by Devils_Advocate
Hello there, a new Overlord has arrived in this realm... only to be welcomed by Heroes who defeat him faster, than you can say "Descent" .
I did some research, so I won´t make it another "OL whining about Heroes being OP" Thread.
I just wanted to come and ask you guys for some tips and tricks, how I can have a more enjoyable time getting through the quests. Because getting snowballed into oblivion, is kinda not so fun.
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We have currently finished the Introduction as well as 2 Act 1 Quests of the Heirs of Blood Campaign. We are only playing with the base game.
So far I only managed to win the Introduction, because everything was new to the players, and they had no equipment or spells to speak off.
Rellegar´s Rest was won by the heroes hands down.
The only semi-win for me, was in The Baron Returns in Act 1, I managed to get my hands on 4 of the 6 phioles. But I got literally blocked off in Act 2. Not only did the heroes just use all their stamina to position 2 of their heroes next to the adjacent door (we played it so, that I could not go through them, which should be the correct way? ) , but RNGesus was also not on my side. I rolled 1 X, and on half of my roles I had no surges, so I had to spend a phiole only, so that the heroes would do the same >_> .
In the end, I got a bit too greedy, instead of running away back to the cauldron, I attacked one hero, hoping to kill of that hero and hoping for a dash (which, I checked the deck... it would have been Dash >.< ). Well the hero killed off Zachareth, with my 3rd group of monsters, spiders pretty much just waiting in the central room >_> .
The heroes have chosen the following Characters;
1. We have Leoric (with a Bullshit Aura >_>
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as a Runemaster. (Runic Knowledge, Ghost Armor, Exploding Rune) +1 XP.
They sadly managed to luck out, and have gotten their hands on the Mana Weave after the first Shopping Phase >_>
His other equipment includes; Immolation.
2. We have Jain Fairwood as a Wildlander. (Nimble, Danger Sense, Accurate) +1 XP (Probably will choose Eagle Eyes next)
His Equipment includes the Staff of Light, and in the latest Quest they got lucky to draw the Treasure Chest and he has managed to get the Elm Greatbow, which greatly helped them win against Zachereth
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3. We have Grisban as a Berserker (Rage, Charge) +1 XP.
He has the Chipped Greataxe, but is usually the one equipped with the Chainmail.
4. We have Avric as a Disciple (Prayer of Healing, Cleansing Touch) +2 XP.
His Equipment includes; Iron Mace, a Wooden Shield & Heavy Cloak(this one changes hands frequently though)
Me, as the Overlord I have won, the Introduction, and lost the 2 Act 1 Quests, so I am sitting on 4 XP.
Apart from the starting OL Cards, I chose Blood Rage, Bloodlust (we were unaware, that you need 2 Cards, to get 1 "Lvl 2" ) in my last Quests.
Our next Quest is going to be Caladen´s Crossing.
The Heroes have 400 Gold, as well as their XP yet to spent.
Since we are all fairly new, we all did some rule errors and such. For example, I was only informed about the game actually having a "Travel Phase". (I do not own the game, but I am usually the one who does the evil guy) , so not sure, how that would have affected our game sessions.
From what I gathered, things which I should improve is, to try not to attack the heroes, but let them come to me, so that they at least spend Fatigue Markers. (which believe me they do. Starting from Act I, all they do is spend Fatigue to move to get at least one Attack in their first turn >_> )
I should switch out Warlord, and get myself some of these nasty Webtraps from Saboteur. (We also falsely used 1 Black, and Brown Die for Attribute Tests)
Since this is the 1st time all of us, use the Quests, my Open Groups, were maybe not ideal.
I chose Barghests in Relegars Rest in Encounter 1, and chose Zombies(I thought they were fitting
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) in Encounter 2.
I chose Merriods in The Baron Returns in Encounter 1, and chose
Goblin Archer, Cave Spiders, Flesh Moulders for Encounter 2.
I placed the Flesh Moulders onto the Lair, the Cave Spiders in the Great Hall(which sadly saw no use
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) and the Goblins onto the Armoury.
Half os my Flesh Moulders got taken out, in the Heroes first turn.
The only useful thing I got out of them, was that the Master healed Zachareth once or twice.(should have maybe placed them in the Great Hall, so that I could have repeated the healing
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My Goblins tried to flank the heroes by going around eastwards.
They managed to take out Leoric, since they split the Party.
I should maybe add to that, that the heroes did not go for tipping the vats. Like I said, they tried to metagame and pretty much munckin everything. They blocked off Zachereth, and they wanted to not tip of the vats, because that way, I could not use my spider minions.
They instead went for the Search Tokens. Since they split of Leoric to get the one in the north I managed to kill him off with my Goblins. The heroes were on the other side of the map, so he was pretty much stuck. Sadly they did not let me farm him for OL cards ^^ .
Since I needed to get conditions, I was pretty much forced to go through the next door and try to get line of sight to the heroes. Once I was no longer in the Great Hall, they tried to kill me off. The first time I lost some HP, but like I said earlier, they lucked out, with the Wildlander getting a Treasure Chest and picking th Elm Great Bow. He then proceeded to "crit" me 2 turns in a row, and won that round
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.
After all this explanation/rant, I would like to hear your suggestions, how I can make Caledens Crossing a bit more challenging for them, so that I can also have at least a bit of fun, and not just watch them plan out their best possible turn, and watch half my monster disappear in the first 1-2 turns
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.
From how I understand the Quest, in Encounter 1, I pretty much want to get my Goblins inside the House/Cabin, as well as in the space between that, so that I can hurry up, the Fatigue Marker Production.
I was thinking of using beefy Monsters to block of the space, so that my Goblins could heat up the room, each turn.
I was thinking, Ettins to block the heroes from killing of a single goblin, who would provide an additional Fatigue Marker each turn.
As my 2nd open Group I was thinking of Merriods, to maybe immobilize the heroes.
Now for some Rules Clarification.
Do I understand it correctly, that a hero can douse a Fire Marker, by simply going into the door and using an action, since he is on the tile, or must he stand adjacent to the fire marker? Also in case it means, as soon as it enters, does that in turn mean, that I can just place a Goblin inside the House, and get the bonus fatigue?
Does one of the Fire Marker or both of them get turned face down, when doused?
Does a Hero have unlimited uses of the water bucket, or is it discarded after that one use?
What do you guys think of my plan up to now?
Do you have tips, how I can try to get an edge against the players?
I don´t mind losing, but I would at least like to have a possibility of winning, and not just watch how each turn, the Wildlander, decimates my Hand, and Leoric either blasts my Minions to hell (I already have to think twice before placing them, so he cannot aoe them :/ ) or he just uses his starting pierce 2, to kill off my beefier monsters
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as a Runemaster. (Runic Knowledge, Ghost Armor, Exploding Rune) +1 XP.
I was looking into the "Lair of the Wyrm" expansion and am interested in the 'Punisher' for OL. Anyone played this expansion yet and what are your thoughts on it? Also, any thought/ideas on game play for OL would be greatly appreciated! He's quite smart and I highly doubt I'll be able to win overall, but I'd be happy if I at least make him struggle a bit (why the Punisher is appealing to me).