Deciding of applying surges during blast attack

By smilekinua, in Descent: Journeys in the Dark

Hello all!

Can anybody tell me, what is the order of applying surges during blast attack?

For example, Leoric has 3 hearts and 2 surges on his attack blast roll against a dracon and a couple of zombies.
1) Does he need to decide how to use surges right after attack roll or he can do it after all defend rolls?
2) If he can does it after all defend rolls, can he use surges in different ways for each of blasted monsters or he should use the same order of applying surge for all targets?

smilek said:

Hello all!

Can anybody tell me, what is the order of applying surges during blast attack?

For example, Leoric has 3 hearts and 2 surges on his attack blast roll against a dracon and a couple of zombies.
1) Does he need to decide how to use surges right after attack roll or he can do it after all defend rolls?
2) If he can does it after all defend rolls, can he use surges in different ways for each of blasted monsters or he should use the same order of applying surge for all targets?

Defense dice are rolled at the same time as attack dice, so I would suggest surges are spent AFTER. This does beg the question why doesn't the attacker roll the defense dice to cut down some time, but whatever.

And surges have to be spent in the same way. You spend a surge, that effects all targets. You want different effects? Gotta attack them multiple times I'm afraid.

I agree, It's the best way: apply the surges after all targets defence roll in same way to all of them.

smilek said:

I agree, It's the best way: apply the surges after all targets defence roll in same way to all of them.

I agree. Unfortunately Dwarven Firebombs make this a little messy (they only blast after you apply surges). I guess spend surge 1 to blast, see all the new defence dice, and then spend the rest of the surges.

Interesting we have been playing like this:

Pick target

Roll attack and defense die

Spend all applicable surges. If a surge gives u blast apply it then.

Then roll defense die for all other monsters.

The initial defense is for the target, so we base all surges on that defense die.

If I have a weapon that has blast already, and then decide to spend a surge on adding 2 damage instead of something like 2 pierce, because the initial defense roll yielded no shields, then my initial decision to apply surges has greater meaning, and seems fairer overall. The remaining rolls may or may not have the maximum number of shields but I like the not knowing aspect of applying surges.

Just how we roll!

mustardayonnaiz said:

Interesting we have been playing like this:

Pick target

Roll attack and defense die

Spend all applicable surges. If a surge gives u blast apply it then.

Then roll defense die for all other monsters.

The initial defense is for the target, so we base all surges on that defense die.

If I have a weapon that has blast already, and then decide to spend a surge on adding 2 damage instead of something like 2 pierce, because the initial defense roll yielded no shields, then my initial decision to apply surges has greater meaning, and seems fairer overall. The remaining rolls may or may not have the maximum number of shields but I like the not knowing aspect of applying surges.

Just how we roll!

This ^^^^^^^^

Exactly how we have been playing, it seems to work out wonderfully.