I posted much the following in a separate forum, but I think they apply here since we're dealing with Solo Quests and some of the spells are completely irrelevant in solo play and may require some tweaking:
There seems to be only 1 big advantage to solo quests. In group quests heroes will often throw caution to the wind and try milk their turns for all it's worth, often neglecting trap searches and secret doors. In solo quests a hero can proceed leisurely: first attack phase, killing off monsters in the room, end turn; search for traps, end turn; search for secret doors, end turn; search for Treasure, end turn; move, whatever action, etc.
The Barbarian and Dwarf quests mainly rely on luck of the dice roll as they can't cast spells.
My main concern here, however, lies on the Elf and Wizard quests and finding suitable spells. Spells are very helpful and have a maximized potential in group quests, but aren't entirely up to par in a solo mission:
Air Spells:Genie: it's a one off maximized 5 attack dice, still very helpful... and then there's the door thing.
Swift Wind: loses its merit in a solo quest, it could be used to make a hefty rescue or lend a helping hand if a hero is eight spaces or so away; sometimes it's used for a lagging hero to play catch-up; or it could be used to make a quick escape. In a solo quest the escape option seems to be the only use of this spell.
Tempest: this one also loses merit; it's often played by the Wizard to give a defending hero a breather from bombardment; preventing an enemy spellcaster from casting a spell; or disabling Fireburst traps. There are no spellcaster in solo quest and if a Fireburst trap is drawn from the Treasure deck... well that was his action. If you play this on a regular monster you just used an action you could have used to attack, so it's practically a waste, unless you open a door and don't have enough spaces to reach the monster across the room, it could hold I'm off until your next turn... or you can use it on a monster, preventing movement to give yourself some time to escape.
So Air spells are not all that great to use on solo quests.
Spells of Darkness:Arrows of the Night: still has a valid use, it's great for killing mummies, but it's not gonna kill a giant Wolf.
Chains of Darkness: pretty much has the same effect as Tempest, which isn't much in a solo Adventure.
Cloak of Shadows: is kind of a double edge sword; it's great for defense, if you walked into a room with a bunch of monsters you have an immediate defense against all attacks. However others monsters can now use it for their own protection as well. I've always thought of this as a way to trap an evil spell caster (if you have mercenaries) to prevent them from casting spells too, but that's out on solo quests.
Spells of Detection:Clairvoyance: it'll give the Elf or Wizard a heads up into one room if she chooses this one. I also add in the stipulation to identify traps and room Treasure as well.
Future Sight: since this spell lasts until the end of the spellcaster's next turn, it still has good use: it could give the Elf or Wizard a boost in offence and defense, especially if you want to use potions (Defense, strength, heroic brew) with it.
Treasure Horde: this is another double-edge sword. It could really turn on the hero using it, depending on the luck of the draw. I can understand the prospects of an unequipped hero being optimistic with this spell, but if you don't have any friends to help, 3 Wandering Monsters could be the death of you.
Detection Spells could make things rather interesting...
Earth Spells:Heal Body: even though it costs an action to use, this spell is much more valuable in a solo quest. Conserving body points is key in a solo mission, in group quests you can get someone else to pick up the slack if a character is in danger of death, so this is a rare occasion where a spell actually increases in value on a solo mission.
Pass Through Rock: this has always been a risky spell and a careful hero wouldn't wander into the unknown. But when the is already laid out it could be use to make a quick escape.
Rock Skin: a very good protection spell for an unequipped hero. It could last a while or fail on the first defence. But when up against a Giant Wolf, odds are it'll break then and there.
Earth Spells, apparently would be ideal for a solo quest.
Elf Spells:Deep Sleep: it's a useless spell unless you're doing a group quest. It would be a waste to pick this going solo. If you cast it, that was your action, turn ends, monster wakes up.
Disappear: it's a good spell for scouting, using this going through a trap door negates any traps. I can envision the Elf scouting the hole map first. In this circumstance it would be helpful, but there would be a lot of monsters left on the board once the spell was broken. However the spell doesn't really specify if it could go through monsters or not. I assume since the word "Unseen" is specified in Veil of Mist, an unseen hero, in this case, should be able to.
Double Image: it's a great defensive spell, but it seems to lose something in a solo quest. It could be used in a big battle to protect one hero during a big battle while other heroes are fighting. In a solo quest you miss an opportunity to be offensive. But I guess it would help if facing a group of monsters... but in no solo quest does a room consist of more then 3 monsters.
Flashback: the fact that this spell doesn't require an action makes it very helpful. Draw a Wandering monster in the Treasure deck or roll poorly in battle, it could be very helpful if the Elf needs to replay his turn.
Hypnotic Blaze: another spell brought down by lack of characters. The spell can be like a grenade in group quests, but in solo, if it takes hold, it's already been 1 turn before you get to make your first attack.
Slow: forced on a heavy hitting monster like a Chaos Warrior or Giant Wolf, this spell shines brightly in a solo quest. Limiting a big monster to 1 movement while revoking an attack and defense dice gives the Elf a chance to dance back and forth around a monster. If the 2nd attack doesn't work you could back away, preventing the monster from attacking back. So if you're up against a Giant wolf and you have a bow and arrow, do not take your eyes off that Wolf! Dance around the room and turn that thing into a pin cushion with arrows, he can't touch you, unless it's a really small room.
Time Stop: in a solo quest you're the only one you can cast this on, so you're practically losing an action and only giving yourself another movement. If you have your action but not enough space to reach a monster, this is the only time this spell will come in handy because it costs an action to cast this on youself. In a group quest it should be used on the Barbarian, so he gets 2 attacks, but rarely should the Elf use it on himself.
Twist Wood: if we go by Lestodante's interpretation and apply this to the handles of a skeleton's sickle, or a Fimir's axe handle it could have good use, but the spell card is too vague and doesn't really explain the ramifications. Fair enough for an Orc with a crossbow, but what monster fights with a staff?
I guess Disappear, Flashback and Slow would be the 3 ideal spells for a solo quests... maybe Double Image.
Fire Spells:
Ball of Flame: a fine attack spell, no qualms with using that.
Courage: like Double Image, you lose an action to cast it on yourself. Although that extra 2 attack would be useful in each subsequent attack, you gotta wonder how much damage will that Giant Wolf inflict on you before you can start using this spell?
Fire of Wrath: not as good as Ball of Flame, but it's an attack spell but only worth it against an orc.
Fire Spells are very offensive, but you gotta wonder if Courage is worth losing an action over to activate it...
Spells of Protection:Dispell: there are no enemy spell caster's in a solo quest, so this would be useless.
Invisibility: doesn't really last as long as Disappear, but I'd find it more useful then Tempest if walking into a room full of monsters.
Wall of Stone: not a bad spell if you're fighting on two fronts. But it still costs an action to use.
Probably not the best spell group to use, but some of the spells can be useful.
Water Spells:Sleep: this spell increases in power with each expansion (except for Return of the Witch Lord) as the monsters get bigger and their mind points get smaller. This spell will be your best friend when facing a Giant Wolf or something with limited mind points. The problem is when you cast it the monster gets 2 chances to break it, because it can do immediately and on its next turn, which are one and the same in a solo quest.
Veil of Mist: the need to get around monsters isn't as crucial as killing them, as they will just give chase in a solo quest. But in the event that monsters have you cornered or sandwiched and running is your best option, it's not a bad spell to have.
Water of Healing: same as "Heal Body", it's more important in solo quests then group quests.
On past group missions I've ranked Spells of Darkness higher then Water Spells, but in this quest pack Water Dpells might be one of the better options for both group and solo quests.
It seems like Earth and Water spells would be her best options. To some degree Fire and (depending on choice) Elf Spells are practical options too.
It's apparent that some spells aren't compatible with solo quests: Tempest, Chains of Darkness, and Deep Sleep are nearly useless. Perhaps an extended turn for these spells (as well as Hypnotic Blaze) would make them more valuable.
If Time Stop could be cast and not take effect until the Elf's next turn, this too would become a formidable spell, as actions are very important and some of these spells are only reliable in group sessions.
Does anybody else think certain spells should be amended for Solo play?
Nobody's really said much in regards to the Wizards of Morcar spells, so I assume you won't be use them in this quest pack.
Fair enough, but we still have Tempest, Deep Sleep and Timestop to worry about, as well as, to some degree, Courage, Sleep and Hypnotic Blaze.
Suggestions:
Tempest should be extended for 1 additional turn.
Deep Sleep should defer back to Sleep itself in a solo quest, but maintain its difference in groups.
Timestop, much like Flashback should not take an action. We're dealing with a Time concept and the heroes in the game are not experiencing Time the same way we do when playing. In my altered version of Quest 9 Race Against Time I add a time limit based on actions. Some orcs may last longer then others in a 1 on 1 battle, they may last 3 or even 4 turns depending on die roll and defense. This can be interpreted as some orcs are better fighters then others. My point is actions cost time and the Elf now has spells to manipulate time. To a very recent degree he can go back in time (it makes sense that this wouldn't cost an action). He can pick and monster and slow down its perception of time (visually by keeping a focus on them), or he can speed up his or a fellow hero's time. I would imagine speeding up his own time would be easier then focusing on the other heroes. But by using an action to cast it impedes on his own productivity. That's why whenever he does use this spell it's on another hero, because they can make more use of it. But since he's messing with Time here, I suggest just get rid of the action when casting on himself.
SleepWhen a Wizard is casting this spell in a solo quest I would just combine the monster's immediate roll with the one on his next turn, so the monster only gets one chance to break it until his next turn.
Courage: Some of you could remember or even took part in the Great Courage Debate of last year; I think the Wizard could optimize the strength of this spell if we use the Ethica Interpretation:
Ethica wrote:I don't see where the confusion is with the use of this spell. You can cast it on yourself before you encounter monsters (so that you're not wasting a turn casting when you need to be fighting), then when you next attack you feel corageous and keep going until all the monsters are gone and you calm down (a bit like the incredible hulk).
The Wizard can totally make use of this if he utilizes Faust at the right room.
Hypnotic Blaze does get a but weaker in a solo quest, but if it takes hold you can still get 2 free hits, I guess we could leave it as is.
.
