Hi,

can you tell me some reason to move from Outer Region to Highlands or Woodlands? Why a player should leave the "safe zone" where he can draw the best cards and refill Life and Fate via Chapel/Graveyard?

I use home rules to goad players to explore these regions, because in normal games I don't find enough reasons apart from "roleplaying"... so I want really know how other Talisman players approach the issue.

Thanks

The reasons I find somewhat depend on the region.

The main board is "safe" in the sense that you have relatively easy access to healing via the Chapel, Doctor, etc. as well as any of the base game cards, and those from Reaper/Sacred Pool/Blood Moon/Firelands (although the last one is actually rather dangerous if you get unlucky). However, the spread of the creatures you can fight is rather wide, ranging from 1-10 Strength/Craft, and dependent entirely on being lucky to get and beat. There's also just a lot of cards once you start tossing in other expansions, so things get a bit diluted and difficult to aim for any particular thing. It's still probable that you'll get something good, but it's just as probable that you'll get something that will be very bad.

The Highland is actually a bit more early-game friendly than the Outer Region, and while dangerous, will be a threat more through events and items than it will be creatures. It's a good possible source of gold, especially useful if you have the City, but even in the base game gold is rather useful, especially if you need to rely on something other than the Chapel for healing. The Relics at the end are also fairly solid items to have, and being guarded by a Strength/Craft 8 makes them readily accessible even early in the game.

The Dungeon provides a slightly higher level of challenge, but also higher rewards. A lot of the cards in the Dungeon Deck are really good, usually as good if not better than cards you can get in the Adventure Deck. With the higher-stat enemies, you'll also be gaining your Strength/Craft cones at a faster rate, making it an ideal place to level up for the endgame, as opposed to the main board where you can run into a low stat enemy just as easily as a high stat one, as well as a lot of Objects and Strangers that do you no good now that you've got a good stockpile going. The Treasures at the end are also insanely good, and are well worth the delve just for them alone. A repeat trip through isn't out of the question either, both for the Treasures and the chance of reappearing someone very useful now that you have the stats to beat the Lord of Darkness by a good amount.

The City is just good. Seriously, if you have gold, go to the City. The Weapon and Magic shop have good trinkets for the early-game. The pet store is almost a sure win no matter what you draw. The ability to just outright buy horses is incredibly powerful, no matter which one it is. And if you haven't experienced the brokenness that is the Flail...well, let's just say there's a reason it's houseruled a lot or just plain removed by people here. It makes the game exceedingly item and gold-centric, but it works well.

I've yet to play with the Woodland, but the gains are just as good as the other non-City regions. Only this time, it's a bonus that sticks with you permanently, no matter whether you die or not. You can also play the Path system to your advantage easily. Pick a path for your off-stat to make it easier to level both, and lets you easily clear the end battle by using your stronger stat. Or just use one to level, leave, and go back in to pick a path that's far more favorable. I don't know what items and such are in the Woodland deck, but there's got to be some good in there, plus you get a lot more play out of the Fatebound mechanics, which can give you some really good rewards.

Honestly, the part of the board I have the hardest time getting people to is the Middle Region. I have yet to see anyone spend any appreciable amount of time there, mostly because it's so easy to get a Talisman without the Warlock Quests if you don't pull them out of the deck. The Outer Region is good, no doubt, but it only provides so much, and for the most part it's all pretty same-y across expansions. But the surrounding Regions are amazingly good if you take the time to explore them, not a chore to slog through just because they're there.

Oh, and if you really want to force people to go into the corners, toss in The Harbinger. That will make people explore all over the **** place, I guarantee you that.

On 4/17/2017 at 1:39 PM, KronosComplex said:

Hi,

can you tell me some reason to move from Outer Region to Highlands or Woodlands? Why a player should leave the "safe zone" where he can draw the best cards and refill Life and Fate via Chapel/Graveyard?

I use home rules to goad players to explore these regions, because in normal games I don't find enough reasons apart from "roleplaying"... so I want really know how other Talisman players approach the issue.

Thanks

The availability of powerful followers, items, strangers, and places is greatly increased in the corners. Yes, those things exist in the main adventure deck, too, but with the main adventure deck being so big (especially with more and more little expansions added into it) it becomes harder and harder to find those good things in the main deck. For example, I can't remember the last time the Rune Sword was found in one of my live games. The deck is just too big.

Of course, with the increased availability of powerful cards that can help you also comes an array of powerful enemies. This is the whole concept of risk vs. reward.

I have actually found that players in my games tend to flee the outer region almost immediately, heading for either the Highlands or the Woodlands almost right off the bat. In fact, I have implemented an alternate rule for the Dungeon to be in play also for the Highlands and Woodlands: namely, that you may only travel in one direction in those corners. That is, if, at any point, you turn back, you must go all the way back out before proceeding forward again. This discourages players from just spending all of their time in one expansion. (I also came up with a set of house rules limiting when people may go into the corners, but it's difficult to keep track of.)

So I guess what you are experiencing is not the same as other players. It's one of the unique aspects of YOUR games that makes YOUR games unique and special. Play more often and keep letting things work themselves out. I bet you will find your play will change over time, especially if you get adventuresome and decide to do some exploring on your own.

FFG always make expansions to be used with the main board. they are not meant to be played all together. there are no rules for that. players who want to play with more then one expansion cannot stay with the ffg rules. they must make their own game.

the easiest way to bind the 3 corners into the game is to make the rule that all 3 bosses must be killed from each player. thats it. monsters in the corners are too weak if you go for the boss. the highland must get +3, the woodland +4 the dungeon +5 to all moster die rolls. place a dice with the number at each board. these numbers dont count for the trophies.

important is the leveling, which is too fast with standart rules. so you get trophies only from equal or stronger enemies (measured without objects and followers) and need 10 trophy points for a level up. this way you have nearly the fast leveling from the original game in the beginning but later it is rare to get harder enemies so the bosses in the corners might be a challenge.

Highlands is great to get money, and is another place for pools! it also is great for leveling low level characters.

The City is great after going to Highlands to spend your money!