About the IFAQ
There are questions that most RoboRally players ask at some point in the course of playing RoboRally. These questions are referred to as "Frequently Asked Questions". For some of us (especially those who play RoboRally way too much), the FAQ is not enough. It is for those folks that this list has been compiled. This is the unofficial RoboRally In-Frequently Asked Question list (IFAQ).
The following questions actually arose in our games. When the rules (as well as several Internet resources) failed to help, we decided to ask Wizards of the Coast. Our questions and their answers are listed below.
Note: Some of these questions are a little odd. Others are just plain dumb (we should have known the answer). But all of them, every last one, actually did come up in the course of playing. (Somebody needs a life :-). Also, we've subsequently found the answers to some of these questions posted on the "official" FAQ sites, so their listing here may be old news to you.
These questions and answers are posted here for the benefit of our fellow RoboPlayers.
The actual questions (as asked by my uncle) and answers (as provided by WotC) are reproduced vebatim (other than correcting minor typos). If you, too, have encountered the situations below, perhaps you also have no life. Enjoy!
1. Option Damping Field. If active and a robot is within range does this cancel its option(s) for the rest of the turn or if it moves out of range can they be used?
Only as long as the robot is in range.
2. Can Option Damping Field affect options that are outside the phase sequence such as Recompile, Extra Memory at all and when?
It will prevent the use of turn programmed options if it is in range at the beginning of the turn. If it comes into range during the turn, it will prevent the turn programmed options from being used if they require activation (like Condtional). Things like Extra Memory don't do anything during the turn so wouldn't be negatively impacted by coming into "range" after the robot's been programmed.
3. Option Damping Field and Bio Option. I end the fifth phase on a double wrench and within range of an active Option Damping Field. I draw a Bio Option card. Does the Option Damping Field prevent me from drawing the next option card. If so, do I draw one when I move out of range or the field is inactive?
You do not get to draw another card, and you don't get another option until you power down outside the Option Damping Field.
4. You have programmed some devices to activate and move into an activated Option Damping Field's range. The book states "discard any counters or tokens that were programmed". Are they returned to the owner to be used later or discarded completely as if used?
Discarded completely.
5. Option Damping Field and Abort Switch. I've activated Abort Switch and then move into range of an active Option Damping Field. Do I disregard the Abort Switch for the time I'm with range of the Option Damping Field?
Yes.
6. A virtual robot activates Option Damping Field. Does this Field affect the options of either "virtual" or "real" robots while they are within its range?
It would not have any effect upon other robots (real or virtual) while it was virtual.
7. A "real" robot activates Option Damping Field. Does the Field affect the options of "virtual" robots while they are within its range?
No. Virtual bots are not effected by other robots in any way.
8. Interceptor and Recompile. Can either be used first and then the other?
You can choose the order.
9. Robo-Copter. On the unused card placed on it: Can Brakes, Reverse Gears, or Fourth Gear have any effect on it? If yes, can this be decided each phase to change its movement value?
No.
On the program cards. Can you use Brakes, Fourth Gear, Dual Processor, Reverse Gears, Overload Override, or Crab Legs along with Robo-Copter?
No.
Can you use Homing Device instead of your program cards (using the unused movement card first, of course)?
Yes.
10. Bridge Layer. Misprint in the book and card that there are two?
No, you get two.
Can they be built over a drain?
Yes.
Can they be built on a trap door pit on the phase(s) the pit is not active?
Yes.
11. At the start of phase one, The Big One is on a Trap-Door Pit that opens on phase one. Does The Big One explode first, or does the pit open first (harmlessly destroying The Big One)?
A&D, p11 states "at the begining of the first register phase it [The Big One] explodes". The FAQ sheet to Grand Prix states "any dropped device will fall (and be removed from the board) at the begining of the phase it [the trap-door pit] opens." Which is first?
The Big One will fall.
12. Mines. If placed on an archive location and a robot is killed and comes back on one, when do they explode? Exactly when does the robot come back and the timing of this? Does it go off and affect the number of cards you're dealt, etc…? When does the Mine go off -before or after you are dealt your cards?
As soon as the robot moves, which is after it is dealt cards.
13. Bio Option. Exactly when do you draw a replacement card when you power down?
At the beginning of the turn, when you power down.
14. Reengineering Unit. If you push a robot into a pit do you get to exchange options before the player killed discards one?
Yes.
15. A) Radio Control, B) Scrambler, C) Abort Switch. Can you be under A and then have B happen and then use C?
Yes.
Basically what cards stay under the above situations in case a card becomes locked by Fire Control?
Whatever effect happens last, that card played is locked.
16. Fire Control vs Shield, Ablative Coat, Converter. Since no damage is done, it can't be used to destroy an option or lock a register?
True.
17. A player is hit by a laser. He has Shield (programmed in the direction that prevents the damage), and/or Converter, and/or Ablative Coat. He wishes to exchange another option for the damage. True or False: Neither the Shield nor Ablative Coat nor Converter can be ignored. You cannot choose to exchange any option for the damage, since these would prevent you from taking damage at all.
False. You can deal with damage dealt to your bot by applying defensive measures (defensive options or discarding options) however you choose.
18. Fire Control and option loss. Player A shoots player B. Player A has Fire Control. Player A wants to destroy a particular option that Player B has or wants to lock one of player B's registers. Player B has several options, but not Shield, Ablative Coat, or Converter. Can player B first choose to lose an option of its choice? This would prevent player A from locking a register or destroying an option that player A picks. Can player B do this?
Only if the Standard damage is dealt, can a player choose to destroy one of their options. The player with Fire Control has priority to choose first.
What if Player B was flying with Robo-Copter? Must this damage be applied to Robo-Copter, destroying it, even if player A wanted to lock one of player B's registers (or destroy a different option) instead? Is this mandatory damage with regards to Robo-Copter?
The player with the Fire Control can make all the choices. If they choose to deal standard damage, only then MUST the Robo-Copter be destroyed.
19. If you have Shield, Converter, or Ablative Coat, are we right that these options can prevent damage (or convert it to energy) and the Robo-Copter isn't lost?
That's true. If you can prevent [or convert] the damage the Copter need not be destroyed.
20. What do you do if you're not dealt enough cards to program all your registers? (You were powered down and took 6 damage as a result of being pushed/pullled/shot, etc and end up in a double laser. If you stay powered down you die. You will be dealt only 3 cards and any cards played on registers 4 and/or 5 will be locked.
You don't get rid of movement cards until you're dealt new ones. So [registers] 4 and 5 are locked with old cards in them. There should never be an empty register.
21. Buzz Bomb. Does a conveyer belt push a robot onto a square that the Buzz Bomb is on, setting it off?
Yes.
22. Mini Howitzer. A player is hit by it and decides to lose an option that has explosive damage. From what square is the explosive damage counted - the square it was on, or the one it was pushed to?
The one it was on. It hits, explodes, and then pushing happens.
23. Does a robot that takes damage from an explosion act similiar to a wall for other robots that are behind it?
Yes.
24. Explosive damage and Shield. A shield only gives protection to explosive damage if it is positioned in the proper direction. It gives no protection if the explosive damage originates in the same square that the robot was in?
Shield will provide no defense if the explosive damage originates in the same square as the robot.
New: Treat shield exactly as a wall for purposes of explosive damage. The damage will go around the shield if it is placed properly.
25. We play that if you are on Goo and activate anything flying you move as normal and ignore the Goo, leaving it with whatever movement delay that it had at the time. Is this correct?
The additional movement granted by the flying option will [may] destroy the Goo faster, but it still has to be applied to destroying the Goo.
26. A player uses Big Jet and lands in oil. Does it slide before executing its movement card?
No, execute the movement card first.
27. A conveyer belt places you on oil. Do you slide?
Yes.
28. We have a minor confusion on the Pit Row board involving where the normal belt moves you onto oil and then onto another normal belt that rotates left.
The idea was that the robot would rotate left. It doesn't, however, so the turning belt is purely cosmetic. You stay pointed the same direction.
29. A robot is on the Portable Teleporter. You play any movement card and materialize in oil. Does the robot slide? If so, what direction?
Yes, you slide…away from the teleporter.
30. Overload Override (first card is primary): You play a "Move 3" and a "Move 2". Is it a "Move 3", then a "Move 2" at the priority of the "Move 3"? You play a "Backup 1" and a "Move 3". Is it a "Backup 1", then a "Move 3" at the priority of the "Backup 1"?
Use the priority of the primary card.
31. Overload Override and Converter. Exactly when does the damage from the use of Overload Override occur? Exactly when does the energy token removed from the Converter? For example in a phase I have two energy counters on the Converter and have programed two cards to be played (and at the primary card is a move), using Overload Override. Does Overload Override explode, or is the energy counter first removed and added to the movement and then a new energy counter is placed on the Converter (again a total of two)?
Each time a movement card is executed, one energy counter is removed. This will apply to both movement cards programmed for the first register phase. As a result:
Phase 1: Execute Movement card (Primary)- spend a Converter energy counter on additional movement. Execute Movement card (#2) - Gain an energy from Overload Override damage, spend an energy counter on even more addional movement.
Phase 2: You've only got 1 energy counter on Converter now.
32. Can you place a Portable Teleporter on Goo?
Yes. A Portable Teleporter placed in Goo will effectively override it. Think of it as the Teleporter actually covering up the Goo.
33. Bio Option and Mini Howitzer or Ablative Coat. Both Mini Howitzer and Ablative Coat state that they should be discarded after they are used up. (three points of damage, fifth shot). If you have drawn them using Bio Option and this happens, do you: Discard the Mini Howitzer or Ablative Coat, draw another option card immediately, and place it on the Bio Option?
No.
Discard the Mini Howitzer or Ablative Coat, leave Bio Option empty, and wait till you power down before placing another option card on Bio Option?
No.
Discard both: whichever option was used up AND Bio Option?
Yes.
34. Can options drawn in the middle of a turn (with Chop Shops) be used that turn? What about "programmable" options (Mines, Goo), or "must-program" options (Shield, Turret)?
No. They will not be active until the beginning of the next turn, when you program them.
35. Which options are considered to have "ammunition" (and thus can be reloaded at Chop Shops)? Bridges? Goo? The Big One? Scramber Bomb? Fuel counters? Interceptor? Portable Teleporter?
Anything with limited shots is included. On A&D options it's listed by having the number in the payload/capacity burst. The original set's options also have "ammunition". It's usually obvious.
36. With Mini howitzer, must you reload with at least one shell still left, since if you use the last shell it is immediately discarded?
Correct.
37. A robot get pushed by another robot onto a Portal (assuming the other same color Portal is empty) during the move phase. Does the pushed robot move immediately to the other Portal?
Yes.
38. The Big One is on a Portal. Does this prevent a robot from being sent to the Portal that The Big One is on?
Yes.
39. If a Drone moves onto a Portal and the "destination" Portal is occupied by a robot, do Drones ignore the Portal (just like a robot would)?
Yes. They should follow the same rules for passing through Portals that robots do.
40. If a robot moves onto a Portal and the "destination" Portal is occupied by a Drone, does the robot ignore the Portal?
No. The Robot would transport to the Drone's location and detonate it.
41. If the robot does get sent to the other Portal (with the Drone on it), in which direction (and from which square) does the robot get pushed? (Keep in mind, the Drone could have been rotating that phase.)
The Robot would be pushed in the opposite direction from which it was originally travelling. (If the robot was heading north, going into the Portal, it'd get blown south)
42. If a Drone moves onto a Portal before reaching its Target Counter, does it continue moving (from the second Portal) in the same direction (until it hits something), or does it stop and rotate (on the second Portal) until it locks on to another robot?
It would continue moving until it reached its target or exploded.
43. What happens if the Drone target counter gets placed directly on a Portal? Does the target counter go on the original Portal (p.12, "The Drone target counter…is not affected by board elements."), or should it be placed on the destination Portal? Upon reaching the counter, does the Drone "sit-n-spin" on the original Portal, or should it rotate on the destination Portal?
The target would be on the original Portal space (the target counter is not a thing, it's a place, so it doesn't get transported). Upon reaching the target, the Drone will transport to the other Portal, but will count as having reached the target. It'll look for a new target from the other Portal.
44. What if a Drone (which happens to be on a Portal square) is rotating in place, and a robot moves into that same square? Is the robot affected by the Portal? Is the robot pushed by the Drone (in what direction, and from which square)?
The Drones typically explode during the Robot's Move segement of the turn sequence. As a result, explosion should push the robot off the Portal before it's transported.
45. Converter and explosive damage. For example, The Big One explodes with a robot next to it (causing 32 points of damage). The robot has the Converter with no tokens on it. How is this handled by the Converter? Does all of the explosive damage go on the Converter at once (causing the Converter to explode for 2 points of damage, and effectively preventing destruction of the robot)? Or, is the damage taken in a linear manner (1st pt = 1st energy counter, 2nd pt = 2nd counter, 3rd pt = 3rd counter, Converter explodes) meaning the robot takes 2 points of damage (from Converter) plus 29 more points (from The Big One).
Apply the damage in what you called "linear manner". As soon as there's more than 2 energy counters, the Converter explodes for 2 damage. Then deal with the remaining damage.
