strength - 4

craft - 2

life - 4

fate - 2

alignment - evil

may never have spells, regardless of craft value

begins play with an axe and sheild

you may always cross the river if you desire

fearless - add your strength to your craft during psychic combat

tell me what you think

oh yeah, he begins play at the cursed glade

Vikings were a coastal seafaring people of the north regions. The Crags would be more suitable.

darthmax said:

Just wondering because I don't remember but are there any characters that start in the middle region? I don't think there is really any reason a character couldn't start in the middle region.

Would that starting location help or hinder that character? The argument could be made that the middle region in theory is a more difficult and dangerous place and the character could be simply outclassed by the encounters that take place. Most characters that finally reach the middle region are generally stronger than a beginning character. Of course there is the Temple and the Hidden Glade so those could help him advance if he gets good dice rolls and draws good cards.

Another consideration is that the Middle Character is isolated from the other characters by being in a different region. That would reduce the number of player versus player encounters that can take place. Beginning characters in the Outer Region would probably have a difficult time with their beginning stats to reach the inner region. Later when all of the characters have had a chance to improve themselves by gaining stats, objects, followers, etc, everybody has a more equal capacity to be able to enter the middle region. Of course you could say that a character in the Dungeon and soon the Highlands is also isolated from others, but in those expansions everyone pretty much has the same opportunity to enter those areas.

It might be interesting to start a character in the middle region and see how that character does. It's possible that there might not be any difference from a character starting in the outer region.

I don't think that my group would favor a middle region starting point because of the possible reduction in player versus player encounters. That's something we enjoy - within limits of course.

The Warlock starts in the Middle Region.

JCHendee said:

thats a good idea. it does make better sense. thanks

i like these ideas...but i still think he lacks that viking berserk / pillage persona. i think he needs something. any ideas welcome

Berserkers ("Berserkr") were of general Old Norse culture. Though this intersects the decedents of "Vi-king" who slew Than in the Godtime, the terms Viking and "Beserkr" (the "bear-shirted") are not synonymous. The Vikings (a term which actually means "pirate") were seafarers. In general Berserk(e)r clans, or tribes who contained such "rage-trance" warriors, were not seafarers and therefor general not Vikings or of the lineage of Viking.

A standard Viking would not work out to be Evil in the single axis alignment found in Talisman. The Viking would be neutral.

talismanisland said:

Duh! He says as he smacks himself in the head. In our group, we've never had anyone draw the Warlock as a character for play. In our next game, we'll have to have someone play him just to see how he does. So based on other people's experience does it matter what region you start?

jondee986 said:

The Highlander of Talisman 2E... and at guess, might show up in the coming Highlands expansion in adapted form. Certainly not quite the same as Viking concept and somewhat leaning to Berserker.

darthmax said:

As I am Danish, the Viking history has had its impackt on me. It could be fun having the choice of a Viking in the Talisman world. I would like that you added some mythology to him, having something with the warrior god Thor or Odin conected to him. Maybe using the fate somehow.

I have some ideas for special abilities you can ad if you like (or do what you like with):

• When you are about to engage in battle, you may call the powers of Thor. Use 1 fate and ad 2 to your strenght.
• In start of your turn, you may call the power of Odin. Pay one fate and roll a dice:

1-3: You are protected from magic. No spells or magic objeckts will effect you until start of your next turn.

4-6: Odin is holding his hand over you. Until start of your next turn, you may ignore events and also see the top adventure card whenever you want.

I see the Viking as neutral as well.

cheer

thanks man. i like your idea about calling on the gods. i dont see vikings practicing magic. anything supernatural with them would have to be divine in nature.....but if i continue along that path, should the viking be able to use magic objects? maybe just magical weapons and armor. when i get home tonight i think ill write these guys out again. theyve all changed quite a bit

I would change that to "+2 in Battle" not "+2 to Strength"; there are conditions in a turn where Strength is applied outside of Battle. If the prayer is made for Battle, to a god of Battle, the bonus should not have the potential to be applied to accessory conditions based on Strength after the battle is over. Wording is sometimes a tricky thing.

But otherwise, it is a good and semi-unique idea for the Viking!

And yes, the viking should be allowed all M.O. Weapons and Armor. If the fate exchange is limited to Battle, rather than generically to Strength, he is very potent for that 1 Fate use in combination with equipment... but he doesn't get an advantage in that same turn should he have to face a non-Battle roll, challenge, or rule reference based on purely Strength.

If he only has two fate, he should maybe have this ability too:

• Pray: mis one turn and repleanish your fate (or maybe just 1 fate, depending how powerful his fate ability will be)

darthmax said:

STR 4

CFT 1

LIFE 4

FATE 3

ALIGN NEUTRAL

START: CRAGS

1 YOU MAY NOT USE OR GAIN SPELLS, REGARDLESS OF YOUR CRAFT

2 YOU BEGIN PLAY W/ THE AXE AND SHEILD

3 BECAUSE YOU ARE FEARLESS, YOU MAY ADD YOU STRENGTH TO YOUR CRAFT DURING PSYCHIC COMBAT

4 WEATHER PERMITTING, YOUR LONGSHIP ALLOWS YOU TO CROSS THE RIVER INSTEAD OF ROLLING FOR MOVEMENT ROLL 1 DIE 1 - 2 TOO STORMY 3 - 6 CROSS THE RIVER

5 WHEN YOU CROSS THE RIVER INTO A SPACE THAT IS OCCUPIED BY ANOTHER CHARACTER, YOU MAY RAID THEM FOR ONE GOLD

6 WHEN YOU ARE ABOUT TO ENGAGE IN BATTLE, YOU MAY PAY 1 FATE TO INVOKE THOR'S FAVOR, AND ADD +2 TO YOUR STRENGTH IN BATTLE

On #3, make that Starting Strength value, so it follows the standard of other characters that use the attribute crossover bonus. He should not be adding all of this strenght tokens and bonuses from Strength Followers. That's too much an unfair advantage.

On #4, consider instead "You may always build a raft in the Woods or Forest, whether you have an Axe or not." Simpler, he has easier access to build a raft, and yet as limited as any other characters as to where. Unless that longboat is following him everywhere (crewed?), he should not be able to cross the river just anywhere.

The Viking is shaping up nicely.

JCHendee said:

since he begins w/ an axe, not needing one to build a raft isnt a lot of good...unless he loses the axe.. but it does allow him to the axe if he needs room for other objects and not suffer for it. i also thought that rather than make his river crossing ability affect more places, why not just make it faster.....the viking may declare that he is building a raft at the end of his turn, provided he hasnt died or lost a turn.

Hmmm... I guess skipping the missed turn would be okay when building a raft. I'm not sure how I see him being faster at it than other characters, but that's okay.

JCHendee said:

i wonder if i can get your opinion on another matter? can a player use the hydraspell on temporal warp?

I don't know the Hydra spell. That's in Frostmarch, yes? I don't have that expansion, but my guess is ... yes. But wait... HERE is a topic in the Rules Questions subforum that might help you more than I can.

JCHendee said:

Well, don't count on me too much... as I haven't even seen the actual spell in question.

jondee986 said:

I have once play with the warlock, but the middle region can become a dangerous place, if you start the game there.

I was close to death, so i escape to the outer region.

The Oasis, Hidden Valley, Deserts and Rune spaces can make it difficult for him.

Velhart said: