Trickster

Story

C’mon, c’mon, c’mon,” the Trickster chants to himself as he rummages around in his tool bag with one hand while keeping the other one running along the wall so he doesn’t lose his way. His lantern gave out as he rounded the last corner and he doesn’t dare stop to remedy the situation just now. When he’d first come upon the keep he knew the chances of finding anything worthwhile were slim. The stonework stood, but the gates yawned wide. He’d make a quick in and out, checking for anything useful: a bit of wire, some metal plating, or perhaps a few springs not ravaged by rust. No sense paying good coin at the blacksmith for parts if he didn’t have to. Unfortunately, the keep itself looked to have been picked clean. He was about to leave when he noticed an unopened door down a small hall. It was locked, but the crude mechanism couldn’t withstand the attention of his tools. Perhaps there would be something interesting inside, away from casual scavengers. He hadn’t been wrong. The door led to a stairway taking him down into the underbelly of the keep. He found several scraps worth tossing into his bag and was about to return to the surface when he spotted a set of double doors. Hoping they led to a storage room or even an armory, the Trickster pushed them open with a groan. He turned up the illumination on his lantern and started back in surprise. What macabre gathering had he stumbled upon? It did appear to be the armory but, along with the long neglected weapons and tools he had expected, the remains of men littered the place. He had but a moment to wonder at their misfortune before a sound to his left caused him to turn. The nearest skeleton, slumped on a low bench, began to shift. Its head swung slowly towards the Trickster, an old machine in need of oil. Across the room, others started to rise. “Oh Rust, Shamblers!” said the Trickster before quickly backing out of the room. Now, alone in the dark, low on supplies, and needing to get up and out, he runs. Still scrounging around in his bag he lights on just the item he needs, “Yes!” He quickly fits the pressure plate with the bang powder from the pouch at his side. He places the device behind him as the sounds grow closer. He resumes following the wall; seeking to gain distance.

He hears the boomer spring, and can feel the explosion through the stone under his fingertips. Better be careful or I’ll bring the whole place down, he thinks. He shakes his head to clear the thought of his bones moldering down here like his pursuers and forges on. As he rounds the last corner, he sees faint light filtering down the steps ahead. Surely the boomer did some damage, but he knows Shamblers have no fear, and little caution. They’ll just keep coming unless he stops them. Rummaging around in his bag, he finds what he needs as he reaches the stairs. As he steps up, a long, bony hand, a vise around his ankle, yanks his foot out from under him, sending him sprawling. He narrowly saves himself from being brained on the steps and looks back to see a Shambler, small bits of hair and flesh still clinging to its ever-grinning skull. With a jerk he frees his foot and kicks the creature in the teeth just as more hands start to grasp at him from the darkness. He scrambles up the stairs, and out into the welcome light. He quickly shuts the door behind him, but knows he needs a more permanent solution. The Trickster casts around for what he needs inside his tool bag, “I just had it... Ah ha!” He holds up the metal casing in triumph as the door begins to thud. Grabbing a few more components, the Trickster prepares his answer. Quickly he retreats as the door opens to reveal a crowd of Shamblers, their hollow sockets focusing on him. He throws the Big Badda Boom dead center at the group and turns to run. He makes it a few steps before the blast knocks him flat on his belly, face slamming into the stone beneath him. He rises and looks back. The explosive did its job, crushing the Shamblers beneath the hallway. Wiping the blood from his face, the Trickster hurries out of the keep. There’s a town up the way. Perhaps he’ll just resupply at the blacksmith this time.

Playing the Trickster

The Trickster has the all the tools he needs to become a danger to all those around him, as long as he can find them in his Tool Bag. Once the Trickster finds all the Parts needed for a particular Trap the effects can be…explosive. Almost all of the Trickster’s Traps are about damaging and destroying the Darkness. There are a few utility cards the Trickster can use to great effect to save a Hero in need or contain a particularly nasty threat. But mostly, it’s about blowing stuff up. When a Trickster needs to Build a Trap he must first see if he has all the required Parts in his hand or readied. If he has all the Parts he may then attempt to Build a Trap. Successfully Building a Trap generates Threat. Actual damage caused by the Trap generates no additional Threat for the Trickster.

Finding the correct Parts can be a challenge to unseasoned Heroes. The Trickster does have a few “tricks” up his sleeve to help with this. Scrounge Parts and Innovate are priceless additions to the Trickster’s deck and should never be overlooked. Advanced Trickster Heroes even have the ability to heal the party! While the Trickster may seem like a wild card to some, his ability to disable traps is second to none. A group of Heroes with an interest in navigating trap strewn hallways and grottos could do worse by not having a Trickster with them.

Tools

Tools are a necessity for the Trickster. Any item card with the Tool keyword grants bonuses to Build actions. The dice provided by Tools in addition to a Trickster’s base dice pool are essential to guaranteeing successfully built Traps. Some Tools even allow the Trickster to ready parts, allowing him to save them for future Hero Cycles.

Trap Cards

The Trickster must play Trap cards to get the most out of his Hero deck. Trap cards require a specific combination of Part cards to be in play and the Trickster must pass a Build check. The TN for a Build check is listed as Build X where X is the TN. If the Trickster fails the Build check, the Hero card is still played but it is not resolved. Equipped Tools may provide bonus dice to Build checks. Trickster traps can last over multiple Refresh Phases, in which case these traps reactivate during the Traps step of the Refresh Phase. During the Refresh Phase Trickster traps always activate before Darkness traps.

Part Cards

Many of the Trickster’s Hero cards have the Part keyword. These cards are played with Trap cards, which lists the specific combinations of Part cards required in order for the Trap to be played. Some items allow the Trickster to ready one or more Part cards. When a Part card is readied, it is placed above the Trickster’s Hero board. Ready Part cards may be used to play Trap cards and, if used, are discarded during the Hero Deck Phase.