TCG Press Release 4/24/98
"We're here to observe immortals." - Joe Dawson
THUNDER CASTLE GAMES
PRESS RELEASE FOR APRIL 24, 1998
Following is the new FAQ for the Watcher Chronicles as well as Official
Errata. More to follow as we begin work on The Gathering FAQ and finish
the update to the original FAQ.
Highlander: The Card Game
Frequently Asked Questions: Watcher Chronicles Edition
Official Version 1.0 - April 1998
Written and Maintained by: Richard W. Hammerle
IMPORTANT: This FAQ is compiled from questions on the mailing list, the
newsgroups, and from other sources. Although this FAQ has the blessing of
the TCGames folks (and most likely edited by them), they DO NOT write it.
You may copy and distribute this document freely as long as it is
distributed in its entirety. No fur-bearing animals were harmed during the
creation of this document. Allergy Alert: May contain Nutmeg, but we doubt
it. Batteries are included. Good luck finding them.
Entries in the Official FAQ may be changed by adopted FAQs from the
Proposed FAQ.
Before reading this FAQ, please take the time to download the Gathering
Edition Rules and Card Errata for Highlander. These documents complement
one another, and each contains information important to the game. If you
have questions, suggestions, or corrections, please send them to
hammer@in-motion.net.
The questions are organized into specific areas, depending on what the
question deals with. For example, if you have a question about a
Situation, it will be in the section for Situations. If you have a
general question about an Immortal, look in the section for that Immortal.
Section A: Card Rulings
1. Attacks
2. Defenses
3. Events
4. Locations
5. Objects
6. Plots
7. Situations
8. Edges
9. Pre-Game
10. Promos
Section B: Immortals
11. Annie Devlin
12. Hugh Fitzcairn
13. Kalas
14. Kern
15. Other Immortals
Section C: New Game Mechanics
16. Sweep Phase
17. Allies
18. Abnormal Endurance Size
19. Pending Damage
20. Signature Cards
-------- Section A: Card Rulings --------
1. Attacks
Q 1.1 How much damage does Flurry Strike do if I make it a Power
Blow? What about when I play it with Kurgan's Bloodlust?
A 1.1 Flurry Strike is a normal attack. It does 2 points of damage
By itself and 4 if it is made a Power Blow. Each additional Flurry Strike
will add another point of damage. Kurgan's Bloodlust only changes the
amount of damage to start with; each additional Flurry Strike will still
add another point of damage.
Q 1.2 Can you make Master Swordsman a Head Shot?
A 1.2 Yes. Since the card says it can become a Power Blow, that
over-rules the Special Attack restriction. It is still restricted from
being made Hidden though.
Q 1.3 Is Master Swordsman an Attack card or a Block card (for
purposes of discarding attacks, etc.)?
A 1.3 You choose what the card is when it is played. While it is in
your hand, it is both and therefore subject to either effect (discarding
attacks or discarding Blocks).
Q 1.4 Would a Dirty Trick in a Bloodlust do 1 point of damage (per
Bloodlust)?
A 1.4 No. Just as the text on Thrust will add a point of damage, the
text on Dirty Trick takes away all the damage (not just reducing it to
zero).
Q 1.5 If you are faced with multiple Flurry Strikes, will one
Alertness: Block stop all of them?
A 1.5 No. Each Flurry Strike after the first one will need it's own
Alertness: Block.
2. Defenses
Q 2.1 Can you play an unprovoked Guard, then immediately drop it to
attack to that area?
A 2.1 No, though Duncan and Connor are able to do so with their
Persona Power.
Q 2.2 Can you play Master Swordsman from an Exertion for a defense?
A 2.2 Yes. You cannot play Special _Attacks_ from an Exertion. In
this case Master Swordsman, is being used as a defense not an Attack.
Q 2.3 Will Circular Parry help Kurgan's Master's Disarm?
A 2.3 No, for 2 reasons. Circular Parry only helps the Disarm
card, referring to the title of the card, not Master's Disarm. Second,
Kurgan's Master's Disarm reads "Play instead of a defense", so after
playing Master's Disarm you would never have the opportunity to play
Circular Parry or any other Defense for that matter.
3. Events
Q 3.1 If I play Code Red when I have a Watcher: Revealed in play, do I
get the Watcher: Revealed back, the Ally, or both?
A 3.1 You get both the Ally and the Watcher: Revealed back.
4. Locations
Q 4.1 When drawing cards for Watcher Regional HQ, can I choose how
many to draw?
A 4.1 Yes. You may choose how many you draw "up to" the maximum allowed.
Q 4.2 My opponent attacks me with Lighthouse in play. Since my last
attacks were not not successful, I cannot dodge. If I remove Lighthouse
(by playing another Location, etc.), can I now play Dodges?
A 4.2 Yes. Lighthouse only restricts your options as long as it
remains in play.
5. Objects
Q 5.1 Do Watcher Database and Watcher's Chronicle count as Watcher cards?
A 5.1 No. Only cards with the sole title of Watcher or with a
subtitle of Watcher are considered Watcher cards.
6. Plots
Q 6.1 If Amanda plays the first Cat and Mouse card (Attack), does she
still get her two attacks?
A 6.1 She only gets as many attacks as there are Cat and Mouse cards
in play. So Amanda would only get one attack this turn.
Q 6.2 If I have The Prize: Attacks in play and play the first Cat and
Mouse (Attack), how many attacks would I get?
A. 6.2 You would get two; one for the Cat and Mouse card and an "extra
attack" from The Prize.
Q 6.3 I have 2 Cat and Mouse cards in play. I play Cat and Mouse:
Attack, Schemer, Cat and Mouse: Attack. How many attacks do I get?
A 6.3 Four. Cat and Mouse dictates how many attacks you get, not how
many additional attacks.
Q 6.4 If I'm Amanda and I play two attacks then play the first Cat
and Mouse (Attack), what happens?
A 6.4 Nothing. You get no more attacks.
Q 6.5 Will Underworld Contact help against Cat and Mouse(Attack)?
A 6.5 You cannot, as the effect of Cat and Mouse(Attack) would
resolve on your opponents turn. Keep in mind that you can never play
cards during opponents turn. So your first opportunity to ignore the
effects of the Cat and Mouse would be in your Defense Phase, at which time,
it is too late to deal with the effects of Cat and Mouse(Attack). Same
holds true for Cat and Mouse(Draw).
7. Situations
Q 7.1 Can I use Joe Dawson to duplicate a Discarded Anne
Lindsey/Watcher: Revealed?
A 7.1 No. Joe Dawson only duplicates Events played by your opponent.
Q 7.2 Can Joe Dawson remove a Pre-Game James Horton?
A 7.2 Yes.
Q 7.3 If I have Signorina Arianna in play, can I Exert for a Power
Blow then Exert to find an Attack to play?
A 7.3 No, as you must have an attack in play first to make any it
a Power Blow.
Q 7.4 When I Focus Dojo, do the cards under it remain or are they
discarded?
A 7.4 As Focus nullifies the game text of Dojo, the cards would
remain under the Dojo.
Q 7.5 Can I have more than one Dojo in play with cards under it?
A 7.5 No, you can never have more than 1 Dojo in play at a time(See WC
Errata).
Q 7.6 Is taking cards from under Dojo considered drawing cards?
A 7.6 No. Taking cards from your Endurance into your hand is
considered drawing a card.
Q 7.7 If I play Immortal Wound without any attacks, would it stay in
play or be removed?
A 7.7 If you don't have any successful attacks, then Immortal Wound
would be removed. Playing no attacks with Immortal Wound would guarantee
it's removal.
Q 7.8 If my opponent plays an Event, can I reveal my Hidden Resources
and Forethought, then immediately use Forethought to counter the Event?
A 7.8 Yes, you are able to. As the text of Hidden Resources reads
"When you choose to use that Situation, turn it face up". Hidden Resources
allows you to immediately reveal the Situation, and
allow it's effects to continue as if it had been in play.
18. Edges
Q 8.1 Does the Watcher Revealed Edge card count as a Watcher card in
play for purposes of Watcher Regional HQ?
A 8.1 Yes, it actually counts double. Once for itself, and again for
the card it is affecting. It will continue to count double until it
enters the Discard Pile. Then it will only count for itself.
Q 8.2 Does Focus remove a card's title?
A 8.2 Yes, Focus removes all text from a Situation, except for
it's Icon.
Q 8.3 Can you play Focus without a Situation in play?
A 8.3 According to the card text, yes.
Q 8.4 Can I play Lunge with a Flurry Strike to make the attack
unblockable and undodgeable?
A 8.4 Lunge only works with Basic Attacks (one of the nine required in
deck building).
Q 8.5 Will Alertness work against an Attack played with Lunge?
A 8.5 No. Lunge does not make an Attack undodgeable. The attack can
still be Dodged (from an Exertion) so isn't a valid target for Alertness.
Q 8.6 My opponent (Connor) just played a Master's Block, Lunge, Upper
Attack, and Head Shot. How dead am I?
A 8.6 Not very, as the Attack played cannot be blocked, you could
play Alertness(Block) to deal with the combination.
9. Pre-Game
Q 9.1 I have Pre-Game Horton in play, and a Pre-Game Darius in
play(for a fourth Kirk Matunas). I play four Kirk Matunas cards with
Watcher Revealed. How much damage gets added since each Kirk is now a
Watcher?
A 9.1 Since all the Kirk cards are considered one source of damage,
you only add 1 point of damage. The maximum damage is 8 points.
Q 9.2 When using the Dawson Pre-game, what order do I follow?
A 9.2 When you Exert to move the cards from your Discard Pile to the
bottom of your Endurance, make the Exertion first, then move the cards from
your Discard Pile to the bottom of your Endurance. The cards from the
Exertion then go to your Discard Pile. Any Watcher cards in that Exertion
do not get moved to the bottom of your Endurance.
Q 9.3 Are you restricted to only one Premium card or one of each
Premium card?
A 9.3 You can only have one of EACH Premium card.
10. Promos
Q 10.1 Can I use Collect or Zocchi Distributing to change the number of
cards in a Kurgan Bloodlust Exertion?
A 10.1 Yes.
-------- Section B: Immortals --------
11. Annie Devlin
Q 11.1 Does Annie have to take damage to use her Special Ability?
A 11.1 No.
Q. 11.2 Can Annie play two Dr. Sonny Jackson's then play Run Through to
get three Hidden Attacks?
A. 11.2 Run Through must be played in the Defense Phase. There is no
pending attack damage for Dr. Sonny to prevent until your Attack Phase. By
then, it is too late to play Run Through. Use Anne Lindsey instead.
Q. 11.3 Does Annie get two additional attacks for each successful
attack made against her?
A. 11.3 No, just the two additional regardless of how many attacks were
successful.
12. Hugh Fitzcairn
Q 12.1 If I play Seduce on my opponent's Dr. Anne Lindsey, can I
discard it on the same turn to prevent damage?
A 12.1 Yes.
Q 12.2 When I play several attacks using Combination, does Thrust
still add an additional point of damage if the Combination attack is
successful?
A 12.2 Yes, Combination does not mention anything about ignoring
any other bonuses granted by the attacks played.
Q 12.3 Can Nakano duplicate Fast Talk?
A 12.3 Yes. Nakano isn't playing a card from his hand, he is
discarding one.
Q 12.4 Can I use the Kane Quickening to get around Fast Talk?
A 12.4 Yes. The card being played is coming from the top of your
opponent's deck, not from your hand.
Q 12.5 If Hugh can make multiple Exertions, can he prevent more than 2
points of damage?
A 12.5 Yes.
Q 12.6 Can Hugh ever be defeated in First Blood? It seems he could
keep Exerting to prevent the damage.
A 12.6 First Blood is over when an attack is successful and does
damage. The attack would be determined to be successful at the end of the
Defense Phase. Since damage will result from the attack, First Blood is
over before Hugh reaches his Attack Phase and Exert the damage away. Hugh
can't Exert during his Defense Phase to prevent attack damage since there
is no Attack damage pending until the end of the Defense Phase.
13. Kalas
Q 13.1 Can Kalas use a TCG card to counter a Holy Ground but still get
the benefit on Stalk?
A 13.1 Yes. The Holy Ground card was played. It just had no effect
because of the TCG.
Q 13.2 If I play Intimidate on my opponent but Avery Hoskins is in
play, what happens?
A 13.2 Your opponent cannot Exert due to Intimidate so he doesn't have
to this turn.
Q 13.3 Does James Horton's extra point of damage for Watcher Events
work with Kalas' Special Ability?
A 13.3 Yes.
14. Kern
Q 14.1 Kern can play all the attacks found in an Exertion. If he can
make two Exertions, can he play all the attacks from both of them?
A 14.1 No. Kern would require both an additional attack and an
additional Exertion to play attacks from both Exertions. For each attack
Kern can play (normally only one per turn) he can Exert for an attack
instead. It doesn't matter how many attacks he plays from the Exertion,
they only take up one of his attacks for that turn. However, he couldn't
then play attacks from his hand because he has already made an Exertion in
his Attack Phase and can no longer play cards from his hand. So he might
play any attacks from his hand first and save the last 'attack slot' he has
to make an Exertion for attacks. So to make two Exertions and play the
attacks from both, he would require two 'attack slots' (i.e. The Prize:
Attacks) and an additional Exertion (i.e. Flashback, Signorina Ariana).
Q 14.2 I've heard there is a difference between "extending" an
Exertion and an "extra" Exertion. How does this relate to Kern's Special
Ability?
A 14.2 Bowie Knife allows Kern to make an Exertion bigger (extending an
Exertion). The bigger the Exertion, the more attacks Kern can play. Cards
that grant an Extra Exertion give you another separate, individual Exertion
that can be used for any purpose. Extra Exertions (like Flashback) will
not allow you to increase the size of Exertions. In the above example,
Kern was Exerting but only found one attack. He used Flashback to get an
"extra" Exertion. The attacks he finds in the extra three card Exertion
are the only attacks he can play. He cannot return to the prior Exertion
to play that attack even if he finds nothing in the extra three cards. The
prior Exertion has already been resolved (and discarded).
Q 14.3 I think I'm straight on this now. What happens if Kern is
Exerting for some attacks, but only finds attacks into the area he just
blocked? Can he discard one of the attacks and then play the rest?
A 14.3 Yes, in this case he could discard one of the attacks that goes
to the area he just blocked, and then continue to play the attacks
normally.
Q 14.4 Will Hogg save Kern from a Head Shot?
A 14.4 No, Hogg now prevents all of the damage from an attack
it no longer avoids the attack(See WC Errata).
Q 14.5 If Kern plays Rage then Exerts and finds three attacks, Rage
allows him to make two of the attacks Power Blows. If he Discards
Flashback, could he use the Extra Exertion to make the third attack a
Power Blow?
A 14.5 Yes.
Q 14.6 I play Dirty Trick (LC), then Extra Shot (new Defense only from
Exertion). I then Exert for an Attack and play three of them. Are all
three only defendable from an Exertion?
A 14.6 No, just the first one played after the Extra Shot. Your
opponent could play defenses for the first, third and fourth attacks from
his hand. If he wants to use a Defense other than the first Defense
against the second attack, he will need to Exert to find one.
15. Other Immortals
Q 15.1 Richie's Quick Learner card lets' him pull out "the same card
your opponent just played" from his Endurance. How "same" do they have to
be?
A 15.1 The card has to be the same specific card. It must have the
same title, Persona name (if any), Icon (and Grid if any), and card text.
It does not have to be the same Edition (Movie vs. Series).
Q 15.2 Can Richie put Clan MacLeod cards in his deck?
A 15.2 No. Clan MacLeod cards are 1. Not "Persona Cards", and 2. Are
all Signature cards, and thus cannot be used by Richie.
Q 15.3 If Amanda plays Master Thief on Nefertiri, can Nefertiri still
discard the cards to her Endurance?
A 15.3 No. Amanda is the one doing the actual discarding of the
cards. Nefertiri only controls her discarding when she does the
discarding herself.
Q 15.4 Will Selective Memory let me ignore the effects of Master
Thief?
A 15.4 No. You would need to play Selective Memory on your turn when
you would be discarding. Amanda does the discarding on her turn for Master
Thief.
Q 15.5 Xavier has Plan Ahead, Greenfield Hobbies and 18 other
Situation: Plot's in play. He plays Hidden Explosives and takes no damage
due to Greenfield. During his opponent's turn, Xavier uses Plan Ahead to
remove Greenfield Hobbies. How much damage does his opponent take, 20
damage or zero ?
A 15.5 Greenfield reduces damage to zero as long as it is in play
during the Ability Adjustment Phase. Xavier's opponent will be taking 20
points of damage, but he should have seen it coming a mile away.
-------- Section C: New Game Mechanics --------
16. Sweep Phase
Q 16.1 Are cards from an Exertion part of my Discard Pile or do they
wait until the next Sweep Phase?
A 16.1 Only cards that you played during your turn wait for the next
Sweep Phase to enter your Discard Pile. Cards removed from play,
discarded, or Exerted become part of your Discard Pile immediately.
Q 16.2 How are cards from Desert, Master's Stratagem, and Bystander:
Discard affected by the Sweep Phase?
A 16.2 Anything instructing you to discard cards, those cards go
directly to the discard pile. Only cards that have been played will wait
for your next Sweep Phase before they are discarded.
17. Allies
Q. 17.1 Are Pre-Game cards with proper names considered Allies?
A. 17.1 Yes, with the exception of your Persona. All other such cards
can be considered Allies. Any card effects that cause Allies to leave play
but don't specifically address Pre-Game cards will have no effect on
Pre-Game Allies.
18. Abnormal Endurance Size
Q 18.1 What would happen if, through the use of Psyche and other card
removers, the size of my deck fell below my Ability and I was forced to
draw up? Would I still suffer Exhaustion?
A 18.1 You suffer Exhaustion (loss of 5 Ability) when you draw the
last card of your Endurance. You would stop drawing cards at that point.
Any Ability Adjustment Phase where you still have no cards in your
Endurance, you will suffer another 5 point Ability loss.
Q 18.2 Let's say I'm Kurgan and I play Bloodlust. What if I don't
have enough cards in my Endurance and Discard Piles to make the 15 card
Exertion?
A 18.2 You would make an Exertion with as many of the cards as you
>could. If the Exertion is not a full Exertion (per the required number),
then the remaining card effects are nullified.
Q 18.3 If I have Bystander: Discard Damage in play and I only have 30
cards in my Endurance and Discard pile but I'm forced to Discard 34 cards.
What happens?
A 18.3 You would discard what remained of your Endurance. Take 5
Ability loss for Exhaustion. Continue discarding cards until you
fulfilled the 34 cards even if you Exhaust again and take another 5
Ability loss.
19. Pending Damage
Q 19.1 When is damage "pending" and when isn't it "pending"? This
matters when you are attempting to prevent it with cards like Dr. Sonny Jackson.
A 19.1 Any damage from Special cards is considered "pending" as soon as
the card takes effect. You can prevent the damage anytime prior to your
Ability Adjustment Phase. Damage from an Attack only becomes "pending"
damage (and therefore preventable) at the end of your Defense Phase. In
short, you can only prevent damage from Attacks during your Attack Phase.
20. Signature Cards
Q 20.1 Can Kane or Nakano play a Signature card that they are
"borrowing" or "duplicating?"
A 20.1 No. Signature cards can only be played by the Persona named on
the card. This holds true, even another card effect
states otherwise(e.g. Darius, Methos' Quickening, Richie's Persona Power).
The Watcher's Chronicle Offical Errata
April 24, 1998
Thunder Castle Games
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hugh Fitzcairn- Persona
If you do not play a Special Card, you may make an Exertion on your turn to
prevent up to 2 points of damage. You may have up to 5 Master cards.
Hugh Fitzcairn
Fast Talk S2 - Signature
EVENT
Your ready wit baffles and confuses your opponent. Your opponent may not
play a card from his hand next turn.
Hugh Fitzcairn
Seduce
EVENT
You gain control of any Situation Ally your opponent has in play. You may
choose a different target or opponent if the Ally requires one. If the Ally
is removed from play, return it to its original owner's discard pile.
Kern
Hogg
OBJECT
While Hogg is in play, you may make an Exertion during your Defense Phase
to prevent all damage from an attack played against you; or, you may make
one attack played this turn a Power Blow without an Exertion. If Hogg is
removed from play, you lose 1 Ability. You may only have one Hogg in play.
Generic
Dojo
SITUATION
At the beginning of your turn, you may either place cards from your hand
facedown underneath Dojo or take cards from the Dojo and place them in your
hand. Dojo can hold up to five cards. If this card leaves play for any
reason, then the cards underneath are discarded. You may only have one
Dojo in play.
Generic
Master Swordsman
SPECIAL ATTACK/BLOCK
When you play this card, choose one area on the grid where the attack or
block applies. If used as an attack, this attack may be a Power Blow
without an Exertion. If used as a block, this block may block a Power Blow
without an Exertion.
Flashing Blade
EDGE
Play in conjunction with an attack. Dodges will not avoid multiple attacks
you play this turn.
Xaiver St. Cloud
Hidden Explosives
EVENT R2
All players take 1 damage for each Situation:Plot in play.
Sam Orlando
Thunder Castle Games