Flee Powder..

[JeffyTWA]

The games mechanics state that the only way to run away is by having a card that allows it or by rolling a die, there is no other way to run away.

A minion can be sacrificed in place of running away, but that doesn’t count as running away, because the rulebook states very clearly that running away is done strictly by a dice roll.

So flee powder FORCES a player to run away, that is essentially saying that flee powder is forcing that character to roll a die, as that is the only way to run away.

Can a minion be sacrificed in place of this die roll?

Rulebook states for minion sacrifices, “instead of rolling to run away”, once again mentioning the only way to run away is by rolling a dice, so if a card is forcing you to run away, shouldn’t the only way out be to roll the die or play a counter card?

[Andrew Hackard]

If someone is forced to Run Away, and they have a way to Run Away automatically, they're welcome to use it.

[JeffyTWA]

This is just my personal take on it, but the act of running away is a mechanic that’s part of the greater whole of the mechanic that is escaping. To escape, you can do three mechanics, run away (evidence this is a smaller mechanic to the greater whole that is escaping is by cards that have -1 to run away, etc..), play a card that allows escape, or by sacrificing a minion. All three of these things can be used to escape, but not run away because that’s already a mechanic. Evidence of this can be found in the rule book, it says to run away successfully you roll a 5, and if you do you escape. If you alternatively want to sac a minion then you can do so to escape, but you’re not running away if you sac a minion, you’re escaping, so in theory, I feel as if a card that forces someone to run away specifically, it should strictly be for the act of rolling a die, unless a card can be used to counter it. Just my opinion, I know the word is the word on this forum, but I don’t think it’s an out of line theory on cards of this nature.

[Andrew Hackard]

Originally Posted by JeffyTWA

This is just my personal take on it, but the act of running away is a mechanic that’s part of the greater whole of the mechanic that is escaping.

You're overthinking it. "Escape" and "Run Away" are synonymous as far as the rules are concerned. "You escape automatically" and "you Run Away automatically" mean the same thing.

[JeffyTWA]

Then how do you explain a card like “Potion of distraction” which allows ‘automatic escape only before you roll to Run Away’? Run Away in this instance is referring to one of three game mechanics I mentioned that make up the grandfather mechanic of escaping, which is also on this card.

[Andrew Hackard]

It replaces the roll with an automatic Run Away. The point of that specific clause is that you can't use it AFTER you roll.

[JeffyTWA]

I understand the clause but the wording on that card is very clear that it’s an automatic escape not an automatic run away.

In the rulebooks, it says you run away by rolling a die, and a 5 or 6 let’s you escape.

It also states that a minion can be used instead of a roll to run away, and that would give automatic escape, but that’s optional to running away,

Meaning it would only make sense that a card stating someone is forced to Run Away is actually saying that they’re forced to roll the die to run away, as running away literally can’t be done any other way. Sacrificing a minion or playing a card will allow you to escape, but running away is a separate means of escaping.

Which brings me to my next card, ‘Dead End’, which states that it can be used when someone escapes combat either by running away, playing a card that gives an automatic escape, or makes the pursuers vanish, once again implying that running away and escaping can’t be interchangeable, seeing as this card is acknowledging the only way to run away is by rolling a dice.

Seems like what’s known as the ‘Run Away’ phase by most players should actually be the ‘Escape Phase’, because running away is an action used to escape, but not escaping itself.

[Andrew Hackard]

"Escape" and "Run Away" are two terms for the same rule mechanic. You don't seem to like that answer, but it has been the official ruling since the game was first published and it's not changing now. You're welcome to make a house rule for your own games if you want.

[JeffyTWA]

You roll to run away, if you fail, you don’t escape, if you succeed you do escape.

Escape is the end goal, running away is a mechanic to get there. You can sacrifice a minion, roll to run away, or play a one shot to get there.

A card that states forced run away is, by the rulebook, implying that you’re forcing someone to roll a dice.

If the card stated forced escape, then it would be different.

Either way, doesn’t matter, I’m obviously not going to get anywhere with this, but I just thought I’d let someone know that the official game seems to be flawed in this aspect.

[Brf]

You are thinking that Running Away is part of Escape, when it is actually the other way around. Escape is what happens when you Run Away successfully.
You can Run Away successfully either by rolling the dice high enough, or having a way to Escape automatically. If you escape automatically, such as by sacrificing your hireling, you are still Running Away.