Re: Skunkbelly's Ultimate Tournament Challenge 2011
So would it be considered bad manners to take all of the charms out of your characters inventory into your stash before passing it? Or is that just what is expected, so you don't end up without some essential charms on your next round?
Not only would it be bad manners, it would be against the rules. The rules are clear:
you must send your character forward with all of their *equipped* potions and charms.But you are welcome to keep any charms or potions you are *not* using in your ATMA stash.
And for example if you were to have 3 quest reward helms you had for a character, do you send the extra gear in their inventory, or if it's not equipped before you transfer do you need to sell any extra gear.
Your choice. You could keep the extra helm in the character's inventory and pass it along, or you can sell it (and if you have maxed out the character's gold, you could keep that gold in your own ATMA stash, per the rules). The rules state that you must send the character forward with their equipped items... they do not say anything about items in your in-game stash, and you are free to play that however you like.
I've been guessing that any charms used by the character go with the character, and that "spare charms" would be any that were never used (for example Skywalker the paladin doesn't need any mana charms, so he could drop them in the stash in case I survive long enough to play a character who does... and the charms would then move with the character that does use them when they go to the next player). Does that sound correct?
Again, the charms that need to be sent forward are the ones you have equipped when you finish the act. So if you need a certain dozen charms to beat Andariel, those dozen charms should be on your character when you pass forward. If you used a fire resist charm earlier in the act, though, but didn't wear it at the end... it's yours to keep.
One thing about this rule: it is important to be honest here.
No cheese, please. If you wore the charms for the second half of act one, it would not be in the spirit of the tournament to fight Andariel down to a sliver, TP to town, take off the charms, and then beat Andariel "without them."
From my point of view, I'd use common sense and leave on the character the best possible equipment I think might help that character survive. I would love to see as many characters become Guardians as possible, it will be an achievement for any of us, players, no matter whom Skunkbelly declares victor.
Thank you, amne, for getting it exactly right.
What comes to chrams I'd like a ruling where you can keep all the charms you want.
It is my duty as tournament host to disappoint you.
Out of interest, Sir Skunk, why did you place a restriction on re-running the Countess?
A couple of reasons. First, since she always drops runes, this would make runewords a bit too easy to come by. The point is that magic is difficult and rare in this tournament... getting to act 2 with a stash of 400 runes (pretty easy to do, for those with the time) would not be in the spirit of things. Also, this levels the field a bit for those with less time to play... if one player can barely get through an act in two weeks, but another can run bosses endlessly, there's a clear disadvantage to the player with the busier life. That's not in the spirit of the tournament either.
Glad to see some people have already beaten act 1!