Preview #3
by Dan Clark
The ultimate goal of World of Warcraft: the Adventure Game is to prove that you are the greatest hero of your time. Of course, to do that you have to prove your valor and the most common and diverse way to do so is through the completion of quests.
Quests!
Each quest is worth some number of Valor Points, usually between 1 and 3, which is noted in its top left corner. Each quest has its own unique conditions for completion-the more difficult the quest, the more points it's worth.
Starting Quests
Starting quests are usually simple, relatively easy, and when they relate to the geography of the game board they focus on grey and green areas. They're worth 1 or 2 vps. Everyone starts the game with two of these; as each starting quest is completed a new advanced quest is drawn to replace it!
Advanced Quests
Remember how starting quests are relatively basic, simple, and easy? Well, with advanced quests, there are no limits! Advanced quests can be worth 3 vps or even more! Some advanced quests are "amped up" versions of starter quests, but others are much more dynamic or varied. When they relate to game board geography, advanced quests focus on yellow or red areas. Advanced quests might ask you to defeat a certain character, an overlord, or who knows? Even yourself! (Well, not "defeat" necessarily, per se, so much as "inflict damage on yourself that you can't prevent in any way.")
Quests have intangible rewards — valor, fame, and a feel-good tingly feeling in your belly. Of course, every hero knows that you can't kill a mighty monster with valor, fame won't protect you from a foe's arrows, and the feel-good tingly feeling in your belly is no match for a good healing potion. Fortunately, there are any number of more tangible rewards you can earn during all your questing about.
Items
Each encounter card has as its flip side an item that is the reward for defeating it. Items are either weapons, armor, or miscellaneous "bag items." Each character can equip one weapon and one piece of armor, and use any number of bag items (which stay, you guessed it, in her bag). Weapons and armor usually have restriction icons printed on them; a character must have the same restriction icon printed on her character card in order to use the item. Warriors, for example, cannot use wands!
Weapons replace the built-in attack score on a character's card and usually also confer an extra ability in combat. Armor replaces the built-in defense score on a character's card and usually also confers an extra ability in combat. Bag items do all sorts of whacky things, like explode. Seriously. They can also do other things (like let you choose which encounter to have this turn, or bribe another player into not attacking you after all), but the exploding ones are sure to make an impression.
Items are also potions, so even if your wizard can't wear that Dark Iron Plate you just got, you can still drink it. Tasty! Below the item icon are the potion icons. Red potions are healing, blue potions are mana, and green potions are swiftness.
Also, some encounters (such as board encounters) have rewards that aren't items. (Sorry, we're back to the intangible again.) For example, "gatekeeper" encounters can be found in various places around the board. These guys get you levels. Leveling up gives you access to higher-level areas, items, and improved abilities, so you want to do it as soon as possible. (Of course, if you get lucky with your quest draws you could, theoretically, win the game without ever leveling up once...but I don't like your odds).
Next article we focus on resources, discoveries, and overlords.
