Take a look at this wonderful piece of low quality pic
-> javascript:void(0);/*1237815424005*/ <-
turn 1) i land on the Woods space
turn 2) i choose to build a raft with the axe, no move in this turn, i get the raft from the card pile
turn 3) i choose between two spaces in which move (desert , oasis)

and now the questions:
a) after turn 2, is a player able to combat me and steal the raft?
b) in turn 3, it's correct to choose one of 2 spaces?
the rulebook says that while using the raft you can move in "any space of choice directly opposite".. usually there is a space that is almost aligned with the woods, and a space that has only a thin border..

i hope some other player had these doubts..
thank you again, great game and great forum

costolaz said:

Answer A : Yes it is possible. a other player can steal your raft, and use it for his next turn to go to the opposite of the space.

Answer B : I think you can only choose the opposite of the space. ( i am almost sure that it is the meaning of the card. The second space is not really the full opposite of the space.

I think that they mean with (any space.. opposite) that it don't matter what for space it is. ( dessert, runes etc

Yes. Once a character takes a Raft from the Adventure or Purchase deck, he must place it with his other Objects (it does count towards carrying capacity). The Raft remains with the character until the start of his next turn. During this time, the Raft may be taken from him by another character just like any other Object.

Ell. 

 Great.

About the other question, it's confirmed that you must choose the "main" opposite space when rafting the river?

You may use a Raft to cross the Storm River to any space of your choice directly opposite the one you are in (any space which would be intersected by the border lines of the space you are in, if those lines were extended).

If you are in the Woods nearest to the Village, you may only move to the Hidden Valley;
If you are in the Woods nearest to the City, you may move to either the Runes or Warlock's Cave;
If you are in the Woods nearest to the Tavern, you may move to either the Desert or Oasis;
If you are in the Forest, you may move to either the Castle or Portal of Power.

This applies to all other spaces when using a Raft.

Ell.

talismanamsilat said:

This is a bit confusing for me and I never played this way. Must say I didn't read the current Raft text. You can't carry around the Raft, so why do you need to take it like any other Object? Isn't it a bit oversized to count as a single Object?

However, I like the idea that the Raft can be stolen. The only way to permit this is to consider the Raft as an Object you can carry without moving. It's weird but from the next game on I'll play according to this rule.

talismanamsilat said:

It's good to know, but i don't think i am playing it this way.

Velhart said:

This was always the case with a Raft in the 1st, 2nd and 4th editions of Talisman and now also with the revised 4th edition of Talisman

Ell.

talismanamsilat said:

I have only play third edition. And third edition has no rafts.

Now i play 4th edition revised of course.

I will see what i do about this. Maybe i make a houserule or maybe not, but this is ridiculous. Most spaces don't reach even the middle of the opposite spaces. Otherwise i would agreed with this.

But it's good to know how other people are thinking about this.

Good clarifications! it was not so clear in the rulebook..
This way, the use of the axe is more strategic! not to mention that you can cast 'acquisition' for rafting, after your opponent has lost his turn to build 

If I have an axe and land in a woods space, do I declare I am building a raft when I first land and do not draw a card/encounter character/upturned card?  Or do declare building a raft after I encounter the space?  If so, can I still declare building a raft if I lose a life or turn?  Thanks.

Gonad the Ballbarian said:

If you land in the woods or forest, you can encounter the space as normal, and in the beginning of your next turn,( if you have a axe) you must say that you are building a raft.

You can take a raft card then and in your next turn, you can go to the other side.

That would also mean you can't cross the Storm River on a raft if you already have four objects and no mules etc...

That is correct, although you can drop another Object before taking possession of the Raft.

Ell.

Just to clarify:  Land on woods/forest (with axe) and encounter that space per normal.  Turn ends.  Start of next turn, declare building raft and immediately place raft card in inventory.  Then you cross the Storm River instead of rolling? 

Turn 1: Land on Woods or Forest (with axe) and encounter the space or character. Turn ends.

Turn 2: Declare that you are building a Raft and immediately place the Raft in your inventory. Turn ends.

Turn 3: If you wish to use the Raft, cross the river to any space directly opposite the space you are in (discard Raft) and encounter the space or character. Turn ends.

Ell.