Zaltyre’s Guide to Range + Line of Sight for

Descent: Journeys in the Dark Second Edition

Range and/or Line of Sight (LOS) are necessary for making attacks, and also for the use of many abilities. The
purpose of this guide is to provide a reliable method for tracing LOS, and for determining range by counting
spaces.

SECTION 1: RANGE

1.1. General Procedure

Range is the number of spaces between two objects. To accurately determine range, spaces must be counted
properly.

(Descent Rules of Play, p.13)

Diagram 1

1) Choose the space to be counted from. For example, if a hero is attacking a monster, choose the hero’s
space. If a large monster is being counted from, one space of that monster must be chosen. Begin the
counter at “0,” since every space is zero spaces from itself. In Diagram 1, this is space “A”.

2) Choose the space to be counted to. For example, if a hero is attacking the monster, choose the monster’s
space. Just like step 1, for large monsters a single space must be selected. In Diagram 1, this is space
“B.”

3) From the space chosen in step 1, select an adjacent space. Increase the counter by 1.

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 1

Diagram 2

4) Repeat step 3 from the new space as necessary until the “adjacent space” selected is the one chosen in
step 2.

1 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4
Diagram 3
5) Verify the path of spaces is as short as possible. Note that in Diagram 3, the shortest path is not shown.
The shortest path of spaces is shown below. The value of the counter at the end of the shortest path is the
range. In this example, the range from A to B is 3, not 4, because the path with range 3 is shorter.

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2 3
Diagram 4

Because range depends on adjacent spaces, an important point to remember is that the range from space “A”
to space “B” is always equal to the range from space “B” to space “A”. Therefore, it doesn’t matter whether
you pick “A” in step 1 and “B” in step 2 or the reverse. The range will always be the same.

1.2. Ability Text and Range

Many abilities refer to a specific range as a maximum or minimum for an ability effect. Range is determined for
these abilities the same way as for attacks or any other purpose. Specifically:

-“Adjacent” means a range of exactly 1. (Notably, a space is never adjacent to itself, because the range from a
space to itself is 0, not 1.)

-“Within N spaces” means a range of less than or equal to N.

-“Up to N spaces away” means a range of less than or equal to N.

-“N or more spaces away” means to a range of greater than or equal to N.

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1.3. Adjacency

Spaces can be counted in an open area intuitively. In the Diagram 5, the spaces colored yellow are all range 1
from the figures at the center, while those colored green are 2 spaces away from the figures. The number in a
space indicates the range from the figure to that space. Note that the figure in the right panel of Diagram 5 is
large (see Section 1.4). In the right panel of Diagram 5, the range shown is the minimum possible range from
any of the figure’s spaces.

Diagram 5

Several objects and terrain on the map interfere with adjacency, and therefore alter the range between
spaces (see Diagram 6).The general procedure for counting spaces does not change, however the options for
adjacent spaces do. The objects which block adjacency, and therefore cannot be counted through when
determining range, are:

Closed doors, obstacles, map edges, and old walls (from挐“Mists of Bilehall”.)

Not being able to count through a space containing the above objects may make a longer path (and therefore a
longer range) necessary. All other types of terrain, open doors, figures, tokens, overgrowth (from “Labyrinth of
Ruin”), and portcullises (from “Shadow of Nerekhall”) do not interfere with adjacency. Therefore, these things
can be completely ignored when determining range. Remember, the key factor is whether or not adjacency
exists. The diagram below shows the effect of such things on range, if any. Refer to quest special rules for
additional restrictions (for example, in some quests in “Shadow of Nerekhall”, range cannot be counted
through portcullises).

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 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2

2 2 2 3 2
3 3 3
1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4

1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2

Diagram 6

Top Row (left to right): Nothing, Elevation Line, Figure, Lava/Hazard. (Range = 2)
Middle Row (left to right): Door, Old Wall, Obstacle, Map Edge. (Range = 4)
Bottom Row: (left to right): Overgrowth, Portcullis, Pit, Water/Sludge. (Range = 2)

1.4. Multi-Space Objects

When counting spaces to a large figure (or object like a door,) any space of that object may be used. The space
풐ћ
being counted from in each panel of Diagram 7 is marked with a red X. Spaces of the same color are the same
range from that space (yellow=1, green=2, blue=3, purple=4).

Diagram 7

When determining range for an attack, spaces must be counted to the target space, not to an arbitrary
space of the large figure. In Diagram 8, the top right space of the ettin is range 2 from the hero, but the hero
only can trace LOS to the bottom right space of the ettin, where the range is 3 due to the segment of map edge.
Therefore, he cannot attack the ettin with Reach. While the hero is unable to attack the ettin, the ettin can
actually attack the hero. As shown, the ettin fulfils the 2 range requirement to the target space by counting from
his top right space, and the LOS requirement from his bottom right space. There is no need to fill both
requirements from one space of his figure. Therefore, the target space is both (a) within 2 spaces and (b) in LOS

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of the ettin, and he may make a Reach attack. If the situation were changed such that the ettin and hero were
both capable of ranged attacks, the minimum range the ettin would need to roll to hit would be 2 since the target
space (the hero) is 2 spaces away from his figure. The hero would need to roll at least 3 range, since the target
space (the bottom right space of the ettin) is 3 spaces away from his figure.

1 2

1 2

Diagram 8

When measuring range to doors, count spaces as if the door were open to the nearest space on the far side of the
door. The Diagram 9 shows an example where A and B are adjacent to the door. C is 2 spaces away from it.

Diagram 9

SECTION 2: LINE OF SIGHT (LOS)

2.1. General Procedure

In the simplest description, LOS is a straight line traced from the corner of one space to the corner of another.
However, although tracing LOS is simple, it can be problematic when it does not reflect a realistic model of
“sight.” Diagrams 10-12 show how to trace LOS from space A to space B.

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 (Descent Rules of Play, p.12)

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Diagram 10

1) Choose a corner of the space to trace LOS from. Note that in Diagram 10, space A is empty (it does not
contain a figure.)

Diagram 11

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 2) Choose a corner of the space to trace LOS to. In this example, that is space B. Note that space B is also
empty. The line can be traced from any of the 4 corners of A to any of the 4 corners of B (16 potential
lines of sight.) In the Diagram 11, all 16 are valid (colored blue).

Diagram 12

3) If A and B contain figures (as is most often the case when determining LOS, such as for an attack), A
and B would be considered blocked spaces. Therefore, LOS cannot be traced through or along the edge
of either space. In other words, 10 of the 16 possible lines of sight would be rendered invalid (colored
red in Diagram 12). Three of these lines are invalid because they pass along the edge of A, B, or both.
The other seven pass through one of the blocked㶠spaces.
ѝ LOS has no range component- there is no
need to trace the shortest line, or to be within a certain number of spaces. As long as the line does not
pass through or along the edge of any blocked spaces, it is valid. Range 0 and Range 1 are special cases
(see Section 2.3).

2.2. LOS is Mutual

LOS is always mutual without an ability. That is, in general, if space A has LOS to space B, space B
has LOS to space A. Some abilities grant LOS under special circumstances which violate this principle.
Examples of such abilities are:

-The Wildlander skill “Eagle Eyes”.

-The Bone Horror’s “Lithesome” (from “Mists of Bilehall”).
-Seer Kel’s hero ability (from “Stewards of the Secret”).

2.3. Within 1 Space

Every space has LOS to itself, by definition. There is no need to trace a line, since a space shares all of its
corners with itself. Additionally, a space automatically has LOS to each space adjacent to it (since to be
adjacent there must be a shared corner). With the exception of quest specific rules, there is only one situation in
which adjacency does not grant LOS. Overgrowth (from “Labyrinth of Ruin”) has the following properties from
the rulebook:
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Figures cannot trace line of sight through overgrowth. Even though adjacent spaces separated by overgrowth
are still considered to be adjacent, figures cannot attack through overgrowth.

2.4. Corners vs. Edges of Blocked Spaces

The rules for tracing LOS (see Section 2.1) state that LOS cannot pass along the edge of a blocked space, but
that it may touch a corner of one. Before addressing the differences between corners and edges, it is important
to clarify what a blocked space is. Spaces may be “blocked” in general either because they block movement, or
because they block LOS. However, when tracing LOS, only spaces which block LOS are considered- even if
a space blocks movement, it might not block LOS. However, it is important to refer to quest specific rules for
things like objective tokens and villager tokens.

The following always block LOS (unless otherwise noted in quest rules: closed doors, map borders, figures,
obstacles, overgrowth (from “Labyrinth of Ruin”), and old walls (from “Mists of Bilehall”). Note that from this
list, only obstacles and figures cause an entire space to be blocked. Doors, map edges, overgrowth, and old
walls are located on the border between spaces, rather than within spaces (see Diagram 15).

䮀Ѥ

Diagram 13

In the left and middle panels of Diagram 13, the traced lines only touch the corners of the obstacle spaces, so
they are valid. In the right diagram, the lines pass along the edge of the obstacles, which is not allowed.

Diagram 14

In the left panel of Diagram 14, A can trace LOS to B because the line only touches the corner of the black map
border. However, C cannot trace LOS to D, because that line would pass along the edge of the map border. In
the right panel, A can trace LOS to B via the blue line. The red line is not valid because it passes through the
map border.
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 Diagram 15

In the left panel of Diagram 15, A cannot trace LOS to either B or C because of the door and overgrowth,
respectively. However, A can trace LOS to D as shown- the presence of the door and overgrowth do not prevent
LOS from being traced since the two middle spaces are empty.

In the right panel, LOS cannot be traced from A to B because the line passes through B, which is a blocked
space. Importantly, note that A cannot simply trace a line to B, it must trace to a corner of B, which is why LOS
cannot be traced here.

ќ

Diagram 16

The top left panel of Diagram 16 shows an important exception to the treatment of the map border segment as a
corner. In the specific case where the two spaces in question are immediately on opposite sides of the border
segment, they are not adjacent, and they do not have LOS. The other 3 scenarios shown maintain treatment of
the border segment as a corner. Note that the bottom right panel is similar to far right panel.

In the context of this diagram, “map border segment” means a section of map border that protrudes between
spaces (rather than running along the outside of the map, as is most common). These types of segments
generally arise at the intersection of two map tiles (see figure at top of next page.)

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 Map border segment

2.5. Pits

“A figure in a pit space only has line of sight to adjacent figures, and only figures adjacent to a pit space have
line of sight to a figure in that pit space.” (Descent Rules of Play, p.18)

ќ
Diagram 17

Note that because figure C is in a pit, it cannot trace LOS to any of the other figures because they are not
adjacent. Likewise, neither A, B, nor D can trace LOS to C (remember that LOS is mutual, see Section 2.2). D
can trace LOS to A because they are adjacent. A can trace LOS to B because B is only partially in pit spaces.

Diagram 18

Figures in pits do not block LOS for figures outside of pits. In Diagram 18, A can trace LOS to B “over” C,
because C is in a pit.

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2.6. Multi-space objects

When tracing LOS to a multi-space object like a large monster, follow the same procedure as when tracing LOS
in any other case. That is, LOS must be traced to (or from) a corner of any space occupied by the object. Note
that this need not be a corner of the figure’s base.

Diagram 19

Figure A has LOS to figure B in the left panel because it can trace a line to the corner of one of the spaces
occupied by B, even though it is not a corner of B’s figure. In the right panel, A cannot trace LOS to B because
any line would have to go through B (comprised of blocked spaces) or through A (also blocked). There are
additional lines blocked by the obstacles (not shown).

Acknowledgements
ќ
I would very much like to thank Boardgamegeek user “xris” and FFG Community users “Charmy” and
“any2cards” for their assistance proofreading this document, as well as for their feedback regarding its content.

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