SoB: lieutenant encounter mechanics

By Bigtoy, in Descent: Journeys in the Dark

So running my first group through Sea of Blood and there's been the usual litany of mistakes (400g per treasure pile? Cash rewards for masters? My favorite: using JitD monster cards instead of the SoB stats) but there hasn't been too much pain. Except none of us are sure exactly how lieutenant battles work out. I brought out the Siren early to start sieging bindings and the party rushed to stop her. Fabulous.

So the party arrived at the Narrows of Gracor to stop her, and we stared at each other. Do we use the generic island map? The one specific for the Narrows? Is it just the lieutenant and her minions or are the 'usual monsters' there too? Can the party come back for the regular island encounter after the lieutenant is chased off?

Thanks for your help. I did try searching the faq and the forums before asking the typical newbie question; I look forward to being gently pointed at the proper page in the rules.

-Jed

Bigtoy said:

So running my first group through Sea of Blood and there's been the usual litany of mistakes (400g per treasure pile? Cash rewards for masters? My favorite: using JitD monster cards instead of the SoB stats) but there hasn't been too much pain. Except none of us are sure exactly how lieutenant battles work out. I brought out the Siren early to start sieging bindings and the party rushed to stop her. Fabulous.

So the party arrived at the Narrows of Gracor to stop her, and we stared at each other. Do we use the generic island map? The one specific for the Narrows? Is it just the lieutenant and her minions or are the 'usual monsters' there too? Can the party come back for the regular island encounter after the lieutenant is chased off?

Thanks for your help. I did try searching the faq and the forums before asking the typical newbie question; I look forward to being gently pointed at the proper page in the rules.

-Jed

SoB pg18
When the heroes attack, or are attacked by, a lieutenant, an encounter ensues that is similar – although not identical to – a normal encounter.

Then follows the 6 differences between a Lt encounter and a normal encounter.

First, rather than drawing an Incident card, the overlord uses the lieutenant’s card as the encounter’s Incident card. In addition, if the “Shipwreck” location card is drawn, discard it and draw again.
None of the other differences mention location, so a Lt encounter is the same as a normal encounter wrt location. You have already drawn the 'incident card' (well, in effect, not reality, since you are using the Lt card to replace that draw).
SoB pg15
Incident cards without a prominent “non-combat” designation generate combat encounters. When these cards are drawn, the overlord shuffles all of the Location cards and draws one.

There is your first answer. Draw a location card (redrawing if you get shipwreck), which means use the other, empty-sea side, of the island map, with additional terrain as indicated on the location card.

The only monsters are the Lt and its minions, though additional monsters maybe reinfirced according to the Lt's capabilities. And if a Lt has Hordes of the Things it will get two additional monsters of course.

The Island dungeon level is a different thing entirely and totally unrelated to the Lt encounter.

Edit: Monster setup rules are on pg17.

It makes so much more sense when you put it in that order.

Thank you very much. I made a panic upgrade to silver skeletons so we'll see if they still have the guts to charge in.

-Jed

Yes all this is clear, but how do you setup monsters in an encounter with no ship? Which ship does the lieutenant Siren use?

As I see it, monsters can not be deployed in the ocean, only the lieutenant and thus the fight will not be fair at all and the party can instant kill the lieutenant with a single round of cannonshots. Then i see no point in using lieutenants at sea, and just upgrade the avatar until the party reaches the final battle.

Bjork1 said:

Yes all this is clear, but how do you setup monsters in an encounter with no ship? Which ship does the lieutenant Siren use?

As I see it, monsters can not be deployed in the ocean, only the lieutenant and thus the fight will not be fair at all and the party can instant kill the lieutenant with a single round of cannonshots. Then i see no point in using lieutenants at sea, and just upgrade the avatar until the party reaches the final battle.

You couldn't be more wrong. Lt encounters are very difficult for the heroes, with a couple of exceptions, and cannons are virtually useless if the OL is smart.

SoB pg17
After the heroes are placed on the map, the overlord places the leader and his minions on the map. Figures without the Soar or Swim abilities must be placed on the NPC ship. Figures with the Soar or Swim abilities may be placed along any edge of the ocean map , but they must be at least five spaces away from the heroes’ ship . Large monsters must be placed completely on the map.

Lts don't use ships, except the Lt which is a ship.

All Lts and all Lt minions have either Soar or Swim. The only possibility for non Soaring or Swimming minions are the Siren's Hordes of the Things extras - if you want you could choose Beastmen, who have neither swim nor soar, and you would then be unable to place them. So you choose spiders, who have swim (all the skeleton figures are already in use).
The Lt can start at the head of the map where no cannons can point. Or, since Monsters are placed after ships and heroes, can take advantage of whatever side or rear is exposed with shorter ranged or no cannons. It is extremely easy to completely avoid ever being within a firing arc of a cannon with a Lt.

Obviously non of these comments include the Ghost Ship Lt.