Hey all,

If a character draws this ending, is the "permanent death" rule triggered by entering the Crown Space? Meaning,

1) Does that character respawn?

2) Do other characters respawn until the next one reaches the CoC?

Thank you!

The Horrible Black Void kills you. You are out permanently unless you house rule everyone comes back until there is a winner. I think most alternate endings remove the coming back bit, compared to if a character or the board kills you elsewhere.

The character and all of the stuff he was carrying is gone; all removed from the game along with the HBV ending card. We have always allowed players to draw a new card just like they are starting the game anew. Which in the grand scheme of things is not too bad since the board is usually littered with things.....

The group I play with don't have a set rule when dealing with HBV, mainly it depends on how close someone else is to getting to the CoC and if the player has a chance with a re-drawn character; just use common sense.

Thank you, all.

Can I ask a more general question?

When using alternate endings, if someone reaches the CoC, is perma-death triggered for everybody as in the default ending?

For example, the "Warlock's Quest" ending is drawn. Are you even allowed to enter the CoC without 4 quests done? And if so, is perma-death triggered for everyone?

Or suppose you draw a boss-type ending. Is perma-death triggered for everyone? Meaning the character on the CoC can die, and then everyone else can die somewhere else on the board, meaning no winner?

It seems to me, to prevent a situation where all characters can die with no winner, that alternate endings (unless otherwise specified) do not trigger perma-death (I.e. everyone can still respawn) including the HBV.

What do you think?

I have always played, as soon as someone enters the CoC - perma-death is in affect; as for no winner, the Hand of Doom has as one of its possible results - All characters die, no winner

To my knowledge you are not dead but stuck on the CoC. If you enter the CoC without finishing the Variant, that is your fault. There are some spells and events that could trigger you being moved from the CoC but, basically, you are stuck there.

Horrible Black Void = Instant Death.

Of course, you could add the 2nd edition Timescape to your games which would therefore transport the character to the Warp Gate and therefore a second chance instead...

Yes, I think you are all correct. I read the rules for Alternative endings again and it actually answers my questions quite specifically:

- Once a character reaches the CoC, any character who is killed automatically loses, and

- Characters on the CoC can't move and must remain there unless ending says otherwise.

So this means perma-death is activated, and creates a situation where no winner is possible if everyone dies!

Also, JKA is right: "You are not dead but stuck on CoC" if you go there before completing your requirements.

Thanks!

Horrible Black Void does not kill you. It makes you LOSE THE GAME.

No new character to draw for you, you can pack your bags and go home, unless the game takes place in your own house.

Any characters remaining have to go on with the new Alternative Ending and any killed character is permanently out of the game. If a character remains alone on the board, you have two options:

1) Immediately declare him as the winner

2) Watch him play all alone until he eventually wins

It's very difficult for a player alone to lose the game at an advanced stage. Sooner or later he will win, so you'd better save some time and start another game if you are in the mood.

I've always thought that being the last one alive was an auto-win. Many a time, once a hidden Alternate Ending is revealed (i.e. someone reached the CoC), and it's considered too tough, long, or boring, our game becomes a "There can BE only ONE!" hunt the Players type game.

Maybe we've been doing that wrong?

I've always thought that being the last one alive was an auto-win. Many a time, once a hidden Alternate Ending is revealed (i.e. someone reached the CoC), and it's considered too tough, long, or boring, our game becomes a "There can BE only ONE!" hunt the Players type game.

Maybe we've been doing that wrong?

There's no written rule saying that the last character on the board wins the game.

One of the most strange omissions in the Talisman Rulebook is a paragraph that says who wins the game! The only piece of text about it is in the Introduction, put together in a flavour text fashion:

In Talisman, up to six players assume the roles of hopeful characters–the would-be rulers of the land of Talisman. Each character is very different and has his own strengths, weaknesses, and special powers. To win the game you must journey to the heart of the land’s most perilous region to find the Crown of Command and use its ancient magic to cast a mighty spell to subdue all your rivals.

In the base game there's no way to leave the Crown of Command, so nobody would argue that the last remaining character is the winner, because he will be on the Crown and has disposed of all other characters. With Alternative Endings and material added with the expansions, it's possible for the Crown of Command to be reached and then be left or remain deserted (a character can be killed while alone on the Crown). So, the absence of a well defined victory condition stretches from the base game throughout the expansions.

Alternative Endings are very clear about victory conditions (being on the Crown of Command is a requirement on almost all Alternative Endings); if you are playing with the standard ending and the Crown remains empty, MAYBE the last character alive on the board wins because there are no statements about victory conditions. The rules say only who loses the game, but not who wins in this case.

A character alone on the board could play for infinite time with no opposition from other players, so he will certainly be able to reach the Crown and meet the victory conditions, sooner or later, except some very rare cases. Saying he's the winner is just a way to skip an overlong and boring solo game.

Warlock speaks with truth and wisdom.

In a 2 player game the unlucky bugger who draws the HBV is gone for good. That leaves 1 player who will eventually win the game no matter how many times they die en route to CoC space. So may as well announce that person the winner.

In a 3 or more player game thats just a tragedy, but hey it is the HORRIBLE black void and not the" Ah well it's not so bad Black Void".

In most games the other chracters will be quite close to trying for the CoC space anyhow if not nearly there already (blowing a sigh o releif that death held them up for 1 more turn alowing the other poor dude to draw the HBV). So they wouldnt be waiting too long anyway. They can get the kettle on or crack out some tall frosty ones for the others .