RtL campaign: Silver level, Spider Queen & Ascension Plot. The current conquest token level is 283. The OL has razed Frostgate, Dawnmoor, Forge, & Vyneldale; has played the Ascension card "The Harbinger Approaches" and place one comet token at Frostgate.

The Hero party is at " The Fool's Rapids " and, as a result of the comet token, down -1 wound/-1 fatigue. The Hero party has just finished the second dungeon level. However, the Hero party is concerned about what happens when they leave " The Fool's Rapids " dungeon. The Hero party is but two weeks from the Spider Queen's lair and, because of the play of "The Harbinger Approaches," can immediately enter the lair. But, in getting to the lair, the Hero party will go down an additional -5 wounds/-5 fatigue because the OL will be able to play two more comet tokens at Frostgate in that two week period. Return to Tamalir is equally pointless, since all four razed cities are within three weeks of Tamalir, so the Hero party would still be impacted by the comet tokens, to a greater or lesser degree dependent on the placement by the OL.

In order to avoid the emasculating effects of the comet tokens, one intrepid member of the Hero party has suggested, that, after the dungeon's leader has been dispatched, the Hero party not leave the dungeon until the level of conquest tokens have risen to the level required to initiate "The Final Battle." This would be accomplished by the OL recycling the OL deck as much as 106 times in the dungeon (assuming there were no other conquest token generating actions). This intrepid member of the Hero party contends that there is no scripture prohibiting this peculiar strategy. Further, the OL cannot leave the dungeon and once the conquest token level reaches 600, the OL will not be able to place another comet token, and both the OL and the Hero party will start "The Final Battle" at '0' conquest tokens anyhow, so the 100's of conquest tokens gained by the OL in the dungeon will be meaningless.

Is there a rule that forces the Hero party to end the dungeon exploration?

NB : I am a member of the Hero party, but not the intrepid member.

It was clarified by Kevin Wilson that once the OL goes through the deck 3 times, the Party is immediately ejected from the dungeon. This was done to prevent the exact situation that you are describing.

Big Remy said:

I don't suppose you could point me to where that was in writing?

Aged One said:

The only place I've ever seen it in writing is in Universal Head's Descent RtL reference guide. I know that it was posted on a forum response authored by Kevin Wilson or one of the game designers.

Several people here can verifiy it, so you'll unfortunately have to take our word for it, unless someone knows where it is. If you're intrepid fellow Hero doesn't want to believe that, I feel bad that you have him in your gaming group because I would find that a very boring way to play Descent.

EDIT: Found it on the old forum

I will errata this in the next FAQ. If the overlord goes through his entire deck 3 times (or 4 times for a Rumor or Legendary Area), the heroes immediately flee the dungeon.

When the heroes get their last training opportunity after the campaign reaches 600+ conquest, the Overlord may purchase one final upgrade as well.

-Kevin Wilson
Fantasy Flight Games

It never made it into the FAQ, but that's official word right there. Here's the original post .

Big Remy said:

Thx. That resolves the issue, but it certainly is quite severe, i.e., once through the OL deck per dungeon level.

Gives a sense of urgency. I personally have never seen it happen.

Likewise. The most the OL ran through his deck was once, and that was with pretty careful play on our part. It is wholly possible to run through a copper dungeon with not even one complete deck pass, with average luck, decent heroes and good play.

As for that intrepid player, the best reply in similiar situations would be: "Are we playing a game or doing bullsh!t?" If he wants to play a game, he should play the game and not try to find ways how to ruin it.