The Legendary Hero class: a crossover

By OneThousandHats, in Descent: Journeys in the Dark

Posted at
Hello,

I would like to hear your comments on this project. At first, I planned to create a new class of heroes and finally, with the items and the character cards, it became something like a “fan-made extension”. It was born from a crossover between a well-known video game classic and Descent's universe. It’s a kind of tribute to two universes that have greatly amused me over time.

Be warned that I was more interested in the design challenge that this crossover would pose than by balancing issues. Any constructive criticism about the balance is therefore encouraged. Also, please excuse my English because it is not my first language.

The Legendary Hero class is compatible with all heroes but it mainly targets the character proposed in the extension. The progress of the class is linked with the acquisition of Legendary Items using the Rupees that you pick up using your basic skill.

After each quest, the Legendary Hero visits Beedle’s shop to see what it has in stock.

Shuffle the Legendary Item cards and reveal five cards. The deck is determined by the current act. Act I cards are used until players have completed the Interlude, at which point players switch to Act II cards. The Legendary Hero may purchase any Act I Legendary Items cards after the Interlude and before the Act II.

While shopping, heroes may sell Legendary Item cards back to the Beedle’s shop. The heroes receive half the value of any individual Legendary Item card sold back to the shop in Rupees, rounding down to the closest multiple of 25 Rupees. Starting equipment may be sold back as well for the price of 25 Rupees each.

Please yourself, all comments will be considered to improve this project.

Edited by OneThousandHats
Posted at

Come on guys. Don’t be shy. There will be no outrage on my part. On the contrary, it’s because I recognize the quality of the exchanges that take place on this forum that I posted this project. For now, my kids find it cool, but I'm afraid their judgment is biased in my favor. I'm counting on you to recommend some modifications before I print everything.

And please notice that I have modified the link to give you access to the cards in Printer Studio format.

Edited by OneThousandHats
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Posting pictures is the best way to make your post attractive. I think most won't want to dig through your drop box or whatever to look at images.

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I can give you some feedback concerning balance, or at least what I would consider problematic:)


In general: you need expansions to play this. Not a bad thing, but I would consider it a drawback.


Regarding the skills:

Blessing of the Goddes is really strong because it makes the Hero extremely versitale. Other classes often really on their class cards to specific bonusses to melee, ranged, or magic weapons, but this class boons now apply to melee and ranged equally. Since heroes choose the turn order they can easily fill up the Hero's health before he/she takes their actions. I you want to keep the idea I suggest having full stamina as well as full health and make it exhaustable.


Hero's wallet: I think the seperate rupee/item system gives the other players a significant boost because they have now the gold for four players but need it for only three players. It also encourages monsterkilling which is almost never the objective. The idea is interesting but also very cumbersome.


Hearts Quest: Very strong to add 1 health to every won quest. It would remove that bit and restrict the healing to 1 heart on a rolled surge like Avric hero ability.


Ta da da dha: Reinforces the boons of hero's wallet to the point that I think the OL needs extra xp to compensate for it.


Trading Quest: Some quests need the Relic to be in play, so that makes this skill rather problematic in campaigns.


Spin attack: Nice skill, but why the hero token as a reminder? Also make it exhaustable


Controller upgrade: This skill is extremely OP, 5 points in awareness is very high and equipping 6 other items is nuts.


Helm Splitter: Also a nice skill, but needs to be exhausted imo.


Hey! Listen!: Very strong, and against the rules that you may only perform a stand up action on your turn. I see that you want to circumvent precisly this rule but it is there for a reason.


Triforce of courage: Seems reasonable


Regarding the items, I think they are overall too strong.
Posted at

Wow, that's a ton of stuff you've put together for this, respect for the effort :)

With so many items and interactions it's difficult to evaluate balance. As was said already, the main mechanic, hero's wallet, does buff the rest of the hero party by leaving more gold for them. It also doesn't matter what type of monster is killed, a shadow dragon yields the same as a zombie.

I would add a melee restriction to helm splitter, as written it works with blessings of the goddess as a ranged attack, potentially granting very long range movement.

Also, I'd recommend adding some background color to the item art.

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I would recommend choosing one currency over the other. Splitting it means more to track.

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Thank you guys! I really appreciate this. There were a lot of suggestions. I beta-tested some of them yesterday with a friend.


First, let's say that it will be hard for me to post pictures on this topic. There are a lot of files to support. But, I’ll see what I can do …


Here are my first changes following your initial recommendations. I remain negotiable. :)


Blessings of the goddess: Ceasarsalad101, you are totally right. However, I suggest an in-between because I think that your recommendation made the use of this card too circumstantial. The hero must now suffer 1 fatigue to use it. Our two Links, yesterday, quickly exhausted their Stamina with this nerf.


Hero’s Wallet: maybe I could nerf it with a brown dice? Seriously, we tested this specific mechanic along few quests with two Links and even if that looks like OP, the waste of MP it’s imply discourage the heroes to get them. I put a brown dice anyway. It’ll need some beta-testing. I also made it clear that, now, the Rupees aren’t a new currency but flavors add-in. Your suggestions are requested.


Tha da da dhaa!: I replaced the text at the bottom of the card to rather boost a search action. This way, I think the card will remain interesting to buy. New comments on this?


Trading quest: I stand corrected. I modified card. Also, I added a little boost to keep it attractive. I’m not sure on this one…


Spin attack: Now exhaustible. I think the hero token is necessary when it’s the second action of the player's turn.


Controller upgrade: Now +1 in awareness. But help me with this one; I wanted this card to authorise the hero to be equipped with 4 other items max. Do I wrote it correctly? I added a “now” to clarify this.


Helm Splitter: Now exhaustible and limited to a melee attack. I really appreciate your comments on this one because that was a broken card and I didn’t see it.


Hearts Quest: I nerfed the healing effect to 1 heart and limited up to 4 HP the adding Health effect. It seems reasonable.


“Hey! Listen!”: it’s was a supposed to be copy of the Heroic Feat of Orkell the Swift for 3 XP. I added the Range +3 because I tried to make the use of this card less circumstantial. But I understand your point of view, I removed one action. Remember that this card refresh only at the end of the encounter.


About adding background color to the items art, I recognise that could be great. But for now, I rather focus on balancing the whole thing. There is a lot of stuff to do...


Regarding nerfing the items, any specific suggestions? At the beginning, my partner of yesterday also found that they were OP but he quickly change is mind when he realized that he would have access to only some of them.


And tell me that you enjoyed my few gags. ^_^
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Just to let you know that after a lot of beta testing. Every cards have been modified.
I kept de Rupees only for flavor (there is now only one currency: gold) and I downgraded a lot of Legendary Items.
Feel free to comment.