Ancient Staff

[The Admiral]

I am preparing for playing HQ with my brother in November. we are playing with his main elf who has several artifacts which I am looking at to re-aquaint myself with. He has the Ancient Staff and it got me thinking how it works against certain Chaos/Dread spells.

1) Command, Fear, Ball of Flame and Sleep: These just affect the caster.
2) Escape, Summon Undead and Orcs: Don't effect the elf so no use against them.
3) Firestorm and Cloud of Chaos: Affect the caster and all other monsters in the same room, but Cloud of Chaos can be cast in a corridor and the card only specifies "in the same room" so is it useable in this instance?
4) Lightning Bolt: Back in the same direction affecting any monsters in the way and the caster only, but again, can it be reflected in a corridor?
5) Rust: Not really sure what happens here?

Any thoughts or other opinions as to how you play this artifact?

[Kurgan]

The app was updated to react to this (not that the App is always right) but a few things...

The Ancient Staff doesn't just boomerang back against the monster who cast the spell at the hero who wields it, but also against all other monsters in the room (or corridor with the evil spell user). This could have some strange effects but nevertheless that's how it's supposed to work. Rust would destroy a piece of equipment, it probably would reduce the monster's attack to 1 die (and have no effect on monsters that don't carry weapons, such as the mummy). The app also appears generous when it comes to corridors (for instance allowing the Knight's abilities there too instead of only in rooms), but the corridor/room distinction would only be relevant if the target and the monster were firing off the spell through a doorway, right?

[The Admiral]

The app was updated to react to this (not that the App is always right) but a few things...

The Ancient Staff doesn't just boomerang back against the monster who cast the spell at the hero who wields it, but also against all other monsters in the room (or corridor with the evil spell user). This could have some strange effects but nevertheless that's how it's supposed to work. Rust would destroy a piece of equipment, it probably would reduce the monster's attack to 1 die (and have no effect on monsters that don't carry weapons, such as the mummy). The app also appears generous when it comes to corridors (for instance allowing the Knight's abilities there too instead of only in rooms), but the corridor/room distinction would only be relevant if the target and the monster were firing off the spell through a doorway, right?

So does that mean that a Ball of Flame would affect every monster in the room or corridor?

So is the Lightning bolt not drawn back in a straight line, but just applied to all relevant monsters in the room or corridor?

Yes, Rust would seem very subjective. The EW would have to look carefully at each monster. A Dread Warrior doesn't have a sword, but does have a helmet, so -1 defence die here. most of the other monsters have neither, although some goblins and orcs have swords and would be reduced to 1 att die. Gargoyle is stone so unaffected.

[Kurgan]

Yeah that's how I would treat it for the other spells. Re: Rust... Not sure how the latest app version (1.82) handles it (seems prior it was just a "reduce their attack to 1 die" enforcement thing).

Re: the Gargoyle... are his weapons also made of stone or metal? If you go strictly by what the particular plastic models then I guess yeah it's going to vary... the App interpretation seems to basically treat all weapons as containing metal (not just limiting to swords and helmets, even though that's literally on the card).

[The Admiral]

Yeah that's how I would treat it for the other spells. Re: Rust... Not sure how the latest app version (1.82) handles it (seems prior it was just a "reduce their attack to 1 die" enforcement thing).

Re: the Gargoyle... are his weapons also made of stone or metal? If you go strictly by what the particular plastic models then I guess yeah it's going to vary... the App interpretation seems to basically treat all weapons as containing metal (not just limiting to swords and helmets, even though that's literally on the card).

Thanks.

[Kurgan]

Yeah I just checked in 1.82 and the Ancient Staff only applies the effects of the rebounded spell against the Spell Caster (which is not following what the card says). Haven't tried to lure the monster into the corridor to see but I'm pretty sure it still works there.

[wallydubbs]

As written, the Ancient Staff is certainly an overpowered artifact, but it was also incorporated into a quest pack that was never adequately playtested. I imagine Hasbro tried running Mage of the Mirror through production the same way they did Frozen Horror (without any forethought of fixing a broken game) before cooler heads pointed out consistent errors. So I think it was late into production that they changed the Ogre Body Points and added the unmarked chest clause, as they neglected (for whatever reason) to fix or at least clarify the effects of the Artifacts and Elf Spells. In fact, these cards were copied verbatim from the original, as if no thought was even put into fixing them.

I believe the Ancient Staff wasn't given much thought, but whomever programed the app had a reasonable interpretation of this artifact. When I played this artifact, despite what the card says, I play it to only work against the spell caster. But I limit it even further, using the Ancient Staff as a normal staff found in the armory with the added benefit of reversing spells. So the Elf would have to fight with only 1AD if he/she wants to reverse the spell. However I played Mage of the Mirror with 5 heroes (2 Elves) so it wasn't that terrible.

[Kurgan]

Okay, but who wants to fight with 1 combat die in MOTM? You'll never take it out until you encounter a spell caster, because you're fighting much more powerful monsters most of the time. Yeah six of one, half a dozen of the other. You're not even meant to be able to hire mercenaries in MOTM (another concession made in the remake to the extreme broken difficulty).

[wallydubbs]

Because of the ramped up difficulty of Frozen Horror and Mage of the Mirror I add a 5th hero to each group. In the original Frozen Horror the female Barbarian joins the 4 original heroes (After clearing out a modified version of Xanon Pass, Trial by Ice and the Rescue). In like manner the female Elf completed the first 3 solo quests in the Original Mage of the Mirror and I had 2 Elf's on the team...
Though now with Avalon Hill presenting us with the Rogue, I think I may play MorM using him/her as the fifth hero. Since most of the artifacts in Mage of the Mirror can only be used by the Elf, I'd make an exception and allow the Rogue to use these artifacts since he is elfkind.

I do understand nobody would want to use 1 attack dice in a boss battle, I feel negating Sinestra's spells are worth the limitations if you're going to reverse the effects against her. Since I'm using 5 heroes for Mage of the Mirror this leaves 3 heroes to do the majority of the fighting while the Wizard casts spells and the Ancient Staff holder to reflect affliction spells.

[Kurgan]

I suppose you're adding the close equivalent of 3-4 mercs in either case (the remake rules allow you TWELVE!), that is bound to help!