"Ooh, I have to give up a craft counter!!! Oh my, how am I going to cope? What a quest that will be!" NOT! Even with the Reaper expansion, the Warlocks quests are SO underused in my opinion. To make them interesting, why didn't we have quest cards such as this: "Make your way over to the Ruins, where you will not encounter adventure cards, but automatically fight a goblin hoard (total strength 7) who are holding a Princess captive. If you win, place a life counter on this card to show you have the Princess, then make your way to the Castle to return her to it." If the Talisman cards are removed from the Adventure deck, forcing players to take on quests such as these, it would make it far more interesting and (optionally) longer. This game is great and I love it, but saying "give up a spell/strength/craft" is not what defines a quest in my opinion. Opinions? Can anyone think of any quests they would like to see in the game?

Jimsan Ixata Centarus said: So, to do something new, instead a forest or mountain or city expansion, FFG can do a "Sea" expansion... To get in this region players have to pay one gold (boat ticket) or to buy a boat (new card), or use the raft one time. You can find monsters like Scylla and Cariddi, and do other experiences like in the Odyessey tale, or to find Atlantid or some Poseidon Temple... or even fishing in the Sea to eat good! I think that it can be funny to have a region of this type, what do you think? I would be very happy for there to be a sea expansion. I seem to remember seeing a home-brew corner board on the net somewhere, where there was the dock where you hired your ship, then you moved around discovering sea monsters and making your way to Poseidon or Neptune. It looked good for a home-brew, and there isn't a part of Talisman that is over water except if you count crossing from outer to middle region. There could be a pirate character who would of course benefit from being on the open seas with his abilities.

I know exactly what you mean Velhart. Of course if you restrict him, he will have even less to do, when lots of characters have so many things. But using the rules that he assassinates everything makes it too easy for him and more importantly too boring. Using the face-up-only rule gives him even less to do but makes it more exciting for him. Either way is not ideal, I agree. There is of course, the option of using the house rule as we have said before, of using the 3rd edition rules (1-3 lose, 4-6 win). That would keep it exciting AND give him plenty to do. But I do like to stick to rules that are written on the cards/board if possible. I don't like to use rules that differ from the text on them. Saying that, it would be nice if the text on them and the rules was made more clear and consistent (contradictions in the rule book as to who attacks who with a drawn card, assassin ability, the term "creature" for example).

Velhart said: I keep the assassin as he is... If i use that house rule, that he can only defeat face up cards, then he is lesser powerfull and more boring than ever... Most enemies are easily defeated, and i see myself already seeking for face-up cards on the board HA ! Not me.. You say he'll be more boring than ever? My wife will STRONGLY disagree with you. With her assassinating everything she came across (with Strength) in last nights game (where she won the game EASILY) she got thoroughly bored mindlessly killing without needing the roll the die towards the end. It was a case of "pick a card, oh dear a dragon, he's dead, more strength trophy points, another strength counter please, turn over, (yawn)". If his rule is restricted to face up cards, then he will have to fight as normal when drawing a card, making it more exciting again as he may actually lose for once. As Dam said before, we had enough enemies face up on the board to begin with while we were all busy levelling up for him to clean up and level up before anyone else. That is enough of an ability as it was, without her assassinating cards from the deck too.

talismanisland said: Thaadd is a legend (and a she!) Oops! You have a great site btw!

I have just Googled a search on this subject of the Assassin, and came up with a forum thread from the BoardGameGeek website here javascript:void(0);/*1251932756047*/ where they all agree HE is attacking when he lands on a space with a card since he is choosing to land there and encounter it, and he gets attacked by creatures when a card is dealt, as per the rules. So, he can only assassinate when landing on a card or other character, the same as before. Then again, someone emailed FFG and received an official response, saying he can indeed assassinate drawn cards too. Oh well. House rule it is then.

Velhart said: She is hot But i have never draw her. Although my opponent has play 2 times with her, but he lose with her both.... I wonder how good she is if i play with her.. Well if I had the chance to fondle her for two hours, then I wouldn't care who won the game

I got a reply!! That was fast! "We know that a certain amount of games get misassorted figures. I don't generally need photo proof! I do however need your mailing address, as to know where to send it. Thanks for playing Thaadd Powell Customer Services" I sent him the link to the photo just in case he did need proof, which is why he commented on it. It's great they will just send a replacement out to me. Now that is good customer service!

Just checked the rule book for the 2nd edition, and it is virtually word for word the same as this one, saying that when you land on a space, and saying "any enemy cards on the space must first be defeated" without actually saying if the character is officially attacking the enemy or vice versa. Same for the 3rd edition, saying "combat occurs when a character is attacked by an enemy" but never mentions when a character attacks an enemy. To be honest, the only time this really matters is with the assassins ability and when it comes into play. All they needed to do was make the rule clearer on his card- when he lands on a space with a card on, then he is attacking that creature and may assassinate it. Otherwise, the creature is attacking him and he cannot. Simple.

Velhart said: Well, if she can win a battle and a psychic combat, then she get's 2 gift's But she don't get 2 gift's from a combined enemie Yep, that makes sense in this case. Like you say, if it were a gift per creature, even with a combined enemy, she would be too powerful. I wish I had her miniature- she looks hot!

Velhart said: Craft value=starting craft Yeah, who ever thought of using the term "value" instead of "starting"? Clearly that is the issue here. I myself got a little confused with the rule book today when I read them for the first time. When something says "Craft value" it just means the number of craft your character has on his character card- that is all. It's a stupid term for it, but that's what it is.

Velhart said: I understand, and besides they are still 2 trophy's worth The dark cultist for example do not gain 2 gifts for a combined enemie, but only one because they fight as 1 creature.. It's stupid, but that's how the game works, and besides, if she could get 2 gifts then she is surely overpowered... Yes I see what you mean about the dark cultist. And I would be able to see how that works if I had her miniature in my Reaper pack I think players ought to agree about that rule, that she only collects 1 gift even with more than one creature in a battle or psychic combat. Man, these abilities are so messed up!

Velhart said: well, i can say nothing about house rules, but i just wanted to say how combined enemies works.. Yes, I know how they work. But like I said, I am interpreting the rules differently to you. The sentence says "they fight as one during the battle", but that doesn't mean they are one creature. You add their strength together and fight them as if they are one creature, but they are not one creature. Therefore, you can't assassinate them. That's how I read that sentence anyway. But going back to the other quotes from Dam, isn't it funny how even the rulebook contradicts itself? Saying how enemies attack the character when a card is dealt, then giving an example of the Wizard picking a Giant card, then deciding to attack it!! And then not making it completely clear that the assassin can only assassinate a creature with strength, not craft (as creatures can have either). Even FFG don't know how their game plays!

Velhart said: Did you see that some cards have changed... The Genie for example... has not only 1 spell but 3 spells ! cool or not ? I haven't opened the packs of cards in the Reaper pack yet, as I am not sure if I have to send it back or not, due to a missing miniature. I really wanted to use the expansion cards too Really disappointed in their seeming lack of attention when packing the right miniatures.

Velhart said: Rules: "they fight as one during the battle, adding their strength together with just one attack roll to make a single, combined attack score" That doesn't mean you count them as 1 creature. sadly it does.. you also lose only one life...( not two... I think that depends on how literally you want to take that sentence. "they fight as one during the battle". Yes, you will have them fighting you as if they are one creature, but you clearly have more than one creature in the battle, therefore he can't assassinate them, as he is only allowed to assassinate one. That's how I see it. I still like the rule (even though it doesn't say so in the rules, and they do actually contradict themselves in places as to who attacks who when a card is dealt) that if you land on a card, then it is you attacking them. Otherwise, if you draw a card, they are attacking you. I am sure that was the rule in the 2nd edition, which isn't made clear in these rules.

Dam said: When there are multiple Str or Craft Creatures, they count as 1 IIRC. Rules: "they fight as one during the battle, adding their strength together with just one attack roll to make a single, combined attack score" That doesn't mean you count them as 1 creature.

Velhart said: The problem is that the assassin ability get stuck if he get a enemie that lays on that space + a enemie that he drew on that space that are combining they strength together... Well thats another thing- how can the assassin assassinate more than one creature anyway? It's not very realistic. We had the rule in our game tonight, that he can only assassinate if there is one creature. Going back to his ability- "when you attack a character or creature" meaning only one.

Yes, there is that, Dam. I am trying to find somewhere in the rules that state if you land on a card, you are attacking them. But I can't find it. And that's odd how his ability mentions 'creatures' when creatures can also be using craft according to the rules. Wasn't there something in the 2nd edition rules that you were the one attacking if you landed on a monster card?

librarycharlie said: Despite having been outvoted on the issue on these forums, we still play a very balanced Assassin reading the rules as we believe they were written. When you draw an Enemy card, it is attacking you. You are not attacking it. Ergo, no assassinations on monsters battled as you draw them. Instant balance, and that's exactly what it indicates on the card. I'm still surprised people are looking for other mechanisms to balance what seems to have been a pretty obvious misinterpretation to begin with. As for all the other assassinations (werewolf, etc.), these are very minor issues comparitively from a balance perspective and the resultant ruling is essentially balance-irrelevant. Oh my, you are absolutely correct!! Thank you for pointing that out! Rules state (page 7) "Enemy - Animal, Dragon, or Monster. These enemies attack any character encountering them by battling the character." Assassin ability: "You may assassinate when you attack a character or creature" I have just played my first game of the 4th edition (arrived yesterday) with my wife as the assassin, with her assassinating every monster she met, and she won the game easily. We shall have to play properly next time, with her only being able to assassinate monsters/characters she attacks by landing on their space. Thanks again.

Dam said: Thaadd = Customer Service of FFG. Okay, it's a generalization, but Thaadd is the one who replies to people. She has the Crown of Command of CS . At the bottom of the page, there is a link to "User Support", just click and follow the trail. It's at the very bottom, dark grey on black, hard to see, but it's there. Yes, that's how I contacted them. I hope I get a reply soon.

Dam said: IIRC, I had 2x Merchant figure, but no Merchant char card. I had 2x Knight char card. Upgrade had 2x Assassin and missing one figure. Thaadd got everything sorted quickly . Sounds like you had it worse than I did. Who does the sorting at this company? What do you mean by "Thaadd got everything sorted quickly"- what does Thaadd mean? How did it get resolved? Did FFG send you out the correct pieces?

I was SO looking forward to coming home to my new Reaper pack to add to the main board, and opened it with excitement only to find it had 2 miniatures of the Merchant, and no miniature for the Dark Cultist. I have emailed FFG, so I will have to wait for an answer. I bought it from eBay, but the box was brand new with its wrapping still on. I am SO disappointed. Anyone else had the same thing?

Yes don't forget I haven't got the expansions for the 3rd, so only had the base cards. Thanks for the link. I am glad to see some favourite 3rd edition cards making a return in the Reaper pack, such as the genie, staff of mastery, etc. as well as seeing all those lovely monsters and spirits. Just a minute ago I had a call from my wife - the Reaper pack has arrived!! Yes!

Thanks- that is what I thought Velhart, and what I seem to remember being the rule in the 2nd edition all those years ago. They don't make this particular rule very clear in my opinion. I think I will just stick to the rule of moving to the space directly opposite and not having a choice of spaces.

Actually, the Reaper pack hasn't arrived yet- that one is still in the post. Hopefully it should arrive any day now- maybe even today. I hope it will bring a lot more enemies to fight. That's the one criticism I would say is the worst with the 3rd edition- you just don't come across enough enemies! That also makes the game last even longer because it takes longer to level up you character. Looking at the base pack of this revised 4th, it may suffer the same issue until the Reaper pack adds to it. You know what would be really good? Having a seperate adventure pack each for outer and middle regions. That way you are sure to face tougher enemies once you cross the bridge.