First of all, sorry for the long post.
Quest 5 “Last Wishes” first time we see Staircases… and we need an explanation:
Now, let’s say that we have 2 areas “Area1” and “Area2” connected each other only by a staircase.
So we have understand that through staircases:
A- Single-target attacks (melee, ranged and magic) works normally, as usual they must follow the line of sight rule (LoS changed to the staircase rules).
B- Breath attacks can’t be made .
C- Explosions in Area1 don’t extend to Area2, radius doesn’t matter.
The questions are the following:
1- If a single-target melee attack is viable trough staircase also Aura effect should works as the 2 staircase are adjacent… right?
So if a master hellhound is in the staircase’s square of Area1 and a hero move to the staircase’s square in Area2, the hero will suffer damage from Aura?
2- May I do BLAST attacks in Area2 even if I’m in Area1, by targeting an empty space for which I have line of sight (respecting staircases line of sight special rules)? Or Blast attacks are considered similar to Breath attacks and this prevents me from doing Blast attack through staircases?
If I can make a single-target magic attack trough staircase I should be able to target a single square from which generate a Blast and then calculate radius (Ok, radius doesn’t extend through different areas)… am I wrong?
3- The 2 end of staircases are considered adjacent for movement and range… but not for some (all?) abilities: exactly what doesn’t pass from Area 1 to Area 2?
Does Command pass through? Someone in Area1 can give bonus to someone in Area2?
Knockback? May I use an attack to throw an enemy form Area 1 to Area 2 using staircases?
Grapple? As the example in question 1 replacing the word Aura with the word Grapple.
Runewitch Astarra has the hero’s abilty “Glyphs activate when she moves within 6 spaces of them” .. staying in Area1 does she activate glyphs in Area2 within 6 spaces from here?
4- Can a hero shoot a blast attack through staircases in a square for which he has LOS in an area that they haven’t explored yet, and then expect to inflict damage to monsters in the blast’s radius even if they aren’t on the map (because heroes haven’t explored it yet)?
RULES ABOUT STAIRCASES and FAQ
Staircases: “..Attacks may be made through a staircase just as if the two staircase spaces were adjacent. A figure standing on one end of a staircase has line of sight to the other end of the staircase and its adjacent spaces, while a figure standing adjacent to one end of a staircase has line of sight to the other end of the staircase.”
Blast:”… A space is only affected by the Blast attack if it has line of sight to the target space.” (and is in Blast’s radius)
Breath (FAQ 3 July 2012):”… Breath attacks cannot be made through staircases.”
(FAQ 3 July 2012):”… The radius of a Blast attack or other area attacks (such as the Word of Vaal, Sweep, etc.) DON’T extend through a staircase.”
(FAQ 3 July 2012):” For range purpose each staircase square count as 1 space.”
(FAQ 3 July 2012):”Q: Do the effects of abilities such as Aura, Spiritwalker, Command, and Kirga's hero ability (from Altar of Despair) extend through staircases?
A: Only non-area of effect attacks may go through staircases.”
Probably all the answers to our questions lay in the last sentence … the problem it isn’t clear to us, maybe my poor English, but exactly what does it mean?
1- Only attacks may go through staircases? So Command doesn’t work because it is an ability and not an attack? Aura is considered and attack or it is not because you don’t roll dices? All the abilities do not work through staircases?
2- And only single-target attack may go through staircases, or also area-attacks may go through staircase? Ok, Breath attacks can’t, and anyway the radius of area attacks don’t extend through staircases, so the explosion is limited to a single area. But is possible to shoot a Blast attack from an Area A to an Area B, through staircases? (always with LoS limitation for staircases)
Again: sorry for the long post.