This is where I'm going to ask questions over obscure (obscure to me at least) items, so first one.

Do you have to dedicate a hand to Ritual Blade in order to get its spell check bonus?

I'm leaning towards no.

I would say it is the same as the Bullwhip and Cross. You don't have to be using either of those in combat to gain the secondary bonus.

I am going to lean towards, Yes, you must dedicate the hand.

The Bullwhip and Cross have slightly different functions in that one requires a special action (exhaust) to use it and the other grants a bonus to horror checks which are not part of the actual combat checks.

Ritual blade appears to be giving you a spell bonus so that you can cast a spell in combat. So much like it wouldn't grant the +1 Combat if you didn't equip it, I don't see it giving you the +1 Spell. Thematically, it seems to be wanting you to use both a spell and the blade in a ceremonially sacrifice of the monster.

But I can also see it going the way of the Bullwhip and Cross - especially during casting of Spells at times other than combat.

I think the Cross is the best precedence and it doesn't require hands.

Actually, it is much more surprising that the Bullwhip doesn't need a hand for its effect because it is an active effect as opposed to the passive increase on skill checks granted by the Cross and the Ritual Blade.

Bleh! I hate these questions, because the answers never make sense...that is, either way, the answer violates mechanics or theme, so it's never really resolved. Handless crosses and whips...and now knives...just don't work in my head...but my head has been judged wrong...BLEH!

Since Ritual Blade doesn't say "Spells-with-hands Spell Checks", you can use it any time you cast any Spell. So I can't see you being forced to use a hand to use the Spell Check bonus just because you're in a Combat situation.

I extend that idea such that I feel you should receive the spell bonus all the time , and not necessarily during combat. In the same way that just owning the cross makes your Horror checks easier (because you are comforted somewhat), I believe that just owning the blade helps your spell checks, because it has been enchanted for ritual use.

jgt7771 said:

I agree these questions suck, as well.

Thematically, the cross is worn around your neck so it is always there. And knowing you have it allows you to take some solace while confronting the unknown. In order to clutch it in your hand and make sure the Undead sees it though takes up a hand but gives you +3 on your Combat check.

The best explanation for the bullwhip was from a previous poster (don't remember who) and used it in the context of Indy Jones. They said he would try to use whatever weapon he did equip, but seeing that it failed, would use his lightening fast reflexes to grap the whip and hit whatever. It still doesn't give you +1 unless you equip it but the refresh is there for a quick re-roll.

What can you say for the Ritual Blade? Most likely you are carrying it in a sheath. Does its mere presence inspire you to encant the spells better? Or does griping it give you the peace you need to clear your mind?

Hindsight being 20/20, they should have broken passive and active effects and made it crystal clear that some abilities are "always on" and some are "only on if you hold them."

I would have to agree with others that you do NOT have to devote hands for Spell Checks. Since we are in agreement with the Cross (that you do not have to devote hands for Horror Checks), the Ritual Blade is set up the same way.

Thematically, since the Ritual Blade is a magical weapon, it is blessed with some sort of magical power. The user just needs to be in possession of it to increase the chances of casting a spell.

Bottom line is that you use hands for using weapons and casting spells. Ritual Blade is a weapon and you must devote a hand to use it as a weapon (Combat Check). Ritual Blade is not a spell.

Looks like you don't have to dedicate a hand to get its spell bonus to me.

I should have named this tread my Random AH questions...here is another one...

Darrell Simmons basically has no special ability sense it take place during the Town Encounter ? I know it should read Arkham Encounter but has anyone noticed this before?

jgt7771 said:

Doesn't make sense? THIS! IS! ARKHAM!

:')

Would Rex start the game with 4 clues and not 3 due to his Investigator ability aka whenever he gains a clue(s) get gain another one.

Does staring stuff counts as gain?

MrsGamura said:

When it's drawing cards it's a gain. But I think with Rex the answer is no, because the sheet would have made a better effort to inform the player that "3" really meant "4," so I've been playing it as 3.

The rulebook does specifically state "Abilities that affect drawing cards from the card decks, such as Monterey Jack’s Archaeology ability, do work when drawing random possessions at the start of the game."

This therefore specifically does not include Rex's ability because it doesn't involve him drawing cards.

The Rumor from the base game that return a ally to the box at the End of every Mythos phase...

it says activity at South Side Streets but the pass condition is at Ma's...

a little confusing because the activity should be at Ma's!

MrsGamura said:

I noticed that they didn't correct this mistake in 2nd Edition. Just remember to put the Marker at Ma's instead of Southside.

Can you trade with an Investigator that "Skips his next turn"? For example 2 Investigators LiTaS or that encounter at the wood where you gain, "4 clues, 2 spells or 1 skill" but Skip your next turn and what if that same investigator gets drawn though a Gate? Do they have no OW encounter?

Tibs said:

Of course, it's fun if Ma's has closed down/gotten rubbled (Shudde has a token for Ma's, right?).

Dam said:

I always play it as an activity in the Southside Streets, because every other Rumor has one at a Street and never at a location. Was this answered officially?

And no, Shudde-M'ell doesn't have a token for Ma's.

MrsGamura said:

Skip your next turn = Don't do anything but stand up. No encounters, no Upkeep, no trading, etc.

Stay here next turn / delayed = Don't do anything but stand up during the movement phase . The other 4 phases are normal.

ColtsFan76 said:

The handbook is actually inconclusive here as the entry for LiTaS says the following:

Any investigator who is lost in time and space is immediately
moved to the Lost in Time and Space area of the
board. The investigator is now delayed, and the player
should place the investigator marker on its side. The
investigator loses his next turn, remaining in the Lost in
Time and Space area. The player may only stand his
investigator marker back up during the Movement
Phase. On the following turn, at the start of the Upkeep
Phase, the player may move his investigator to any location
or street area of his choice in Arkham.

This states you are both delayed and you lose your next turn. So which is it? Will Mark Harrigan be able to return to Arkham on the next turn because he cannot be delayed or does he lose his next turn? Similarly, if you become LiTaS during the Upkeep (which is possible with the Black Pharao Herald), when do you return? Next round or in two rounds?

I also asked myself what happens if you are LiTaS under some circumstances, e.g.:

You are first player and the first player gains a clue. Even more complicated if you have a Press Pass.

You are first player and the Mythos card that has the first player succeed at a check or be cursed is drawn.

The Mythos card that lets every player succeed at a check to be blessed is drawn.

Can abilities that modify specific actions still be used, e. g. Mandy's reroll, Jaqueline's redraw, Charlie's Terror prevention (not that we need more open questions regarding Charlie )

These could probably be summarized as: "If something is not tied to a specific phase, can it be done if you have to skip your turn?"

You are completely correct in that the rulebook is ambiguous. I asked Kevin about this and wanted to know if LiTaS was meant to be a "double whammey" in that you lost one turn and then were delayed the next turn. In one of the few email responses directly from him, he stated it was just meant as lose your turn completely, distinct from just being delayed, and that you are not also delayed on top of losing your turn.

ColtsFan76 said:

Yes, I think that turning the piece on its side while you're in LiTaS is only supposed to help you track how long you've been there. Mark Harrigan therefore wouldn't have a quicker time, and you'd put him on his side just like anyone else, but just for the sake of tracking him.

Morgaln said:

I wouldn't think investigator's ability could not be used.

How about the Pickpocket RIng at Large...the don't use these words, "AT LARGE," lightly because your getting pickpocket while LiTaS!

What does, "loses his next turn mean"?

Upkeep: skip...then how could you complete Join the Winning Team?

Movement: skip

Arkham Encounter: skip

Other World Encounters: skip

Mythos: skip...so does this mean you don't draw a Mythos card?

You can have negative thing happen to investigators that, "losses his next turn". For example take Sanity damage from Colour Out of Space, etc

So why not positive...Soothing Night!, trading, etc?

If a Mythos effect doesn't specify, then I guess you would apply the effect to investigators in LiTaS as well. However, Headline text is just for flavor and shouldn't be used to make rule arguments (just thematic ones!)

What does losing a turn mean? Yes, skip upkeep, movement, and both encounters. Phase 5 is not investigator specific, it is the game playing. So Phase 5 would occur even if all players were in LiTaS. Effects from these cards would also happen as they are not investigators playing but global things happening.

To your specific examples, JtWT would still happen. Remember, the order is that you get sent to LiTaS, usually from pahse 4. You then skip your entire next turn, only standing up your investigator. Then on the 3rd turn (counting the turn you first got there), you move back to Arkham at the start of the upkeep phase. The requirement for Missions is that you sacrifice at the start of the upkeep phase. So at this time, you would sacrifice the ally for the win.

As I said, Mythos effects would harm/benefit you if they did not specify Arkham or Other worlds codnitions. When you are in LiTaS, you areneithe in Arkham nor the OW. So $ would be lost with Pickpockets and a Sanity would be gained from Soothing Night.

Colour out of Space specifically mentions investigators in Arkham, so OW and LiTaS investigators are immune from this damage.

I wasn't strickly just asking about investigator that loss their next turn do to LiTaS but to any and everything.

I thought returning from LiTaS happens before anything else during the turn including the Upkeep! Plus your interpritation of JtW make it even more impossible!!

Plague of Locust ~This spell effects all investigators and monsters in this neighborhood. Investigators lose 1 Stamina, and monsters' toughness is reduced by 1. Monsters with 0 toughness are returned to the cup.

My questions is are the monster permanently -1 toughness or is it until end of turn? I've been playing it as permantly!

PS: I know Plague of Locus should exhaust.