by What are the Wand's true abilities? The description on the blog says it attacks with 2 combat dice at range. It's worded like the crossbow, but it doesn't explicitly say it can't attack an adjacent enemy. So if it can, that's fine, but if it can't that means the Warlock attacks with 1 die adjacent. Even more reason to keep your distance!
The blog also says the character has similar restrictions to the Wizard, so that means I guess:
Can use daggers and Staff to attack.
Can use Wizard's staff? Wizard's Cloak?
Can use Bracers and Cloak (assuming they ported those over from the EU equipment deck).
So potentially we're talking about a character that COULD have the following abilities:
Attack = 2 (ranged with Wand), 1 adjacent/diagonal (Staff), 2 adjacent/diagonal (Wizard's staff or possibly the Wand at close range if that's allowed). No reason to ever use a dagger, unless you happen to lose your Wand (rust wouldn't affect it since it's not a sword or helmet and twist wood doesn't exist in this remake).
Defend = 4 (Base: 2 + 1 Bracers + 1 Cloak/Wizard's Cloak)
That overall defense can be raised as well. Rock Skin +1 (until they suffer 1 BP of damage). And Potion of Defense +2. So that's 7 (for one defense, then 5 until they take a hit).
They could use Demonform to attack with 3 (and at range, using the Wand) and this could be done as long as they don't take 1 BP damage and done multiple times per quest, as long as they can regain a spell from killing a monster.
So their attack can be made even stronger... using the Wand (or Wizard's Staff, if it's allowed), they can add a Potion of Strength (+2) and have Courage cast on them (+2) for a total of 7 (for one attack), then 5 thereafter as long as Monsters are visible.
Dark Wings provides a weird form of healing of a sort (negating damage and escaping).
So thinking of progression, you could get an expensive (?) cloak or fight with the Wizard over the Wizard's Cloak to improve her defense and buy Bracers. More pressing to buy a staff (or fight with the Wizard over the Wizard's Staff Artifact) if the Wand can't attack adjacently (or if it can and you lose it somehow).
I keep saying "if you lose it somehow" because they say you can buy another one, which you'd have no reason to do unless there's a way you can lose it. What else would you do, sell it if you were desperate for party funds (and lose your main method of attack)? There's no option to dual wield them, after all.
They really need to rewrite the "only the Warlock can buy it" mechanic. That's silly. It just creates a loophole wherein they can buy an extra one and give it to another Hero. If they don't want other Heroes to have a 2 die ranged weapon, just say "can only be used by the Warlock." That's all you need to say! Simple.
Other than Quest specific Treasure of course, we can only expect there to be one instance of Potion of Defense or Potion of Strength. If one or more of the Magic users is missing from the Quest, you may be lacking the Fire Spells (and can't rely on Courage) or Earth Spells (and can't rely on Rock Skin). But if both are present then you can use both, either because the Wizard picked at least Earth and Fire, or the Elf is there and picked the one you needed. Then again, Spell Scrolls are a thing in the NA versions of KK & ROTWL which will be part of this remake. Anybody who has pledged Mythic Tier will have access to the unlocks too, so those come into play. Both have their own copy of Courage (so 2 of those potentially) and KK has Rock Skin. If you aren't playing those packs and there's no opportunity to find one of them or draw a random scroll in the new packs of course, that might not be an option.
Will the new Quest books make use of these items? We'll have to wait and see.
Kellar's Keep has a random draw for a Spell Scroll in Quest 6. If they clarify the rules as to what order you're supposed to play them in and whether these "unlock" from pack to pack I suppose that could matter. But since you've got both of them, you can pool your Spell Scroll cards, which means a greater chance of getting the dupes (the 3 Fire Spells have two copies of each and there's two copies of the Earth Spell "Heal Body"). Still relevant.
