Hank does not have to roll for a Horror check the first round he fights a monster. But what happens if he defeats a Nightmarish monster in the first round? Does he suffer the Sanity loss from the Nightmarish ability, or is he too thick-skulled for that as well? ^__^
Hank vs. Nightmarish monsters
Nightmarish X: Any investigator that passes a Horror check when facing this monster loses X Sanity. Hank does not roll the Horror check during the first round of the combat, so he is immune to Nightmarish as well.
Julia is right.
The only reason I'm posting is because we had this come up in an Innsmouth game last weekend. Hank faced off against a Servitor along with 2 Mi-Gos and a Byakhee in a big stack. We had to check the rules for Nightmarish and Hank's special rule specifically since it meant the difference between being devoured or not (Servitor of the Outer Gods is not a nice monster).
Because Hank makes a Horror Check only if he fails an evade or combat, it is possible for him to be immune to the Nightmarish ability. As per Julia's reference to the rules on the back of the main rulebook, Hank isn't effected by Nightmarish unless he is forced to make a Horror check. In our case, failing a combat check got Hank devoured so we made sure he passed his combat check (Bind Monster) and he went on his merry way. Being Hank, he never really knew how horrifying the things he defeated were, but we we all sure greatfull for it.
In conclusion, the only time that Hank takes sanity loss from Nightmarish is if he fails a combat/evade check and then fails his Horror Check.
Odd that a thread pops up on here, relating to something I had to look up in my last game.
Full Doom Track said:
In conclusion, the only time that Hank takes sanity loss from Nightmarish is if he fails a combat/evade check and then fails his Horror Check.
I think you intended: "if he fails a Combat / Evade Check and then passes his Horror Check" (if he failed the Horror Check as well, he'd be damaged according to the Horror Damage the monster has, NIghtmarish is triggered by a passed check).
But indeed, Hank is the best monster whacker in town :-)
Full Doom Track said:
Because Hank makes a Horror Check only if he fails an evade or combat, it is possible for him to be immune to the Nightmarish ability. As per Julia's reference to the rules on the back of the main rulebook, Hank isn't effected by Nightmarish unless he is forced to make a Horror check. In our case, failing a combat check got Hank devoured so we made sure he passed his combat check (Bind Monster) and he went on his merry way. Being Hank, he never really knew how horrifying the things he defeated were, but we we all sure greatfull for it.
This is how we've been playing earlier, just because of the semantics. Then, for some reason, I thought: is this maybe too powerful? Have we played it the wrong way? But it would seem not. Hank "The Tank" Samson is just so thick-skulled. ^__^
Yes Julia!
Thank you for catching that! Hank needs to pass his horror check, if he ever is forced to make one!