Machina Arcana - Official FAQ, version 0.1
Copyright 2014, Juraj Bilic
Table of Contents
Q: What are the materials through which I can learn how to play?
Q: Treasure level - At which points do you add cards to treasure pile that are for higher level??
Q: Banish monster - Will I gain essence by banishing monsters (map tile scrolling)?
Q: Movement - Can monsters move through other monsters, and can explorers move through explorers?
Q: Endgame - For scenario I, which are the ritual spaces, and how many are there?
Q: (general) - What if it's got enough stamina to use an ability twice?
Q: Elder Thing’s - first attack is melee but the second could be melee or tile range?
Q: If you can pay for it, can you use an ability more than once?
Q: Upgrade - If a card has a connector on the bottom, the card is an upgrade?
Q: Upgrade - Is there a difference between top and bottom connectors?
Q: Upgrade and Augment - examining different cases
Q: Upgrade - Where is the benefit when I upgrade weapons?
Q: (general) - Is there an item limit for your inventory?
Q: Heavy javelin - If the attack kills the monster, does it still get pushed 1 space?
Q: Long ranged Rifle - On hit, attack by using block remainder as attack roll?
Q: Ethereal Gas Bomb - How does the Gas Bomb work?
Q: (Ongoing effect) - Can there be more than 1 active ongoing horror event?
Q: What is the starting map tile?
Q: Action spaces - Does this mean they are impassable and can’t be moved on top of?
Q: Destroying exploding barrel or trap space, will they be activated?
Q: Door - Will the monster treat closed doors as walls?
Q: Barrier - When can you place a barrier and what is the cost?
Q: What are all the red and blue dice to be used for in Exclusive box?
Q: Map tiles are warping, what to do?
Q: Do the extra from the Exclusive content all come in the shrinkwrapped base game box?
Q: Where are the additional exclusive events from the unlocked stretch goal?
Q: Where are the 15 maps in the Exclusive box?
Q: The enemy tiles' names get covered up by the stands. Is this a misprint?
Q: Card Sleeves - Where can I get card sleeves for my cards?
A: Read the introduction to new players: http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1168142/introduction-new-players
It is advisable to use all the material at your disposal: this FAQ, the manual, and don’t forget our tutorial and gameplay videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/MachinaArcanaGame/
[Page 8. (Game setup, last step) - Observe the first chapter card and resolve its effects.
(Page 13. (Place entry token, step 3) - Place the explorers on unoccupied spaces adjacent to or on top of entry token.]
A: Game setup is a preparation phase, before the first round. At the end of the setup (just before the explorer phase), all the explorers are placed and the first round may begin.
A: Yes, you can put the Exclusive events as well (they have a star in the upper right corner).
[Page 25. (Howling Mountain)]
A: Once you are back at base, there is no limit on using the three locations. (Armory's first ability 'to resolve workbench' can be used only once, as a group - not for each explorer).
[Page 9. (Monsters spawn) - For each explorer being controlled, the player rolls the game die.]
A: One monster per explorer per round (if there are 4 explorers, every round is possible to spawn 4 monsters). If there are already 4 monsters, then instead of spawning a monster, increase the monster threat by 1.
A: You get to pick.
[Page 13. (Add treasure level) - When a chapter effect adds a specified treasure level, take all treasure cards of that level and shuffle them into the remaining treasure deck (ignore the destroyed treasure deck).]
A: You start with level 1 items (if not differently stated on the first chapter card), and when you resolve the effects on the new chapter card, check if it instructs you to add items of the specified level.
A: No, only by destroying them.
[Page 15. (Adjacent) - Anything that is next to, and in line of sight, is considered adjacent to the unit.]
A: You are correct, things are adjacent diagonally.
Monster can't open doors (they will destroy the door for 4 stamina), but yes they can do that when they are facing the doors diagonally. Moon-beast's ability will be active only if the monster is facing the wall directly, so it will not work if the wall is diagonally from him.
A: If the monster is already adjacent, he can't be 'more adjacent' (with 1 remaining stamina, he won’t move frontally if he is positioned diagonally).
A: Units are obstacles (monsters and explorers), and because of that they can't pass through each other.
A: On the bottom of the endgame chapter card, you can see the ritual spaces being presented as Custodians. There are 5 of them.
[Page 18. (Death)].
A: (from one user): “I did a solo play on normal mode. After the second player died, it became apparent that I was not going to survive the game due to the existing monsters, the monster threat and monster level, and the dwindling amount of items I had. I could have thrown all 15 explorers into the mountain one after the other, but they would have almost assuredly met the same fate that my first two explorers met. At that point, I decided to accept my defeat.”
When is the time to stop trying? I think that is the subjective matter and depends from session to session. Although, the game is a ticking game over, sometimes it is really irrational to continue.
A: The quest cards will stay, linked to the new explorer.
A: Game over.
[Page 18. (Death)].
A: Then you can’t place new explorers. Endgame tile have visually represented entry tokens (could be more than one), and you always start (or continue if back to base) with placing an entry token. If there is no entry token, that player must wait for an endgame or back to base effect, before joining with others.
[Page 9. (Monster queue) - After moving 1 space, the monster tries to play active abilities again before continuing its movement.]
A: It checks after every movement, if it can play abilities.
A: Suppose the monster has 5 stamina, its ranged attack costs 2 stamina, and it is just one more space from being adjacent to explorer.
It attacks first time, then the second time, then it moves adjacent to explorer.
[Page 15. (Abilities) - Unless stated differently, abilities can only affect targeted units and spaces, or units and spaces inside the map tile of the activating unit.]
A: All explorers on its map tile.
[Page 17. (Push / Pull) - Immobile units cannot be pushed or pulled.]
A: Both.
[Page 16. (Ability roll) - Roll the game die, and if the ability roll is equal or greater than x (the number in the middle), resolve that ability.]
A: (from one user): “roll a d10 if it's 6 or higher the effect takes place, in the case of the Urhag, every turn he either attacks you or sucks you in.” It only affects explorers on the same map tile.
A: Both of Elder Thing abilities affect all explorers within the same maptile.
[Page 16. (Ethereal) - If a unit is ethereal, it cannot be targeted (unless some specific ability enables them to).
Monsters ignore all explorers that are not targetable.]
A: This tells you that if you, as an explorer are ethereal, the monsters will ignore you.
[Page 15. (Targeting) - Most active abilities have a target component that specifies the unit or space where the ability effects will be resolved.]
A: One target is pulled 2 spaces toward Moon-beast location.
A: The trap space, exploding barrel and chapter space are action spaces.
Trap space and exploding barrel will be activated when affected by the 'destroy' effect (as when the units are pulled/pushed into those spaces).
A: Yes. You can't go above your non-blocking attributes (health, essence, stamina).
A: You are correct, only an attacking weapon gets +1 for each augment that that weapon has (not for an apparel augment, or for an augment of a not used weapon in the attack).
[Page 15. (Abilities) - Everything that a unit does is an ability. Attacking, interacting with map tile spaces, and using equipped items are all considered abilities.]
A: Yes, if you can activate an ability, you can play it.
[Back of manual - (Default rulings): 'On kill' and 'on hit' abilities of weapons are resolved only if the item in question was the one that triggered the ability.]
A: Only the passive ability from the used weapon (in this case Rogue Rifle).
A: No. You don't know by only observing the item’s card if it's an upgrade or not. The item is an upgrade, only if it is connected on top of the equipped item.
A: No. Suppose you have equipped a Pneumatic hammer (2 handed weapon), and you upgrade it with Blood-boost gun (1 handed weapon). Then you augment the Blood-boost gun with Stabilizing rail (Increase weapon's attack roll by 1).
When you attack with your gun, you have +1 on attack rolls, but NOT when you attack with Pneumatic hammer.
[Page 20. (Upgrade item) - Some items can be upgraded with items of the same type and with a matching upgrade symbol. (You can't upgrade an item that is already an upgrade.)]
A: The image is the same for the top or bottom upgrade symbol. If the item has an upgrade symbol on top - you can put another item that has the upgrade symbol on the bottom (validate with other upgrade rules).
Not Ok? Displacer Vest with Grotesque Mask on top - due to 2 augment symbols.
True, not ok. (the rule was made to deny the concept of wearing two body armors, and I didn't want to include another icon)
Not Ok? Displacer Vest, Hobnailed Boots on bottom and prismatic lens on top because can't upgrade Displacer Vest twice.
True, not ok. The real reason is that Displacer Vest is an upgrade in this case, so it can't be further upgraded.
Ok? Grotesque Mask with Leather Holster augment and Hobnailed Boots attached - seems weird that holster can augment a mask.
Yes, ok. Because of simplicity, there is only one possible symbol within apparel type (triangle). The rationalization flavor for this augment could still be that it augments torso, not the head (as is in the case with Grotesque mask).
Ok? Charging Boots with prismatic lens
Yes, ok.
Ok? Displacer Vest with either prismatic lens or hobnailed boots, but not both and leather holster as augment
True.
A: It increases your possible active and passive abilities. Two examples:
a) you have a Penumatic hammer (two handed weapon), upgraded with a Blood-boost gun (one handed) - you may use any weapon you choose (even augment the gun with additional abilities); otherwise only one of those weapons could be equipped at the same time.
b) one hand: Shield, upgraded with a gun; second hand: Heavy javelin.
A: No, there is no item limit (only equipping limitations).
[Page 16. (Multi effect) - An ability can have multiple resolving effects. If that is the case, resolve them in the order they are presented inside the ability text.]
A: No; the first effect destroys the monster (its figure is removed), so the second effect will not resolve.
A: (from one user): “Effectively, if you roll double or more the value you need, do two points of damage instead of one”.
[back of manual (Default rulings) - Active effects of abilities with target component are applied to the target.]
A: When you use that ability on your target, your target has reduced attack rolls this round (this effect may stack up to 2 times). This effect will apply even if you don't hit the target.
[Page 16. (Multi effect) - An ability can have multiple resolving effects. If that is the case, resolve them in the order they are presented inside the ability text.]
A: Exactly.
A: No. With your equipped Teleportabulus, the condition on the Trench Coat is not met.
A: You must first take the hit, in order to trigger the passive ability (it stacks up to 2 times).
A: All. Even from traps and exploding barrel.
A: Ethereal gas bomb is a consumable that has 2 abilities (after using either ability, the item is destroyed).
To play first ability, lose 4 stamina and all the units within same map tile (both explorers and monsters) will lose 1 health.
To play second ability, just destroy the item, and this round no one is going to lose health from attacks ('to hit' effects will still apply).
[Page 21. (Collect) - An explorer can at any time lose health or essence in order to meet a quest’s condition with the ‘Collect’ effect.]
A: It is not mandatory to complete the quest cards (they stay near your explorer card). Additionally, you can wait 2 rounds, collect 1 essence, then wait 1 more round then collect 2 essence - and at that moment you would have completed the quest (no need to lose all 3 at the same time).
A: To 'resolve explorer event' means to play the top card from the explorer event deck.
(With 'complete any quest' ability you could complete your quest event, and you would be the activating explorer).
A: It means you roll once with 3 dice, and use that attack roll against all explorers.
[Page 21. (Events - Ongoing) - Some events are ongoing, which means they remain active as long as they are the topmost destroyed event card. Ongoing events will affect units on all map tiles.]
A: No, there can be only 1 ongoing horror event, and only 1 ongoing explorer event. (as topmost destroyed cards, in their respective destroyed decks).
A: Yes, these are different effects. To destroy the monster spawn, just put an explored token on top of it. As with monsters, the explorer who stands on top of destroyed/sealed monster spawn is destroyed as well, and the activating explorer will gain essence.
A: No, but you said something that must be the guiding factor in this game: 'it was kind of funny to see..' - it was not intended to be played like that, but if you are still learning the game, and are not sure if the idea works? Go for the game experience, check rules later.
[Page 13. (Chapter Space, Quest)]
A: There is a small difference in event and chapter quests. Quests in chapters may be activated many times, also normal game progress is halted (no more activating chapter space for next chapter). You can best describe this mechanism as a type of a minigame.
A: The central point is an obstacle. You don't restore 1 essence when you kill custodian.
A: You are supposed to remove the end tiles, then shuffle the remaining (shuffling includes randomly flipping some). The starting tile is whichever tile is on the bottom of the pile. There is no dedicated start tile, unless it is specified in the first chapter card.
A: No, you don't get to use the original function of the space.
A: Exactly. They don't obstruct line of sight, but they count as obstacle (impassable).
A: Yes, but it doesn't obstruct line of sight (you can't shoot through with Blood-boost Gun, but you can with Force Alternator).
A: Trap space and exploding barrel will be activated when affected by the 'destroy' effect (as when the units are pulled/pushed into those spaces).
[Page 24. (Workbench) - You can swap any of those cards with the ones from your inventory or equipped items.]
A: Yes, then even take one item (or give that item to adjacent explorer), and in the end resolve ‘use your inventory’.
A: I have created an image to help you demonstrate passable spaces (green point), and where the unit falls down (red point): http://i.imgur.com/avFygNI.jpg
A: You gain essence (the same as with destroying monster spawn). You don't gain essence by banishing monsters, but you do with destroy effects.
As with monsters, the explorer who stands on top of destroyed/sealed monster spawn is destroyed as well, and the activating explorer will gain essence.
A: (from one user): “Yes, but remember that doors start open and are not a barrier to monsters unless an explorer shuts them.”
A: On the contrary, monster will ignore doors when calculating shortest path.
The explorer A is 3 spaces away from the monster, and explorer B is 2 spaces away from the monster but behind the closed doors - the monster will go toward explorer B.
A: You may only place it with an ability that enables you to do so (for example an item, or through an event).
For example: Void booster (level 2 artifact). This item has an ability that enables you to use 4 stamina and 1 essence to place a barrier token (between any two adjacent spaces).
[Page 28. (Puppeteer) - He controls the monster queue, the monster movement, and activating the monster abilities.]
A: Puppeteer may use the monsters in any way he wants (except targeting barrels or activating traps).
A: Yes.
A: Entry, exit and edge tokens do not prevent movement, and are not treated as obstacles.
A: Yes.
[Page 26. (Rating tokens) - When you roll an equal or greater value, reset the monster’s rating slider to the value that is indicated on the chapter card, otherwise, lower the monster’s rating slider by 1.]
A: Yes.
A: Who owns the box will be the sole owner of Machina Arcana for some time, there is currently no ongoing or planned production.
A: These are attribute dice, they help you to keep track on your current armor (red) and will (blue) values.
A: (from one user) : “I put a 20lb weight on everything for a couple days and now all is well. I know it is hard to set it aside as we have all waited for a while and just want to play, but that is how I fixed mine.”
A: It's all in the box. Dive in and enjoy the game!
Additionally, this unboxing video from Aaron Pope is very useful; in the description of the video, you can find a listing of Exclusive box content (made by Weresheep of BAAAH): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSuTBy3OK7s
A: There are 6 additional events (3 explorer, 3 horror) in the Exclusive box - unlocked by the stretch goal. To identify them, they have a little star on the upper right corner. (Normally you will treat them as base events).
A: 10 map tiles from Core box (5 double sided map tiles), 2 map tiles (1 double sided map tile: unlocked from stretch goal), and 3 endgame map tiles (3 one sided map tile: scenario 1, 2 and bonus). You need to have 15 maps, divided over 9 map tiles (6 double sided, and 3 single side boards).
A: Once the figures enters the stand, there is no reason to ever remove it.
I am using the method that enables me to do so easily (use very carefully and cautiously, don’t apply too much force): http://i.imgur.com/KCdivfo.jpg
A: The design of the components was completed before we received the sample components from the manufacturer.
Before, we planned other type of plastic stands (the same from Arkham Horror), but it was later established that manufacturer is unable to provide them. It was possible to change the design, and dimensions of the figures; the only problem was time: files were already uploaded, and if we went with updating the figures, we would need to update the punchboards as well, and I made a decision to go with the current design and start with the production asap.
As a mitigating fact, the names of the monsters weren't even in the initial design, and we added it for additional clarification (as a visual aid). Once you are accustomed to the monsters, the labels are not so important anymore.
A: (from one user): http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1079871/card-sleeves
A: (from one user): “Just a few images showing all the content boxed up when stands attached: http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1205522/keeping-it-all-boxed”
