Forum posts to 'Rules Q&A'

Re: Wreekin mage damage

Da Boss — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 03:53:26 +0100

Sorry for the delay in responding.

The damage is automatic damage and unavoidable (it is not technically a damage roll or damage dice, as written). Therefore, slam could not be used either.

Just a note:
The wreekin mage speed was reduced to 10 in the patched/updated edition. You might be playing the older version of the book. I would check out these patch notes if you want to double-check the balance patch.

http://www.destiny-quest.com/forums/general-discussion/show/3836#post3836

http://www.destiny-quest.com/forums/general-discussion/show/3837#post3837

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Wreekin mage damage

Alcavon — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 10:53:52 +0000

Hello, new here. In LoS, section 491, you fight a Wreekin mage. Instead of rolling damage, he deals 10 damage including armour.

Is this damage still counted as damage dice/damage for the purposes of activating abilities like retaliate/lightning?

In addition, it specifies that you cannot use evade, vanish or sidestep to avoid the damage. I take slam is still on the table?

Thank you all for your help. Because of the way I've built my character it is a very hard fight for me if I cannot use the lighning and retaliate.

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DQ2: Absorption ability

dredknight — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 21:18:34 +0000

in Heart of Fire entry 774 you fight Evin Daala. The enemy has ability called Absoprtion which says (tldr): Each time you play Speed or Combat ability Daala absorbs it and use it against you in the next combat round.

Does this mean your SP/CO abilities have no effect when used? or you can use them as normal but the enemy uses them against you in the following rounds.

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Re: DQ2, Kindle edition

Da Boss — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 10:19:23 +0000

You might want to check out the errata here - as I daresay these might still be in the ebook version:

http://www.destiny-quest.com/forums/general-discussion/show/1797#post1797

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Re: DQ2, Kindle edition

Da Boss — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 10:18:12 +0000

It should be 142.
Gollancz are terrible at updating the ebooks. It took me about 8 months of pestering for them to do the Legion updates.

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DQ2, Kindle edition

Chainbreaker — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 12:22:04 +0000

In section 174 it is stated to go to 97 if you wish to follow the path of the Warrior / Rogue, but that doesn't seem to be correct. Can someone please help? Cheers.

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Re: First Cut ability + Holy Water (LoS)

Da Boss — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 08:48:43 +0000

No, a damage score is when you roll dice and add your magic or brawn to the total. With Holy Water you would add +2 to this.

First Cut damage is not a damage score - it is a 'passive' damage, like bleed or venom.

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First Cut ability + Holy Water (LoS)

seeker7 — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 09:20:17 +0000

Thematically it would make sense for the "Holy Water" special ability to inflict 2 extra damage (see §274). But technically, since you don't throw dice, is the 1 damage from the First Cut ability a "damage score"?

Please clarify, thanks!

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Re: DQ5: Night fire ability

dredknight — Thu, 01 May 2025 18:54:52 +0100

Thank you !

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Re: DQ5: Night fire ability

Da Boss — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 13:49:16 +0100

You roll the dice and take damage from all the [1], [2] and [3] results (ignoring any results of [4] or more).

For example,
If you rolled [5], [4], [3], [2], [2] and [6]
You would take 7 damage.

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DQ5: Night fire ability

dredknight — Sun, 27 Apr 2025 08:34:05 +0100

On episode 617 the night fire creature ability says that you roll certain amount of dice and for each 1, 2 and 3 hero takes damage equal to the total.
I have hard time understanding what total is. Total number of dice? Total value of dice? Total number of dice with value 1 2 and 3? Total value of all dice that rolled 1 2 and 3? Something else may be?

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Re: DQ5 - Spending vs Using

Da Boss — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 09:48:20 +0000

The terms are 'spending' and 'playing'. To play an ability you must use it and follow its effects. To spend an ability, you are removing it from your hero (i.e. not playing it and benefiting from its effects).

So rotation you must play the abilities.
for synchronicity you must spend three abilities you have not played yet.

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DQ5 - Spending vs Using

Person — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 12:24:41 +0000

Does 'spending' a modifier count as 'using' it in DQ5 - or, in other words, does rotation work with synchronicity?

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Re: Mauling Strike

Da Boss — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 15:09:09 +0000

All abilities are single use unless otherwise stated in their descriptions. Mauling strike is one use.

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Mauling Strike

Person — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 20:19:52 +0000

Is the ability Mauling Strike (mo) single use or does it work every round? It reads 'If your wolf is in aggressive stance, then at the start of a combat round, you can command you spirit wolf to attack. This deals damage equal to your pet's brawn to any opponent, ignoring armour.'

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Re: 2 questions (Sweet Spot and Doubles)

Person — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 12:28:39 +0000

Thank you!

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Re: 2 questions (Sweet Spot and Doubles)

Da Boss — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 19:03:55 +0000

1. Yes, that is part of the joy of mixing and matching modifiers, is that you can create situations to your benefit.

2. It would activate if two dice have the same results. So if you rolled [3], [3], and [6] then it would activate as you have a double.

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2 questions (Sweet Spot and Doubles)

Person — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:30:29 +0000

Hi! Two questions:

1. How does the ability Sweet Spot ('Before combat begins, choose a number. Each time your opponent rolls it for attack speed, they automatically take 2 damage') interact with rerolls or dice alterations. If I pick the number 1, and then use 'sneak' to turn my opponent's speed dice into a 1, does it still work? Or, if I reroll the opponent's speed die with 'boneshaker' do they take damage from 1s on their first roll?

2. If an enemy has an ability to do with rolling doubles (e.g. the gecks tail whip ability in DQ4 para 611, which makes you automatically lose the round on a double) how does this work with haste? If I am rolling 3 die, then would any doubles within that activate the gecks ability or would I have to roll all 3 the same?

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Re: Shadow Speed

Da Boss — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 09:00:22 +0000

Ah yes, that was my reason (and thank you for reminding me ha ha). Again it was due to Legion being a bit 'messy' with its use of [pa] and [mo] - and I tightened all that up in the later books.

But yes you are correct, you can play it each round. Consider it a passive effect.

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Re: Shadow Speed

Wundow — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 15:26:39 +0000

Oh, the reason I found it to be a huge change is that (mo) abilities are normally once-per-combat unless otherwise stated. If the intention was always that this works every single round, it's WAY stronger than I read it to be initially! Count me in for shadowstalker!

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Re: Shadow Speed

Da Boss — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 10:30:30 +0000

It's one of those small things I forgot to update across the board, and to be fair it's not 'massive' really. I just changed the classification to bring it in line with Raiders of Dune Sea and Wrath of Ragnarok, where abilities were streamlined more into their respective categories.

Really, there is no example I can think of where having a [1] is preferable, so you would be using it each time anyway. Whether you want to think of it as something automatic [pa] or something you are choosing to do [mo] is up to you.

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Re: Shadow Speed

Wundow — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 20:31:18 +0000

This is a HUGE change!

In the errata thread, it was first upgraded from (sp) to (mo). An additional upgrade from (mo) to (pa) is an even bigger deal!

The current online ability glossary still has it as (mo).

Is there another patch notes thread where this change should be documented? I don't see anything in the current threads (errata, v3.0, Italian pt 1, and Italian pt 2) (yet) about this second upgrade.

Also, it might be useful to note in the errata thread that the ability text should be updated in both section 586 and the back-of-the-book glossary. I have added all the changes to my edition via post-it notes, but missed applying the section 586 update since I didn't realize it was a career ability (and therefore appeared in the text as well as the glossary).

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Deadly Poisons

Wundow — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 05:51:45 +0000

Should Deadly Poisons be a (pa) ability?

Deadly poisons (mo): If you have the venom special ability, its damage is increased by 1 (causing 3 points of damage instead of only 2).

It seems like a passive effect that modifies the venom ability, rather than a modifier that's activated and used only once per combat. Making it passive would also match Embers:

Embers (pa): Your burn ability now does 2 damage to each opponent (instead of 1).

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Re: Combat Timing and Speed Rolls

Wundow — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 01:00:55 +0000

Great! Thanks for helping me with all these little details, Da Boss!

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Re: Combat Timing and Speed Rolls

Da Boss — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 23:44:07 +0000

1. My last chance to use Eureka (mo) to affect my attack speed is before rolling speed (because it boosts my speed stat, which gets applied on step 1). Once I roll, it's too late to use Eureka to affect a speed score.

YES.

2. While (sp) abilities are always used before any rolls, (mo) abilities that affect my opponent's speed stat directly need to be used before my opponent rolls speed (between steps 1 and 2) since their speed gets applied on step 2. But (mo) abilities that (a) alter or remove my opponent's die faces (or make them reroll), (b) add or subtract to their rolls, or (c) affect their "attack speed" value directly can be used after they roll.

YES. MODIFIERS CAN BE USED AT ANY TIME.

3. My last chance to Charm a speed die is between steps 2 and 3 (I can charm my own speed die after seeing my opponent's attack speed).

YES.

4. My last chance to use Eureka to affect my damage score is before rolling damage on step 4 (because brawn/magic is applied to damage on the same step). Once I roll, it's too late to use Eureka to affect a damage score.

YES YOU APPLY THAT WHEN YOU ROLL.

5. Might of Stone is a modifier ability, So I can use it any time. Therefore, I can use it to augment my armour after my opponent rolls damage, between steps 4 and 5. Is it safe to assume any (co) or (mo) that boost armour can be used here?

YES.

A couple more I'm still not sure enough about to make an assumption:
6. Are potions used at any time? For example, can I pop my health pot between steps 4 and 5, after I've seen my opponent's damage roll, but before applying armour and converting it to health damage? If not, what about between steps 3 and 4, after seeing that I've lost the round?

YOU CAN USE POTIONS AT ANY TIME. BUT ONLY ONE PER COMBAT ROUND.

7. Likewise, health-affecting (mo) abilities like Heal - can I use this after my opponent rolls damage on step 4 but before applying it on step 5?

AS ABOVE YES.

8. In another potion example, can I wait to pop my Brawn after seeing that I've won the round? (Presumably once I roll damage, it's too late)

YES IN THAT CONTEXT I THINK YOU CAN APPLY BRAWN AT ANY TIME TO YOUR DAMAGE.

9. Pound is combat ability. The rules say some combat abilities are used before, and some after, rolling for damage, but I'm not sure how to determine which are which. Should I use the same thinking where (a) modifying Brawn/Magic needs to happen before rolling, and (b) changing the number of dice rolled needs to happen before rolling, but other effects can happen after rolling? In the case of Pound, since it modifies the damage score directly, does that mean I can use it *after* rolling for damage (between steps 4 and 5)? (That would mean I can confidently save it to use as a finisher to avoid the speed penalty.)

I think the ability descriptions are usually pretty clear - and your are probably over thinking things ha ha. At its heart DestinyQuest is a fairly simple combat system. Based on the description you can add to your damage score (after rolling) or use before for other effects.Hope this helps!

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Re: Combat Timing and Speed Rolls

Wundow — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 13:36:56 +0000

Thanks for the quick reply, Da Boss!

Very helpful! So as I understand, the attack speed can still be changed, but not by modifying the speed stat. While the attack speed is not locked, the amount of speed that was applied to it is locked. I can still change the attack speed by modifying the roll itself, or by means of an effect that modifies attack speed directly (if such an effect exists).

Following that logic, can you confirm my following assumptions are correct?

3. My last chance to Charm a speed die is between steps 2 and 3 (I can charm my own speed die after seeing my opponent's attack speed).

A couple more I'm still not sure enough about to make an assumption:

6. Are potions used at any time? For example, can I pop my health pot between steps 4 and 5, after I've seen my opponent's damage roll, but before applying armour and converting it to health damage? If not, what about between steps 3 and 4, after seeing that I've lost the round?

7. Likewise, health-affecting (mo) abilities like Heal - can I use this after my opponent rolls damage on step 4 but before applying it on step 5?

8. In another potion example, can I wait to pop my Brawn after seeing that I've won the round? (Presumably once I roll damage, it's too late)

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Re: Combat Timing and Speed Rolls

Da Boss — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 12:10:33 +0000

Special abilities are technically powers that can change the flow of combat.
You would drink a potion of speed before rolling, because that will boost your speed attribute. Then you roll your attack speed dice. This determines your attack speed for that combat round.

You would do the same for your opponent.

Then, when you have your dice results – that is when modifier abilities can come into play. You could use charm to reroll one of your die, or use an ability like trickster that will swap dice.

So, the attack speeds are not set in stone. They can be changed. But drinking a potion of speed wouldn’t do anything once you have rolled. If that makes sense, because the point in time where you are applying speed to the roll has already passed.
Hope that helps and makes some sense!

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Combat Timing and Speed Rolls

Wundow — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 02:45:59 +0000

Hi Da Boss, I'm hoping you can help clarify the combat timing a bit better for me.

Step 1 states that you roll 2 dice and add your speed score to determine your Attack Speed.

1) Is your attack speed locked in at this point, or can you still modify it by using potions or modifier abilities to change your speed score? The way the rules are written, it seems that your attack speed has already been determined, and it's too late to change it. Do I need to drink my speed pot before I roll my attack speed?

2) What if I want to reroll one of those dice (for example, with the Charm ability) after the enemy rolls their speed score, . Is it too late, because my attack speed was already determined on step 1? Or can I still go back and reroll one of my dice after I know my opponent's attack speed?

3) Likewise, can I use a speed pot after knowing my opponent's attack speed, or will changing my speed be useless at this point, since my attack speed for the round has already been determined?

The rules imply that 2 and 3 are not possible, but abilities like "Trickster" imply differently (that attack speeds don't lock until step 3). If 2 and 3 are indeed possible, a clearer version of the combat rules might be to delay the ultimate calculation of attack speed until step 3:
1. Roll 2 dice, this is your hero's speed roll.
2. Roll 2 dice, this is the enemy's speed roll.
3. Determine your attack speed and the opponent's attack speed, then determine the winner of the combat round.

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Re: Charme

Wundow — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 02:35:45 +0000

One single instance of the Charm ability can only be used once for the entire combat. Only abilities that specifically say that they last for the duration of a combat, or that they can be used multiple times in one combat, can do so. All other abilities, by default, can only be used once per combat.

If you have multiple instances of the charm ability, each instance can be used separately. However, they can't be used to reroll the same die.