Losing fights to monsters is not punishing enough

[Nadav-N]

Would love to find a way to make fights more punishing but without being too punishing as to force people to over prepare which would make the game much longer.

[Taker597]

Idea #1 - Monster flees and relocates to another part of the board(Undisclosed till phase two of the next round); defeated Player must sit out till the phase 1 of the new round.

Also, possibly considering on completely Remove the Drive away monster rule.

If monster dies as you lose your life.

Call this rule - [TBD Rule] (Desperation Kill)

Player gets their trophy, Monster gets discarded, player must rest and heal till phase 1 of next round

[Nadav-N]

So if a witcher is "wounded" significantly from losing the fight, they need time to recover. Thematically speaking each action card you draw is "time the witcher will spend traveling" or energy spending fighting (if cards are used to attack).

So it does make thematic sense for them to draw less cards (is 0 too severe? Which makes them skip phase 1 of next turn to recover? Maybe should just draw just 1 card?). I would also skip the "prize" of gaining a free 0 cost card when you lose.

[swirle13]

I think the reason they added the "gain 0-cost card" after losing is so that you're not stuck dragging the game out from not gaining any health or actions, which would mean spending longer on collecting cards to bide your time until strong enough.

I think that would be a great addition, but would increase play time. So maybe in creation of these rules, there can be condensed/streamlined rules and maybe a more expanded "realistic", or harder, mode to pick between.

[Taker597]

I think the reason they added the "gain 0-cost card" after losing is so that you're not stuck dragging the game out from not gaining any health or actions, which would mean spending longer on collecting cards to bide your time until strong enough.

I think that would be a great addition, but would increase play time. So maybe in creation of these rules, there can be condensed/streamlined rules and maybe a more expanded "realistic", or harder, mode to pick between.

Maybe here is a middle ground solution:

• Keep 0 Cost card.
• Loss half your coins to village doctor
• Must skip Phase 1 of new Round

[Nadav-N]

I like it, but I think skipping phase 1 entirely is painful enough without losing half your coins. Also it's an important difference whether you lost your phase 1 and drew up to 2 cards (meaning you could fight again? Now with a trail token you've gained from losing) or did you skip phase 1 because you started the turn with an empty hand (forcing you to explore on your next turn but also making you vulnerable for other witchers attacking you)

[Nadav-N]

I think the reason they added the "gain 0-cost card" after losing is so that you're not stuck dragging the game out from not gaining any health or actions, which would mean spending longer on collecting cards to bide your time until strong enough.

I think that would be a great addition, but would increase play time. So maybe in creation of these rules, there can be condensed/streamlined rules and maybe a more expanded "realistic", or harder, mode to pick between.

On this, the losing player will still gain a new card in their phase 3 after losing to the monster/witcher in phase 2 right?

[Nadav-N]

Here's my opinion on a loss: 1) Don't get a 0 cost card (no thematic sense). 2) Draw up to 1 (if it's a witcher fight and if the defending player lost they draw to 2). 3) Gain a trail token (if fought a monster) 4) Lost player is "knocked out". Their figure lays flat on the board on the same location and they cannot be challenged by other witchers until they "recover". 5) At the beginning of every player's turn, if they were knocked out they immediately recover at the beginning of phase 1 of their turn amd continue their turn normally.

This basically creates the same "closed tavern" element for witchera who lost monster fights and need recovering too, while not making it too punishing?

So losing is like you've paid two cards (time to heal) to gain a trail token (knowledge about the monster from fighting it).

Consequences still aren't that severe to force players to overprepare before fighting. Thoughts?

[Taker597]

Here's my opinion on a loss: 1) Don't get a 0 cost card (no thematic sense). 2) Draw up to 1 (if it's a witcher fight and if the defending player lost they draw to 2). 3) Gain a trail token (if fought a monster) 4) Lost player is "knocked out". Their figure lays flat on the board on the same location and they cannot be challenged by other witchers until they "recover". 5) At the beginning of every player's turn, if they were knocked out they immediately recover at the beginning of phase 1 of their turn amd continue their turn normally.

This basically creates the same "closed tavern" element for witchera who lost monster fights and need recovering too, while not making it too punishing?

So losing is like you've paid two cards (time to heal) to gain a trail token (knowledge about the monster from fighting it).

Consequences still aren't that severe to force players to overprepare before fighting. Thoughts?

I really like both options. I feel it depends on if we rework the game's economy.

If we rework the economy, I would think a money penalty should would help balance it. Especially, if used if a different Lost Mount mechanic.

If we keep the economy the same. I would use your method.

Honestly, if we do rework the economy. I would like both our ideas to merge and all three get playtested as the following: A1, B1, AB.

A1 = Is your idea B1 = My idea

The AB concept would be...

• Immediately lose half your coins to be healed by the village docter.
• It would thematically fix the 0 cost card plothole with it being provided by the doctor. So, Draw a 0 cost card and gain a trail token(if fought a monster). Draw a 2nd card if it's a Witcher fight.
• At the beginning of every player's turn, if they were knocked out. They immediately recover at the beginning of phase 1 of their turn amd continue their turn normally.

[Nadav-N]

So just to keep things simple, assuming no changes in the economy of the game (we can talk about consequences of losing fights panelty there, depending on the solution community chooses for the economy rework, if at all), does my suggestion above resonate with you? Also are we voting on solution ideas by thumbs up? 😊

[Taker597]

So just to keep things simple, assuming no changes in the economy of the game (we can talk about consequences of losing fights panelty there, depending on the solution community chooses), does my suggestion above resonate with you? Also are we voting on solution ideas by thunbs up? 😊

I would stick to thumbs up for voting. I would say my penalty is too harsh. I think my favorite is AB, but mostly your I like a bit more than my original idea.

I think player would strategize around AB fairly quickly to not have too much coin worth losing.

It's a risk/reward aspect to the strategic elements that I personally intrigues ne.For example, If a player needs that money to buy a particular thing for example... My Lost Mount solution to freeze a player at a location.

It's not as easy as sitting on your money till the perfect moment to steal the game. The player has to risk the entire way to horde that money or spend it.