GimmeYerGold's [revised] Custom Cards Preview: Encounters

[Anderas]

The Trial is difficult enough
On the other hand, in the Trial you will not very often see a board with no monsters. There's kind of an auto-equalizer built in. I think they're well made.

They copy some of the mechanics of Space Crusade, without being able to kill an entire group of heros just with the cards (as it is possible in Space Crusade), and they balance themselves down if there'e enough else on the board left to be done.

[Big Bene]

I see a possible promblem with "summon furniture".
The way the cards are designed, it seem the EWP will play a card, visible to the players, and then use it.
For example:
"Ha! Ambush! See?" (plays card and places wandering monster).
Otherwise, the other players would have no control and would probably find this a little unfair, as the encounter cards are practically allways in favor of the Chaos fraction.
But when the EWP plays the "summon furniture" card, and then places a door, the players would immediately know it is false and just ignore it.
It would possibly work in a room where there aready is a real door, so the players wouln't know wich one is false, but that's a pretty limited use.

An other minor issue is the back art. It's nice, but black and white. It will look a little odd, as all other card-back art is color.

[Rook]

Yeah, the summon furniture has limited utility... unless you're running some homebrew which allows furniture to be manipulated (Jumped over, moved... ) then suddenly it could have real utility.

A secret door that some monster 'moved' a cupboard in front of. A bookcase appears in a dungeon of magic that blocks an entryway, forcing our heroes to go the long way around...

As I type this I'm seeing utility as an extra 'block' tile all on it's own. I've talked myself into liking it

[Count Mohawk]

Yeah, the summon furniture has limited utility... unless you're running some homebrew which allows furniture to be manipulated (Jumped over, moved... ) then suddenly it could have real utility.

A secret door that some monster 'moved' a cupboard in front of. A bookcase appears in a dungeon of magic that blocks an entryway, forcing our heroes to go the long way around...

As I type this I'm seeing utility as an extra 'block' tile all on it's own. I've talked myself into liking it

It would be hilarious if Summon Furniture was played, only for the Barbarian to Titan's Toss it away. I also have a Fire spell that destroys furniture; I should probably consider hiding some treasure behind an obtrusively-placed cupboard in at least one quest.

[cynthialee]

I allow furniture to be moved. The Barbarian can move furniture alone, the other heroes need to team up.
Why bother with this as a mechanic?
Hidden doors and compartments may be behind furniture.

Two heroes, or one barbarian must be in the same room with the furniture and they forgo an action and move to place the furniture where they want it placed.

{The Tomb is a different story. Opening it takes at least 3 heroes or one barbarian and an other hero. There is no moving the tomb.}

[GimmeYerGold]

I see a possible promblem with "summon furniture".
The way the cards are designed, it seem the EWP will play a card, visible to the players, and then use it.
For example:
"Ha! Ambush! See?" (plays card and places wandering monster).
Otherwise, the other players would have no control and would probably find this a little unfair, as the encounter cards are practically allways in favor of the Chaos fraction.
But when the EWP plays the "summon furniture" card, and then places a door, the players would immediately know it is false and just ignore it.
It would possibly work in a room where there aready is a real door, so the players wouln't know wich one is false, but that's a pretty limited use.

An other minor issue is the back art. It's nice, but black and white. It will look a little odd, as all other card-back art is color.

haha! My fake furniture scam is foiled! Yeah, it is only fair to reveal the Encounter cards when they are played, and that would defeat the purpose of the "head game" aspect of the deceiving furniture card. Also right about the b/w, I do need to find a more colorful back for this deck of cards as well.

Regarding the followup comments by Rook, Count Mohawk & Cynthialee, I do allow figures to move and stand on "low" furniture, and there is of course the special Toss Furniture ability. (I have also allowed the heroes to redecorate a room just for kicks one time when no monsters were around ) However, I don't have any mechanic for figures to break furniture at will, so it would be up to Zargon to not to be a dick if this summon furniture card came into play.

I can hear the town crier now...

"The Empire's Heroes have no way around the cupboard blocking the entrance to the Witch Lord's Lair! Chaos reigns forever!"

As it stands I think what I'm going for with the summon furniture card could be done with quest notes. Perhaps this is the one card I will have to opt as being a "good" card for the Heroes. aw shucks!

by the way, really appreciating all the quality feedback! I should have this set (re)revised and ready for print/download soon!

[cynthialee]

Still needs a handful of other cards to fill it out:

Teleport Trap-The EWP selects a hero that enters a new discovered room and that Hero is teleported to the stairwell.

Enchanted Mirror-Each hero that see's his reflection in this mirror must fight a clone of themselves that walks out of the mirror. If the copy wins then the 'hero' is under control by the EWP.

Deadly Potion-Played when a Hero drinks a potion. It turns out the potion is deadly and inflicts a Body Point.

Perfect Parry-Played when a monster rolls 2 or more black shields. Heroes melee weapon is shattered.

Escape against all odds-Play when a monster has no way escape. Monster is removed from the board and is assigned to the room where the quest objective is located.

Trap-Play when the heroes enter an empty room. Place 1D6 Wandering monsters in the room or in the hallway next to the room if there is no where to place the monsters. Players turn is interrupted immediately and the EWP takes one turn with the monsters. After the last monster has finished his attack the players resume play at the point in which play was interrupted.

Thief-Play this card when there are mercenaries in play. Each round the EWP will roll the Thief's Mind Score +2 in combat dice, if a black shield is rolled a piece of equipment, a potion or 10 gold is removed from the Hero closest to the thief. Artifacts and worn armor may not be stolen. Once the thief has stolen three times he makes a break for the stairwell to escape the heroes.

Zargons Lieutenant- A wandering monster is one of Zargons personal minions. He is inspecting the dungeon. Replace a Wandering Monster encountered with a Chaos Warrior. He defends with white shields and rolls an extra dice to attack and defend. If defeated this Minion of Zargon will have 50 gold coins.

Cursed Weapon-Play this card when a minion of Zargon is killed. The targeted minion pronounces a curse on the attackers weapon. For the remainder of the dungeon the player must reroll on 1 Skull on every attack risking a loss of the skull. The weapon can be discarded only after the hero has no enemies in sight.

You got to go when you got to go-Play this card against an attacking hero. Hero has a sudden need to relieve themselves and will attack and defend with one less dice until they have had a chance to relieve themselves.

Itchy Nose-Play this card against a Spell caster as they declare a spell will be cast. The itch on the nose will distract the hero and require the hero to roll his Mind in combat dice looking for a black shield. If a black shield is rolled the spell is cast as normal. If the roll nets zero black shields the spell is failed and returned to the casters spell deck.

[Big Bene]

Perhaps the text on the summon furniture card could be changed into:
"Play this card any time by laying it open in front of you. As long as it lays open, you have the right to once place a false door or chest as described below".

[Anderas]

Perhaps the text on the summon furniture card could be changed into:
"Play this card any time by laying it open in front of you. As long as it lays open, you have the right to once place a false door or chest as described below".

A false piece of furniture. Any furniture. Why not?

[cynthialee]

I just do not see the use of the false furniture unless it was strictly as a red herring to mess with players. And such frivolity would get me stared with that collective look from the players that bespeaks their belief I am a dillwad of some variety.