Preview a Hero and a Monster Group from Crown of Destiny

Mughin has descended from his ancient lair. If you can corner the old giant in the midst of a gem mine infested with lava beetles, he may disclose his greatest secret: the location of the fabled Crown of Destiny. This artifact, mentioned only in the oldest and strangest myths, is rumored to allow one to forge their own destiny. Begin your quest to reshape your past and cast off the burdens of the future!

The quest for the power to shape the future has drawn bold adventurers from across the realm of Terrinoth, but the monsters of the overlord are present as well, eager to turn this power to evil and sabotage the heroes’ designs. In Crown of Destiny, the second Hero and Monster Collection for Descent: Journeys in the Dark Second Edition, you gain access to four heroes: Corbin, Lindel, Jaes the Exile, and Brother Gherinn. You’ll also find three monster groups – two giants, three chaos beasts, and four lava beetles – and two brand-new quests, entitled Burning Harvest and Crown of Destiny. As heroes and monsters converge on the ultimate prize, only one side can gain the power to alter the future and change fate itself.

In today’s preview, we’ll take a closer look at a hero and a monster group you’ll find along the quest for the Crown of Destiny: Jaes the Exile and the lava beetles!

The Exiled Mage

The markings that brand Jaes’s body bear dire warnings. He may buy and sell goods only at a distance. To offer the wizard food, water, shelter, or any other aid freely is a crime punishable by death. Jaes committed no crime to earn this fate. His elders once fought bravely in the Dragon Wars, but were nearly wiped out at a crucial time. As a punishment for his ancestors’ failure to survive, Jaes and his kind must bear the markings for eternity… unless he can change his fate.

As a master of ancient magic, Jaes the Exile can lend his aid to any hero party, offering both his knowledge of lore and his might in battle. In fact, Jaes can tap into a power unknown to many Mages, thanks to his hero ability. Most Heavy Armor in Descent is not used by Mages since it prevents the usage of the powerfully magical Runes. Jaes gets around this restriction, since his hero ability causes his armor to lose all text that would prevent him from equipping Runes. In fact, the more Runes Jaes can use, the better, since his Stamina is also raised for each Rune he has equipped!

Jaes’s heroic feat only adds more power to his magic, allowing him to perform an attack with a Magic weapon as an action. That attack gains Pierce 3, cleaving through the toughest monster’s hide, but that’s not all. If you made the attack with a Rune weapon as well, you gain an automatic surge, inviting you to trigger that Rune’s most deadly surge abilities.

Flames from Below

Jaes and his companions face perils beyond number in their quest, but few are as incendiary as lava beetles. These terrying creatures burrow through earth and rock in volcanically active areas. When a lava beetle perceives a threat, it defends itself with a fiery projectile that engulfs its target and everything nearby in flames. They are surprisingly intelligent creatures, and their thick carapaces make them annoying difficult to dispatch.

Wherever the overlord sends his lava beetles, they’re certain to plague the heroes from afar with their flaming missiles. Lava beetles can whittle at the heroes’ strength by striking from range, using surges to cause even more damage. For even more volcanic chaos, however, minion lava beetles can spend a surge to trigger Blast, making an attack affect not just one square, but all adjacent squares as well! Master lava beetles display greater control over their fire, however. A master lava beetle can surge for more damage than a minion, and automatically has the Blast ability, even without spending a surge. In the hands of a skilled overlord, a group of up to four lava beetles can attack heroes from all sides, turning their noble resolve to ashes.

Seize the Crown

The potential to transform fate itself lies before you in the Crown of Destiny Hero and Monster Collection. The heroes of Terrinoth must protect this power, lest the horrendous monsters of the overlord transmute the future into a thing of unknowable terror. You decide which side will triumph! Preorder Crown of Destiny at your local retailer today.

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