I have a question about the 3 legendary items that can be obtained in the Island of Dead expansion......the rulebook says that these can be used before " A combat roll" but doesnt specifically say which combat roll.......one of the players in my group says that the spear can only be used before a ranged combat roll to make a succueesful ranged attack, melee for melee, magic for magic, etc.......

I interpret the rules to mean different....as written, it appears that any of these items can be used at any time before any combat roll, for example if my plan is to make a melee attack I could use the legendary magic item before I make my defend roll in the range phase (which would give me a succussful magic attack) afterwrads the defense roll would stil have to be made fr range (the item wouldnt allow me to skip the range phase) then I would go on to attack in themelee phase....am i reading this right???

i cant find any FAQ for this, and my group would like to know the right way to play this

thanks

mhutton said:

I'm not entitled to give official answers, I just tell you what I think.

Spear of Trelton, Sword of Antenor and Talisman of Korsec-Amin are explained as you say, but I second the interpretation of your fellow players. I think it's right to use these Legendary Items just before the appropriate combat roll, because the text is "to automatically succeed at a Ranged/Melee/Magic attack" and not "to automatically make a succesful Ranged/Melee/Magic attack".

This slight difference in wording implies that you're already trying a certain type of attack and discarding the appropriate Item grants you an automatic success. You cannot "succeed at a Magic attack" if you're making a combat roll to defend in Ranged combat. You can succeed at a Magic attack if you attack in the Magic Phase.

Good call, Warlock! Haven't played IoD, but have seen some of those cards, and I think you spot-on for the rhetoric and mechanics involved.