Abusing Uncontrollable Urges, a.k.a. "The Keeper's a JERK!"

By Pigeonbane, in Mansions of Madness

Posted at

Acererak said:

Scilin said:

The game is intended to be thematic not just I pull out the easy win so I would advise just using your discretion when dealing with things like this afterall if your abusing all technicalities and going for nonstop no win scenarios no one will want to play with you anymore, when playing the keeper keep in mind it's still meant to be fun for the investigators, that said make their life hell but don't go overboard on things like those described in this post.

Since the game engine is built around the Keeper bringing hell on to the rest of players, I think is a very risky stuff to leave game limits into the players hands. The game might become a joke for many people. Who decides the limits to the rules? Based on what reasons? What I might find a fun balance, other friend of mine might not. In my opinion, the rules should never need any limit auto imposed by the players to make the game fun. If I am playing by the rules, but that turns the game into something not fun for anyone, I don´t think is my fault, really. I think there is something not working as it should.

That said, my greatest complaint is still the use of this card (UU). I am still waiting for official answer to my queries. In the meantime, I found the need of imposing limits to the game precisely to make it fun and avoid discussions. The use of this card in story 5 is definitely a game breaker. If i can just use it to start making the players shoot each other every turn, the story turns into a bloody cheap western with half the group dead in two turns. Either that, or the Investigators better come unarmed. Just think about the Tommy gun. Spend four Threat in the first turn and pretty much finish off any 6/8 Health Investigator. Why such an option should be allowed by the rules?

UU is strong, but you still cannot use it to make Investigators attack each other.

Posted at

Dan said:

UU is strong, but you still cannot use it to make Investigators attack each other.

Even in scenario 5 where the players can attack each other/are considered monsters, uncontrollable urges cannot make a player attack.

Posted at

I understand the issues with UU, my opinion is just to adjust the cost to the number of investigators, cost 3 if there are 3 investigators. As it is now, you could use it on multiple investigators in a turn requiring them to "run" each turn just to keep moving forward.

And not to hijack, but the pyromaniac card would not be too hard to abuse either.

Posted at

I got a response from Corey on this and I take it from his email that it can only be used once per target for a particular action, so you can't move any one investigator more than one space. Nor, I believe, can you use it to force them to use a given item more than once. It did sound to me that you could use it to move them, then make them use every item available to them. I shall post the full e-mail response later.

Posted at

CraggleRock said:

I got a response from Corey on this and I take it from his email that it can only be used once per target for a particular action, so you can't move any one investigator more than one space. Nor, I believe, can you use it to force them to use a given item more than once. It did sound to me that you could use it to move them, then make them use every item available to them. I shall post the full e-mail response later.

If so, this is more errata, as nowhere on the card or in the rules does it say this.

Posted at

CraggleRock said:

I got a response from Corey on this and I take it from his email that it can only be used once per target for a particular action, so you can't move any one investigator more than one space. Nor, I believe, can you use it to force them to use a given item more than once. It did sound to me that you could use it to move them, then make them use every item available to them. I shall post the full e-mail response later.

Please quote your full question and the full answer. Thanks, great that you found out!

Posted at

This was my question :

Hi fellows

Several players have realized a problem with the card Uncontrollable Urges. It seems that by using it in combination with other items (Skull) or actions (move Investigator) can be a game breaker in some scenarios, allowing for unwanted and not very funny outcomes.

Could you please confirm if the intent of this card is to be used just once per turn per investigator? Seems that way, all problems will be solved.

Thanks!

And this Corey´s reply :

Uncontrollable urges can only use this card once per turn per target. This means that the keeper can force an investigator to use each item once per turn (and/or move once per turn)
.
I hope this answers your question!
-Corey Konieczka
VP of R&D
Fantasy Flight Games

This fixes most problems ecountered so far, I think. A new important errata that will need to be included in next FAQ, I guess.

Posted at

Uh?

So threat pool permitting - For Example -

2 - Move investigator

2 - Use Ceramonial Skull

2- Throw Lantern

2 - Use Sedative

8 threat total

The "And/Or" in his answer doesn't clear much up

Posted at

Acererak said:

Uncontrollable urges can only use this card once per turn per target.

Uh, what?
I guess he means "The Keeper can...", which would mean "Once per turn per investigator", imho.
Which, effectively, causes the second sentence to be irrelevant or plain wrong.

Not very helpful, to be honest :(

Posted at

Elbi said:

Acererak said:

Uncontrollable urges can only use this card once per turn per target.

Uh, what?
I guess he means "The Keeper can...", which would mean "Once per turn per investigator", imho.
Which, effectively, causes the second sentence to be irrelevant or plain wrong.

Not very helpful, to be honest :(

Well, I think the second sentence mainly clarifies the first (which he might have written in a rush, yes, since does not sound correct to me either).

In any case, the target of UU is either the Investigator move or certain items he is carrying. Which then means the card can be played to force the use of each of these items (or the move) once per turn in each Investigator. That´s how I read it.

Posted at

Acererak said:

Well, I think the second sentence mainly clarifies the first (which he might have written in a rush, yes, since does not sound correct to me either).

In any case, the target of UU is either the Investigator move or certain items he is carrying. Which then means the card can be played to force the use of each of these items (or the move) once per turn in each Investigator. That´s how I read it.




Posted at

Dan said:

CraggleRock said:

I got a response from Corey on this and I take it from his email that it can only be used once per target for a particular action, so you can't move any one investigator more than one space. Nor, I believe, can you use it to force them to use a given item more than once. It did sound to me that you could use it to move them, then make them use every item available to them. I shall post the full e-mail response later.

Please quote your full question and the full answer. Thanks, great that you found out!

Yep, sorry, forgot to do this last night, here we are...

Original mail

For the Keeper's Action cards available, particularly the Uncontrolable Urges cards, would it be advisable to treat them as being "once per turn, per target"? Uncontrolable Urges in particular seems inclined towards abuse if permitted to use large amounts of threat to move an investigator back the entire length of the map. Or perhaps "Once per turn, per action, per target" allowing for the Keeper to spend to move the investigator and make them take any number of available actions

Reply

Yes, you can only use this card once per turn per target. This means that he can only force an investigator to use an item once per turn (and only move him once per turn). Your last sentence example is correct.

Posted at

CraggleRock said:

Yes, you can only use this card once per turn per target. This means that he can only force an investigator to use an item once per turn (and only move him once per turn). Your last sentence example is correct.

I'm okay with that.

Posted at

Elbi said:

CraggleRock said:

Yes, you can only use this card once per turn per target. This means that he can only force an investigator to use an item once per turn (and only move him once per turn). Your last sentence example is correct.


... now I'm just amused. Again he manages to contradict himself in the first and last sentence, but elaborates on the rules a bit more inbetween. So... more or less obviously we have a case of "Once per turn per investigator per action".

I'm okay with that.

Yes, it somewhat makes sense to me to be able to move an investigator a space and make them use an item (threat permitting). From the investigator's point of view, it means maintaining at least one space distance between one another to prevent use of the card to more detrimental effect, and keeping the investigators somewhat seperated is good strategy for the Keeper demonio.gif