Question about Drowning & Falling

[jessecoombs]

I couldn't figure this out from the text, so I'll just ask it here.

When a character "explores" a room/location, he has to face a challenge depending on the direction he picked. I get that. After he deals with the challenge, whether winning or losing, do the other characters have to face the same challenge as well, or does play continue to the next player, who then picks a direction and new challenge?

[Jason Morningstar]

Hi Jesse, thanks for asking. 

Everybody is supposed to face the challenge.  Which leads to a word of advice - the suggested number of cards in the game is, in my experience, out of whack with the game's "maximum fun quotient" - it's geared for about three hours of play, and that's pretty exhausting.  I routinely halve the number of cards and it plays a bit better.

Any other questions?

[jessecoombs]

Sure. So after everyone deals with the challenge, which player chooses the next direction the party heads towards?
Also. When a player gets to re-roll, usually due to treasure or sometimes a spell, do they re-roll a single die or both? The rules seem to be pointing to a single die.

[Jason Morningstar]

Single die.  And just rotate around the table - if that's not spelled out somewhere, shame on me.

[Selene Tan]

Everybody is supposed to face the challenge.  Which leads to a word of advice - the suggested number of cards in the game is, in my experience, out of whack with the game's "maximum fun quotient" - it's geared for about three hours of play, and that's pretty exhausting.  I routinely halve the number of cards and it plays a bit better.

Everyone faces every challenge? Oh man I've been playing it wrong.

On the other hand, our games are much faster.

[Jason Morningstar]

Selene, that's interesting - so to clarify, you guys frame a challenge, overcome it, and then the next guy does the same?  You never have two characters face the same challenge?

[jessecoombs]

Selene, that's interesting - so to clarify, you guys frame a challenge, overcome it, and then the next guy does the same?  You never have two characters face the same challenge?

Heh, I wonder if this way of playing would let you actually use the recommended amount of cards from the book.

[Selene Tan]

Selene, that's interesting - so to clarify, you guys frame a challenge, overcome it, and then the next guy does the same?  You never have two characters face the same challenge?

Yup.

When I played we did two dungeons in about three hours. By then it was past midnight and people were definitely running out of steam, so we stopped. There were 5 players in the first dungeon since I facilitated instead of playing, and I think we had 3 cards per player. The second dungeon I made a character as well and we went to 4 or 5 cards per player, I forget which. There were some other interesting things that went on in that game. I keep meaning to write it up, but getting sidetracked.

[Jason Morningstar]

Cool, that sounds like a very productive misunderstanding of the rules!  Your way is probably better - I'll have to try it.  I'd love to hear more if you ever get time to write up your observations. 

[Selene Tan]

Oh, two things I just remembered about doing one person-per-challenge. The game is less deadly since characters fewer challenges means less damage, and characters don't get as much experience/treasure. So it does change the balance some.

[jessecoombs]

Selene's way seems fun, but for my first time I think I try it the normal way with less cards, as Jason suggests. Mostly because the high fatality, leveling, and treasure are big draws for me.

[Jason Morningstar]

Hey, be sure to report back and let us know how it goes.