When initiating a challenge my group will identify the challenge type and total strength that we are committing to the challenge. Is it also necessary to disclose all of the key words as well such as deadly? Or is it the responsibility of the defender to know/ask if any other keywords are in play for the challenge. For example, I initiate a power challenge with 4 characters for a total strength of 9 and have two deadly characters. Do I have to disclose that the characters have deadly before the keyword triggers during resolution?

Also, we are experiencing very slow play during challenges due to a member of the group basically going through each opponents board state to determine if he can win a challenge. Is this a typical way to play or should challenges be initiated with a certain amount of "fog of war"? Does anyone have suggestions on getting the game to move faster? We are currently averaging 45 minutes to an hour for a single round.

The only information you have to announce it type of challenge, defending player (in a melee game) and attackers. You have to answer truthfully about current total STR, keywords and such, but don't have to announce it.

The only way to speed that up is experience, I'm afraid. If by "round", you mean from one plot phase to the next, you're taking way too much time, though. Tell your friend to begin thinking about his challenges before the phase and adjust his thinking as you are all marshalling and challenging. Don't hesitate to tell him he's going too slow (leave him a few minutes, though, and use the time to think about your own challenges).

Thanks for the information. Yes, by round I mean from one plot to the next. I agree we are taking way too long.

Khudzlin is correct about not needing to announce attacking STR (although it is something a lot of people do, just as a courtesy) or anything else because all the cards are on the table. Answering truthfully is part of good game play, but then, so is checking someone's math. And hidden information is hidden information. What it comes down to is that your opponent can read the cards on the table just as well as you can. You are under no obligation to point out the Deadly attacker - and they certainly can't say "you don't get that power for renown/I don'e have to kill that character for deadly because you didn't announce it when you attacked." Everyone has to take some responsibility for knowing what is in play.

Considering that at the organized tournament level, 60 minutes is 65% to 80% of an entire game, your friend is probably slowing things waaaay down by agonizing over everything. There is not rule preventing it, but it really isn't as complicated as all that. It will get better with experience, but you may also need to create a rule for your own play group that you have to initiate a challenge within a particular time period, or pull the guy aside and tell him how you feel because, in the meantime, it sounds like some of the rest of you are not enjoying the game because of the way he plays, which means that you might stop playing before he learns.

I would also recommend taking this friend of yours and limiting yourself to joust games (Rather than melee). Melee games have even more factors, and tend to take inexperienced players much longer to complete turns. Some practice in joust games is likely a good "training", as is ensuring most decks have a reset (eg "Valar" or "Wildfire Assault", especially the latter, which do a good job of cutting the playfield down to a more manageable size without making everyone feel they've lost everything)

I think that this game certainly has a certain amount of growing pains in it. That being said, playing the game perfectly as a player learning to play is really not how they are going to learn. They need to make mistakes and learn how to make decisions faster. I also play in a group that when asked questions about their cards, they respond truthfully because otherwise the game would take way too long and it would not be nearly as enjoyable.

You are under no obligation(even in a courteous game environment) to admit that you can provide bonuses with triggered effects in play. If you are asked, then, sure you can say that you have cards in play that can help you in a challenge, but that is up to your group of course as to whether you should. I tend to think that we are in a good community and that we will answer truthfully when asked about our revealed information. This game can certainly have too much stuff out at once to process quickly so a little help is always nice. :-)

Bomb said:

"Ok, 9 STR, but you can boost that to 12 with your locations, right?"
"Well, let me turn around my locations so you can read them clearly."

radiskull said:

~ Would you like me to cut your meat for you, too?

ktom said:

Reminds me of a power challenge I did recently with my Asshai deck.

radiskull said:

Haha. That's not what I really meant but I get ya.