I feel FFG has really ramped up the difficulty at the 4 player level

Druadan Forest has given us a first turn loss on the two occasions we have tried

And Journey into Ithilien is killing heroes first turn every time?

I think perhaps this level of play is not being tested adequately?

Goaded on by some players who say each quest is 'easy', I feel that perhaps FFG is forgetting that those players play almost exclusively solo and have a lot more control over the gameplay

They only use the best of the best cards and heroes for each quest and don't suffer the synergies of an encounter deck drawing (at least) 4 cards per quest phase (nor facing X number of shadow cards per round as a corollary)

Thoughts?

I don't think I've ever played 4-player. I've played 2 and three a few times, but almost exclusively solo. Certainly some of the early quests seemed like solo play was the one that hadn't been tested thoroughly enough (Dol Guldur & return to Mirkwood, anyone?). Interesting to hear it seems to have switched.

Playing solo, I find it very difficult to actually lose Druadan Forest. I might have to try playing 4-handed just to see what it's like.

exactly

I immediately played Druadan solo to see if I was crazy, and got through it first try no hassle.

I feel FFG has really ramped up the difficulty at the 4 player level

Druadan Forest has given us a first turn loss on the two occasions we have tried

And Journey into Ithilien is killing heroes first turn every time?

I think perhaps this level of play is not being tested adequately?

Goaded on by some players who say each quest is 'easy', I feel that perhaps FFG is forgetting that those players play almost exclusively solo and have a lot more control over the gameplay

They only use the best of the best cards and heroes for each quest and don't suffer the synergies of an encounter deck drawing (at least) 4 cards per quest phase (nor facing X number of shadow cards per round as a corollary)

Thoughts?

I agree with this, some of these newer quest 4 player are crazy difficult. Easy first or second round loses you dont even get a chance to play. The encounter deck just destroys you. Seems like two player is a where most of thses are playtested, since they seem about the right level of difficulty.

I feel FFG has really ramped up the difficulty at the 4 player level

Druadan Forest has given us a first turn loss on the two occasions we have tried

And Journey into Ithilien is killing heroes first turn every time?

I think perhaps this level of play is not being tested adequately?

Goaded on by some players who say each quest is 'easy', I feel that perhaps FFG is forgetting that those players play almost exclusively solo and have a lot more control over the gameplay

They only use the best of the best cards and heroes for each quest and don't suffer the synergies of an encounter deck drawing (at least) 4 cards per quest phase (nor facing X number of shadow cards per round as a corollary)

Thoughts?

I agree with this, some of these newer quest 4 player are crazy difficult. Easy first or second round loses you dont even get a chance to play. The encounter deck just destroys you. Seems like two player is a where most of thses are playtested, since they seem about the right level of difficulty.

I haven't played 3 or 4 player and I won't claim that it's okay that it scales like that. And I agree that since FFG mentions somewhere in a small note that this game could be played by 3 and 4 they probably should test it more with all numbers of player (1-4) But they probably give more thoughts to 1-2 player since that is what the game was and is mainly developed for. Like some of their other games that is +2 players and could be played with just one but not really build for just one player.

I have played 8 4-players-games and hundreds of 3-player-games with my playgroup. OCTGN makes that possible, I fear in personal games the board would be overwhelmed with cards. I really love Multiplayer-games, 3 players for me is kind of normal. Some time ago where mono-decks still had not the support which they got now with the new APs, it was possible to play Monos without problems. Now it got even better and I assure you, its a lot of fun.

But, some quests absolutely get CRAZY, talking about Druadan-Forest, Into the Pit, Massing at Osgiliath and Battle of Laketown. Osgiliath for example you have right of the bat 3+3+3=9 enemies in the stagin area. LOL!

We won all of them in a 3-player-game and it was hard enaugh, so hard, that I dont even am excited to play anytime anyone of them (except Into the Pit which we scored in a 4player-game 203 pretty awful).

rekath

Osgiliath, in 4 player it's 12 enemies + 4 more encounter cards

And of course all those Snagas head straight for your weakest player

But yes, we've won it. Sentinel is massive in Multiplayer. (as is ranged)

Speaking of crazy 4 player games. I am currently working through the Hobbit Quests 4 player solitaire

Out of the Frying pan into the Fire (The Riddles quest) was SO hard with 4 players

You face 8 threat from the outset, and pull 8 encounter cards each round and of course some have surge or tell you to pull a second riddle.

This is a frenetic quest, and you need decks that can Quest, Defend, and Attack all at the same time in large numbers. (Of course some of your decks can specialize but Sentinel and ranged will be key then.)

Main problem? The Riddles. You essentially need to keep adding threat and get them right. As Bilbo only gets one useful defence a round.

Weighing which cards to take as Riddles and which to take as their other effect is crucial.

I played 4 games and lost by this route each time, and finally just now got through the whole quest in only 4 turns. All players threat dials were in the 40s and we escaped with every single enemy in the deck either engaged or in the staging area.

When the final round came and treacheries told me to go get a Warg and engage one with each player, then the go get a goblin per player from the discard pile and add to staging area came up twice I thought I was a going into the stew.

But Thicket of spears being available gave me the confidence to have fully quested my Rohan Deck, and a helping hand (hoof) from Asfaloth, and Eowyn's discard ability allowed the 20 progress needed to get past The Warg's Glade and the quest Stage need of 16. Just.

Otherwise it would have been.....bloody.