I have recently joined a game and ended up playing a wood elf wardancer. After looking through the Ritual Dance cards I realized that my simple mind probably can't use them to their full potential. So I ask for your opinions about which cards of them are usable and what combinations bring the most amazing results? The career is so full of playing with different stances and counters, that I am at a loss how to use them efficiently.
About playing a wardancer
If you want to really play into a Wardancers strengths then you should learn cards that allow you to flip your stances back and forth and moving deeper into each stance. Also since you don't have significant armour then you need to have a few actions that allow you to move in attack and then move away. Remember that each round you get 1 maneuver and 1 action, but you don't have to do the maneuver first so you could attack then maneuver to get out of range. That strategy is critical for a Wardancer. Play the character like you picture a fighter dancing through battle. Don't stand in the pocket, you'll get slaughtered. Make them come to you. Remember that everytime a monster has to make two maneuvers to get to you they are taking 1 damage as well. Also move in and help out other players to lend some assists. As to specific cards there are several good combinations but some are dependent on what the rest of your group is like. If you are the primary fighter you'll have to be able to be all over the battle field to occupy the enemy which will be hard since Wardancers aren't great at taking punishment. However if there are other fighters in the group then you are more free to run around and protect weak spots or get to well positioned enemies that others can't easily get to.
Kryyst said:
If you want to really play into a Wardancers strengths then you should learn cards that allow you to flip your stances back and forth and moving deeper into each stance. Also since you don't have significant armour then you need to have a few actions that allow you to move in attack and then move away. Remember that each round you get 1 maneuver and 1 action, but you don't have to do the maneuver first so you could attack then maneuver to get out of range. That strategy is critical for a Wardancer. Play the character like you picture a fighter dancing through battle. Don't stand in the pocket, you'll get slaughtered. Make them come to you. Remember that everytime a monster has to make two maneuvers to get to you they are taking 1 damage as well. Also move in and help out other players to lend some assists. As to specific cards there are several good combinations but some are dependent on what the rest of your group is like. If you are the primary fighter you'll have to be able to be all over the battle field to occupy the enemy which will be hard since Wardancers aren't great at taking punishment. However if there are other fighters in the group then you are more free to run around and protect weak spots or get to well positioned enemies that others can't easily get to.
Sadly the rules, as they are, don't really reward actions that lets you hit and disengage, because the opponent can, without any penalty, spend one free manoeuver to engage you in his turn. You'd have to hit, disengage and then use your free manoeuver to move to medium, but then your opponent can find someone else to hit, and you're stuck spending free manoeuver and 1 fatigue for an extra to engage again...
But recovering fatigue is easier for players then monsters so monsters spending double actions to engage take damage. If they target another player then you can tag team them the next round. Also collectively using the initiative system to it's strengths is important.
For example. Say the wardancer is targetting the BBG. Have the wardancer start out of melee range from the BBG and waits till the BBG goes in the round. Then have the Wardancer move in and attack. To end the round. Then At the start of the next round have the Wardancer act before the BBG he attacks then uses two maneuvers to get out of range. All these maneuvers can be done for free depending on actions or at most 1 fatigue, which for a skilled wardancer can be recovered relatively easily.
Also keep in mind that there is going to be a different set of options to a starting Wardancer vs a more experieneced Wardancer and that there are other non-wardancer cards that are of benefit as well to cut'n run style tactics. Likewise there are some good defensive cards that can help keep you alive should you get pinned down.
Kryyst said:
But recovering fatigue is easier for players then monsters so monsters spending double actions to engage take damage. If they target another player then you can tag team them the next round. Also collectively using the initiative system to it's strengths is important.
For example. Say the wardancer is targetting the BBG. Have the wardancer start out of melee range from the BBG and waits till the BBG goes in the round. Then have the Wardancer move in and attack. To end the round. Then At the start of the next round have the Wardancer act before the BBG he attacks then uses two maneuvers to get out of range. All these maneuvers can be done for free depending on actions or at most 1 fatigue, which for a skilled wardancer can be recovered relatively easily.
Also keep in mind that there is going to be a different set of options to a starting Wardancer vs a more experieneced Wardancer and that there are other non-wardancer cards that are of benefit as well to cut'n run style tactics. Likewise there are some good defensive cards that can help keep you alive should you get pinned down.
Now I'm cursing your name... I thought the initiative order was set after first turn. Now I have to go tell my group we've been doing it the wrong way... curse you!!!
But with this in mind, I can see it has merrits. I have a character who's rapier/main gauche (and pistol), he'll like this "change" 
It's a shame you missed that key point about initiative. It's one of the coolest aspects they've brought to this version of the game. Dynamic group initiative is awesome. Keep in mind that works for the GM also.
Kryyst said:
It's a shame you missed that key point about initiative. It's one of the coolest aspects they've brought to this version of the game. Dynamic group initiative is awesome. Keep in mind that works for the GM also.
I agree too. Reading the rules for the first time here and when I got to initiative, I grinned. Love it 
Kryyst said:
It's a shame you missed that key point about initiative. It's one of the coolest aspects they've brought to this version of the game. Dynamic group initiative is awesome. Keep in mind that works for the GM also.
No, the shame lies in trying to formulate to my PC's that I made a mistake, without sounding like I made a mistake 
Tell them it's an optional rule you want to start using
Kryyst said:
Tell them it's an optional rule you want to start using
Clever...
From experience, this is a bad idea. Eventually your players will notice, and then you've lied to them. It's far better to admit you made a mistake. If you need to minimize it, say that the book was unclear (since they are re-writing it for clarity, this is not hard to believe) and that you've found out via an example on the forums.
Larin said:
From experience, this is a bad idea. Eventually your players will notice, and then you've lied to them. It's far better to admit you made a mistake. If you need to minimize it, say that the book was unclear (since they are re-writing it for clarity, this is not hard to believe) and that you've found out via an example on the forums.
No worries, mostly a joke. Well apart from me not knowing it, but my players will understand