This may sound trivial but we seem here to disagree on whether or not a falling block hits a flying hero. I realize this is a house rule situation but the argument is that the hero is flying at the top of the dungeon and therefore is not effected by things that are falling. Webs on the other hand are different because they can be anywhere. Rocks generally do not fall from the very top.

From a technical standpoint, it should still hit the hero. Just because the hero has the ability to move through obstacles does not give him immunity to traps. Look at the Acrobat skill, a hero with that can still be hit by a Crushing Block, so why can't a flying hero? And Thematically it makes more sense than the webs (if the hero is flying, even high up near the ceiling, the block is still falling from the ceiling which is above the hero and smacks him into the ground).

-shnar

Exactly. Think of it as a piece of collapsing ceiling.

Just like what zealot mentioned, there are countless situations where a boulder trap would be located on the ceiling of dungeons, and the boulder falls down from the ceiling when triggered. I believe there's a scene in Indiana Jones about that... In this case, a boulder is also a huge rock, which is what crushing block is about. Another example is Super Mario where the big squarish block goes up all the way to the ceiling and falls back down. It's sure to cover the entire length of the tunnel vertical-wise. So both game and thematically, the hero should be hit.

Idontunderstand said:

Just a piece of advice. Never, and I mean NEVER use thematic arguments to make rules decisions in Descent, which is what you are doing. 99% of the time thematic arguments go counter to the insane rules logic of Descent. If Flying heroes can be affected by Pit traps, they certainly will be hit by crushing blocks.

Big Remy said:

+1

Without too much trouble, you can come up with thematic justification for the vast majority of the rules in the game, but it's also trivially easy to come up with thematic arguments against any rule. It can be fun to work out a thematic explanation for a rule, and it can be helpful because it will probably make the rule easier to remember, but make sure you really understand the rule first. And then don't change your rule understanding to fit the theme; adjust your thematic explanation to fit the actual rule.

Big Remy said:

And yes, before you ask OP, a Flying hero can be caught in a pit trap.

While I agree with Remy that using logic to make rulings in Descent is a bad idea, I also think this particular logic is shaky at best to begin with. You claim rocks generally do not fall from the very top, but I see no reason why they shouldn't. Crushing Block is a trap. It's not some random chunk of rock that just happened to come loose, it was there all the time, set up and waiting for someone to move underneath it. As such, it makes much more sense to me that a CB would fall out from the roof and thus hit anything in the space below it, flying or not.

BTW, the reason why we say using logic to make rulings is bad is because there are so many situations you'd have to house rule that way. Seriously, you'll throw the game balance to the wind and end up having to rewrite 3/4ths of the rulebook. Or you'll end up back here complaining about how the game isn't balanced.

PS: @Wanderer: That block in Super Mario is called a Thwomp. =)

By the way...

I doesn't make sense but the falling block could be also played on Island Map (SoB) or Camp map (RtL). This really doesn't make any sense. What could it be.. meteor ?

lighting said:

Maybe it was launched from a catapult somewhere else on the island that was set off by your hero tripping a wire. Or maybe it magically appeared in the sky above your head and then fell because you stepped on a magic rune. Nobody ever said it was a simple deadfall. =P

lighting said:

The overlord is an incredibly powerful extradimensional being who can take over your mind, turn you into a monkey, and command any number of beings to do his bidding simultaneously. That he can also make a rock fall from the sky is not too surprising.

James McMurray said:

"That's it! Rocks fall, everyone dies!"

"But we're in the middle of an open field with no..."

"ROCKS FALL! EVERYONE DIES!" ><

=P

I guess it's better than launching cows from a catapult...

Fetchez la vache!

-shnar

Especially to the cows...

Does no one remember that it was agreed upon that Crushing Blocks in outdoor encounter and island maps are the results of high soaring Razorwings carrying rocks and dropping them on the heroes?

Big Remy said:

I like it.

At least for islands it could also be bloodsquids chucking rocks from the water. Curse those abominable bloodsquids!

So yeah, there's plenty of possible explanations for those blocks.

Of course it makes as much sense as monsters magically "spawning" on the island map, so what's the big deal?

-shnar

I went to Overlord College (sorry can't tell you it's real name without killing you) and Basic Overlording 101 was all about creating giant rocks right above unwary adventurers no matter where they are.

It's just annoying that I only get to use random spells drawn from a deck. It always seemed a stupid way to try to kill someone.

If there is one thing I have learned playing various board games, it's that the rules don't have to make sense, and usually don't.

Often its more about game balance, than logic.