Shadow of Nerekhall - Bard - Song of Mending class skill

By zooeyglass, in Descent: Journeys in the Dark

Hello all,

I've been looking at the previews to Shadow of Nerekhall - which looks so far very enticing indeed. I was just reading about Rendiel and the bard class, and had a look at the bard class skill, Song of Mending: http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/descent-second-ed/news/shadow-of-nerekhall/preview2/DJ07-card-class-16.png

I appreciate this expansion is not yet out; I wanted to ask what others had thought about the wording on that card, if that's ok, in particular the use of the word 'other' in the second effect. To me, I can see how that could imply that the melody (top effect, if I'm getting my names the right way around) includes the bard (all heroes within three spaces recover one heart) while the harmony (bottom effect) means that the bard himself does not recover a stamina - it is every other hero within three spaces (ie, if we follow this line of thinking, every hero apart from the bard).

Then again, this could be an unexpected conjecture, and I'm reading too much into the card. I can see how it could be read that both effects do not effect the bard. Or that both plausibly do (though on this third way I am least confident). Has anyone else noticed that rogue 'other' on the card and thought on it? Do share your interpretation.

I'm inclined to go with "each other" implying that the Bard is not one of the Heroes affected by the song. There's been other cards that have used "each other". The Champion skill Glory of Battle also uses the term "each other", which our group has always played that to mean that other heroes other than the user would get a valor token.

Unfortunately FFG could've made it that when they used "each hero" they meant all heroes meeting the criteria and that "each other hero" would mean all the heroes except the user, instead there are instances where "each hero" is followed by "(including yourself)" which has led to discussions as to whether "each hero" doesn't include the user unless it explicitly states "(including yourself)". I think there was an unofficial ruling by Justin somewhere, but I haven't been able to find it.

My vote is that the upper effect of the Song of Mending (Melody?) includes the bard and that the other (Harmony?) doesn't.

I'm inclined to go with "each other" implying that the Bard is not one of the Heroes affected by the song. There's been other cards that have used "each other". The Champion skill Glory of Battle also uses the term "each other", which our group has always played that to mean that other heroes other than the user would get a valor token.

Unfortunately FFG could've made it that when they used "each hero" they meant all heroes meeting the criteria and that "each other hero" would mean all the heroes except the user, instead there are instances where "each hero" is followed by "(including yourself)" which has led to discussions as to whether "each hero" doesn't include the user unless it explicitly states "(including yourself)". I think there was an unofficial ruling by Justin somewhere, but I haven't been able to find it.

Very useful to hear your view - I don't have the champion class (don't have either of the smaller expansions, sadly) so hadn't come across that - but yes, there is a discrepancy there between 'each hero', 'each other hero' and 'each hero (including yourself)'. I shall look for what Justin unofficially ruled as I'd be interested to see whether the first and second of that list are in fact the same thing.... curious!

I do believe that "(including yourself)" is extra clarification added when it makes sense to / can fit, not that it is a separate ruling. Not that it is in parentheses, so is likely to imply that the preceding statement on its own should be interpreted to include the clause in parentheses. Otherwise we'd see things like "each hero, as well as yourself" or "each hero, in addition to yourself" where the extra statement is not in parenthesis and is listed as an addendum instead of an inclusion.

I read the card as the first says all heroes recover 1 heart.

While the second effect says that each hero not including the bard recieves 1 fatigue.

I agree that the lower ability is "each hero other than the Bard." In addition to being the literal way of reading the sentence, there's also the whole "I spend two fatigue to recover 1 fatigue so the cost is really 1!" business. I'm pretty sure the intent of excluding the Bard himself is to avoid going both ways at the same time, if you see my meaning.