Just going through some combat with myself before I try this with my group. I am curious about defense cards. If you are attacked, so you use a defense card and thus lose your action because you opted for the defense action? Can someone explain how the defense cards work, when they come into play and how it affects your remaining turns?

Also, once a wizard casts a spell. I know the spell has recharge tokens on it, but are you then free to cast an additional spell on your next turn that does not have recharge tokens on it?

For the monster stats, the numbers beside the main attributes such as the toughness/soak stat. Do you combine these to get the total soak, or just use the secondary number for this part of combat. Also, for damage, do you add the secondary number to the basic strength?

I'm also a little iffy on the miniature cards. For one, there aren't enough for you to build a solid encounter with them. Do any of you opt for no tokens, or are you using miniatures, or some other way?

Thanks!

Wookie

sugarwookie said:

1. Using defense cards don't use up your action. You can use any or all of your available defenses on any given attack. What keeps you from using all every time you are attacked is recharge. Often, you want to space them out so you don't get caught without one available.

2. Yes, you can cast any spell that is not recharging, even when another is.

3. You treat them as if they were equipment bonuses, so you add them to the ability. If you deck out the creature in different gear, then replace those numbers with the new equipment's.

4. I've been using the standups, but sometimes have to get creative with the imagery on them. I understand the GM box helps with that, and I'm hoping the upcoming Creature Vault does too.

As I've been running them:

1) Defense cards, when used in the enemy's turn, do not prevent the PC from using actions when their turn comes around again. They are used in reaction to when an enemy declares an attack against the PC to immediately add dice to the enemy's attack roll. One places the recharge counters on the defense card, and can only use it again in the same manner once that defense card has fully recharged.

2) Yes, you do not have to wait for the old spell to fully recharge to use a new spell. You can use a different spell each turn, as long as you can afford it, and that the one you use is fully recharged. It would be terrible otherwise! Some spells have a recharge value of 9!

3) As damage is strenght plus weapon damage, and damage reduction is toughness plus soak, I combine the two values to create the total damage/damage reduction value.

4) I personally use stand ups for important NPCs (proxying in some cases), and then tokens for the smaller units or henchmen, as is intended, as I understand. Just be clear to translate which tokens are what - which is where the differently coloured tokens come in handy.

EDIT: Totally ninja'd!

The previous responses are correct. I will point out with #2, though, that there are some spell cards that preclude casting another spell while the card is recharging. This is simply due to the fact that recharge can do double-duty for spells as it also represents a duration for RiP spells. So, some spells have an effect while the card is recharging, such as an area of darkness, the caster causing Fear, etc. Casting another spell in those instances, typically, immediately cancels the sustained spell.

dvang said:

Hmmm, I haven't seen that. Is that stated on the card?

Same, i haven't seen a spell (Ongoing) which would prevent the castin of another. Ongoning is just a lasting trait of a spell/blessing that keeps the effect as long as there is at least 1 recharge token on the card. Nothing forbid you to try to cast another spell/blessing next round.

There are some that require a Prepare Manoeuvre on the round they are cast though.

You'll notice on spell cards where boons allow the adding of recharge tokens to the card, for example. These are durations. From my memory, at least some of these 'duration' spells specifically say on the card that they expire or remove all tokens (or something similar) if another spell is cast. Check ones like the Gray Wizard's Darkness spell, or a Gold Wizard's armor spell, etc. I don't have any in front of me right now, and it probably doesn't apply to all of them. I'm pretty sure, though, that at least of couple of the spells do this.

Gold Order's "Guard of Steel" gives Defence and/or Soak (depends on red/green side and boons) for the duration of the Spell.

The Rank 3 armor version "Golden Skin of Balthazar Gelt", which owns, is similar but better (it may allow you to activate up to 2 extra spells in the same action).

The effects of those 2 last until there are no more Tokens and nothing prevents you from casting another spell next round

I checked Grey Order's spells too, none need sustaining in subsequent rounds either. But i did not checked all 80 spells (10 per Order) and Dark/Chaos/Tzeentch ones.

It's most likely probable that there is, or could be, such a spell around that would require the caster to keep on it. I'd guess the spell is, or would be, powerfull.