Rules Question

By tomkat364, in Descent: Journeys in the Dark

When a hero (or monster) makes an attack that affects multiple targets, the wording usually states that one attack roll is made and multiple defense rolls are made. If the attacker rolls a surge, must they choose a single surge ability that is applied to all the attacks, or are they able to choose one surge ability for the the first target, a different surge ability for the second target, another for the third target, etc.

Secondly, if they have a surge ability that allows them to recover damage, do they get to recover damage for each target or only once for the "one attack roll?"

Thirdly, if they roll a surge, can they recover one fatigue for each target, or only one fatigue for the "one attack roll?"

1. Surges are part of the attack so one ability affects all defenders.

2. Just one per attack roll, just like you couldn't surge for +1 damage vs 3 opponents to make it +3 to all opponents.

3. Same thing as 2, surges are spent one per attack roll.

Page 13 of the rule book: "Each surge ability may only be triggered once per attack".

basically it's 1 attack, multiple defenses, but it sounds like you suspected that already.

Think of the Surges as something that becomes part of the attack, not something that is used against or applied upon the enemies. It's applied on the attack itself.

Same for added dice by the way. If, for example, you get an extra green die from a wolf being adjacent that green die counts for all monsters targeted/affected by the attack, whether they are adjacent to the wolf or not.