In the Forgotten Age campaign, the Eztli Guardian enemy (Guardians of Time encounter set) has the following Forced ability. "When enemies attack during the enemy phase, if Eztli Guardian is ready and unengaged: It attacks each investigator in each connecting location."

I'm wondering how people play that. Previously when I've played this campaign, I just interpreted this attack as simply happening during the Enemy phase regardless of the presence, or not, of any additional enemies in play. However when my friend and I started a new campaign and were playing the first scenario (The Untamed Wilds), he was very insistent that I was wrong in that interpretation. He maintains that the "When enemies attack" wording is intended to refer to OTHER enemies. (So that when other enemies attack, that basically emboldens the Eztli Guardian to go ahead and attack as well. To kind of pile on. If there were no other enemies in play, he simply wouldn't attack, therefore.

As an example, my investigator, Leo Anderson, was engaged with a Pit Viper. Both of our investigators were in locations connected to that of the Eztli Guardian.. My friend suggested that Leo needed to kill the Pit Viper (not a bad idea anyway, except for the Vengeance issue, of course..) to also prevent the Eztli Guardian from attacking. At first I didn't even understand what he was talking about as that interpretation hadn't even occurred to me. But his point was that if other enemies couldn't attack, then the Eztli Guardian wouldn't either.

I still think he's wrong. We discussed it for a time, but I didn't want to waste time getting into an extended argument over it. So we just played it his way.. My opinion was, and is, that the "When enemies attack" wording simply refers to the standard thing that happens in the Enemy phase. Not when "other" enemies are attacking. How hard would it be to merely insert the word "other" and have the wording read "When other enemies attack", if that was to be the designer's intent?

But he was so adamant about the point that I thought I'd put the question out on the forums to get other people's opinion and find out how you play that enemy. Thanks for any input.

You are correct, it refers to the timing point. But your friend seems so adamant you should probably send your question through the official channel .

Thank you for the response, Khudzlin. I sent the question through the official channel you provided. I appreciate it. I'll post the answer when/if I get one.

You're welcome.

I got an answer from Matthew Newman about this question, which is much appreciated..

Greetings,

The intent is that this ability triggers during the step of each enemy phase when enemies would attack, regardless of whether there are any other enemies in play which would make an attack. I agree that the wording can be a bit tricky, so I apologize for any confusion. But, that is how this ability should be played.

Cheers,

[email protected]

Thanks for this. I've added it to ArkhamDB faq.

Well, yet another example of a poorly worded card. I have been playing this card incorrectly ? .

On 25 October 2018 at 11:35 PM, Schmiegel said:

The intent i  s  that this ability triggers during the step of ea  ch enemy phase when enemies would   att  ack   , 

So multiple attacks if there are more than 1 enemy?

1 hour ago, Daft Blazer said:

So multiple attacks if there are more than 1 enemy?

No, the opposite. It triggers once per enemy phase. The point during the enemy phase at which it triggers is the point at which enemy attacks are resolved.

It wouldn't attack investigators at the same location as it, right? "Connected locations"?

6 hours ago, Brekekekiwi said:

It wouldn't attack investigators at the same location as it, right? "Connected locations"?

When we played, we had them attack everyone at a connected location, as per its ability, then it attacked everyone engaged with it as well, as per the standard rules. Our thinking was that there’s nothing to say it uses it’s ability *instead* of attacking normally, so assumed it did both. We might have been wrong, but if so I’d like to see the rules justification for it.

1 hour ago, General Zodd said:

When we played, we had them attack everyone at a connected location, as per its ability, then it attacked everyone engaged with it as well, as per the standard rules. Our thinking was that there’s nothing to say it uses it’s ability *instead* of attacking normally, so assumed it did both. We might have been wrong, but if so I’d like to see the rules justification for it.

Per its ability, Eztli Guardian only attacks investigators at connected locations when it is ready and unengaged . So the conditions for a normal attack (ready and engaged with an investigator) and its forced ability (ready and unengaged) are mutually exclusive.

And im thinking of the recent Team Covenant video where some guardians were aloof? So they'd shoot people in the next location, but do nothing to those at the same location?

38 minutes ago, Brekekekiwi said:

And im thinking of the recent Team Covenant video where some guardians were aloof? So they'd shoot people in the next location, but do nothing to those at the same location?

They are, but you can engage them (like other Aloof enemies). And once engaged, they attack normally.

Is its own location a connecting location? So if I stand at his location but haven‘t engaged him, will he deal damage to me? It sounds like no?

On 11/7/2018 at 10:56 AM, Khudzlin said:

They are, but you can engage them (like other Aloof enemies). And once engaged, they attack normally.

What do you mean with they are? They are not attacking them if they are not engaged? Sorry I‘m not sure what you meant with your answer.

21 minutes ago, ForAiur said:

Is its own location a connecting location? So if I stand at his location but haven‘t engaged him, will he deal damage to me? It sounds like no?

No, I don’t think you will be dealt damage but any investigators at a connection location will still be attacked if you haven’t engaged him.

22 minutes ago, ForAiur said:

What do you mean with they are? They are not attacking them if they are not engaged? Sorry I‘m not sure what you meant with your answer.

It looks like the “they are” was in response to a previous comment/question, meaning they are aloof, will not do anything to an investigator at their location (assuming that investigator hasn’t taken the engage action) and will still attack investigators at a connecting location.

I hope that helps.

1 hour ago, Assussanni said:

It looks like the “they are” was in response to a previous comment/question, meaning they are aloof, will not do anything to an investigator at their location (assuming that investigator hasn’t taken the engage action) and will still attack investigators at a connecting location.

Yeah, that's what I meant.