Can a Thief fight a Lawyer

[Clipper]

You would not be able to fight the other monster and then make the deal afterwards. The Lawyers don't say they end the combat, so you can still wander in a new monster after the Lawyers leave, so your second option is OK.

MunchkinMan confirmed that in the post that was linked earlier:

Originally Posted by MunchkinMan

If the Lawyer was the only Monster, then combat is over, unless someone wants to add a new Monster by playing a Monster from their hand with Wandering Monster. Regardless, the Thief will always be allowed to choose to make that "deal" before combat can continue.

If you do make the deal, you get your Treasures before fighting the other monster (one of the very few cases where this occurs), but you can't equip any of them before fighting the monster about to be wandered in.

[Andrew Hackard]

I'm going to hold that final thought until Erik and I can talk it over. I would prefer NEVER to have exceptions to the "you must defeat the monsters to get any rewards" rule, and unless I hear a compelling argument to the contrary, that's the way I'm going to rule here -- in a multi-monster combat, the Lawyer's Treasure gets left on the ground if the munchkins have to Run Away.

[Clipper]

Originally Posted by Andrew Hackard

I'm going to hold that final thought until Erik and I can talk it over. I would prefer NEVER to have exceptions to the "you must defeat the monsters to get any rewards" rule, and unless I hear a compelling argument to the contrary, that's the way I'm going to rule here -- in a multi-monster combat, the Lawyer's Treasure gets left on the ground if the munchkins have to Run Away.

I guess I should have posted the link in the thread (I didn't have time to find it), but MunchkinMan already ruled on that one, which is why I didn't qualify it with an opinion. He said that as it was an effect that doesn't involve a monster just giving you Treasure or leaving it behind, then it happens immediately.

And I just found the post where he said it, now it's been called out:

Originally Posted by MunchkinMan

This is not a reward, but a Monster effect. The Thief may discard his Treasure cards and draw new ones while in combat.

As I said above, the Thief discards his cards and draws the new cards immediately. Once the Thief has accomplished this, Lawyer is discarded.

Should we take your statement as overruling MM's response, or does it seem a valid enough explanation for now?

[Andrew Hackard]

Originally Posted by Clipper

I guess I should have posted the link in the thread (I didn't have time to find it), but MunchkinMan already ruled on that one, which is why I didn't qualify it with an opinion.

I have no quarrels with what you wrote, based on the information on the ground at the time.

Until I get the chance to talk about this with Erik and the Brain Trust, my statement should be taken as opinion, not fiat -- but it's opinion backed by what Steve and I intended when we revised the rules in 2010.