Hi this is a short and simple question

A monk has gained two craft counters, he then engages in battle with no other modifiers, does he add 3 (his printed craft value) or does he add 5 (his current craft) to his strength?

Up until recently I didn't even know there was a difference  between craft and craft value and expect alot of players to have this problem as well.

Only his starting craft(3). [Stat Value] in Talisman refers to starting/printed values on the character's card. 

ZeroGrim said:

My comment isn't directed at you specifically, since this question has been asked quite a few times, but I do go when people miss stuff that is stated OUTRIGHT in the rules!!! Hell, Str and Craft value have their own paragraphs (granted, only one sentence), but it's not like they are hidden in some murky corner of the rulebook, but found under Strength and Craft headings (imagine that).

Dam said:

yea you've got a point, I suppose when playing a multiplayer board game with rotating players every single player should have a word for word memory of the rules as opposed to let's say, better wording in the first place.

the only reason I asked this question specifically is that on these forums I've found answers for both interpretations, so I wanted to get a clear answer, to me it seemed like a simple typo on the monk for two reasons, first if he did just add his starting craft to his strength in combat why didn’t it just say he adds 3 as there's no possible way to misinterpret that, and second if he only does add 3 then his weakness's make him in my opinion probably one of the worst characters to play, (loss of weapons and armour with reduced stats is not worth an ability that basically gives you a slightly different version of assassinate)

though I suppose the easiest solution (which its obviously too late to implement with so many characters now) is to simply change strength and craft on the character sheet to read strength value and craft value, ten letters added to make the rules a bit more clear, o well…

That's the thing, you don't need everyone to have the rules downloaded to their brain, you just need one person who keeps track of the stuff, able to clarify without having to pour through the rulebook (or knows where to find it in case the others don't believe him). This approach is KEY in a game like Arkham Horror, but works just as well in Talisman. And it's not like there is a lot of remembering to do here, Str value = printed value, once learned, should be easy enough to remember, no?

As to why it doesn't say +3 on the Monk is that there are effects that can modify Str/Craft value. Expansion cards only, but Brainwave/Energize Spells for example double Str/Craft value respectively, meaning it would be +6 when under the influence of a Brainwave Spell. I think might be Quest Rewards in Sacred Pool that give a boost to Str/Craft value as well.

I had forgotten myself what craft value meant, for me I took at as your craft + your experience earned as it reflects your current craft value (the "older" you are the better you'd be)