Hound of Mirkwood again

[Deadmanwalking]

Maybe Twice-baked Honey Cakes should learn from the Hound... Apply the TN reduction for Fatigue tests only to a number of tests equal to the Beorning's Wisdom/Valour during a session or adventure?

That's not really equivalent though. The hound works until something happens that makes it not, not just for a limited numberof times per session (which gets weird if you end a session in the middle of nowhere...where did you get new honey cakes?)

A better equivalence would be that you lose it if you have a Hazard that actually takes effect (rather than the Guide, Hunter, or whatever taking care of it successfully). That'd be avoidable, but still a potential problem. And sure, you can probably use Hope and succeed, but then you've negated the Honey-cakes other benefit. You'd obviously lose them until you spent a Fellowship Phase somewhere, at which point you replenish your supply.

That's what I'd do if looking to tone down honey-cakes. I'm not sure if that's needed, given the relative scarcity of other really good Beorning Virtues (Great Strength is pretty much it, and it shores up a weakness rather than being a big boost for the Culture...the other ones are okay).

[bluejay]

Ok, good replies - thanks. I think I'll leave the Hound as written for now and see if it needs a tweak later on.

BTW, from the wording of the ability, it seems to me that the Hound only makes the opponent Weary-equivalent for the Woodsman, not for other PCs (if they are able to get more than one PC in melee against it).

I asked Francesco directly and this is not the case. The opponent is treated as though Weary for all PCs.

[d(sqrt(-1))]

Ok, good replies - thanks. I think I'll leave the Hound as written for now and see if it needs a tweak later on.

BTW, from the wording of the ability, it seems to me that the Hound only makes the opponent Weary-equivalent for the Woodsman, not for other PCs (if they are able to get more than one PC in melee against it).

I asked Francesco directly and this is not the case. The opponent is treated as though Weary for all PCs.

Ok. That does seem to make it pretty strong then.

[bluejay]

Well as mentioned before, it's really useful against large enemies (like a troll) but far less useful against a lot of smaller opponents.

[Corvo]

Ok, good replies - thanks. I think I'll leave the Hound as written for now and see if it needs a tweak later on.

BTW, from the wording of the ability, it seems to me that the Hound only makes the opponent Weary-equivalent for the Woodsman, not for other PCs (if they are able to get more than one PC in melee against it).

I asked Francesco directly and this is not the case. The opponent is treated as though Weary for all PCs.

Ok. That does seem to make it pretty strong then.

Yeah, it is.
But it's not gratis: it was paid with xp.
It got the same price of, say, Keen on a Great Axe: double your chance of getting a wounding blow with Injury 20!
And a Eye Rune cannot disable that axe

[Glorelendil]

As mentioned (but I'll reiterate) you can't ignore that an Eye Rune...or really just an Edge result, which could be better than an Eye rune...you lose your Hound for the rest of the session and maybe for the entire adventure. It's one of the only (the only?) virtues/rewards that you can lose before you've even had a chance to use it. Sucks when that random Hazard on the initial Journey results in an unlucky roll, then another unlucky roll, and you are Hound-less till the next FP.

[bluejay]

As mentioned (but I'll reiterate) you can't ignore that an Eye Rune...or really just an Edge result, which could be better than an Eye rune...you lose your Hound for the rest of the session and maybe for the entire adventure. It's one of the only (the only?) virtues/rewards that you can lose before you've even had a chance to use it. Sucks when that random Hazard on the initial Journey results in an unlucky roll, then another unlucky roll, and you are Hound-less till the next FP.

No it's only an Eye rune that takes out the Hound, not a Piercing Blow.