Artifact Changes
There is now a new action called "Use Artifact." How it works, is that a Hero elects one of his artifacts' effects to enter play on his turn. An artifact with passive effects, like the Talisman of Lore or Borin's Armor, can be activated during Zargon's turn, if the Hero did not take the "Use Artifact" action on his own turn. For weapons like the Spirit Blade or Orc's Bane, they must be activated either prior to attacking, when they will replace the Hero's standard attack, or after attacking, to queue up for his next turn. This is the only way to "stack" artifacts' effects. So if a hero attacks, activates the Spirit Blade, waits till his next turn, and then attacks with the Spirit Blade activated from the prior turn, he may then elect a new Artifact.
Certain effects of artifacts will also change. Weapon artifacts are no longer considered "weapons." Neither Orc's Bane or the Spirit Blade change your normal attack strength in combat dice. When activated, Orc's Bane allows you two attacks against an Orc. The Spirit Blade grants you +25% attack strength (minimum 1 combat die) when fighting undead, and allows you to harm the Witch Lord.
Also, any Hero may elect any artifact to use, regardless of what the text specifies. A Wizard can use the Spirit Blade, but as telling from the above, it does not do a base 3 normally or base 4 to undead.
Other artifacts, such as the Ring of Return, are a bit trickier. It requires a group use, because it effects the entire party. Any artifact that effects more than one Hero, requires that it be activated by all recipients. However, this need not occur on consecutive turns, as long as any one required Hero does not activate another artifact before the last one does.
Tools
Some equipment are now called Tools--the Thieves' Tools, Potions, Arrows and various other things.
Tools can be used at any time that is applicable during game play, but never when adjacent to a monster. However, a Hero can use a tool on another Hero adjacent to him, even if that Hero is adjacent to a monster.
Using the Arrow tool, which is required to attack with the bow, is similarly subjective.
In order to cast spells, the Elf or Wizard must use a Talisman or a Spellbook, which are tools. The Talisman holds 1 Spell College (Elf), while the Spellbook holds 3 (Wizard). Monsters spellcasters do not suffer from this same condition, and may cast spells freely, regardless of their position.
Difficulty
Difficulty is a new monsters' attribute that effects Heroes. Essentially, a hero facing Difficulty has their combat die rolls reduced by a number of dice equal to "x". For example, Skeletons, Zombies and Mummies (basically all undeads) have a Difficulty of 1 against Arrows. So, when a Hero attacks such a monster with the Bow, he must subtract 1 combat die from the roll, to a minimum of 0.
You may now make a defense roll against any form of damage, be it from traps or spells. However, spells impose Difficulty equal to the difference between the spellcaster's Mind Points and the Mind Points of the intended target. So if a Chaos Sorcerer with 5 Mind Points throws a Ball of Flame at a Barbarian with 2 Mind Points, that Barbarians defense roll will be reduced by 3 dice. The Difficulty imposed on defense rolls against traps is relative to the Attack attribute of the wandering monster for each Quest. For example, if the wandering monster is an Orc, the Difficulty will be 3.
The spell Stoneskin is changed. It now gives the Hero affected 1 Difficulty against all attacks, but ends when he receives any Body Point damage. This basically makes him practically immune to some enemies.
Arrow Token
When you buy arrows to use the bow, you will also take Arrow Token that you must place on the Arrow or Quiver equipment card. Whenever you use the Bow to attack an enemy, you must have at least one Arrow Token to discard. An arrow that causes Body Point loss to a monster is gone. An arrow that misses its mark, it placed on the board beneath the monster figure that it had targeted. An arrow token on the board is still considered to be "on" its equipment card. When the last token is discarded, the Quiver or Arrow equipment card must be discarded. Purchasing multiple Quivers or Arrows does not give you more equipment cards, it only accumulates more tokens on a single card. Likewise, Arrow cards subject to Quiver cards, so you cannot hold both.
Grid Based Tactics (with Difficulty)
Certain formations can grant Heroes and Monsters new emphasis in battle, but with measured Difficulty.
Push - A Hero may "push" any monster back 1 square (if applicable) by using the same procedure as jumping over a pit trap. The monster's square is considered the "pit." Instead of ending movement just past the monster, however, the Hero will end it occupying the monster's former square. If the Monster cannot be pushed back, it will instead be pushed right or left. The Hero will then end his turn with 1 Difficulty on his next defense roll (but ONLY his next roll).
Combining Reach
A new rule regards weapons that can attack diagonally. A hero or monster with a diagonal attack can attack an enemy two-squares cardinally away, if the square in-between is occupied by an ally hero or monster, with a Difficulty of 1.
Shielding
Any Hero may use the Shield to protect an adjacent Hero. The shield-user suffers a 1 Difficulty to his defense rolls, while the recipient Hero gains the defense roll benefits from the shield.
Monster Tactics
Some monsters force Difficulty on Heroes' defense rolls depending on the situation in combat. All 'named' Monsters automatically impose a 1 Difficulty to all Hero attack and defense rolls made against them.
Goblins, Zombies and Ice Gremlins - These benefit from using swarm tactics, which can make them very deadly. When two or more goblins attack the same Hero, each goblin past the first imposes an accumulating 1 Difficulty, up to a total of 3. So if a Hero is surrounded by four goblins, he suffers 3 Difficulty to his defense roll.
Ogres and Fimir - These two are quite tall, and each has exceptional reach. They will routinely use the Combine Reach tactic against Heroes, but unfairly do not suffer any Difficulty due to their heights.
Orcs and Elven Warriors - When fighting these types, you must account for their soldier training. When attacking an Orc in a square adjacent to one or more orcs, a Hero suffers a cumulative 1 Difficulty for each Orc past the first, up to a maximum of 3.
Gargoyles - Perhaps the worst offenders for being Difficult, these monsters force Difficulty on Hero attacks made against them equal to their current Body Point total, from 3 to 1.
Things to come: Hero Traps (caltrops, door spike, acid chemic, fire chemic, gas chemic, and bombard), new Elemental Spells, updated equipment, monster, artifact, and spell cards.
New Equipment PDF: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1OKUiO ... sp=sharing
Arrow Tokens
