http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/1316468/descent-journeys-in-the-dark-second-edition

Similar to Avrics ability, he has gains "Surge: Recover 1<3" and another hero which one of my friends is playing from the conversion kit (green mage fellow, with an ecounter skill that has:) Gain "Surge Surge: +5 <3"

My question is: Does he have to say that he will use the encounter ability before rolling the dice? Since he dont know if he will get the surges, and he doesnt gain 2 surges fromt he ability? Only the chance to spend surges rolled on the dice on the ability he has? (and if he doesnt get the surges, he still flips the card over?)

Second question: As a Disciple (which I am playing atm in our group), I picked up Radiant light after saving my experience for it and also picked up and item that gives me +1 Stamina. Was this a good choice? The spell seems really strong to me, but I havent had time to utilize it yet.

If I'm remembering the character you are referring to, it is the unique hero ability where he has to spend two surge to add +5 damage and it is a mage hero, right?

The answer is, he has to use the skill first and then roll. Meaning if he misses (blue x), he is screwed or if he fails to get two surges, also screwed.

Bear in mind, however, since he is a magic user, there is an act 1 shop item which grants +1 surge and if he is a runemage (not the necro), he gets a skill which also adds +1 surge. So a runemage is guaranteed to have 2 surges at least for one attack each and every round but it does take some buildup/questing to get there.

To answer your second question, I think Radiant light is very good. Something I've seen on boardgamegeek forums is people keep forgetting that it has a caviat of line of sight. So if you are surrounded by heroes, you will get to heal them, but you won't do much damage to the monsters on the other side of those heroes. Nonetheless, it is a fantastic spell.

The 3 fatigue is what limits you from using it often, and the +1 stamina you picked up is well worth it.

If I choose to be a healer, I go for the 4 or 5 stamina heroes. Stamina is super important and having to rest due to low stamina vs. having enough to eek out another healing spell can be the difference between winning and losing. Another skill which pairs well with it is "Time of need". That is the one that lets you to move two spaces and recover two fatigue every round. Don't leave home without it.

Disciple in one of the campaigns is Aurim, 5 move + 5 Stamina and gets to use his potions (his HF gets a free Search card) on each adjacent hero plus himself. He can get around nicely, especially after getting hold of a Stamina potion or two.

Question 1:

Alvric's hero ability is a free ability, it's considered to be "on" at all times since it doesn't take an action, it doesn't say "as an action" nor does it have the -> icon either. The only requirement for this hero ability is that you are within 3 spaces to him to spend a surge to heal.

As for Landrec the Wise's ability: "Use when making an attack, before dice are rolled. This attack gains: surge surge: +5 <3" This feat can only be used before the attack is rolled but it's also a free action, so you can declare when to use it on the fly and feeling "lucky."

Question 2:

Radiant Light is a great skill. It may seem powerful but remember, it is a "level 3" skill and takes a bit of time to get to it. It's a nice feature cause not only are you healing all heroes in any direction in your LoS, your also damaging enemies as well. Remember, you're only rolling 1 red power die for this though, so even though you may find it a bit powerful, you're only doing max 3 health/dmg.

Coldmoonrising said:

It takes no time at all to get. You'll have 3 xp after the very first quest. You then have the skill for the remaining 7 quests in the campaign.

voodoochile78 said:

Only if the heroes won First Blood (which granted they should), picked a quest that gives 2XP AND won that quest.

Dam said:

Introduction - 1xp, win or lose

Quest 1, Encounter 1 - 1xp, win or lose

Quest 1, Encounter 2 - 1xp, win or lose.

That's 3 guaranteed xp right there, ready to be spent after the first quest is complete.

encounter 1 never gives xp.

voodoochile78 said:

1) To my knowledge, there is no quest that gives 2XP to heroes in Act I (my knowledge isn't first-hand however).

2) As already stated, Encounter 1 of a quest gives no XP rewards.

Therefore, the Disciple will have Radiant Light for the last regular quest of Act I at earliest, which will also mean that he won't have Cleansing Touch, letting the OL rule with Web Traps, Stuns and Immobilizes for almost all of Act I.

Radiant Light will then be very useful for 2 quests (or even only 1, the Interlude, if the Disciple took Cleansing Touch after First Blood), after which its usefulness decreases a lot in Act II.

It doesn't seem that game-breaking to me.

voodoochile78 said:

You're players must be swimming in xp…