Just read the FAQ on Dark Charm. If I understand correctly the OL rolls the dice and gets to spend the surges according to the weapon being used. But, what about other equipped items that provide additional bonuses. For example I have a player who has an "other" item equipped that provides 1 free surge.

1. Do I get to use the surge as well in my attack roll

2. Like wise, I have another player with an ability that provides 2 surges, might I assume that I get to use those surges if I attack with him?

3. If the player has two different weapons equipped the OL can chose which weapon to make the attack with?

4. Lastly, one player has a weapon with blast. Can I attack an empty space that is adjacent or must it be a hero that is adjacent?

Blast question: It must target a line-of-sight square correct? So if there is a giant mob of monsters in a hallway the fills every square the player can not attack behind the first "rank" correct?

For those keeping tabs, I've now played through my 4th 1.5 hour session of the Intro quest after taking nearly a week break due to work hours. The players just cleared out Area 3, but it cost them two deaths...finally. The only room remaining is Narthak. Regardless of how long it has taken to play a single quest, everyone seems to be having a lot of fun.

Thanks,

Russ

russ_c said:

All other bonuses apply as normal (except command bonuses can come from self or monsters but not from other heroes)

1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. Yes (they must both be one handed obviously, and if both melee he will get the off-hand bonus of the other weapon)
4. Yes.
Blast (5). Correct and correct

russ_c said:

You'd definitely get the surges from Landrec's ability, since I don't think there's a way to not include those in an attack. The surges from an Other item, though, I'm less sure about. You can't use Skills and you can't use Fatigue, but my memory is fuzzy on the use of other equipment during a Dark Charm attack.

russ_c said:

Yes. A weapon must be specified in order to make an attack, and since the OL is making this attack he gets to choose which equipped weapon is used, if there's a choice. Obviously you can't perform a re-equip action with the hero, so weapons in his pack cannot be chosen, but if he has two weapons equipped, either is fair game. I believe you would also benefit from the Off-Hand bonus of the other weapon, if applicable.

russ_c said:

You can target empty spaces as far as I know. I don't have a Dark Charm card in front of me, but if it specifies attacking a hero, I would take that to mean there must be one hero (including the attacker) in the blast radius. Attacks never target figures, they always target spaces, so any cards that use the lingo "target a figure" really mean "make an attack that includes a figure in an affected space."

russ_c said:

Correct. That's a mistake we made too, early on. The attacker must have LOS to the target space where he wants to center the blast. He need not have LOS to all the figures that will be included in it's radius, but he must be able to see the center space. That means dropping it behind other figures to get some in every direction is a no-go. Even other heroes will block this.

Everything that provides an attack bonus can be used in conjunction with Dark Charm, as long as the bonuses originate from the affected hero. The overlord, however cannot spend the victim's fatigue at all( so he has no access to fatigue-activated skills and items, and he cannot add more power dice to the roll via fatigue).

Steve-O said:

What's your source on the skill issue? The FAQ says that he overlord can't force the hero to spend fatigue to add dice to the attack, but doesn't mention skills that I can find.

Since there are some cases that aren't explicitly ruled one way or the other, my rule for Dark Charm has always been that the overlord gets any "free" bonuses, but can't make the hero use up any resources to add to the attack. Thus, a skill that simply adds damage to an attack would apply, but a skill that requires a hero to spend fatigue, sacrifice health, or exhaust a card can't be used. Similarly, the overlord can't make the hero use up an Aim order on the attack, but the Bracers of Accuracy can still caused a ranged Dark Charm attack to be aimed, because that doesn't use up an order token.

That's how we play it. For example, Prodigy grants the Dark Charm attack the 2 free surges. Basically the hero is doing a "normal" attack, except that he is not forced to spend fatigue on it.

-shnar

My instincts are telling me that skills can still be applied. I think I will play it this way tonight since there is nothing in the text to suggest that it can't be used. Thanks for the input guys.

@ Antisonte: I didn't have the card in front of me either, but now that I've read the text again, it seems clear. It says "This attack may target any hero, including the attacking hero, but is subject to the normal attack rules, including range and line of sight".

Seeing that it says "may target" instead of "must target" and the fact that it is "subject to normal attack rules" (i.e. you choose a space to attack, not a specific enemy). I'm thinking you can target an empty space to throw a blast into.

Thanks again,

Russ