Initiative

[Gold Bearer]

When new monsters are revealed their initiative rating is the number of heroes that can take their turns (including the hero that revealed the monsters) before the monsters get a turn.

= 1
/ = 2
/ = 3
/ / = 4

Option One
Keep the standard EWP turn. In this case initiative is the maximum number of heroes that can take their turns before the monsters get a turn, so if the last hero to go is the one that revealed them it makes no difference. Monsters take their turns again as normal on the EWP's turn.

Example: The barbarian and dwarf have taken their turns. The elf opens a door and reveals an orc and a goblin. The elf finishes his turn, the goblin takes a turn, the wizard takes his turn, all monsters take their turn and from then on play as normal.

Option Two
The initiative is number of heroes that can take their turns before the monsters get a turn and form then on the monsters take their turns after all the heroes have taken theirs. Use the monster cards and hero cards of the same size to place on the table to show the turn order.

Example: The barbarian and dwarf have taken their turns. The elf opens a door and reveals an orc and a goblin. The elf finishes his turn, the goblin takes his turn, the wizard and barbarian take their turns, the orc takes his turn, the dwarf and elf take their turns, the goblin takes his turn, the wizard and barbarian take their turns, the orc takes his turn, etc.

Option Three
The initiative is always the number of heroes that can take their turns before the monsters get a turn. So with an initiative of 1 the monsters get a turn every time a hero takes a turn.

Example: The barbarian and dwarf have taken their turns. The elf opens a door and reveals an orc and a goblin. The elf finishes his turn, the goblin takes a turn, the wizard takes his turn, the goblin takes a turn, the barbarian takes his turn, the goblin and orc take a turn, the dwarf takes his turn, the goblin takes a turn, the elf takes his turn, the goblin takes a turn, the wizard takes his turn, the goblin and orc take a turn, etc.

No wonder the goblin's smiling. Thoughts?


Edit:
With option 3 it would probably be far too hard with those initiatives. = 1, = 2, = 3, = 4, = 5, = 6, = 7, = 8

[GimmeYerGold]

I have often played games with 6 players so a neutral initiative would be nice to allow the EWP a chance before he is slaughtered

Option 3 would work best here.

We have played with a rule I picked up from a YouTube series, where any attacked figure has a chance to retaliate if their weapon allows it, so there is a built-in system there to counter the proactive hero. It can be confusing some times to remember after a retaliation who has the next turn however!

[Gold Bearer]

Some kind of tokens for the EWP that can be laid out to show the turn sequence might be in order for this to work well. I think this could work really well if it's done properly with a group of experienced players. It's down to how often it gets confusing and whether it's worth the hassle. I think option one is the simplest but option three is the best and option two is between them on both counts.

[Anderas]

This makes the game a lot harder. Without estimating the impact on the monster's strength, I would be very careful to use it.

The EWP Deck might fulfill similar functions with some cards "Alert" and "Interrupt". No need for tokens or another set of cards in that case. You can ramp up and down the impact of the EWP Deck by allowing more or less cards on Morcar’s hand or modifying the condition when to take a card.

[Gold Bearer]

Yea, it would definitely greatly upset the game balance, I'm well aware of that. You would obviously have to design or alter the quests with this in mind. It would actually make undead a hell of a lot easier using option three. It would make RotWL an absolute breeze and KK virtually impossible.

EWP cards are all well and good but you can interrupt the hero phase once and only if you happen to have the right card.

What I really like about is that it makes the monsters more distinctive by adding another stat. It makes goblins very interesting and much more of a threat and makes undead the slow lumbering monsters that they should be.

It would be ideal for a group of eight heroes because in option three the initiatives go up to eight, everyone would get a turn before a zombie.