Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: unbalanced hero?
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: RULES ARE UP!
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: NDA lifted!
by ScrewTape
I have not posted or really followed the discussion on these boards because I did not want to say anything that might violate the NDA. Now that it has been lifted I wanted to give my option of the game.Firstly my disclosure, I am a fan of Descent Road to Legend. My group (three of us) have probably played about 250-300 hours of RtL over several campaigns. While I love RtL I do believe that it does have problems with balance. This is one of the main reasons I was so excited about Descent v2 with a built in campaign system (instead of a tacked on system). Our group played through the campaign twice while also playing a few non-campaign adventures to learn the rules. We played with all but... one (?) of the heroes. I'll start with the changes I like then the changes I don't like and end with my conclusion.
The good/meh:
Can you really play a session in two hours? Once you learn the rules yes. Conservatively I would plan for three hours counting setup, play, (I recommend two encounters since they are linked) and tear down.
"But the overlord only draws one card and there is no threat!" At first I wasn't too keen on "no threat". With play I much prefer the new system. The OL deck is now only 15 cards (when you add new cards you have the option to cull cards keeping your deck at 15). This allows the OL to have a focused strategy. Also there are no more throw away cards. In our RtL sessions "gust of wind", "trapmaster", "brilliant commander", etc. were always throw away cards while "beastman war party", "skeleton patrol", "sorcerer circle" etc were always cards that would be played. There are no more "trash" cards. While the OL only draws one card per turn it will be a good card. Also because the OL deck is at 15 cards he will be able to see the cards he wants to see over the course of the adventure.
Defensive dice. Again this was something I didn't seem to keen on when reading over the rules. In practice it isn't too bad. Everyone gets to roll dice! Yipppeee! I'm kinda "meh" it doesn't really add anything to the game but I don't think it really detracts from the game either.
No more death/resurrection/conquest value. This was something I was unsure about when I read the rules. In practice I think I like it better than the conquest mechanic. In our games a full party knock out would always be a loss for the heroes. This felt right to me. It forces a little more teamwork from the heroes as they will need to make sure that you can revive a knocked out hero when they fall.
No more spawning. Wow. This is *wonderful*. For me this is, hands down, the best improvement in the game. The heroes do not need to spend time trying to control spawning points every turn. That change alone speed up our game play dramatically.
The bad:
Large monster movement (and large monsters in general). No one in our group liked the large monster movement rules. While the rules are streamlined and easy to execute I feel as though they make the large monsters more powerful than they should be. This, along with the new reinforcement rules, created an issue in our group where large monsters were almost always selected (when given an option) due to them being better (in almost all cases) than small monsters.
The power of immobilize. Our group found this condition to be much better than the other conditions. I like the idea of immobilize but I don't like how the mechanic works in the game.
Conclusion:
Is Descent v2 still Descent? I think "Yes". It is still a tactical miniatures game with character development. You still roll dice. You still move around on squares. The overlord still controls creatures. The overlord still draws cards. Most of the streamlining improves the game.
If you want a one vs many dungeon crawl that can be played in 2-3 hours get this game. If you liked Descent v1 but didn't like the time commitment get this game.
As a Descent RtL lover I enjoyed this game. It was fun to try out the different heroes as well as the different options the OL had (I did play both sides).
I found the OL play a little more engaging in v2 due to the knowledge of the "stakes" of the first encounter of the adventure. The OL could decide when he wanted to make his big move. Is winning map #1 of the adventure worth spending a good card early or should you hold it in your hand until encounter #2?
I do miss my strategic level map in RtL. I have already suggested that the strategic map be brought back in an expansion.
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: Video
by kabrush
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: An intuitive issue with the LoS rule...
by Omnisiah
So there have been a few comments about the LoS rule and how it works, and while I understand concerns about figures blocking their own line of sight, etc, to be honest, that's not my problem.No, the corner to corner rule does clarify the age old 'round the corner' LoS question that has involved so many orthogonal rules of thumb or hasty ruler applications over the years... but by doing so, it introduces a more bizarre behaviour in its place.
Go to the LoS example on page 12. Forget the example at the top which involves the ray trace along the length of the rock tile. Just look at the other one (between Leoric and the zombie).
The one that 'does' have LoS. Because you can trace corner to corner.
And step back a second and LOOK at the picture. And ask yourself if that actually makes any intuitive sense AT ALL.
Person. Rock. Person. Yep. You can shoot.
In fact, ANY line traced from ANY point on EITHER the origin or the target EXCEPT the extreme vertices would go through the rock. Yet, you can shoot.
Just draw a grid of 9 squares, put a rock in the middle and two people in opposite corners and ask any random gamer if they think those two entities can 'see' each other. In fact, see if you can find ANY game where they can OTHER than Descent 2nd ed.
I'll play it. I'll love it. And yes, I guess it makes it easier to resolve the really hairy LoS situations.
But I'm sorry, I must quote the great Lord Vetinarii, Patrician of Ankh-Morpork and say:
"this may well have been a case where chilly logic should have been replaced by the common sense of, perhaps, the average chicken."
- Omni
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: Error in LOS example???
by mebririth
Caused by another thread I took another look at the example on page 12. Now I hope I'm looking at this correctly..As far as I can see there is a line of sight between Jain and the zombie.
They state you can use ANY corner of the shooter/caster and ANY corner of the target. So if in this example you use Jains bottom left corner and the zombies bottom right corner, the line would pass exactly through the corner and only through the corner of the rock. So according tothe rule they are stating there WOULD be line of sight.
Where is the error in this story? Am I missing something, or did FFG miss something here?
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: Hero cards for Runewars and the like?
by kumquatelvis
I read through the components list and I didn't see alternate hero cards for Runewars and Runebound and whatever else. Did I just miss them like a doofus, or are these actually not in the box (I really, really hope that I just missed them)?↧
Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: Which hero figures to use in place of lieutenants?
So which of the hero figures do you think each looks like one of the lieutenants (to use as proxies)?
Someone earlier suggested that One Fist could be used to represent Splig, the fat goblin. What about the rest? Presuming the remaining LTs are:
Lord Alric Farrow
Lord Merric Farrow
Lady Eliza Farrow
Belthir
Baron Zachareth
Someone earlier suggested that One Fist could be used to represent Splig, the fat goblin. What about the rest? Presuming the remaining LTs are:
Lord Alric Farrow
Lord Merric Farrow
Lady Eliza Farrow
Belthir
Baron Zachareth
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: Looking forward to playing this at a new store coming out by me
by GD360
In case you guys haven't seen the list of stores participating in the Descent 2nd Edition Event, here's the link.http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_nrep.asp?eidm=65
Glad to see a new store coming to my area will be hosting this event (The Wandering Dragon in Plainfield, IL).
If anyone is from this area, hope to see you there!!
G
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: Conversion?
by solomani
Any idea how the conversion rules will work for v1?↧
Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: Support App?
by Vetinari
I'd love to see a random character/overlord generator app for this. I'm sure I'll want to design my own characters a few times, but after that I'd enjoy the challenge of playing what gets dealt to me. An app that can do this instantly seems like it would be a real time saver compared to sorting and shuffling tons of cards just to get a random set up.Does anyone know what Fantasy Flight's policy is on apps? I don't recall them producing support apps for any of their games (although I think they do produce app versions of a couple of games). Are they open to independent apps in support of their products?
I don't have the skills to design one myself, but if FFG is interested or if someone else has the design skills, I'm announcing that I'd be part of the market willing to pay a reasonable price for one. If anyone else is interest and has suggestions, please feel free to post your support and ideas here.
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: New video
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: Hey Tom, how is the game?
by d0gb0t
Dear Tom Vasel,some time ago we all see the 2nd Edition Box on your shelf while watching one of your reviews. Then there was a lot of rumors about why you have it and then you will show us your review, but nothing happens.
Then some days ago the NDA was lifted and some geeks starts talking about details about the game and how it plays. And many of us hoped that your video will pop up soon, now there FFG allowed them who saw and heard more to talk about, but nothing happens.
So I would really like to know then something will happen and then you will tell us about this game.
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: Overload vrs player balence
by Hillel
I'm curious about this version.You see I only have the first edition of Descent with no other expansions, however me and my friends don't play it often due to the unbalanced power level of the overlord vrs the players. If I were to plot a graph of power level for both parties over time, the overlord would be high and constant, maybe slightly increasing, and the players would start out weak but past the mid stage, would be too strong for the overlord to kill
. I'm really, really hopeful this 2nd edition fixes that problem. As the game is not out yet, does anyone have any speculations or actual experience with the game to comment?
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: NDA vs. Rules online?
by toerck
Heythe rules are online now. I've signed the nda but haven't memorized how long it is prohibiting me of say anything about the game?
Now since the rules are online, am i allowed to talk about my impressions of the game in detail ? Has anybody some official information about this issue or the text of the NDA?
Greetings
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: Monster Spawning Removed?
by gamecat_uk
I played the original game a few times but I never really liked the LOS/Spawn rules. It all felt a bit too gamey to me.I noticed no mention of spawning the the new rules, have I missed something? I like the idea of spawning monsters but I hated the LOS side of it. I'm assuming that maybe spawning is dealt with within the accompanying
Quest Guide.
Any ideas?
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: I gave in.....
by demondude777
Hey everyone,Well despite my opinion of this not being a game for me I caved in and preordered it. I love games like Heroquest, Talisman, Doom, and Super Dungeon Explore....so I was on the fence with Descent.
The no death only knockdown was a big turn off for me (as I can see by the threads about it I am not alone). Also I am not crazy about Heroes vs DM type games since I got my start on D&D....but I am keeping an open mind and seeing how it turns out.
For those that are familiar with the first Descent, and have looked through the rules (which I have read a bit of them but think I might have to get the game first to grasp everything), is there a chance this can be converted to solo play. I have been able to do it for Doom...but not easily. My concern is that with drawing a card for knockdown might prevent solo play. And if so, this game might not come out of my closet much since I am not able to get together with my board gaming friends too often.
I've successfully soloed Heroquest using random level generation from Advanced heroquest.Can this be done the same?
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: Line of Sight suggestion
by Deebs
Add hereThat is illogical captain! - Logical inconsistencies in otherwise fine games.
and then get over it.
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: Release date?
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Thread: Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition):: General:: Some pics
by ScrewTape
Since FFG has released several pictures of the minis and such here are a few pictures to answer some questions from the other thread.Do the new minis have the problem of going outside of their base (like the Dragon and the Razorwing)?
No. Here is a top down view of the new dragon.
How do the new heroes compare with the old?
The new heroes are more detailed. They are in the same scale.
Are the hero cards the same size?
Yes.
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