okay so i draw a card and i draw the cursed hag. i have a mule and an alchemist in my possesion ,,along with 8 items. am i able to ditch 4 objects for gold,,,before the alchemist and mule hits the space in which i drew the cursed hag?? and also,,,when using the alchemist,,,when you exchange an object for a gold,,do you put the exchanged object in the discard pile or do i put it in the place in which my character is at?? and one last question,,,when you have an alchemist,,,are you able to use his abiity during another player's turn?? okay guys thanks a million!!

fasteddy23 said:

Only precedent I can think of is the Druid and that fact that he can change his alignment after drawing a card (probably to take advantage of the card, like Phantom). Thus, I think you can use the Alchemist to turn 4 Objects into Gold before the Hag drives off your Followers. When you use the Alchemist (either Follower, the Spell or encounter in the City), the Object(s) are placed in the discard pile, not ditched.

IIRC, Alchemist Follower doesn't have any limitation on when you can use him, so you can use him on another player's turn. However, there are timing issues involved that I personally would like clarified. Specifically, when is the last opportunity to use the Alchemist. Say you're in combat with another char and lose, can you use him after losing, but before the other char takes his reward? Can you use him after the reward is chosen (to turn the reward to Gold)? Same deal with something like Acquisition, can you turn the Object to Gold after your opponent has chosen the target?

Dam said:

Right. There should be a precise timing rule for Alchemist, Alchemy Spell and similar effects (if any, including putting Objects inside the Concealed Pouch).

I think the best way to handle these effects is to restrain the use when you already know the outcome. Usually effects that are triggered by the roll of a die (Toading, Random Spell, combat scores) cannot be altered when dice have been rolled. Exception is Fate re-roll, Fate-like power ups (Lucky Charm etc...) and specific Spells (Preservation, Alteration, etc...).

When you know you've been beaten, the opponent shall choose his reward. If you think you're going to lose the combat, you ought to turn valuable Objects into Gold before you know the result. Otherwise you would also be able to roll the die for Random and then, if the result is bad for you, decide to Counter-spell it (assuming you have a Counterspell in your hand).

Druid and Druid Staff should of course be treaten as exceptions. Changing Alignment before if you don't know it's useful has no purpose.

Just a note that IIRC, the Alchemy Spell is still a "before you move" only, so only usable at the start of your own turn.

If the alchemist can hock objects for gold faster than the hag can drive him off, then are you saying he can also do it when another player beats him in battle / psychic combat to keep them from getting an object ??? i dont think hes that fast, but can otherwise be used at any time during your turn.