[Thomas]

Originally Posted by MunchkinMan

If Andrew can play poke-a-developer and get better insight on this, I welcome it.

I've been hoping that Andrew would accept Erik's invitation and offer some additional helpful observations and/or developer insight. As matters stand, it is still not clear to me how to treat this situation in a way that is consistent with the rules and with other aspects of the game.

I hope that it is OK if I illustrate what is still unclear by looking at an unresolved aspect.

What should happen to any "use once" cards that have been played?

Consider various options.

A. If this had been a case where "the combat is over" prematurely according to the rules on p. 8, there would be no resolution to a win or a loss and all the "use once" cards (except monster enhancement) would be given back to their owners to use later. However, if the helper remains, that does not fulfill the requirements as they are written, since not "all the munchkins" have been removed.

B. If one changed those rules from saying

"If all the monsters, or all the munchkins, are removed from the room, the combat is over."

to saying

"If all the monsters are removed from the room, or the main munchkin is removed, the combat is over."

then the rule would indeed apply and all would be completely clear. Then the "use once" cards would be returned to their owners and the helper would not suffer a loss. But that requires a change to the rules. As stated currently, having only one of the two munchkins Run Away before the combat roll would not by itself mean "the combat is over." (For an example, see here.)

C. Within standard rules, if at least one monster and one munchkin remains, it would seem that the "use once" cards would not be returned because the combat would proceed to resolution as a win or loss, with a combat die roll 2.6 seconds after no more cards have been played. So the cards would have expended their effect on a combat that completed.

But this would mean that the remaining helper would have at least the opportunity and (literally) a fighting chance to win rather than lose. In this case, as well as the others above, a loss is not assumed. Depending on the cards played, it even could still happen that the last monster is removed from the room, leading back to case A.

D. Some other option? But if so, I am unable to connect any other option with anything I have been able to find in the rules. I could not find any discussion of what happens to "use once" cards in any case where the combat is not normally resolved, but the helper would still be assumed to have lost.

So do you see why the resolution to this situation is still unclear, at least to me?

Thanks in advance for your clarifications.