Can curses interrupt combat?

[RHR]

Curses can be used at any time, but I'm not sure what constitutes legal monster movement. Can I use, say, Sex Appeal! during combat to make the monsters I'm fighting move toward someone else, thus canceling the combat? What if any of the monsters are mine?

[HunterNBama]

I'd say we need MM to make an official ruling, but according to what I read in the rules, yes. Curses can be used "at any time at all" and curses take effect immediately. It would seem to me that suddenly the monster realizes it is more interested in another player and moves that direction (if it legally can). This would not work on monsters that cannot pass through that particular type of link and would not work on lurking monsters since they have no movement.

If the monsters are yours, that is a difficult question. I would say that yes they move also since they are under the spell-like effects of a curse. The fact that they stop moving when they reach you is stated only under normal monster movement. I believe a curse would override that since it's not a normal monster movement.

[Andrew Hackard]

Originally Posted by HunterNBama

I'd say we need MM to make an official ruling, but according to what I read in the rules, yes. Curses can be used "at any time at all" and curses take effect immediately. It would seem to me that suddenly the monster realizes it is more interested in another player and moves that direction (if it legally can). This would not work on monsters that cannot pass through that particular type of link and would not work on lurking monsters since they have no movement.

This last piece is not correct. Lurking monsters do not move of their own volition, but Curses and magical effects absolutely CAN move them around the dungeon.

[HunterNBama]

Well, Can you expand on that one from my view for more direct clarification?

Sex Appeal states that "All monster's of that color move one room toward the cursed munchkin, as long as they can do so legally."

Obviouslly the Plutonium Dragon isn't going to move through a locked door, he can't move that way legally. It's against his movement ability.

The potted plant can't move. It has no movement. Therefore, by statement of the card that the Monster moves (not the monster is teleported, magically slid or otherwise forced to that location beyond normal movement) the ability for such a movement to happen would go against his movement ability. Thus it wouldn't be moving legally.

Just seems that if a curse cannot make a monster fit through a door it can't fit through normally, then it can't make a monster that can't move suddenly move.

Also, this brings up another question for this card. The Fungus is contrary. Would it move backwards away from the cursed munchkin? Going by it's movement restrictions, it should, but since it CAN actually move, I can see the curse causing it to move TOWARD the munchkin even though it would normally move backwards one first.

And for the record, since I have basically been acussed of being contradictory for the sake of doing so, I am not asking to cause an issue or to say you are wrong Andrew, just trying to see where the line is drawn between the Curse Cards override the rules and the "can do so legally" text on the card.

[MunchkinMan]

Originally Posted by HunterNBama

Well, Can you expand on that one from my view for more direct clarification?

Sex Appeal states that "All monster's of that color move one room toward the cursed munchkin, as long as they can do so legally."

Obviouslly the Plutonium Dragon isn't going to move through a locked door, he can't move that way legally. It's against his movement ability.

The potted plant can't move. It has no movement. Therefore, by statement of the card that the Monster moves (not the monster is teleported, magically slid or otherwise forced to that location beyond normal movement) the ability for such a movement to happen would go against his movement ability. Thus it wouldn't be moving legally.

Just seems that if a curse cannot make a monster fit through a door it can't fit through normally, then it can't make a monster that can't move suddenly move.

Also, this brings up another question for this card. The Fungus is contrary. Would it move backwards away from the cursed munchkin? Going by it's movement restrictions, it should, but since it CAN actually move, I can see the curse causing it to move TOWARD the munchkin even though it would normally move backwards one first.

And for the record, since I have basically been acussed of being contradictory for the sake of doing so, I am not asking to cause an issue or to say you are wrong Andrew, just trying to see where the line is drawn between the Curse Cards override the rules and the "can do so legally" text on the card.

Please carefully read the box that says "Special Monster Movement" on page 13 and tell me what Andrew has said that contradicts the rules. Better yet, I'll include the rules that are at issue and I will highlight the critical text in each that answers your questions:

• A yellow footprint with a slash through it means the monster is Lurking. A Lurking monster doesn’t move during the Monster Turn, but cards that move monsters will affect it normally.
• A blue upside-down footprint means the monster is Contrary. On the Monster Turn, if its room has an arrow of the color rolled, a Contrary monster makes its first move in the opposite direction from that arrow. The rest of its movement this turn will follow the Monster Movement Color.

So, you see, the rules already have contingencies for the two Monster movement types that might otherwise be affected abnormally by cards that move Monsters, and, it turns out, they're affected just like other Monsters.

[dunaja]

Can I check to see if I understand correctly?

When a card is played to move monsters, the special movement rules (contrary, lurking, etc.) don't apply, but the type of doors/passageways a monster can move through does apply.

So you would move the monsters through passageways and regular doors as instructed by the card played, but not through hidden or locked doors unless the monsters are allowed to move that way anyway.

Ergo, the Gazebo can be moved through passageways and regular doors, but not hidden or locked doors.

[MunchkinMan]

Originally Posted by dunaja

Can I check to see if I understand correctly?

Sure

When a card is played to move monsters, the special movement rules (contrary, lurking, etc.) don't apply, but the type of doors/passageways a monster can move through does apply.

That is what the rules say with respect to Contrary and Lurking. Yes, the door/passageways matter, but I do think that's something usually indicated on the cards.

So you would move the monsters through passageways and regular doors as instructed by the card played, but not through hidden or locked doors unless the monsters are allowed to move that way anyway.

Correct. Also, if the card that Moves the Monsters says to move them regardless of the link, you can too.

Ergo, the Gazebo can be moved through passageways and regular doors, but not hidden or locked doors.

Bingo.