How to use Wizard only items with the Casting Couch?

Dark_0n3 · 03-01-2012, 08:13 AM

FAQ says:

Q. How does the Casting Couch work?
A. Casting Couch gives you the option to have all the benefits and penalties to being a Wizard along with any other Class(es) you might be. It is, in effect, an optional extra Class card. If you decide to use it, you may use Wizard only Items in combat, you may use the Wizard's flight spell and charm spell, you get any bonuses/penalties against Monsters that are sensitive to Wizards, and, if you are playing an Epic game, you may use the Wizard's Epic feat if you are Level 10 and up. No matter what, you must decide whether you are using it at the start of combat (i.e., right after you Open A Door and find a Monster, or when you Look For Trouble) and, if you do choose to use it, you are -1 to Run Away.

But how exactly can I wear Wizard only Items if the couch is only used at the start of combat? The items cannot be equipped before the combat then, and during a combat you cannot play or chose to wear items the aren't one-shot.

The Author M · 03-01-2012, 08:56 AM

I'm no expert, but could it be that you equip and de-quip the couch like other wearable items? Essentially just not being able to whip it out lightning quick and put it away again?

MunchkinMan · 03-01-2012, 04:55 PM

You could be using the Items beforehand, but then you wouldn't get the bonus from them if you choose not to use the Casting Couch. It's the risk you take. This is no different than losing your Class or Race while in the middle of combat: The Items are not unequipped (because you're in combat), but you can't get the bonus from them.

Mister Ed · 03-01-2012, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MunchkinMan

You could be using the Items beforehand, but then you wouldn't get the bonus from them if you choose not to use the Casting Couch. It's the risk you take. This is no different than losing your Class or Race while in the middle of combat: The Items are not unequipped (because you're in combat), but you can't get the bonus from them.

So you can deliberately equip items that you can't use, and just not get the bonuses?

I didn't think you could do that, though admittedly this is the only situation I can think of where you might conceivably WANT to do so, to get the bonuses when you used the Casting Couch at the beginning of combat.

I knew you could END UP with unusable items equipped if you lost your race or class during combat. I just didn't realize you could deliberately put yourself in that situation.

You learn something new every day!

Clipper · 03-01-2012, 05:52 PM

However, Andrew in a 2010 thread (I think that's still mostly binding, correct?) said that the part of the rules where it states:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munchkin Deluxe Rules

You should indicate items that can’t help you, or extras not being worn, by turning the cards sideways.

is meant to be interpreted as if the 'should' is a requirement, not a suggestion or option.

If it's valid to equip items you can't legally use, then that seems to contradict Andrew's ruling.

Bampop · 03-01-2012, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mister Ed

So you can deliberately equip items that you can't use, and just not get the bonuses?

See, I read this as a Casting Couch specific exception.

The way I would handle it: Keep the wizard only items near the couch, and if you decide upon combat that you are on the couch, place a coin or token of some sort near it.

MunchkinMan · 03-01-2012, 06:20 PM

If you're using the Casting Couch, you can legally use Wizard-only Items. Yet again, I did not in any way contradict the rules, Andrew, myself (I'm sure if you search harder, you'll find cases where I've said what Andrew has said, possibly even before Andrew came on board as the Munchkin Czar), nor suggest that anyone should. What I am suggesting is that if you're not in combat, you can choose to use the Casting Couch and any Wizard-only Items, then choose, at the start of combat to not to use the Casting Couch (as per the rules on that card), which you would treat no differently than losing your Class or Race in the middle of combat.

Clipper · 03-01-2012, 07:08 PM

Oh, I get it. It provides the wizard benefits whenever it is in use, but it has a special clause that allows it to not be in use during a given combat if you want. I was taking it the other way (that its effects only applied during combat rather than all the time).

Thus, if you do not have a wizard class card in-play and you decide to unequip the Casting Couch outside of combat, then you would need to immediately unequip all wizard-only items immediately, right?

Also, when you have the casting couch in use outside of combat, while you can equip wizard-only items, you would not be able to equip items 'not usable by a Wizard' and putting the card into use would mean immediately unequipping those other cards?

Oh and one more related question... If you had decided to not equip the couch while outside of combat, can you still choose to equip it at the start of combat?

The final question would be important if you have a good item that can only be used by non-wizards, so you need to keep the couch unequipped, but you encounter a combat where you predict you will need to charm and thus start using the couch and lose the bonus from the non-wizard item during the combat.

03-01-2012, 08:13 AM	#1
Dark_0n3 Join Date: Dec 2011	How to use Wizard only items with the Casting Couch? FAQ says: Q. How does the Casting Couch work? A. Casting Couch gives you the option to have all the benefits and penalties to being a Wizard along with any other Class(es) you might be. It is, in effect, an optional extra Class card. If you decide to use it, you may use Wizard only Items in combat, you may use the Wizard's flight spell and charm spell, you get any bonuses/penalties against Monsters that are sensitive to Wizards, and, if you are playing an Epic game, you may use the Wizard's Epic feat if you are Level 10 and up. No matter what, you must decide whether you are using it at the start of combat (i.e., right after you Open A Door and find a Monster, or when you Look For Trouble) and, if you do choose to use it, you are -1 to Run Away. But how exactly can I wear Wizard only Items if the couch is only used at the start of combat? The items cannot be equipped before the combat then, and during a combat you cannot play or chose to wear items the aren't one-shot.

03-01-2012, 08:56 AM	#2
The Author M Join Date: Sep 2010	Re: How to use Wizard only items with the Casting Couch? I'm no expert, but could it be that you equip and de-quip the couch like other wearable items? Essentially just not being able to whip it out lightning quick and put it away again? __________________ I dabble in games and make a webcomic.

03-01-2012, 04:55 PM	#3
MunchkinMan Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Macungie, PA	Re: How to use Wizard only items with the Casting Couch? You could be using the Items beforehand, but then you wouldn't get the bonus from them if you choose not to use the Casting Couch. It's the risk you take. This is no different than losing your Class or Race while in the middle of combat: The Items are not unequipped (because you're in combat), but you can't get the bonus from them. __________________ Erik D. Zane *Munchkin* NetRep -- munchkin@sjgames.com MiB #1029

03-01-2012, 06:20 PM	#7
MunchkinMan Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Macungie, PA	Re: How to use Wizard only items with the Casting Couch? If you're using the Casting Couch, you can legally use Wizard-only Items. Yet again, I did not in any way contradict the rules, Andrew, myself (I'm sure if you search harder, you'll find cases where I've said what Andrew has said, possibly even before Andrew came on board as the Munchkin Czar), nor suggest that anyone should. What I am suggesting is that if you're not in combat, you can choose to use the Casting Couch and any Wizard-only Items, then choose, at the start of combat to not to use the Casting Couch (as per the rules on that card), which you would treat no differently than losing your Class or Race in the middle of combat. __________________ Erik D. Zane *Munchkin* NetRep -- munchkin@sjgames.com MiB #1029

03-01-2012, 07:08 PM	#8
Clipper Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Sydney, Australia	Re: How to use Wizard only items with the Casting Couch? Oh, I get it. It provides the wizard benefits whenever it is in use, but it has a special clause that allows it to not be in use during a given combat if you want. I was taking it the other way (that its effects only applied during combat rather than all the time). Thus, if you do not have a wizard class card in-play and you decide to unequip the Casting Couch outside of combat, then you would need to immediately unequip all wizard-only items immediately, right? Also, when you have the casting couch in use outside of combat, while you can equip wizard-only items, you would not be able to equip items 'not usable by a Wizard' and putting the card into use would mean immediately unequipping those other cards? Oh and one more related question... If you had decided to not equip the couch while outside of combat, can you still choose to equip it at the start of combat? The final question would be important if you have a good item that can only be used by non-wizards, so you need to keep the couch unequipped, but you encounter a combat where you predict you will need to charm and thus start using the couch and lose the bonus from the non-wizard item during the combat.