A question has come up in our latest session. I believe I am right but the Overlord is arguing the point.

The overlord has the upgrade "death head" in play. Can the skeleton choose to explode after a hero has resolved a guard order, killing the skeleton?

I am saying no, because the guard order stops the skeletons turn, and if it was alive at the end of the guard, then yes...it could explode. However, the Overlord is saying yes because the death head says "at any point during the activation of the skeleton" and wants to explode before being killed by the heroes guard attack.

What are the thoughts of the community?

The guard interrupts the OL turn, I'd say it's valid to kill the skeleton before the Death Head is triggered. The OL cannot retroactively explode the skelly!

+1

Guard interrupts any action of the OL's and makes the guard attack go first. It also says in the rules that you must be given the ability to guard before any action, and if not then you go back to before said action to make the guard attack.

So, guard attack goes before the explosion, and if the skele dies, then it can't go boom.

Yep, guard goes first. In fact, you could even wait until the overlord declared that he was going to make the skeleton explode, then tell him you were going to use your guard order and "back up" to just before he would've exploded it and use your guard attack. You just have to do it before he actually rolls the dice.

I agree with the rest of posters, once damage has been rolled and the skeleton is clearly being killed, it is too late to explode.

There is precedent from other rules questions that shows an attack of any kind is a single, uninterruptable event. Things can happen immediately before or immediately after an attack. Things can happen in response to an attack being declared, however, from the moment dice are rolled to the end of the wounds-being-dealt process, outside events cannot intervene. Only effects and abilities related to resolving the attack happen in that span.

If your OL needs further convincing, remind him that the guard attack itself is not part of the skeleton's activation. It interrupts the skeleton's activation, meaning the skeleton's activation is on hold until the attack is complete. If the skeleton is dead when the attack is over, it's clearly too late to explode.

I have to agree with everyone else but i think the question should have been does guard interrupt the skeletons activation since the wording on Dead Heads ability is you can explode a skeleton at any time during the skeletons activation . Now we all know that guard interrupts a turn but does it infact interrupt the already activated skeleton he is still activated and he is still activated when the guard goes off and even after he roles his dice and even while taking damage he is activated until he is dead. That was the point i was making, that the wording on Dead Head tends to lead to a discussion about the OL's Turn and the activation of a skeleton . Who has Priority the Guard wich interrupts turns or the skeletons explosive ability in which i may activate at any time during the activation of a skeleton.

I ended up agreeing with the players JWS and TheQuitter But all i wanted was that they understand my point of view plus i wanted my skeleton to explode he he he

I think what our biggest concern was the words conflicting with eachother between the SoB book, and the RtL book. along with the Death Head card. Turn/Activation are both and the same action - 'the OL's turn'. But it's very unclear to see that reading the difference sources in game.

TheQuitter - 1
Ripley... - 0

/bow


just kidding Rip...

He he he

not a problem oh btw can you bring the kids seats to the store tonight i forgot them in your car when we went for coffee

Thanks

Ripley... said:

I think the distinction between the skeleton's "activation" and the overlord's "turn" is a moot point. Either way the guard still goes off first and still interuppts the skeleton preventing him from exploding. All monsters are allowed one attack any time during their "activation" but a guard order certainly takes precedence over those, why wouldn't it this?

That's just my two coppers anyhow.