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Author Topic: Multiplayer Rules for Channeling  (Read 3312 times)

Skra

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Multiplayer Rules for Channeling
« on: June 12, 2017, 08:05:01 PM »
A friend of mine and I are about to play our first multiplayer game. It will be two players and four mages, two mages for each player in a team game. 

A question regarding the rules for channeling +1 conjurations has come up. In the Arena Core Set it states, "When  playing  a  team  game,  all  players  on  one  side  are treated  as  a  single  player  controlling  multiple  Mages." But on channeling conjuration spells like [mwcard=MW1J12]Mana Crystal[/mwcard] the texts says, "Controller gains Channeling +1". Considering that in a team game both mages have one controller, wouldn't that mean that every time a mage on one team casts a channeling +1 conjuration, BOTH mages on that team gain increased channeling from it? I mean, isn't that what the card says?

Example: (assume the quickcast phase is skipped and movements are legal for hypothetical brevity)

Round 1:
Druid (Team A) quickcasts [mwcard=MW1J13]Mana Flower[/mwcard] and casts [mwcard=MW1J13]Mana Flower[/mwcard]
Necromancer (Team B) quickcasts [mwcard=DNJ04]Graveyard[/mwcard] and casts [mwcard=MW1J12]Mana Crystal[/mwcard]
Priestess (Team A) casts [mwcard=MW1J23]Temple of Asyra[/mwcard] and quickcasts [mwcard=MW1E20]Harmonize[/mwcard], attaching it to the temple
Forcemaster(Team B) quickcasts [mwcard=MW1J12]Mana Crystal[/mwcard] and casts [mwcard=MW1J12]Mana Crystal[/mwcard]

Round 2: (Channeling Phase)
Druid adds 11 mana to her mana supply (9 base, +2 from team mana flowers)
Necromancer adds 13 to his mana supply (10 base + 3 from team mana crystals)
Priestess adds 12 mana to her mana supply (10 base + 2 from team mana flowers)
Forcemaster adds 13 to her mana supply (10 base and +3 from team mana crystals)

Is this right? If not, why? How am I reading "all  players  on  one  side  are treated  as  a  single  player  controlling  multiple  Mages" wrong?

If I'm right, I'm conflicted about this. On one hand, I think it will make both mages on each team incredibly overpowered. On the other hand, I think it might speed the game up significantly and prevent a 2-3 hour slog.

« Last Edit: June 12, 2017, 08:10:05 PM by Skra »
It'd be a lot cooler if you did...

DaveW

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Re: Multiplayer Rules for Channeling
« Reply #1 on: June 12, 2017, 08:38:33 PM »
I think that the presumption is that there should not be more than one mage controlled by any one player. Personally, I would rule that in this case, each individual mage is the one controlling the conjuration... so only one mage gets the benefit... whether or not that is how the rule is technically written. Otherwise, mages with fewer channeling conjurations will be at a distinct disadvantage.

When I ran a team game at a con, I had the players multiply their life by 75% and then add the numbers for a team total life. That seemed to work well. That was a while ago... I don't know if the rules for team games these days has you use full life, but I would recommend against it.
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Zuberi

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Re: Multiplayer Rules for Channeling
« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2017, 01:06:21 AM »
Use the team rules in Battlegrounds Domination. They are much better than the minor side note that team play gets in the core rulebook. In them, it makes it clear that each mage is still controlled by a single player. You do not have the control over your teammates objects nor do they have control over yours. Items like Mana Crystal only affect a single mage.

Zuberi

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Re: Multiplayer Rules for Channeling
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2017, 01:08:37 AM »
If you don't own Battlegrounds Domination, you can download the rules from the Arcane Wonders website.

Skra

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Re: Multiplayer Rules for Channeling
« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2017, 01:34:41 AM »
You do not have the control over your teammates objects nor do they have control over yours.

What teammate?
It'd be a lot cooler if you did...

Zuberi

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Re: Multiplayer Rules for Channeling
« Reply #5 on: June 13, 2017, 02:37:31 AM »
I missed that you were having one person control both mages on a team. Team rules are written with the assumption of one mage per person, and that's how you should treat them.