{"id":4382,"date":"2015-09-13T20:34:04","date_gmt":"2015-09-13T20:34:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=4382"},"modified":"2015-09-13T20:34:04","modified_gmt":"2015-09-13T20:34:04","slug":"frostgrave-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=4382","title":{"rendered":"Frostgrave Game"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>
The Frostgrave Game Begins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I was invited to try Frostgrave<\/em> today with Chris and Greg. \u00a0This is a reasonably new game with a huge following. \u00a0The basic premise its that some ancient city has been locked in a glacier for many years. \u00a0Now that the ice is melting, bands of adventurers, led by wizards and their apprentices, roam into the city in search of treasure and ancient artifacts.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We played this as a three-way game. \u00a0Each of us had a basic war band, a wizard, and an apprentice. \u00a0I used a band that Chris had already created. \u00a0Greg’s band included cryomancers, represented by Dr. Who and River Song.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The activation system involves each player rolling a d20 at the beginning of the turn. \u00a0Play progresses with the high roller going first, then the second highest roller, etc. \u00a0There are three basic phases in the turn. \u00a0Each player, in order, executes their wizard phase, in which their wizard and any minions within three inches of the wizard, perform two actions each. \u00a0After all the wizard phases are complete, beginning with the first player, each player activates his apprentice. \u00a0Again, any minions within three inches of the apprentice may activate as well. \u00a0Finally everyone else activates, in player order.<\/p>\n

Figures come in some basic categories, such as wizards, apprentices, templars, thieves, thugs, etc. \u00a0While each type of character has different attributes for speed, fighting, shooting, willpower, health, etc. there is not a lot of differentiation. \u00a0This is a game about wizards and magic, and the other players are really second class.<\/p>\n

Before the game, the players choose which spells their wizards will be able to throw. \u00a0The apprentice knows the same spells as the wizard. \u00a0During the wizard’s activation, he may throw a spell. \u00a0These ranged from things like “decay,” which would melt a bow or other type of weapon, “teleport,” “push,” which enabled me to magically force someone back, etc.<\/p>\n

This game came down to the wire. \u00a0Chris used a telekinesis spell to draw one of the treasures toward his folks. \u00a0Neither Greg nor I could do much about that. \u00a0In the end, Chris got four of the nine treasures off the table. \u00a0I used a “mind control” spell to ensure one of Greg’s warriors, who picked up a treasure and then brought it to me. \u00a0Greg tried to break the mind control a couple of times, but Greg was on a particularly cold dice rolling streak. \u00a0I was able to move the man toward the edge of the table. \u00a0Then my apprentice used his “push” spell to magically shove the mind controlled minion toward the edge of the table. \u00a0I rolled particularly well, and Greg rolled particularly poorly. \u00a0The result was that I pushed him off the table with a treasure while he was under my control, so I got the credit.<\/p>\n

The final fight came when Chris and I were battling over a treasure. \u00a0My wizard teleported to it, killing Chris’ figure who was carrying it. \u00a0Then Chris’ wizard killed my archer who was moving toward it while my wizard tried to heal himself. \u00a0Greg teleported the Doctor (his wizard) into the fray, and he took a magic dart from Chris in the back. \u00a0My wizard picked up the treasure and teleported off the table. \u00a0I ended with four of the nine treasures, tied with Chris.<\/p>\n

In general, I like the game. \u00a0There were a couple of ambiguities in the rules we had to push through. \u00a0In general it works, and the game was quite fun.<\/p>\n