Illumination Rule

[The Road Warrior]

Neat rule. The only thing I'd point out is that;

[*]When fighting in the dark the number of combat dice thrown by a hero should be halved and rounded up. The number of combat dice thrown by monsters will be unaffected.[/list]

Will probably mostly reduce the number of combat dice by one.

Yes. I didn't use a straight '-1 combat die' for this rule as it could leave a wizard rolling 0 attack dice. I didn't think that was fair. The downside to the wording I used is that anyone with a battleaxe loses 2 combat dice instead of 1.

This is the thread and quest that inspired me to make this card. Even added it to my expanded armoury. I have yet to make a quest for it though, but CBA right now

Didn't you use this in 'Escape from Ulag?'

[Sjeng]

Oh yeah, in the second quest in the caves I believe I did
I need to pick that up again...

[Daedalus]

I thought I'd stick in a torch to increase vision while searching and then thought I'd include something that would give the touch limited lifespan and a consequence for being caught offguard.

Torch
If a torch is equipped, it is lit. When the holder of the lit torch has their turn, a combat test is taken. A black shield = torch burning down. On the fifth black shield, the torch is extinguished and discarded. If you're attacked with a torch equipped but no weapon equipped, you defend with one less combat dice.

At the moment it only affects searching.

Thoughts?

I prefer to keep tracking of turns out of HQ. As a brainstormed alternative, the extinguishing combat test could instead be taken when a Hero with a torch has his Body Points reduced. If a black shield is rolled, the torch is dropped on wet flooring and it is ruined.

Do you figure one hand must be kept free while searching? This makes sense to me and would explain why a Hero wouldn't simply search with a weapon and torch to avoid the defense penalty. I might implement a one-hand-free search houserule. I'd limit the torch defense penalty to the immediate attack from a Wandering Monster, as a weapon can be drawn as a free action when normally encountering a monster.

[Redav]

I prefer to keep tracking of turns out of HQ.

Probably smart although one might argue that it's no different to character body points?

As a brainstormed alternative, the extinguishing combat test could instead be taken when a Hero with a torch has his Body Points reduced. If a black shield is rolled, the torch is dropped on wet flooring and it is ruined.

That might be a good alternative. Mind you, your question has made me rethink what I'd written as there's no point having a torch equipped if you weren't searching because it only affects searching. So, instead maybe every time a character searches, you take a combat test and your torch can survive three black shields and if you're caught in combat with a torch equipped after searching, you apply your alternative?

Do you figure one hand must be kept free while searching? This makes sense to me and would explain why a Hero wouldn't simply search with a weapon and torch to avoid the defense penalty. I might implement a one-hand-free search houserule. I'd limit the torch defense penalty to the immediate attack from a Wandering Monster, as a weapon can be drawn as a free action when normally encountering a monster.

I must admit I hadn't considered that. When I started reading that I figured I wouldn't bother as I wasn't trying to make a rule set that was heaps detailed however you'd want a hand free to do a proper search and as you say, the defence penalty should only apply to you finding a wandering monster.

[Daedalus]

I prefer to keep tracking of turns out of HQ.

Probably smart although one might argue that it's no different to character body points?

As a brainstormed alternative, the extinguishing combat test could instead be taken when a Hero with a torch has his Body Points reduced. If a black shield is rolled, the torch is dropped on wet flooring and it is ruined.

That might be a good alternative. Mind you, your question has made me rethink what I'd written as there's no point having a torch equipped if you weren't searching because it only affects searching. So, instead maybe every time a character searches, you take a combat test and your torch can survive three black shields and if you're caught in combat with a torch equipped after searching, you apply your alternative?

I like limiting checks to searches and counting three black shields better. I guess you could use some of those spare BP boxes for tracking by labeling one row as a torch. Alternatively, you could make a torch card (or just use Sjeng's), where tracking could be accomplished by rotating the card 90 degrees when a black shield is rolled.

My sesibilities would better be satisfied by having a torch extinguish after one black shield, which involves a different kind of tracking. A Hero could easily enough buy spares--25 or 50 gold coins per torch works. A lower torch cost seems right to me. Sounds like you have things how you want them, however. Just thinking out loud. I plan to just go with a lantern with a one Quest limit for oil.

[Big Bene]

"It illuminates any square the hero can see, without being obstructed by heroes or monsters".

I would change this to something like:
"In dark rooms, as defined by the quest rules, it illuminates any square the hero can see, without being obstructed by heroes or monsters",
to make it more versatile for different quest and gaming groups. Otherwise, it must come with its own illumination rules.
Also, I think two combat dice is to much for an improvised weapon.

[Sjeng]

Why add the extra text? I don't get your suggestion.

I should have made it 1 AD though.. sigh.. But my armoury and card are already laminated

[The Road Warrior]

I'm not really sure why a torch needs to have any combat dice associated with it. Could you not hold a one-handed weapon at the same time?
I suppose someone could equip a shield at the same time as a torch in which case I think it should definitely only be 1 attack die.

"In dark rooms, as defined by the quest rules, it illuminates any square the hero can see, without being obstructed by heroes or monsters",

I know this sounds a bit silly but "In dark rooms.." kind of suggests it wouldn't work in corridors.