This is very interesting. We always played it the same. A move action, or anything else that gives MP's just adds to your pool. As long as you had MP's in your pool you could trade. But reading the movement and trading item rules, You could not actually trade anything gaining movement points with surges, or any other way besides a move action. You have to actually use a Move action to trade items.

Very nice. I'm liking the stats.

Now we will find out how balanced the game is. I really hope you can only field 1 ISD. But I will buy 2 anyway. I must have 2 (or more) of everything. If it is truly balanced any 400 point fleets you build now should still be able to win.

Actually ya my first example is bad because I forgot goblins have scamper and in fact I think he could get LOS to the farthest guy in one move action. But if it were any other monster it would change targets.

It does not say the space in which the monster can reach. It says any space on the map. There is nothing about the monster actually being able to make it there in one move. and it also says performs a move action and moves toward the closest space from which it would have line of sight It does not say he has to actually reach the space. Just move towards it. it also says If a monster already has line of sight to the target, that monster does not perform this action. It does not say that if it cannot get line of sight it does not do this action. Here are the examples. In this example there is no space ON THE MAP the Goblin can get to, so he will change targets. He will not move he will just shoot. In this example. There is a space on the map the gobin can get to Move towards the farthest target. there is NOTHING in the rules that says he has to actually get there Can he attack the farthest target? No so... He will move a 2nd time and will then have LOS to the farthest target.

I think we are saying the same thing? You are not going to change targets just because you cannot spot the farthest hero with your first move. If the monster can "eventually" spot the farthest hero he will keep moving using both actions as moves. But if there is no way he can ever get there, as in your 1st example, he is not going to just blindly move with his first action. He will change targets and end up shooting instead because he already has line of site to the next farthest target.

You need to know the whole list. And it will depend on what type of attacks the monster has as well. (granted most monsters that spot are ranged) Spot Farthest Hero Attack Farthest Hero As in your 2nd example the monster has a movement of 3 and a Ranged attack. The monster would end up moving twice because there are spots on the map he can get to that he can see the farthest hero. move 3 spaces, can he see the farthest Hero? No, check next action Can he attack the farthest hero? no, check next action move 3 spaces, can he see the farthest hero? Does not matter his 2 actions are done. The monster would only change targets if it is impossible for that monster to get to a space that can spot the farthest hero. Even if that Hero is 50 spaces away. A monster will "Try" to get there. With your first example (still using the spot example) the monster would not move at all and just end up shooting one of the heroes blocking the hall. Because there is no legal way for the monster to get behind the heroes and spot that farthest hero. So the monster will switch targets and go after the next farthest hero. Moving Towards is usually done by Melee monsters. You can still move closer to the farthest target, even if those heroes are blocking the hall. And usually the next action is attack the closest hero anyway. In your 1st example a move towards with 3 movement the monster would end up moving twice. With 4 movement he would move and then attack one of the heroes in front.

Remember Overlord effects only happen at the end of the Heroes turn, and before monsters activate. Case A would be correct.

TOWARD: Usually monster actions that say attack a target (for some reason) will also include actions that say attack the closest hero. So, the monster will move as close as he can get, and then just attack the closest hero If the action is something that does not have a target, like move to farthest hero, it will again move as close as it can get and attack the closest hero. SPOT: This is the same as above if there is a specific target, it is usually accompanied by attack the closest or spot the closest. In you example above the monster can already see both heroes. Now assuming there is another hero behind them, the monster would probably end up moving twice if there is a specific target. If there is no space on the map from which the monster could have line of sight to the target, the monster targets a different hero, following the instructions of that same action while ignoring the hero it cannot target That is more for your Toward example, if 2 heroes are blocking LOS to the farthest here. The monster would just change targets. Just roll through the monsters actions and remember that all the regular descent rules still apply, so a monster can move twice. Do you have the action list for the specific monster in question? Then I could tell you exactly what would happen in your examples.

Babylon 5

I'm looking to make a campaign. So I need a campaign map. One I can edit with which side controls which system and with some other stuff I have ideas for. I"m not looking for a matt to play on. But will this be a printed map that you bring to your gaming group or (and?) will it be one that you display online? That (the 'and' option) is what I'm looking to do, though I am only going to be using a region of space for the campaign I'll be running. It would be one that I display online. That is why I want it editable, so I can show the changing dynamics of the campaign.

Correct! You see theundead...a lot of people still get most of the rules wrong. So, if this is your first couple of times playing, I would wager money that you are getting some rules incorrect. And this can lead to huge in-balance problems. Man, I wish it was that easy to block corners.

3 turns is a long time. When most games only take 6-8 turns. Plus then you have to start looking into all the other rules, like when a hero some how heals 1 damage he automatically stands up. Players already complain about down time with 4 heroes, and now you are going to ask them to sit there for almost half the quest? Then they are going to get up with only 1 or 2 health left and you are going to knock them down again so they can sit for 3 turns again? I'd have a riot on my hands if that was a rule. I cannot seem to find it but I actually thought if all 4 heroes were knocked out at the same time, the OL won anyway. I cannot for the life of me seem to find it. I'd much prefer to see something like what IA does. If you are knocked out you loose your 1 time ability or something.

If you guys played me as the Overlord in D1E you would not like it. The campaigns had massive snowball effects for the OL if he started winning. Neither D1E or D2E are perfect. But from a suck people in persepective D2E is a huge improvement. I've read a lot of people say D2E should not have even been called descent because it is so different. And I agree. 2 totally different games. I loved D1E and played it since the first day it came out. But I started to have trouble finding people to play. 1 quest took 8ish hours to play. I love these types of games, but a lot of people do not. D2E drew people in by making quests way shorter. And as I get older I find I have time for less and less 8 hour sessions. The OL could destroy the heroes so badley that it absolutely demoralized the players. At least for me anyway. Especially in the campaign. If my monsters were rolling silver dice before the heroes the campaign was over. And with both points combined that is a lot of time to spend with no hope of winning. No hidden information gives D2E way more replay ability. This is a huge problem I have with Imperial Assault. D2E has way more options, and is way more balanced (despite a lot of threads to the contrary). If one quest isn't balanced you didn't lose your whole night to getting slaughtered. After an hour you can regroup and try to beat that despicable OL. I would just end up with stacks and stacks of Threat tokens in D1E and the other players just refused to play it any more. In D2E I have a way harder time as a OL demoralizing my friends. Which means they will play it again.

I'm looking to make a campaign. So I need a campaign map. One I can edit with which side controls which system and with some other stuff I have ideas for. I"m not looking for a matt to play on.

So that means there is no shopping phase at all after the Interlude, and therefore you cannot play that card.

ya I wouldn't mind having a look at it.

From one of the "offical" answers in one of those forums. It is not an actual shopping step and so it does not apply This is what makes me think there is an actual shopping step still with Act II cards. Especially since you change the decks out IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE INTERLUDE. This is where you would get to play that rumour card. There is no mention of skipping the shopping step. Of course there is no mention of actually doing the campaign phase either...

Ya and that spend a surge in order to hit is awesome too! Heroes hate that when I remind them.

Oh i see where the problem is. I have actually never even noticed this rule before. I always played it like a regular Act 1 Campaign phase. Wow 2 new things I discovered this week. Hero players now have a chance to visit the shop and purchase any Act I Shop Item cards. Deal out all remaining Act I Shop Item cards faceup. The hero players may purchase any number of Act I Shop Item cards they are able to afford. I would tend to lean towards no. Because they can purchase any or all of the ACT 1 shop item cards. It depends how you play it I guess. If you go by that, then the heroes do not get a campaign phase at all after the Interlude. But you have to have a campaign phase. So, maybe you get an Act 2 campaign phase after the Transition part? SO they will have a chance to buy all Act 1 cards. But then you run the normal Campaign phase with Act II cards. SO then you could play it. Wow, i'll have to look into this one farther.

Ha, I always loved that one. Playing by the rules takes the "Fun" out of the game. Well then, since the rules are just arbitrary or a guide line, I'll just start my VSD right behind you. You won't mind will you?

What does the card say is it an Act 1 Quest?

I can't remember how that quest works, but what you should do is try to not line monsters up right in front of the heroes. I like to line them up outside their range, and let them come to me. Let them use fatigue if they want to attack you. Sometimes it cannot be helped because of set up, but thats what I try to do. Going back to the saving the OL cards. I play a different style. I use my cards when I can. I like to widdle the heroes down before the 2nd encounter. Remember they do not heal in between. Some cards its a good idea to save. Like a double attack for your big boss or monsters with high attacks. Now when the 2nd encounter starts they are all half dead. much easier to pick them off and keep them down. I like to focus on things that take away their fatigue. Without fatigue they are pretty much handcuffed. and it forces them to waste actions resting. And if they do not they will start taking even more damage. Just on a side note to make sure you are doing this right. This is the biggest rule I find groups get wrong, especially when an OL is having a hard time. Surge abilities you can only use ONCE per attack. So if a hero has a surge ability that adds a single damage, and he rolls 3 surges, he still only gets to do 1 extra damage, not 3. This is how it used to be In Descent 1st ed. But no more. You could roll 1000 surge and you still can only do that 1 extra damage. And same goes with healing fatigue with a surge . You can only do it once. Not the number of surges that you roll.

1. Yes you can place them as long as it fits within the setup parameters of the quest you are doing. Those types of spaces do not count for Large figures. 2. Yes

Gang up on a single hero for 1. Once you get one down, its pretty easy to keep him down. Also keep in mind, I pretty much guarantee you are playing something wrong. The rules are not that easy to nail down. Especially if you are new. I still get some rules wrong because I forget. Sometimes the smallest rule played wrong can have a huge advantage to one side or the other.