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First: I love Dungeon Command and have played about a million games since my store got our demo copies in, and I'm really looking forward to running the game day demos.  Thanks for the awesome work.

Ok, a bunch of rules questions!

1. Cowering says it prevents all damage and "any other effects".  Does this include the "damage can't be prevented" effect on Piercing Strike?  Basically, can I cower if my opponent uses Piercing Strike (or some future "damage can't be prevented" effect)?

2. I initially assumed, due to my MTG background, that only Immediate actions and similar creature abilities could be added to a non-empty stack (ie, as a response).  But looking over the rules, it seems like that isn't the case, and that I could also add Minor actions (taken "at any time during its activation") or maybe even standards or moves to an ongoing stack.  Obviously all the other requirements need to be met, like it being that creature's activation and so forth, but in general, what actions can I take as part of an ongoing stack?

The situation that brought this one up: I'm activating my Drider and put Faerie Fire on my opponent's Dwarf Cleric, which resolves.  Then I tap the Drider and play Shadowy Ambush, attempting to hit the Dwarf for a lethal 60.  My opponent reasonably responds by using the Cleric's ability, targeting Faerie Fire to attempt to reduce the damage by 10.  Can I respond with Quick Jab?  Similarly, could I have used Quick Jab first and responded with a standard action attack to a similar attempt?  If I attack an opponent and they respond with a potentially lethal Riposte, could I use my move for the turn to move out of melee range, or use Into The Fray to escape?

3. When do priority stops actually happen in Dungeon Command?  For example, is there an equivalent of the end step priority window in Magic?  The rulebook is pretty clear that you can respond to all discrete actions during the activation phase, but what about other phases?  It seems like triggers can happen any time (like the Shadow Stalker power on the Shadow Mastiff that's used as the rulebook's example) but can you add immediate abilities to the stack then?

Again, the situation that caused the question: My opponent has an injured creature.  During her Deploy phase, she places a Dwarf Cleric adjacent to the injured creature.  Is there a priority stop in the Deploy phase such that she can activate the Cleric, so that she can untap it in her Cleanup phase?

That's it for now.  Sorry the questions are a bit techincal, we're old Magic hands so we tend to have that kind of approach.  Thanks again for the awesome game! 

Awesome, thanks for the quick replies.

It's a misprint. The correct level for faerie fire. Is level 2.

Jul 21, 2012 -- 9:06AM, bumyong wrote:

I'm surprised that the cleric would be able to use his heal ability when deployed since the activation phase is over.  What is special about the cleric that his ability is allowed but others aren't?  I'm assuming you can't activate freshly deployed creatures (move, play order cards, use creature powers, take other actions. p. 8 of rulebook).

Also, on another post, someone else said that the reduction in movement to 1 square when starting adjacent to an enemy creature only applies for the actual movement phase but any order card that allows for additional movement is exempt from this restriction.  Is this true?  Also, what does "priority stop" mean? (if this is important to the answer)

Found the link to the post:
boardgamegeek.com/thread/830719/burrow-a...

The Cleric is the only figure so far with a Tap ability that functions as an Immediate action.  The Umber Hulk also has a Tap ability, but it specifically says to play it as a standard.  As per the rules, unless this statement otherwise is on the card, you can play any creature Tap ability as an Immediate action, and Immediate actions can be done outside your activation.  This means you can use the Cleric's ability once on your turn and once on your opponent's turn; thus far it seems to be the most powerful single figure in the game.  What was less clear was whether you could use it once it was deployed or if you could only use Immediate actions during some figure or other's activation; the answer established that you can use it any time, so you can use it in the Deploy phase immediately after placing the model.

For the second: I think I made that BGG response, which I guess was a bit misleading?  My understanding is that while you are next to an enemy figure, your Speed stat is 1, whatever it would otherwise be.  This means if you start any kind of move that relies on your speed (normal move or Into the Fray or what have you) while next to an enemy, you can only move 1.  On the other hand, some cards say "move X" or "shift X", like Spring Attack which says Shift 6, attack, shift 6.  In these cases, your speed stat being 1 doesn't matter.  You can also step back one (assuming that gets you clear), then use another action that calls on your speed, since it isn't 1 once you stop being next to an enemy.  For example, if my creature is next to an enemy, I can use the normal move (speed 1), step back one to where I'm clear, then play Into the Fray as a minor (move your speed) and since I'm no longer next to an enemy, I get the creature's full speed.

Obviously I'm not an official source but that's my understanding  

If you don't mind, I'll take a stab at these, though Chris  may come by and tell me that I'm wrong.

Jul 22, 2012 -- 7:24PM, DrJest wrote:

First question regards moving. During its activation can a creature move its speed then play a card that involves the creature shifting or sliding? For example can “Stalk” be played to move an additional 6 squares after the creature has moved its normal speed? Can the creature take a normal move after it has played “Stalk”? Or does moving once during its activation really mean move once regardless of how?

Yes.  Yes.  Yes.  No.

In more detail, the Activation phase has the following steps, done in any order:
- Move up to its Speed.
- Play any number of minor action Order cards or use creature powers that do not require a tap.
- Take one action that taps the creature (Attacking, using a standard action Order card, using a power like Confusing Gaze, picking up a treasure, etc.)

Moving is a separate thing from using an Order card.  So, a creature can Move, then use an order card that includes moving.  If the player is using Valnar Trueblade as his commander, he can even have his creatures use their Standard actions to move again.

How does the card “Into the Fray” play? This one has us scratching our head.

On your turn, you can play Into the Fray.  It is a minor action, and the creature moves up to its speed.  It still can move up to its speed if it hasn't already done the Move part of its activation.

On page 13 under the “Distance and Counting” side bar, first bullet says “The acting creature must have a line of sight to the target unless otherwise specified.” So must a creature have a line of sight to the hex it wishes to target with the “Fireball” card? Would this also apply to playing “Fire Trap”?

"The acting creature must have line of sight to the target unless otherwise specified."  Since Fireball and Fire Trap do not specify that LoS is not needed, the creature using those order cards will need LoS to the target squares.

When it comes to cowering can you use damage reducing cards to first reduce the amount of damage and then decide to cower? For example can you play “Close Call” to prevent 40 damage from a 50 damage attack then cower the remaining 10 damage?

The Stack, pg. 9:
"After any action resolves, all players get another chance to respond with new actions. Any new action goes on top of the stack, and players can respond to that action as normal."

So, yes, you can negate damage with an Immediate order card, then Cower any remaining damage, since Cowering does not tap the creature.