burrow movement work? Does the worm move 3 spaces as per the large monster movement rules but ignores figures and obsticals because it is esentialy under ground? Or does he need to be placed compleatly within the 3 spaces? Which would be the same as its speed of 2.

A:It works the same way as large monster movement: choose a space within 3 spaces (ignoring figures and obstacles), then "expand" the Plague Worm in a direction of your choice.

Thanks,

Justin Kemppainen

Creative Content Developer

Fantasy Flight Games

[email protected]"

This is indeed very confusing. On one side it is impossible to count a 'red' obstacle square/ door. But here Justin says you can, because you just ignore them. I think this reply is poorly written actually. You can under no circumstances count through a door, that is for 200% sure. In the end I think it is the same as in one of the questions you posted before. A red obstacle is terrain, and this ignored while moving by figures with fly/burrow etc. As soon as the movement stop fly/burrow etc doesn't apply anymore and then the normal rules of 'a figure can never occupy a blocked space' goes in effect.

A door is not terrain, and thus can't be ignored by these kind of special movements.

I am in the process of updating the uFAQ at BGG . I think this document is a great resource to collect and reference all the unofficial e-mail responses by various FFG representatives on player questions over the years.

So I have been putting all the things in there that have been posted and discussed here recently On the other hand there is this really long thread "FFG Sez" at BGG that also contains a lot of valuable answers. Unfortunately, these have not been put into the wiki on a consistent basis ... So, what I am doing at the moment is going through these 200 something posts and updating the wiki accordingly. I think, in the end it will be a great (searchable) resource for us all. And I will know a lot more about Descent rules .

However, sometimes I find answers that seem to be weird or plainly wrong, I think. I will use this thread to post these things and hope for your feedback. I will update the OP accordingly.

1. Question:

Q: When Astarra moves using her ability, does she actually have to trace a path on the map to reach the target square, or just place herself adjacent to the hero? Would monsters in between her and the hero block her movement? Would she suffer from effects such as lava or freezing? Can the OL pit trap her during this movement?

Justin Kemppainen wrote:

1) Astarra is removed and placed, so there are no terrain or obstacle effects to hinder that movement. However, she is entering an empty space, so the overlord could play a Pit Trap.

I think this answer is partially wrong. For Astarra's ability spaces have to be counted. The core rulebook (p. 13) clearly states that when counting spaces only non-obstacle terrain can be ignored. Thus, obstacles cannot be counted through.

Huh, this answer is also strange in that it conflict with previous answers on the issue of what counts as entering a space. The ability says that Astarra is removed from the map, and Kemppainen acknowledges this, saying "Astarra is removed ..." , but then he says that "... she is entering an empty space ..." . But previous answers have stated that when being placed from off the map, it doesn't count as entering a space - I've just been inferring that that's the reason it's worded like that to begin with, instead of a less cumbersome wording (such as the Sorcerer's Summon, for example).

Luckmann, is it you and I who disagree about this one? The "remove" of "remove and place" is pretty much inconsequential, and the ability functions just like any other that says "place." Almost all of the cases of "placement" not resulting in "entering a space" relate to objects which have never been on the map.

Familiars like the reanimate? Every one summoned is considered a "new" one. Samr with monster reinforcemets- it's a brand-spanking new master changeling every time.

The exception to that general rule is of course heroes, but we have an explicit instruction about them not entering a space on stand-up.

Obstacles definitely cannot be counted through. They can be counted around, though, so maybe that is what he meant? That is, she could end up on the other side of an obstacle- as long as she can still count appropriately to her destination.