Questions from a new player/OL

By Bjorn Rockfist, in Descent: Journeys in the Dark

Hello and thanks ahead of time for all the answers and advice. I recently bought the core game, Lair x-pac, and the Labyrith x-pac. I also have the Trollfens x-pac pre-ordered. I plan on running a campaign that includes all. So my questions are:

1 - In what order is the best way I should run the quests?

2 - Is it a good idea to allow my players to use any of the classes from the start?

3 - Lastly, is it ok to add all the x-pacs shop cards and OL cards to the decks at the start?

I am currently just trying to figure out how to add them in and when.

1. Thematically, LoR happens first in the time line. It's a prequel to the base set. I will say the quests feel more advanced though. I would still play at least one campaign with SR first. You can also play some of the quests as basic quests and some epic quests to let you and your players get a feel for it before dedicating a campaign to it. My group couldn't wait. We jumped in face first.

2. Playing with all the class cards I think should be fine. They will get acquainted with everything faster that way. Our group loves the verity.

3.If you use all the class cards then you should use ALL of the things, including all the shop and OL cards. This will give the OL a choose between basic and basic II cards. If adding everything in is overwhelming, then play just the base game for a while and then add other things as you feel you have grown accustom to everything. But if you play with all the heroes and class cards then you should use all of the other cards from all explanations. It would not be fair fro the OL or the heroes' shop step.

Thank you for the advice!

Sure thing! Keep me posted. I hope you enjoy it!

Since we already have a question thread up, I think I may as well ask this here instead of starting a new one:

How do monsters test skills/attributes? For the first time, my players have picked up skills that allow them to bestow Conditions onto the OL's monsters. The problem is, I've no idea how to test them. Do the monsters pass automatically since they do not have any listed attributes, such as Awareness or Might? If not, how am I to perform a test?

Since we already have a question thread up, I think I may as well ask this here instead of starting a new one:

How do monsters test skills/attributes? For the first time, my players have picked up skills that allow them to bestow Conditions onto the OL's monsters. The problem is, I've no idea how to test them. Do the monsters pass automatically since they do not have any listed attributes, such as Awareness or Might? If not, how am I to perform a test?

Page 15 of the Rules of Play booklet (Attribute Tests) states:

"However, minion and master monsters do not have attributes. If a minion or master monster is required to make an attribute test, it automatically fails the test."

Since we already have a question thread up, I think I may as well ask this here instead of starting a new one:

I would believe the opposite is better.

When searching the forum for answers to given questions, it is much easier if there is one thread per question.

For an example, if I was asking myself the questions you try to solve here, it would be nearly impossible to find your post withou scanning through all the posts of the threads on the forum.

(I presume that you have noted that there is not just one question thread?).

Since my friends and I have played most of the Shadow Rune campaign, and we have the rules down pretty well I think I will do mine as follows.

Labyrinth of Ruin, Shadow Rune, Lair of the Wyrm, then Trollfens

I plan on allowing my players to use any class at the start while I use all the OL cards. I will use the Rumor cards as well. I just think it looks like it will flow and play well this way.