Knights of the Daystorm - Design Thread - 100% complete

[ZBeeblebrox]

Originally Posted by Velenne

Ya that was a great game! Now I'm gonna see what happens when I do the following.

Player chooses a dungeon section, DM orients it. Repeat for all 4 sections, deploy dragons.

Player starts with all 4 Keys. When the Player kills a dragon, he also loses its corresponding key (Zelrig/Air, Mimring/Fire, Braxas/Earth, Nilfheim/Water) however the player also gets to roll for the following:

Elemental Energy Burst: When the player destroys a dragon, roll the 20-sided die. If you roll a 1, nothing happens. If you roll a 2-11, remove 3 Wound Markers from any Army Card you control. If you roll a 12-20, you may remove up to 5 Wound Markers from any Army Card you control OR return one destroyed figure to your starting zone and remove all Wound Markers from that figure's army card.

Wow awesome ideas V! I'm going to try this this weekend with both playtest groups. I will have new reports next week. I am also going with 3 hex start zones on each MOP.

[DrLivingston]

Still watching and enjoying the show!

That last one was my favorite yet.

I was really pulling for Charos that time...

[Velenne]

All dragons / all sections playtest.

Knights: Kaemon Awa (Air Key, Amulet of Health, Potion of CLW), Crixus (Earth Key), Migol Ironwill (Fire Key), Darrak Ambershard (RoP+2, Water Key), Zetacron (Eyes of the Eagle). Ya, I rolled pretty bad to keep my items this time. And I have no healing. We'll see how this goes....

Knights deploy Zetacron in the Earth section by his lonesome. Crixus and Darrak start in the Water section. Kaemon and Migol start in the Fire section.

Round 1: Zetacron wins init and puts 4 wounds on Braxas from height! (All skulls vs 2 shields!) The Knights are off to a strong start. Braxas, taking cues from a mindlinked Charos, flies over the glaciers toward Crixus and Darrak but is out of spitting range. Zeta moves over a hill and pops a shot off at Zelrig that misses. Braxas gets in position, spits twice, but doesn't off any heroes. Kaemon Awa flies forward and puts 3 wounds on Mimring with a Quick Release. Mimring gets the nod from Charos to take high ground on ramp to the top of the Air Section and Fire Line Kaemon from range, dealing one wound.

Round 2: Braxas goes first, spitting and missing. Crixus moves up the hill but can't get in on the Black Queen's height and reach. Charos gives the cue for Zelrig to get off the low ground, claiming a perch next to the great King on the Rampart's upper level. Darrak moves adjacent to Braxas and puts another wound on her. She responds by melting him into a puddle of slag. Zetacron goes 3rd for the Knights, stepping forward onto a shadow tile wounding Zelrig for one.

Round 3: Charos looks sadly at his Black Queen, knowing that given the choice between a lucky d20 roll or killing another Knight, he'd rather kill the Knight. Two markers on Crixus are enough to seal the deal, but he figures she's done her damage and can die with honor. Two markers later, she falls. I lose the Earth Key from Crixus and roll a 7 on my Elemental Energy Burst, but the only wounded heroes are Zeta (who took one from Nilf a turn earlier) and Kaemon. I heal Kaemon. Nilf swoops in and drops the soulborg.

Round 4: Mimring is commanded to go first, firing a line of flames onto the hapless samurai far below for another wound. Kaemon steps forward and tries to finish off Mimring, dealing only a wound (Mimring now at 4/5). Charos would rather not lose another Guardian at this time, so he takes matters into his own talons, flying down from his perch and swiping Kaemon for 3 wounds! The samurai is saved by Amulet at this point and so he risks the disengage, takes the wound (1 left!) and flies up to the perch with the help of the air key. Quick Release finishes off Mimring, I lose my Fire Key off Migol but roll 18 on the Burst. I choose to take wounds off Kaemon instead of rezz one of my low-cost heroes. Furious, Charos flies back up to his perch and puts another 2 wounds on Kaemon! Again, Kaemon recklessly parts, takes the hit, but delivers a telling 3 wounds to nearby Zelrig to end the round.

Round 5: Knights win init and Kaemon makes the curious decision to fly back off the perch and shoot up at Zelrig (I didn't want to lose my Air Key up there, lose Kaemon, and give Charos the Amulet of Health again...) He only deals one wound, leaving the Red King with one left. This time it's Nilfheim who comes out of nowhere back in the Earth section to engage Kaemon! The Samurai manages to barely defend, taking only 1 wound, but only has 2 left. He parts, takes another f'ing hit, and moves to a single-hex raised fire space. From here he can just catch Zelrig in his range. He shoots, he scores, loses his Air Key, but roll a 20 on his Burst, removing all his wounds again! (Kaemon is the MAN!) Charos bellows mightily and orders Nilfheim to take the lower ground against the resilient samurai. Nilf responds by putting FOUR wounds on Kaemon. Not thinking the samurai would do as well as he already had, I'd put my 3rd marker on Migol who moves forward from the rear of the Fire Pit. Nilf chomps again, dealing 1 wound. Kaemon, standing on a lava rock tile with only wound left, rolls that undefendable dice and gets a skull yet again, falling.

Kaemon took 3 parting shots and rolled for lava damage once, and never failed to take the hit.... but he did kill 2 dragons so I'm not too sad about it.

Round 6: Everyone sees that Amulet of Health up on that single hex. Everyone knows I want to get my Migol over there to it. So Charos sends Nilf to the center of the Fire Pit to spit some ice at the dwarf. Migol one-shield-defenses himself down to taking a single wound, and is then faced with a dilemma: Do I take the high ground on this lava rock tile here and attack down to Nilf, or try to weasel my away around to that Amulet? Aw t'ells with it, he thinks, No Guts No Glory worked fer that sissy archer fella. He steps up and whiffs. Charos and Nilf look at each other meaninfully but nothing happens. The White King is out of range! Charos growls and flies closer to the battle. Migol takes a free swing, dealing 3 wounds! Nilf bites down and does another wound to the dwarf. Migol swings but his axe can't get through the dragon's scaly hide. Migol rolls for lava rock and takes a wound. (.......)

Round 7: Migol and Nilfheim trade attacks while Charos eats a Sandvich. Migol finall puts four wounds on the White King a single attacks, Crixus loses the water key, and I decide to rez Kaemon Awa. Charos rolls his eyes and sighs. Migol triumphantly holds his axe over his head just in time to roll lava rock damage against himself and die.

Round 8: Again, both of us are looking at that Amulet of Health knowing what I want to do. The DM shakes her head at me. She wins init and flies a bit closer but out of Quick Release range. Kaemon takes a nice high ground spot and hits Charos for his first wound. Charos takes a low ground spot with a shadow tile and whiffs, suffering two wounds from a Counterstrike. Kaemon takes a disengage wound (AGAIN!? Yes. Again. I'm oh-fer on the game against these undefendable dice.) Luckily for Charos, Kaemon whiffs on both Quick Release strikes. Charos moves around to even ground but knows Kaemon is getting that Amulet on his next turn. He doesn't quite seal the deal, putting 1 more on the samurai. Sure enough, I get my Amulet back (much to the DM's chagrin) and put another wound on Charos. Charos now has 4/9, and Kaemon has 2/6.

OH! BUT WAIT! I'm on the lava rock tile again. Y'know the one that killed Kaemon last time? Well guess what? Ya you know what. I roll for it and take ANOTHER hit. I could scream.

Round 9: Knights win init and I'm thinking I've got this in the bag. I've got my special attack, I've got height, and Charos only has 5 wounds left. So I stay put and roll my Quick Release, putting 3 more on him. Charos responds by rolling all skulls (and the crowd goes wild....) I roll 2 shields and Kaemon is dead. Charos takes the rest of the round fly atop the Ramparts and revel in his triumph.

So it's 2 life Charos vs. full life Crixus. This could really go either way.

Round 10: Charos wins init. Crixus was left in bad position and I'd really wanted to win this, but still trusted in my OSD. Sure enough, the Green King flies down and rolls 5 skulls but I get my shield and take only 1. Not wanting to attack up against that countstrike I take the parting and the heavens part, angels sing, and the hand of the Dice Lord Almight declares that I shalt not suffer another parting shot! I do give up a crucial attack but I thought it was worth it to not have to fight Charos from low ground. Charos sportingly steps down, rolls ridiculously well, but I get my shield. Crixus swings and Charos blocks. Charos all-skulls me again, but I roll my shield. Crixus swings one more time and manages to get a wound.

Charos has 1 wound left, Crixus has 2.

Round 11: The DM rolls a 19. "CRAP!" I say about her Dice Jesus rolling, then roll a 20! I triumphantly pitch my 5 dice into the tower with a loud "HA!" and come up with nothing. She smiles softly, lets her dice spill from her delicate little fingers, and comes up with 2 shields. Crixus dies to counterstrike.

Guardians win.

[Velenne]

Ya I'm pretty sold on doing it this way, but I'd like to see how ZB does in his own playtests.

ZB, try it the way I posted up there a couple of times if you get the chance. I think we've got a winner on our hands here.

[ZBeeblebrox]

Sanctuary – All Maps / Dragons of Icaria vs Playtest Team#2

Kaemon Awa (Earth Key, Boots of Haste), Atlaga (Water Key, Eyes of the Eagle, Heroic Rune,), Crixus (Air Key, Ring of Protection +2,), and Deadeye Dan (Luckstone), Eldgrim (Vorpal Sword), Arkmer (Scrolls, Amulet of Health, Fire Key)

Knights Deployment: Dan and Crixus start on the Fire Zone, Kaemon Awa and Atlaga start on the Water Zone and Eldgrim and Arkmer start on the Earth Zone.

Round 1: Knights win initiative and Atlaga flies forward and lands on a Snowy hill, He loads the Bolt of Witherwood and fires at Nilfheim and the magical Bolt finds its mark and the Dragon falls. Arkmer then pulls out the Scroll of Teleport and teleports Himself, Crixus and Eldgrim to the center of the Fire Zone. Zelrig flies from the top of one of the Air Towers towards the Knights. He uses his Majestic Fires to burn Atlaga for 3 wounds. Crixus uses the power of the Air Key to fly over to Mimring and inflicts a wound on the Beastly Dragon. Braxas flies over by Deadeye Dan and misses him with her Acid Breath.

Round 2: Mimring takes a wound from Crixus as he disengages to get a Fire Line attack on Eldgrim and Arkmer and Eldgrim takes two wounds. Crixus flies after Mimring and attacks the Dragon; and inflicts another wound. Charos flies to the center of the Earth Zone and hides in the shadows. Atlaga attacks Zelrig and inflicts a wound. Braxas move around Dan thus putting her in range of three Knights and releases her Poisonous Breath, and Dan falls to the fumes, while Arkmer and Eldgrim hold their noses. Kaemon Awa releases two Quick shots at Mimring and kills the Dragon. The Elemental Burst from the Fire Key heals Atlaga to full health.

Round 3: Kaemon Awa moves up and Quickly Releases two shots at the Dragon Queen and Braxas take 5 wounds! Zelrig attacks Atlaga and misses. Kaemon Awa activates the Stone Form power of the Earth Key and attacks Braxas again, thus inflicting another wound to the Queen. Braxas flies out over the Lava Fields and releases her Breath again , this time taking down Crixus, but leaving Arkmer and Eldgrim alive. Kaemon Awa shoots at Braxas from long range and puts an arrow into her eye to remove the Earth Guardian. Crixus is returned to the land of the living by the Elemental Power of the Earth Key.

Round 4: Kaemon Awa moves to step on the Air Key and shots at Zelrig but misses. Zelrig’s Fires burn the Kyrie Warrior for two wounds. Kaemon Awa uses the power of the Air Key to fly up onto the crosswalk of the Air Zone, landing behind the Dragon Emperor and shoots twice; Zelrig take 3 wounds. Charos attacks Crixus and inflicts a wound. The Samurai attacks Zelrig again and manages to wound the Dragon again. Charos returns Crixus to the land of eternal slumber as the gladiator whiffs on his defense.

Round 5: Zelrig attacks Kaemon Awa and misses with his Majestic Fire. The Samurai does not miss his opportunity to cause more damage and inflicts enough wounds to topple Zelrig from the crosswalk. The Air Key does not give off any Elemental Burst and its power drains from the Samurai. Kaemon Awa the moves to the edge of the Air Zone tower and shoots at Charos causing him 2 wounds. Charos lands on the Ring of Protection +2 and grasps it with his hind claw. Kaemon Awa shots at the Dragon King again, but cannot penetrate his new protection.

Round 6: Charos flies up to the Tower of the Air Zone and destroys Atlaga. Kaemon Awa runs over to step on the Heroic Rune to keep it away from Charos and release two pint blank shots, that bounce off the protected Dragon. Charos attacks the Samurai who blocks and Counters for a wound. Kaemon Awa attacks twice more and manages to wound the Dragon. Charos return the favor for three wounds. The Kaemon Awa gives one more to the Dragon.
Round 7: Charos attacks the Samurai again and tears off his arm as he throws Kaemon Awa from the tower. Charos then picks up the Boots of Haste and somehow gains their power. Charos then flies down to attack the Viking and misses. Charos takes a wound from the lava filed at the end of the round.

Round 8: Charos attacks Eldgrim and bites off his head. Arkmer releases magic energy at Charos and misses. Charos land next to the wizard and receives an Engagement Strike and then give a wound back to Arkmer. Arkmer attacks and give Charos a wound. Charos attacks again and give back two wounds, but the power of the Amulet of Heath keeps the wizard from falling. Arkmer knows this is probally his last attck, so with all his power he raises his staff and releases a magical blast right into the side of Charos…and the Elven Wizard is shocked to see the bolt of energy form a largehole in the side of the Dragon King and Charos falls. (Arkmer rolled 3 skulls, and Charos with 7 dice managed only one shield)

The knowledge of the Wellsprings is revealed to the wizard.

Knights win
Survivors: Arkmer.

[Velenne]

Did you ever see Cube?

Spoiler Alert!

Reminds me of the ending of that. One dazed and confused savant stumbling into the light...

Great read!

[ZBeeblebrox]

Originally Posted by Velenne

Did you ever see Cube?

Spoiler Alert!

Reminds me of the ending of that. One dazed and confused savant stumbling into the light...

Great read!

Yep somehow the wizard saves the day...and my mouth dropped open when I saw I only rolled one shield. (Deathwalker syndrome anybody)

[ZBeeblebrox]

Last playtest......


Sanctuary – All Maps / Dragons of Icaria vs Playtest #1

Raelin SotM (Fire Key, Ring of Protection +2), Atlaga (Water Key, Eyes of the Eagle, Boots of Haste, Luckstone,), Brunak (Heroic Rune, Amulet of Health ), Eravan Sunshadow (Air Key, Scroll of Teleport), Kyntela Gywn (Vorpal Sword), and Marcu (Earth Key)

Knights Deployment: Brunak starts on the Fire Zone, Raelin and Kyntela start on the Water Zone and Atlaga, Marcu, and Eravan start on the Earth Zone.

Round 1: Knights win initiative, and Atlaga flies forward and loads the Bolt of Witherwood and Braxas takes the bolt in the heart and falls. Nilfheim attacks Raelin and misses, but the second attck takes out Kyntela. Raelin points the Fire Key at Nilfheim but misses the Dragon. Raelin tries again and misses again. Zelrig flies forward from his start zone.

Round 2: Raelin points the Fire Key again at Nilfheim and causes 4 wounds to the icy Dragon. Charos attacks Atlaga and causes a wound. Raelin uses the power of the Fire Key to burn off the flesh of Nilfheim and he falls. The Elemental Blast of the Water Key heals Atlaga. Brunak charges the Dragon King but Charos blacks the attack, and counters for a wound.

Round 3: Dragons win initiative, and Zelrig uses his majestic Fire to attack Raelin, and she takes wound. Raelin flies up to the crosswalk of the Air zone and points the Fire Key at Zelrig and misses. He then attacks the Kyrie Warrior and he misses. She attacks again and inflicts a wound. Mimring moves forward and Fire Lines Marcu, who takes a wound. Atlaga disengages from Charos, who misses his swipe, and shoots at Charos to inflict another wound to the Dragon King.

Round 4: Mimring flies into position and Fire Lines Eravan and Marcu, who both take one wound. Raelin hurts the Emperor Dragon with the Fire Key; giving Zelrig two wounds. Zelrig’s Fire give a wound back to Raelin. Raelin then gives two more to Zelrig. Charos Mindlinks with Mimring and instructs him to Fire Line the Knights again, and both Marcu and Eravan takes two wounds each. Brunak attacks Charos and misses and Charos counters the attack for two wounds.

Round 5: Zelrig misses Raelin with Majestic Fire. Marcu bites Mimring for 4 wounds. Zelrig misses Raelin again and she also misses him. Mimring is instructed to attack the Knights again and a Fire Line hurts Marcu and Eravan for one more wound each. Raelin uses the Fire Key to Burn a hole into the Emperor and Zelrig falls from the tower of the Air Zone. The Elemental Energy released heals Eravan Sunshadow.

Round 6: Knights win initiative and Raelin flies forward towards the dragons. Mimring receives more Mindlink instructions and a Fire Line hurts Eravan and Marcu for another wound each. Raelin attacks Charos with the Fire Key and inflicts a wound. Charos disengages from Brunak, who misses his swipe, to attck Raelin directly. She takes a wound from the attack. Marcu disengages from Mimring to attack Charos and the King takes two wounds (Miring also misses his swipe). Charos instructs Mimring to Fire Line Raelin and Marcu, but he whiffs.

Round 7: Mimring releases another Fire line after the Dragons win initiative and Raelin takes a wound and Marcu falls. Raelin uses the Fire Key to give Charos 3 wounds. Charos misses Raelin with an attack. Atlaga attacks the King and misses. Mimring once again is contacted to Fire Line Raelin and she take the full hit and falls. Atlaga sees that his fellow Kyrie has fallen and flies over to her. She hands him the Fire Key as she dies. He turns to Charos and attacks and puts a bolt into the Dragon King and Charos falls.

Round 8: Atlaga then turns towards Mimring and yells “This is for Raelin!” and points the Fire Key at the Fire Zone Guardian and uses his own pwer to destroy him. The Elemental power release is not enough to bring back Raelin so Eravan wounds are healed.

The knowledge of the Wellsprings is revealed to the Knights.

Knights win
Survivors: Atlaga, Brunak and Eravan.

[Velenne]

Great report, zb! You rock!

Does the map feel too big with all 4 pieces?

Do you find it valuable to be able to adjust the sections how you want?

How useful is the Mink Link ability?

Do you think it's too easy for the Knights? (Should I lower the numbers on the burst?)

[ZBeeblebrox]

Answers:

Does the map feel too big with all 4 pieces? Nope it feels just right

Do you find it valuable to be able to adjust the sections how you want? Yes, but with the DM positioning them, he/she can put the dragons real close to the Knights start zone. I suggest having the DM arrange the zones and place Dragons before the players have to place thier figures.

How useful is the Mink Link ability? I like it, but its range makes it hard to use sometimes. But Charos did use it enough in both games to keep it.

Do you think it's too easy for the Knights? (Should I lower the numbers on the burst?) I think 1-5 should be no burst, becuase an auto heal is pretty powerful.

[Velenne]

So DM orients and deploys, then Knights deploy, roll for Init? I like that.

For Elemental Energy Burst, what about: "Elemental Energy Burst: When the player destroys a dragon, roll the 20-sided die. If you roll a 1-5, nothing happens. If you roll a 6-15, remove 3 Wound Markers from any Army Card you control. If you roll a 16-20, you may remove up to 5 Wound Markers from any Army Card you control OR return one destroyed figure to your starting zone and remove all Wound Markers from that figure's army card."

[Velenne]

Just so you know, I haven't abandoned this project. I'm crafting a booklet for it which will include a cover page, contents, the various glyph cards, player's sheet, and of course maps and rules. There's artwork and graphic design stuff involved so it's taking me awhile.