The Last Homely House

Middle-Earth => Archives of Minas Tirith => Topic started by: LoveMeAndDespair on May 08, 2010, 01:56:05 PM

Title: What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?
Post by: LoveMeAndDespair on May 08, 2010, 01:56:05 PM
It happened when I was at the site, Cavern Entrance, which says "Skirmish special abilities cannot be used".

I had in play the following cards:
Forearmed (Game Text: Skirmish: ...)
Elrond, Venerable Lord (Game Text: To play, spot an Elf. At the start of each skirmish involving Elrond, ...)
Vilya, Ring of Air (Game Text: Bearer must be Elrond or Gil-galad. Skirmish: ...)
Arwen, Daughter of Elrond (Game Text: Ranger. While skirmishing a Nazgul, ...)
Glorfindel, Revealed in Wrath (Game Text: When Glorfindel is in your starting fellowship, his twilight cost is -2. Skirmish: ...)
Nenya, Ring of Adamant (Game Text: Bearer must be Galadriel. Maneuver: ...)
Galadriel, Keeper of Nenya (Game Text: At the start of each turn, heal Galadriel. Skirmish: ...)

I was unsure which of these cards' effect texts I could still use.

I came to the conclusion that:
- I cannot use Galadriel or Glorfindel's special text because they are characters with skirmish
- I can use Arwen and Elrond's special text because they are characters that don't say skirmish
- I can use Nenya because it is Maneuver
- I cannot use Vilya becuase it is a possession with skirmish
- I cannot use Forearmed because it is an event with Skirmish

Was I right?
Or could I have used Forearmed because it was played from hand, not already in play?
Title: Re: What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?
Post by: legolas3333 on May 08, 2010, 02:04:34 PM
Any skirmish abilities on permanent cards (companions, possessions and conditions) such as Vilya, Ring Of Air or Elrond, Witness To History, cannot be used, any "while skirmishing" or "at the start of each skirmish"  can be used, any skirmish events can be used, any other special abilities and events for a non-skirmish phase can be used.
Title: Re: What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?
Post by: LoveMeAndDespair on May 08, 2010, 02:21:07 PM
any skirmish events can be used

So you're saying I could have used Forearmed?
Title: Re: What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?
Post by: legolas3333 on May 08, 2010, 09:41:20 PM
yes
Title: Re: What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?
Post by: Elessar's Socks on May 09, 2010, 04:16:56 PM
A skirmish special ability is basically game text on non-event cards that begins with "Skirmish:"
Title: Re: What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?
Post by: Mythdracon on May 09, 2010, 05:15:34 PM
But an event card with "Skirmish:" is not a "skirmish special ability"? O_o Sheesh, I had no idea. How confusing.
Title: Re: What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?
Post by: jdizzy001 on May 09, 2010, 05:32:36 PM
that is why decipher changed the set up of events in ROTK
Title: Re: What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?
Post by: MuadDib85 on May 09, 2010, 05:38:21 PM
Skirmish events can be played at Cavern Entrance. They are not skirmish special abilities.

Cavern Entrance stops things like:

Eowyn, Lady of Ithilien
Pippin, Wearer of Black and Silver
Ring of Doom
Title: Re: What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?
Post by: ket_the_jet on May 10, 2010, 02:47:54 AM
Of course, Cavern Entrance* was much better...
-wtk
Title: Re: What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?
Post by: Marcoliboar on May 10, 2010, 03:05:34 AM
Of course, Cavern Entrance* was much better...
-wtk

ahhh the good old days!

this remides me of my Risk a Little Light (1C82) and Questions That Need Answering (1R81) swarm deck :)
Title: Re: What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?
Post by: legolas3333 on May 10, 2010, 03:11:32 AM
my favorite TS deck was Saruman's snows + Cavern Entrance* no help for the freeps
Title: Re: What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?
Post by: LoveMeAndDespair on May 17, 2010, 10:59:36 PM
But an event card with "Skirmish:" is not a "skirmish special ability"? O_o Sheesh, I had no idea. How confusing.

At least I'm not the only one who thinks so!
Title: Re: What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?
Post by: Kev-La on June 08, 2010, 12:37:34 AM
Of course, Cavern Entrance* was much better...
-wtk

My friends and I play a casual format with sets 1-10 (plus 11R1, the early WETA promos, and virtual cards replacing the Movie Block x-list). I therefore have only the original Cavern Entrance* in my collection.
Do you folks think it's probably valid for the games I'm playing, or should I add the Cavern Entrance version as an errata for it?
Title: Re: What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?
Post by: Tbiesty on June 08, 2010, 05:50:03 AM
Since Cavern Entrance* can only be used as site 7, while Cavern Entrance could be used at any time, the fact it is better balances out in my opinion. So I'd leave it as is; that's what my playing group does.
Title: Re: What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?
Post by: Kev-La on June 08, 2010, 06:24:22 AM
Sorry, I was getting confused. Cavern Entrance* is one of the Sites we only ever use when playing our version of Towers Format or Towers Standard Format (we usually play our version of Movie Format, as I described above, which only uses Sites from sets 7, 8 and 10). It is therefore only ever used by us as Site 7.
Title: Re: What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?
Post by: Witchkingx5 on June 11, 2010, 12:46:12 PM
Since Cavern Entrance* can only be used as site 7, while Cavern Entrance could be used at any time, the fact it is better balances out in my opinion. So I'd leave it as is; that's what my playing group does.

Yaeh, that's a pretty bad point which makes Cavern Entrance pretty OP sometimes, as I played Stanard against a Sudden Fury/ Enduring Nazzies Deck, whereas I had my Rainbow Frereps with Gandalf, LotC and a Evil Men Archery wounding Deck. I have 4 copies of Travelled Leader, and as he was ahead in the Sitepath, I never double-moved so I played Cavern Entrance and then dropped Cards like Bill Ferny, AoS and some Archers. And as I had some Goaded to War in play, I used Travelled Leader during Fellwoship Phase to replace Cavern Entrance with a Battleground/Plains. Then, he moved to Cavern Entrance again, triggering all 4 of my Goaded to War and then, dropping Lurtz, Minion of the White Wizard and Bill Ferny, AoS...

Standard... sigh....

No seriously, that was really scary, all the Sudden Fury/ Hope is kindled engine didn't work cus' of Cavern Entrance.