How do I win?

[Swisspike]

Just bought this yesterday, fooled around for a bit with an Assassin. Didn't read anything, not even sure there is a game manual.

How the hell do I win this game? I guess it has something to do with the center of the board, and having a Talisman. I even got a Talisman, during play. Beyond that, I am clueless.

Help a brotha out, please!!! Thanks in advance.

[Ubernerd Lucas]

Get to the center square and take the Crown of Command. Once you have it, two things happen: first of all, characters don't respawn after death. Second, each turn you cast the Command spell: roll 1d6; on a result of 1, 2, or 3, nothing happens, but on a result of 4, 5, or 6, each opponent takes one damage. The game then ends when only one player is left alive.

[Swisspike]

I have been on the second ring..how do I get to the inner ring, which I assume is the very center of the map?

[Ubernerd Lucas]

In the lower right of the second ring is the Portal of Power, which you can attempt to move through if you rolled enough movement to get past it. To move through it, you choose Strength or Craft and roll 2d6 (two six-sided dice). If the result is lower than your chosen skill, you move through onto the Plain of Peril (first space in the inner ring). Once on the inner ring, instead of rolling you move one space per turn. Keep in mind that you cannot pass through the Portal of Power if you have an active Warlock quest.

[Swisspike]

Once on the inner ring, what actions do I need to take?

[Ubernerd Lucas]

Progress towards the upper left hand corner (called the Valley of Fire) and from there go to the Crown of Command (center space). However, you will need a Talisman to pass the Valley of Fire.

[Swisspike]

This is one square at a time? How strong do I have to be to manage all the challenges?

[Ubernerd Lucas]

Yes, it is. Depends on which way you go; you'll have to beat a roll of 3d6 with either Craft or Strength or get teleported out. Heading left you'll have to pass a vampire (take damage or sacrifice followers) and 1-6 demons with 4 strength each, or you can go up and Dice with Death which is purely luck, then a werewolf with 2d6 strength.

[Tha Mollusk]

I am at the Crown of Command raining down hell on my opponents but the last enemy remaining, a thief, is moving back and forth from a Healer at the Portal of Power indefinitely due to him having the Poltergeist follower. Seems like a broken combination. What do I do?

Edit: It's right here in the FAQ "1.1 Q. My opponent is using the Poltergeist to move back and forth to a healer. I can't eliminate him with the Command Spell! Is the game a draw?
A. No, but it can drag on for a very long time. The "hopping" opponent can slowly get stronger while staying alive. Then, he can run for the Crown when he's ready, but the person on the Crown has to sit there casting Command Spells. This scenario is within the standard rules of the game and is not a "stalemate," but just doesn't give a lot for the person on the Crown to do. Select the "No More Lives" house rule to disable life gains when someone reaches the Crown if you don't want this scenario to happen. But, you will not be able to play with alternative endings when "No More Lives" is active."

Well, it would appear this game isn't all that great after all. Bummer.

[ToothlessNightFury]

There are various options to end the game quicker @Mollusk. It is a great game...

[Ubernerd Lucas]

Originally posted by talismanamsilat:

There are various options to end the game quicker @Mollusk. It is a great game...

If you're willing to spend the extra money to make it more fun (which is something I heartily endorse doing, having picked up the Season Pass). But in the base game, it seems like getting to the Crown means there's a decent chance you'll end up essentially spectating the game for the next 45 minutes or more :/

[8bitbum]

Originally posted by Tha Mollusk:

I am at the Crown of Command raining down hell on my opponents but the last enemy remaining, a thief, is moving back and forth from a Healer at the Portal of Power indefinitely due to him having the Poltergeist follower. Seems like a broken combination. What do I do?

Edit: It's right here in the FAQ "1.1 Q. My opponent is using the Poltergeist to move back and forth to a healer. I can't eliminate him with the Command Spell! Is the game a draw?
A. No, but it can drag on for a very long time. The "hopping" opponent can slowly get stronger while staying alive. Then, he can run for the Crown when he's ready, but the person on the Crown has to sit there casting Command Spells. This scenario is within the standard rules of the game and is not a "stalemate," but just doesn't give a lot for the person on the Crown to do. Select the "No More Lives" house rule to disable life gains when someone reaches the Crown if you don't want this scenario to happen. But, you will not be able to play with alternative endings when "No More Lives" is active."

Well, it would appear this game isn't all that great after all. Bummer.

With your last statement there, you make it sound like this is a thing that always happens - that is wrong. it CAN happen, yes, but rarely does. You were unlucky. Claiming it's not a great game afterall due to your bad luck with a thing that happens so rarely is not really fair.
Take it as an experience really and don't punch the game cause of that.

[Xerxes Aragon]

Concur with 8bitkitty. This so-called "stalemate" occurs by my estimate in perhaps <.5% of the total number of games played. That's less than 1 in 200, and it's even rarer that it's a true stalemate because the character which is alternating back and forth will eventually draw a card that causes the condition to fail and they break out of it. True, it may take a very long time but with patience it will be disrupted.

[Ubernerd Lucas]

Originally posted by DDCupsFan:

Concur with 8bitkitty. This so-called "stalemate" occurs by my estimate in perhaps <.5% of the total number of games played. That's less than 1 in 200, and it's even rarer that it's a true stalemate because the character which is alternating back and forth will eventually draw a card that causes the condition to fail and they break out of it. True, it may take a very long time but with patience it will be disrupted.

That's how I got out of a similar predicament with an enemy spellcaster on the outer board; I got two commands in a row and he got hit by the 1-2 punch of a dragon and pestilence in the same turn; was immensely gratifying to watch the stalling game backfire so spectacularly lol.

[Tha Mollusk]

Originally posted by DDCupsFan:

Concur with 8bitkitty. This so-called "stalemate" occurs by my estimate in perhaps <.5% of the total number of games played. That's less than 1 in 200, and it's even rarer that it's a true stalemate because the character which is alternating back and forth will eventually draw a card that causes the condition to fail and they break out of it. True, it may take a very long time but with patience it will be disrupted.

Not true. In my game the thief was moving between Castle and a healer on Portal of Power in an endless loop. He was not required to draw an adventure card, ever.

I can see what you're saying about the probability being so low that it isn't an issue, though. I should have made a run for the Crown sooner. I've also started playing with different rules as per Lucas' suggestion. I like the idea of either Race to the Crown, no healing once Crown is reached, and Talisman Bloodbath.

[Gallifrey - CSSC Gaming Founder]

Originally posted by Tha Mollusk:

I am at the Crown of Command raining down hell on my opponents but the last enemy remaining, a thief, is moving back and forth from a Healer at the Portal of Power indefinitely due to him having the Poltergeist follower. Seems like a broken combination. What do I do?

Edit: It's right here in the FAQ "1.1 Q. My opponent is using the Poltergeist to move back and forth to a healer. I can't eliminate him with the Command Spell! Is the game a draw?
A. No, but it can drag on for a very long time. The "hopping" opponent can slowly get stronger while staying alive. Then, he can run for the Crown when he's ready, but the person on the Crown has to sit there casting Command Spells. This scenario is within the standard rules of the game and is not a "stalemate," but just doesn't give a lot for the person on the Crown to do. Select the "No More Lives" house rule to disable life gains when someone reaches the Crown if you don't want this scenario to happen. But, you will not be able to play with alternative endings when "No More Lives" is active."

Well, it would appear this game isn't all that great after all. Bummer.

There's quite a good solution Mollusk. Buy the Frostmarch and Reaper supplments that give you different endings, and either: -

1) Choose "hidden Ending" and "Disable Standard Ending", or
2) Choose "Open Ending" and keep restarting until you get the Quest version.

S.x.

P.S. In addition to the extra endings you get over a hundred extra adventure cards and a couple of dozen extra spells, and half a dozen extra characters. And the Reaper. Don't fear the Reaper. Except in the game where he kills you...