Academy newbie questions

[kniknax]

Hi,

We have some questions about the Academy rules if that's OK.

Firstly, with the Guarding / Counterstriking - it says that the Pest can be ignored by the Guard and the Guard doesn't need to counterstrike it (and therefore doesn't lose its Guard marker) - and it highlights this clearly.

However - it then goes on to say "Using a counterstrike is always optional. A creature does not have to use its counterstrike". Which we interpret to mean that any creature who attacks a guard can be ignored.

In which case, we don't understand why Pests are highlighted the way they are. It makes no difference if they are a pest or not, and in fact the only thing the Pest trait gives them is the inability to become a guard.

Is this correct? Or have we read it wrong?

Secondly - just to clarify, if a Guarding creature chooses to not attack back, they do not lose their Guard marker, and can then go on to retain it indefinitely (so long as they do not do anything else), even across rounds?

Next - an Elusive Unavoidable Pest with Dodge - can I confirm that this can ignore the Guard completely, can ignore all Defence, and can avoid being hit by rolling a 5 or more on their D12? So these have no way of being defended against, and have a high probability of being untouchable (unless you have an unavoidable creature too)?

We have a few more but forgot to make a note of them so will ask them later when if they crop up again

Thank you for your time

[exid]

about guard.

1) a pest can be ignored when guarding.
2) a pest must attack a guard, but the guard can decide not to use his guard marker and therefor make no counterstrike.

3) when a non-pest attacks a guard, the guard can decide not to counterstrike, but the guard marker is used anyway!

[exid]

about elusive,  etc.
this creature can ignore guard and defense (but not the armor).
dodge gives it a 7+ (i don't understand the 5+ ?) defence on the first attack it gets... after that...

[iNano78]

Also, there are creatures with an innate Counterstrike ability that applies even when they aren't guarding.  And the Ridgeback Skunk does something during the Counterstrike Step as well.  These abilities are optional - although you generally don't want to forget them.

As Exid said, when a non-Pest attacks a guard, the guard loses its guard marker regardless of whether or not it chooses to Counterstrike.

As for your Elusive/Unavoidable/Pest/Dodge combo:
- Elusive means the creature doesn't have to attack a Guard.  (In Arena, it also means the creature isn't hindered by enemy creatures.)
- Unavoidable means a defense can't be used to avoid the attack - so a target with Dodge, for instance, can't use its Dodge against the Unavoidable attack.
- Pest doesn't do anything in your combo.  Pest is generally a drawback, as Pests make for lousy guards.
- Dodge itself gives you a defense.  As you pointed out, it's useless against Unavoidable attacks, including some of the Attack Spells. 

Since you're almost certainly talking about Tarraki, he's tough to hit (thanks to his built-in Defense) but if you do hit him, he dies pretty quickly.  One Unavoidable attack could finish him.  He can also be Exile'd.  Or Shrink'ed.  And Armor still works against his attack (Armor isn't a "Defense" and thus Unavoidable attacks are still reduced by Armor).

[Puddnhead]

I assume you are talking about Tarraki.  He is extremely strong.

1) He is Elusive which means he can ignore guards and attack whatever he wants.
2) His attack is unavoidable which means that the opposing creature may not use a "defense" against the attack.  A defense is the shield icon that allows a d12 roll to dodge the attack.  Dodge (the card) says that it "counts as a defense" and also cannot be used, but it still must be revealed with no effect.
3) he has an infinitely useable dodge of 5+ on the d12.

Your best defense against him is Wychwood Ironvine, Leather Chausses and your class chest armor.  Armor will be very helpful since he only rolls two dice and the Ironvine can help you recuperate from the criticals.

Arcane Missiles can roll two dice on him and an Azurean Genie can keep him staggered for a few turns.  Eventually a Sailfin Hydra will bust through his defense for some good damage.  Or, if you're playing a beastmaster you can cast Tarraki first since he's legendary and then you won't have to worry about fighting against him....until he gets killed.

Hope that helps.

[Zuberi]

Others have already answered your questions, but I just wanted to touch on the use of the word ignore in the rules. They don't do a very good job defining what they mean by this, but basically ignoring your attacker let's you retain your guard marker. You can only ignore pests, and you can only ignore them if you choose not to counterstrike.

Against other creatures, you can always choose not to counterstrike them, but you can't ignore them. Meaning, as others have said, you will lose your guard marker regardless.

Also, I don't think this was answered actually, so I'll add that guarding does last across rounds if it's not broken by your opponent. In addition to elusive, you should know that ranged attacks, like spells, also bypass guards.