An Unseen Master
CHAPTER 9.2
War and strife is common across all the lands of Mantica, from crazed Kings and evil Warlords attempting dominion over one another, sinister agents manipulating events to suit their desires and to corrupt bailiffs and sheriffs terrorising their local populace.
Those are the common face of the troubles within the world, but few are those troubles that are not directed by a greater power. What is recorded of the hidden, dark and pernicious powers that oversee these "lesser" trifles? What tales exist of these Unseen Masters who have yet to declare themselves and their intent upon the world? If truth be told, very little...
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What is known however, is that the dark corners and deep dungeons of the world with their forgotten & discarded secrets, are often the spawning point and the seed of their first grim intent. It is within those places that an adventurer dares tread that they are like to encounter the first of such shadowy and clandestine machinations.
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Invisible Overlord
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Within this guide are outlined the rules and practices for using the Invisible Overlord cards as the AI for an Overlord as set-out in the printed Adventurer's Companion book. It's presented here as listed in clear and separate sections, defining the necessary steps per section.
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Additionally, where confusion or conflicts were encountered in the printed rules of the Adv. Companion a Note has been added to provide clearer decision-making or improve the experience of an AI-controlled Invisible Overlord.
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This is a re-telling and clarification of the content as set-out in the printed rules and not a re-imagining or revision to improve - though areas of development & improvement are briefly outlined at the end.
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Invisible Overlord Cards
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Form a new Invisible Overlord (herein referred to as IO) deck by taking the standard IO cards and adding any Overlord-type specific IO cards where applicable (e.g add Necromancer specific IO cards if using that type of Overlord).
Shuffle the new Invisible Overlord deck.
Playing Invisible Overlord Cards
Between each Hero turn (except before the first Hero turn and after the 4th Hero turn) draw the top card from the Invisible Overlord deck to determine if it states an Interrupt turn occurs.
If an Interrupt turn does occur (the IO card will display "Interrupt: Yes") then perform Overlord commands as defined on the rest of that IO card.
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If no Interrupt turn occurs, the standard Invisible Overlord turn is played after the 4th Hero turn.
On the Invisible Overlord turn draw the top 2 IO cards from the deck and complete the actions outlined, completing the first card before the second is begun.
The first IO card drawn ignores the Command value displayed on it, and instead uses the played adventure's default Commands per Turn value.
Note: If playing an Uncharted Dungeon, the Commands per Turn value is based on the cumulative Levels of the Heroes in play as per the table under those rules.
The second IO card drawn uses the Command value displayed on it.
Discard each IO card as it is played.
When all IO cards have been played but the adventure timer hasn't been reached or a victory condition hasn't been declared, re-shuffle the IO deck and continue to draw them to direct the Overlords actions.
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Overlord Command Cards
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This is defined by the adventure being played. These are not the IO cards but instead are the standard Overlord cards.
If playing an Uncharted Dungeon, there are 3 Overlord cards for every zone placed.
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Note: The Overlord Command cards acts solely as the timer of the adventure - unless specifically stated otherwise in a mission, if there are no more Overlord Command cards to draw from the next time you should expect to, the game ends and winner declared.
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Playing Overlord Command Cards
Overlord cards are not played as per normal rules, but instead act solely as a timer for the adventure.
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Discard an Overlord Command card after each Overlord turn.
If at the end of an Overlord turn there are no further Overlord Command cards to discard, and if the mission has not specified that a timer is not present, the adventure ends.
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Invisible Overlord Card Terms [1]
Terminology used: NUMBER
This is how many models can act when the IO card is drawn.
Each model can only act once per Turn (does not include interrupts).
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Invisible Overlord Card Terms [2]
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Terminology used: THREAT
Identifies which Hero gets a Threat modifier of +3 at the time the IO card is played for each of the following conditions:
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>> Spellcaster - Any Hero that has the Spellcaster Ability.
>> Marksman - Any Hero that has a Shooting Dice value.
>> Armoured - Any Hero with 4 or 5 Armour value.
>> Unarmoured - Any Hero with 1 or 2 Armour value.
>> Weakest - The Hero with the most wounds currently. If none wounded, no modifier applied. If 2 or more are tied for most wounds, all are modified.
>> Wounded - Any Hero that has any existing wounds.
>> Quest - Any Hero that is either the subject of a quest of is carrying anything required by it.
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Invisible Overlord Card Terms [3]
Terminology used: ORDER
The possible commands displayed on the IO card to combat the Threat posed are:
>> Attack - Attack a Hero via preferred skill (the one with most dice available) in the order of: 1/Spell, 2/Shoot, 3/Fight. Do as much damage as possible. If tied, target the Hero with the highest Threat level.
>> Support - Move models that are more than a single Move away from performing the action, towards the Target. Magic users will also cast a Spell that is not attack-based. For the Undead this includes casting Raise Dead on any Pile of Bones not adjacet to a Hero.
>> Surround - Move to block the path to exits for the Heroes without moving adjacent to them. Blocking can be either direct placement or by presenting a Front Arc that cannot be passed through.
>> Gang Up - Move so as many models as possible can Fight the same Hero. If no room available, move to next Hero.
>> Pin - Move so as many Heroes as possible end up in the Front Arc of one or more Minions/Bosses. When all Heroes are in at least one Front Arc, begin to double-up and spread out as evenly as possible to pin all Heroes in a Fight.
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Invisible Overlord Card Terms [4]
Terminology used: INTERRUPT
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Describes if the card allows an Interrupt action when drawn between 2 Heroes turns.
If YES, use the actions and values described on the card.
If NO, discard the card.
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Determining the Target
The target is always the Hero with the highest Threat level. If that Hero is not reachable/possible, then target the Hero with the next highest Threat level.
If any Heroes are tied to be the Target, choose the nearest Hero, otherwise roll a d6 to decide.
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Future Development Ideas
1) Playing Overlord Command Cards
As the original rules for a player-controlled Overlord allow for multiple commands per Turn AND playing one Overlord Command card, I suggest introducing that the Invisible Overlord can use the action displayed on a drawn Overlord Command card as per the normal rules for that action before it is discarded.
If the Overlord Command card is an Interrupt action, this is not discarded immediately but kept for reference and guarantees an interrupt action at the next possible time (if the IO card drawn at this next possible time also states an Interrupt action is possible, only one Interrupt action can be taken and one is ignored). Discard the Overlord Command card after the Interrupt is taken or if ignored.
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2) Invisible Overlord Card Terms [3] - Surround Order
Potential to expand the Surround Order to include a "Guard" aspect,
e.g. if a Minion is within 2 spaces of an objective (door, chest, furniture in that order, primary objective has priority) and is closer to the objective then it is to a Threat, move the Minion to Guard the objective (up to a maximum Guard of 2 Minions).
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Guard Minions will remain static and in situ for the duration of the game, ignoring further Orders. Guard Minions are also deemed "Alert" and cannot be hit with ranged attacks (Spell or Shoot) greater than 2 spaces away.
Mark the Minion with a token to show they are performing a Guard command.
Guarding can be either direct placement or by presenting a Front Arc that cannot be passed through.
Otherwise perform Surround as normal.
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3) Minion Characteristics Type
Potential to expand the Characteristics type further by applying it as the concept of behaviour of all minions in a given zone,
e.g. on Heroes entering the first zone, an IO card is drawn to identify the general and consistent behaviour of Minions to Threats in that zone
Further expansion could include a Zone Behaviour table, where a d6 is rolled when entering a zone and the result matched to the table identifying the Minions Behaviour in that zone (thematically explained as the Overlord's changing concern as the Heroes progress).
More behaviour types would be needed:
1) Brutal - As per rules.
2) Cowardly - As per rules.
3) Cunning - As per rules.
4) Unconcerned [CUSTOM] - No modifiers applied.
5) Tactical [CUSTOM] - Ranged (Spell & Shoot) Heroes gain +6 Threat level
6) Overcome Them! [CUSTOM] - Add +2 Minions to swell the zone and overcome the Heroes (Horde mode)
Calculating Threat Levels
The Threat level of any Hero is based on their Experience Level by default. Example: a Level 3 Hero has Threat level = 3.
Threat levels are modified by 3 things, in the following order:
1) Current IO card Threat conditions. Any Hero matching the Threat conditions on the IO card in play gets +3 Threat modifier applied.
2) The acting model's Characteristic type. (See details below).
3) Proximity. Adjacent models have their Threat level doubled.
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The Characteristic type of a Minion can modify the Threat level of a Target and are each described below:
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>> Brutal - Always Attack the closest model, regardless of the Order on the IO card.
>> Cowardly - Wounded & Weakest models receive +3 Threat level modifier (in addition to any previous modifier from the IO card).
>> Cunning - Count Quest models as +6 Threat level (in addition to any previous modifier from the IO card).
>> Warrior - No modifier applied. (Applies to Bosses unless otherwise stated).
>> Undead - If there is a tie when deciding which model to Act with, all models will Act.
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