Watchful and respawn

[Svarun2 0]

If a marine respawns next to a creature with watchful, does it trigger the watchful ability?

[Steve-O 473]

svarun said:

If a marine respawns next to a creature with watchful, does it trigger the watchful ability?

Watchful is the one that damages figures who enter a space adjacent, yes?  I'd say it does hurt the marine if he respawns there, but that's just my gut reaction.

[Dam the Man 84]

Watchful uses the word move in the rules (works with Earthquake and Knockback), but it's been a while since my last Doom game, so can't recall if we've had it work on respawn. Probably not since rules have just "move" for Watchful. If respawn would kick in Watchful, then opening a door with a Demon just on the other side would similarly kick it in IMO.

[shnar 52]

Agreed. Here's the Watchful text:

"WATCHFUL
Figures with the watchful ability may immediately take one
free attack against any enemy figure that moves into an adjacent space.
This attack takes place before the moving figure may take any other
action. There is no limit to the number of free attacks a watchful invader
can make in this manner. If the same figure makes more than one
move into spaces that are adjacent to the watchful creature, the creature
may make one free attack for every such move."

I would rule that spawning does not trigger a Watchful attack, since the marine is not moving in the space, but rather spawning in that space. I could also see it argued thematically both ways. The marine spawned, took the pinkie by surprise, so he gets no attack. Or the marine spawned, pinkie attacks anything that's near him (instinctive reaction), so immediately takes a swipe.

So, decide how your group wants to rule it, but technically by the rules, I'd say no attack.

-shnar

 

[TheWorld2 0]

As usual, everyone has their own interpretation ... I really wonder why they don't try a little harder to make rules that are less vague. Whenever I buy a board game, I'm disgusted by the way rulebooks are written. It shouldn't be allowed to sell rulebooks like this in the 21st century ... And then you can't even find a decent faq online ... bah, I'll go back to videogames.

 

[Steve-O 473]

TheWorld said:

As usual, everyone has their own interpretation ... I really wonder why they don't try a little harder to make rules that are less vague. Whenever I buy a board game, I'm disgusted by the way rulebooks are written.

Well, FFG's rulebooks in the past were known to be poorly written, and Doom - sadly - is from that era.  Their more recent games have shown notable improvement in this regard, however.  While it may not help anyone for this game, at least they are improving as a company.

Also, if you spend any amount of time playing board games and RPGs, you will eventually come to know the rules lawyer element.  These people have a way of manipulating just about anything - no matter how well written - to create confusion and dissent.  So you have to be careful about how you judge the fact that everyone has their own interpretation.  Is it really the fault the of poorly written rules, or is it perhaps the fault of overly analytical readers?

In this particular case I'd say it's clearly the former, but in general you might want to be more careful before rejecting board games as a whole.  It may be more about who you're playing with.

(PS: I'm not accusing anyone in this thread of being that way, I'm just saying - in general, you know.)