Chill Spell

[wallydubbs]

In some quest packs (can't remember which one right now), there are specifications of some monsters being able to attack diagonally in the quest notes.
Also, if I'm recalling correctly, in the component section of the Elf Quest pack, I believe it says the Giant Wolf is able to attack diagonally.

[Kurgan]

So the purpose of this spell is finally revealed... so the Frozen Horror can show just "how evil" he is, by using it to off one of his own men at the beginning of the fight!*

* (by this time half your party is immune to it anyway, if you played your cards right)

[Daedalus]

The fact that they specify "Diagnolly Adjacent" implies that diagnol is a form of adjacent. Crossbows are thus restricted from attacking an adjacent target.

While the term "diagonal(ly adjacent)" was introduced by knightkrawler in this thread to make a point, diagonally adjacent isn't found in published rules. Diagonally and adjacent can be found in the NA Instruction Booklet and the Armory, but seperately.

Just found "diagonally adjacent" in the Chill spell, so I see what you mean. Still, I wouldn't retcon that to the Crossbow as the Game System rules keep them discreetly seperate. "Diagonally adjacent" is a rules exception that should apply to the card only.

In some quest packs (can't remember which one right now), there are specifications of some monsters being able to attack diagonally in the quest notes.
Also, if I'm recalling correctly, in the component section of the Elf Quest pack, I believe it says the Giant Wolf is able to attack diagonally.

Yes, being a large monster, a Giant Wolf may attack diagonally. You'd think the Frozen Horror, another large monster, could cast a Chill spell diagonally for the same reason, but the wording of the spell prevents it.

[Daedalus]

Taking a small step back, it's pretty clear that when they designed the rule with regards to adjacency, they actually meant to talk about other creatures within melee range. For a spell touch attack (such as Chill), that means the target has to be within short melee range, i.e. in any of the four tiles surrounding the tile the caster is on, which share a common border.

Firing a Bow or Crossbow is pretty hard while you're being slapped silly by the melee weapon of an opponent. This means the four tiles in short melee range and I would rule that this also includes the four diagonally adjacent tiles (what I would call the long melee range), provided any of those creatures there has the ability to make a long melee attack. You could say that skeletons have a long melee attack with their scythes, but orcs with their swords don't. So yes, according to me you can fire your crossbow at any target, as long as no enemy is capable of plummeting you with its weapon in melee combat.

I like your take on melee adjacency! It provides tactical differentiation between the Longsword and Crossbow that makes sense. This is even kind of backed up in the NA rules:

. . . daggers and crossbows are special weapons due to their ability to hit a monster from a distance.

What is "from a distance?" I think beyond an opponent's melee range is as good definition as any.

[Bareheaded Warrior]

Personally…

Clarification: On any square grid board there are 8 squares that touch a given square that are considered adjacent. Within the World of HeroQuest the four squares that are orthogonally adjacent, sharing sides, are referred to as adjacent and the four squares that are diagonally adjacent, sharing corners, are referred to as diagonal. All eight squares collectively, both the four adjacent squares and the four diagonal squares, are referred to as the surrounding squares.

For me the Crossbow (and any other ranged weapon) cannot be used if you have a foe in any of the squares surrounding you, whereas a Longsword can be used in that situation and against any foe in any of the squares surrounding you.

The Halberd introduced in this Quest Pack seems pointless (pun, accidental but I’m going to claim it as intended) as it is just a two-handed version of the longsword, maybe it’s a cheaper version…but I digress as usual so back to the actual point of this topic…

The wording on the spell…

This spell causes 1 Body Point of damage to any one Hero or monster adjacent to the spellcaster (though not diagonally adjacent). The victim cannot defend against the attack.

The wording on the spell scroll…

This spell causes 1 Body Point of damage to any monster adjacent to the spellcaster (though not diagonally adjacent). The victim cannot defend against the attack.

I agree that the “any monster adjacent to the spellcaster” could be taken to mean “all monsters adjacent to the spellcaster” or “any monsters adjacent to the spellcaster” in isolation but I think taking the spell wording into account it probably means any one Hero or monster so that would be my “official” interpretation.

That said a close combat attack dealing a single Body Point seems another example of a lame spell / scroll so personally I would modify it to deal three combat dice of damage to any adjacent target with no defence allowed or better yet make the number of combat dice rolled half the current Mind Point value of the caster (rounding up).

Also on the point made earlier by Daedalus

You'd think the Frozen Horror, another large monster, could cast a Chill spell diagonally for the same reason, but the wording of the spell prevents it.

I agree, if it is a touch spell then it should state that it can only be used against targets that you can touch i.e. adjacent UNLESS you are a large monster that can reach diagonal targets also.

[wallydubbs]

Personally…

Clarification: On any square grid board there are 8 squares that touch a given square that are considered adjacent. Within the World of HeroQuest the four squares that are orthogonally adjacent, sharing sides, are referred to as adjacent and the four squares that are diagonally adjacent, sharing corners, are referred to as diagonal. All eight squares collectively, both the four adjacent squares and the four diagonal squares, are referred to as the surrounding squares.

For me the Crossbow (and any other ranged weapon) cannot be used if you have a foe in any of the squares surrounding you, whereas a Longsword can be used in that situation and against any foe in any of the squares surrounding you.

[quote:"Bareheaded Warrior"]
The Halberd introduced in this Quest Pack seems pointless (pun, accidental but I’m going to claim it as intended) as it is just a two-handed version of the longsword, maybe it’s a cheaper version…but I digress as usual so back to the actual point of this topic…

I agree, but at the same time I don't think the quest creators put all that much thought into it. We all know Frozen Horror was rushed through. So I gotta draw a distinction on the range of Crossbowmen with the term "Diagonally adjacent."

You'd think the Frozen Horror, another large monster, could cast a Chill spell diagonally for the same reason, but the wording of the spell prevents it.

I agree, if it is a touch spell then it should state that it can only be used against targets that you can touch i.e. adjacent UNLESS you are a large monster that can reach diagonal targets also.

This was my thought on the Frozen Horror as well. But bare in mind there is also the Chaos Sorcerer Vilor in this Quest pack. He would not have a diagonal reach, and I'm pretty sure he too possesses the Chill spells. So it is therefore understandable why the spell is worded the way it is.