Hi all,

We just started the game few days ago, I'm the one in charge of managing the App & monstres attacks when it comes to make a choice.

In several occasions, some monsters could:

1. Attack the skeleton invoked by the Necro (Player).

or

2. Move & attack a Hero (Player).

As in the monster combat list, it's always mentioned Hero as priority target and I don't consider a skeleton (from player) as a Hero, I always made the choice 2 .

My friends doesn't agree with my interpretation and say that the skeleton could be considered as a target equal to a Hero in the combat list.

I told them that the Overload or a real DM would probably not be that stupid... if He/Her was really in charge of the monsters, He/Her would always try to kill a Hero (player) first rather than a skeleton (from player), when it comes to make a choice. Even when my Hero went down after being attacked by several monsters following choice 2, I continued to apply my rule.

The only rare occasions when I made Choice 1, is when monsters could not reach a location where it could attack a Hero.

So, I'd like to know if I'm wrong in my way to play the monsters, in this game.

Thanks for your feedback.

Perhaps, perhaps not. Your friends are correct in that familiars are as viable of a target as heroes are.

Having said that, the heroes lose the game when their morale goes from the current level (equal to the number of heroes) to another hero loss after it reaches the skull. Since the app only wins with hero knock-downs (as morale does not decrease when familiars are killed), an argument can be made to only attack heroes - that is IF you are willing to ignore the rules of the game.

In order to make the game (the app) play as difficult as possible, we (as heroes) always choose to have as great of a challenge as possible. In order to do this, we decide at any given time what is the most effective way an OL would choose to execute the actions given to cause the entire hero party (heroes and any familiars) the greatest grief.

But, we also do this following all of the appropriate rules. For example, if an action given is to attack the closest "hero", and the closest "hero" is a familiar which can be attacked, then you are suppose to attack that familiar (in other words, you don't have a choice, if you choose to play by the rules).

When, however, there are two equally valid choices (say a familiar and a hero are equally close), then we choose to do whatever would make life more difficult for the heroes, taking into account the overall goal for the heroes in the given quest, how much health the given hero has left, how effective attacking the hero would be versus attacking the familiar, etc.

In the end, the goal is for all of you to have fun. Decide how that is accomplished, and play accordingly.

Rules by default familiars are an equal value target to heroes. If the familiar is the first target that satisfies the command it doesn't matter if another real hero is in a further viable range. The familiars have all zeros in their stats too, so any target the lowest stat hero commands targets a familiar almost all the time. Familiars by the rules as written make RtL a lot easier as risk free cannon fodder. The geomancer especially gets a nice boost from this behavior.

Your decision to target familiars only as a last resort is not correct according to the rules. The RtL Overlord really is that dumb.

I generally try to use "what is worst for the heroes" as the tiebreaker when the rules are ambiguous, but really you can play that moment-to-moment depending on your group and how hard a time you're having.

Hi again,

Now I apply the rule that "Hero" in the combat list on the App, can be an hero, a stone, a skeleton etc...

However, I use Astarra as Geomancer and I'd like to know if I can use her ability " For 1 movement cost, move to an adjacent space to a hero within 3 spaces " on Stones, Skeleton etc...

So to avoid any confusion, are familiars also equal value target to heroes outside combat as they are in combat?

Thanks for your feedback.

Stones are not considered to be heroes (or even figures) but obstacles for purposes other than in RtL activation instructions.

Familiars treated as heroes/figures (such as the reanimate or the wolf) are treated as heroes for the purpose of attacks, Monster actions, Hero abilities and feats, hero skills, abilities of items, relics, Search cards, and Overlord cards. They are not treated as heroes for the purpose of ally skills, quest rules, Plot cards, travel events, Rumor cards and all other game effects unless noted otherwise.

For more detailed information check the CRRG, page 17.