Not Quite Balanced

[yenkin2001]

This game needs some balancing, I like the game but it feels that the RNG gods have to be aligned right in order to close up to 5 - 6 locations so that you can get to the seventh and deal with the UBG of the scenario. seven locations are way to many to deal with especially if you can't churn the dungeon cards with blessings and allies.

I would think that between 3 - 5 would be about right as I don't want this game to feel like a P2W model so that I can buy some help during the game to increase my blessing or card count in order to stay alive long enough to churn enough cards to win. I do understand there are cards and abilities that help you churn cards, I think this game can be a lot of fun, but I have seen a few times that RNG rear up and bite me and it feels like damn I was close if only I won on that 90% chance of wining roll. Now have that happen a few times in a roll and you are ready to delete the game al together.

There has to be a balance to win the game without having to go to the store and buying a cheat. What is the point of that as a player, if I have money I could just cheat the odds until I go through the game. Better to balance the game correctly, accept that I am going to lose 50% or more of the time, but make the rewards worth that win. I just don't get that feeling with this game.

To be fair I do like the game and the premise, I think a bit of balancing is needed, when I 30 turns to deal with up to 70 cards which potentially could under the wrong conditions take up to 70 turns the chances of having to buy a cheat from the store is high. No I don't want to play a game like that.

[Bjoern]

At its core, the game is modelled after the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Rise of the Runelords, a cardgame publishe by Paizo.

We have played the game multiple times at the table and it comes without the treasure cards you consider P2W. Rise of the Runelords, once you understand the underlying mechanics, is incredibly easy and we only ever had to replay a scenario at the table once, in 3 playthroughs.

While larger parties do have to handle more cards, they also have more actions to take and can temporarily close more locations. Just hang in there. Turn of the treasure cards in the settings if you like, it will in the end vastly improve your enjoyment of the game.

[Faray]

You don't have to close all 7 (or however many) locations to win, you just have to close 2 then find the villain. Once you close 2 locations, you can have 1 hero at each location who can temp close when you find the villain to win.

Using allies/blessings to explore extra times, as well as spells that let you examine and change the deck (Augury/Spy Glass) can help as well.

[Puddles]

Try a smaller party. The number of locations is (party size + 2). Party of 3 = 5 locations. I can't imagine trying to run a 5 person party, and will probably try just 2 for my next run to see what it's like.

[Faray]

Smaller parties are good for closing locations easier, but they do have some disadvantages. You are more likely to have chars die in a smaller party since they will have more potential turns (in a 6 person party each char has to survive about 5 turns, a 2 person party they have to survive 15)

They also will have less ways to deal with hard banes/locations, and less blessings to help out with them.

I'm not saying don't play a smaller party, it just has a different set of challenges.

[yenkin2001]

No I see, I did not realize that Party size was also a trigger to the number of places I have to close. Missed that somewhere. Will have to look at this again.

[Puddles]

It doesn't actually state that anywhere, just something noticed from trying different party sizes.

[tiamats4esgares]

This game is basically exactly a game that has been around for years, with added things to make it EASIER. It's by no means imbalanced, you just need to learn how to play to your advantages.

[Sigma]

Game is fine. You haven't seen difficult until you hit AD6 so stop whining. I've been able to do legendary on all adventures up to 6 with almost no trouble with a 6 character party. And i alternate and switch members around so they all get in the action. And this was done wayyyyy before this game hit the steam stores.

There is/was no pay2win, you had to gather all the cards yourself painstakingly through tens and hundreds of games trying to find that 1 weapon you got from opening chests.

30 turns, i agree, is not enough for a 6 party team but doesn't mean it's not impossible. Stop sucking, lrn2play, and definitely start finding appropriate items to strengthen your characters, otherwise just refund the game, this isn't the right game for you. The game has been like that for atleast 3 years and they aren't going to change the amount of turns they give you.

[glenn3e]

Less characters = higher chance of dying when your character runs out of cards. More characters, higher chance of running out of time. Choose your party accordingly, the game is balanced around these systems.

[yenkin2001]

Actually I tried a 3 person and team Barb, Socerer and Cleric won hands down the first scernio no issues.

[Namekujisennin]

Also, like an RPG, you need to learn the roles of your members: for instance, if you have trouble dealing with time, the cleric and her ability to chew threw her blessings to explore freely while still not risking much of her skin (basically in a cycle of "discard blessing, explorex3 or 4then cure-> repeat") is invaluable when you are new to the game (which I am as well).

It takes time to learn the nuances, but I find it a very rewarding game.

[yenkin2001]

Just did it again using Druid/Ranger/Wizard and managed both two of the three. So it seems 3 is the magic number, mind you I got lucky and managed to get through 6 cards in the first turn to get to the poison trap and close the instance.

[Ehra]

My first playthrough of the physical game was with a 6 character party. It's very difficult; death isn't really ever a concern, but you need to be very efficient with your explorations. You should have a much easier time with a 3 character team.

Pay attention to your abilities too, they can help you speed up your location clearing. The Wizard gets a free exploration any time he aquires a boon with the magic trait, so he can breeze through locations with lots of spells. The Paladin can also move boons to the bottom of the deck every turn, which is essentially the same as getting a free exploration when it happens (sometimes you miss out on a card you really wanted and you're sad, but for the most part it tends to be nothing you really cared about anyway).

I'm playing through with a 4 character party now and running out of time is very rarely a concern.

[tiamats4esgares]

I'm playing with a 4 person team and get down to the last turn or 2 nearly every scenario. I even lost one and had to redo it.

Seoni and Merisel don't really pull their weight in a 4 person party. They always get close to dying, and usually only explore once per turn.

Kyra is a beast, and Lini is at least good at exploring, even if maybe she isn't always the best at combat.

[Namekujisennin]

I don't think you should have health issues with Merisiel. Her skillset is very, very strong: she can avoid pretty much anything that might be hurtful to her, and assassinate anything that needs assassinating -- at least, as long as you have a bow at hand.
Again, her avoid skill make it very safe to explore even in low hand conditions. It is so strong a power it feels almost broken in places that let you explore again under generous conditions!
If time becomes an issue, I burn through her blessings and have Kyra heal her up with a couple of cure.
Seoni, I just hit stuff before they hit me, which usually works. Her auto-recharge makes using her spells a no-brainer.