Who Can Use Elf Artifacts

[drathe]

The chain mail is in the quest notes. But there is no card. It is believed to have been replaced by (or be the replacement of) the Elven Bracers card as there are no Elven Bracers in the notes.

I don't actually believe that the Elven chainmail is a mistake. When all the other artifacts are discovered, there is no text as to how they work as the quest notes refer you to the artifact card. The quest notes for the Elven chainmail detail how it works, just as it does in quest 9 for the Elven potions of speed and vision, for which there are also no corresponding artifact cards.

I do believe however that the Elven Bracers are a mistake. I place them in the chest in quest 7, in the top right corner, for which there are no notes. I also believe this is where it was intended that they should be found. There are no notes for the chest which is unusual. Not even a "This chest is empty". If you look at the letter placing on the quest map, the letter H would be appropriate here, and there is even space on the quest notes page for a note H in respect of the chest.

I follow and agree with your logic.

[The Admiral]

Also, in the Barbarian quest pack, the Amulet of the North, which has the same effects as the Elven Bracers, is found in quest 7, which further makes quest 7 in the Elf Quest pack as the appropriate location for the Bracers.

[SirRick]

What quest is this Elven Chain Mail mentioned? I was searching the quest notes but i couldn't find it anywhere.

[The Admiral]

What quest is this Elven Chain Mail mentioned? I was searching the quest notes but i couldn't find it anywhere.

Quest 1. Between Note D and the Wandering Monster.

[SirRick]

Awesome! Thank you. I was looking at Phoenix's rendition of the EQP where the Elven Bracers are mentioned instead. So i looked up the old scan on the hasbro site. It seems a very Significant item to be just casually mentioned in the quest pack. More evidence that this has not been play tested.

I'm surprised the Avenger Sword doesnt have any stats. It would be cool if it was a broadsword or a longsword that had a special power such as 1 extra attack die verses orcs or something like that. The elf could use it temporarily in quest 1 before it is returned to the queen at the end of the quest (just like the Elven Bow of Vindication).

[Kurgan]

I plan to treat the Avenger as a longsword... that rolls black dice (You lose it at the end of the Quest anyway, so who cares if it's a bit OP).

I still plan to award the Elven bracers (per Phoenix's remake) after Quest 1, but will give the Elven Chain Mail at some point (hate those empty chests that aren't marked as empty!).
The Chain Mail does have one advantage over Borin's Armor... it wouldn't do as much damage to you when falling into a Pit of Darkness. I created a Paladin character class that gets +1 (or +2) movement when wearing Plate, so he gets this as well with Borin's Armor. He would get no such bonus wearing this. I would let anyone wear it.

Update: The original version of the EQP never gives you the Bracers, but the BQP gives you the Amulet of the North (near the end). But let's say we use Phoenix's version (which I have). My upgrade system compensates for this by giving the Barbarian greatly increased combat prowess (after completing 10-14 quests, he can substitute 3 black dice with any sword or axe, and gets one random combat potion draw at the start of each new quest, from the 7 included in the Potions Deck). Meanwhile I upgraded the Elf less, by giving him "only" the ability to draw to random Spell Scrolls at the start of each quest at that same level. Still, that's essentially 5 spells, plus all the other goodies. I too would take a reading of the card text such that if it says "only" go with that, otherwise interpret it as that any Hero can use them to the fullest extent (as long as all other requirements/restrictions are met).

[Daedalus]

Upon revisitng to this topic, I found another reason to allow any Hero to use the Ancient Staff or Elven Boots. I'm adding this to my earlier post:

The potions of the Alchemist’s Shop in the EQP also clearly use exclusionary wording. "Three of the above potions can only used by the Elf.. . ." In each potion description "an Elf" is stated, unlike "the Elf" of the Ancient Staff and Elven Boots cards.

[lestodante]

I guess Treasure without Doom Scroll, Bone Wand and Sky Orb can be used by any Hero, the othar artifacts from this questpack only by the Elf.
So the Ancient Staff can only be used by the Elf as it says:
"This magical staff enables the Elf to reflect..." and then also says "the Elf and his companions are..."

[Kurgan]

Certain artifacts and potions are clearly marked as Elf only, while others just mention the Elf. Perhaps they intended them to be used only by the Elf but goofed up?


Or maybe they were intended to be found during the Solo quests (where you're obviously the Elf, but that wouldn't mean you couldn't pass it to another hero or have them retrieve and use it if you died).

[wallydubbs]

I guess Treasure without Doom Scroll, Bone Wand and Sky Orb can be used by any Hero, the othar artifacts from this questpack only by the Elf.
So the Ancient Staff can only be used by the Elf as it says:
"This magical staff enables the Elf to reflect..." and then also says "the Elf and his companions are..."

The thing about these artifacts, most baffling the Ancient Staff, is the question of the hand-held weaponization. I would imagine the Elven Bow of Vindication has to be held by the Elf (as in holding no other weapons in his hands) to fire.
Such specifications aren't made about the Ancient Staff. A regular staff from the Armory holds up as a weapon, can't be used with a shield and such. The Ancient Staff has no attack dice as it only specifies what special use it has. It seems really overpowered if the Elf has it in his Bag of Holding and activates it without equipping it as an enemy spell caster casts a spell.
Would you suggest some form of regulation should be made her? The Ancient Staff is used like a regular staff in combat, with the added defensive bonus of countering a spell?

When playing the Barbarian and Elven quest packs, because of their difficulty, I add a 5th Hero. The female elf and barbarian must, respectively, complete their 3 single quests before joining up with the other 4 heroes for the remaining 6 quests. Having 2 elves on the team in the Elven Quest Pack helps spread out the artifacts and the Ancient Staff renders one of them defensively important (face it, having a regular staff attack doesn't do much damage).