diff --git a/src/main/java/forge/GameAction.java b/src/main/java/forge/GameAction.java
index a4be05edc06..39fcb3e7046 100644
--- a/src/main/java/forge/GameAction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/forge/GameAction.java
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ import forge.gui.input.InputPayManaCostUtil;
 import forge.item.CardPrinted;
 import forge.properties.ForgeProps;
 import forge.properties.NewConstants.Lang.GameAction.GameActionText;
-import forge.quest.gui.main.QuestEvent;
 import forge.view.GuiTopLevel;
 import forge.view.match.ViewWinLose;
 
@@ -1292,32 +1291,23 @@ public class GameAction {
     }
 
     /**
-     * <p>
-     * newGame.
-     * </p>
-     * for Quest fantasy mode
+     * Constructor for new game allowing card lists to be put
+     * into play immediately, and life totals to be adjusted,
+     * for computer and human.
      * 
-     * @param humanDeck
-     *            a {@link forge.deck.Deck} object.
-     * @param computerDeck
-     *            a {@link forge.deck.Deck} object.
-     * @param human
-     *            a {@link forge.CardList} object.
-     * @param computer
-     *            a {@link forge.CardList} object.
-     * @param humanLife
-     *            a int.
-     * @param computerLife
-     *            a int.
-     * @param qe
-     *            the qe
+     * @param humanDeck &emsp; {@link forge.deck.Deck} object.
+     * @param computerDeck &emsp; {@link forge.deck.Deck} object.
+     * @param human &emsp; {@link forge.CardList} object.
+     * @param computer &emsp; {@link forge.CardList} object.
+     * @param humanLife &emsp; int.
+     * @param computerLife &emsp; int.
      */
     public final void newGame(final Deck humanDeck, final Deck computerDeck, final CardList human,
-            final CardList computer, final int humanLife, final int computerLife, final QuestEvent qe) {
-        this.newGame(humanDeck, computerDeck);
-
+            final CardList computer, final int humanLife, final int computerLife) {
+        AllZone.newGameCleanup();
         AllZone.getComputerPlayer().setStartingLife(computerLife);
         AllZone.getHumanPlayer().setStartingLife(humanLife);
+        AllZone.getHumanPlayer().updateObservers();
 
         for (final Card c : human) {
 
@@ -1331,29 +1321,37 @@ public class GameAction {
             c.setSickness(true);
         }
         Constant.Quest.FANTASY_QUEST[0] = true;
+
+        this.actuateGame(humanDeck, computerDeck);
     }
 
     private boolean startCut = false;
 
     /**
-     * <p>
-     * newGame.
-     * </p>
+     * The default constructor for a new game.
      * 
-     * @param humanDeck
-     *            a {@link forge.deck.Deck} object.
-     * @param computerDeck
-     *            a {@link forge.deck.Deck} object.
+     * @param humanDeck &emsp; {@link forge.deck.Deck} object.
+     * @param computerDeck &emsp; {@link forge.deck.Deck} object.
      */
     public final void newGame(final Deck humanDeck, final Deck computerDeck) {
         // AllZone.getComputer() = new ComputerAI_Input(new
         // ComputerAI_General());
         Constant.Quest.FANTASY_QUEST[0] = false;
 
+        AllZone.newGameCleanup();
         AllZone.getComputerPlayer().setStartingLife(20);
         AllZone.getHumanPlayer().setStartingLife(20);
+        this.actuateGame(humanDeck, computerDeck);
+    }
 
-        AllZone.newGameCleanup();
+    /** 
+     * This must be separated from the newGame method since life totals and
+     * player details could be adjusted before the game is started.
+     * 
+     *  That process (also cleanup and observer updates) should be done in
+     *  newGame, then when all is ready, call this function.
+     */
+    private void actuateGame(final Deck humanDeck, final Deck computerDeck) {
         this.canShowWinLose = true;
         forge.card.trigger.Trigger.resetIDs();
         AllZone.getTriggerHandler().clearTriggerSettings();
diff --git a/src/main/java/forge/GuiDisplayUtil.java b/src/main/java/forge/GuiDisplayUtil.java
index 4a332e7ff75..e1cbc029dbe 100644
--- a/src/main/java/forge/GuiDisplayUtil.java
+++ b/src/main/java/forge/GuiDisplayUtil.java
@@ -1174,7 +1174,7 @@ public final class GuiDisplayUtil {
     public static void updateGUI() {
         AllZone.getComputerPlayer().getZone(Zone.Battlefield).updateObservers();
         AllZone.getHumanPlayer().getZone(Zone.Battlefield).updateObservers();
-        AllZone.getHumanPlayer().getZone(Zone.Hand).updateObservers();
+        //AllZone.getHumanPlayer().getZone(Zone.Hand).updateObservers();
         AllZone.getComputerPlayer().updateObservers();
         AllZone.getHumanPlayer().updateObservers();
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/forge/control/home/ControlQuest.java b/src/main/java/forge/control/home/ControlQuest.java
index b57ae674dee..2730be38a6a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/forge/control/home/ControlQuest.java
+++ b/src/main/java/forge/control/home/ControlQuest.java
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ public class ControlQuest {
                 Constant.Runtime.HUMAN_DECK[0], Constant.Runtime.COMPUTER_DECK[0],
                 QuestUtil.getHumanStartingCards(view.getQuestData()),
                 QuestUtil.getComputerStartingCards(view.getQuestData()),
-                view.getQuestData().getLife(), 20, null);
+                view.getQuestData().getLife(), 20);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ public class ControlQuest {
                 Constant.Runtime.HUMAN_DECK[0], Constant.Runtime.COMPUTER_DECK[0],
                 QuestUtil.getHumanStartingCards(view.getQuestData(), event),
                 QuestUtil.getComputerStartingCards(view.getQuestData(), event),
-                view.getQuestData().getLife() + extraLife, ((QuestChallenge) event).getAILife(), event);
+                view.getQuestData().getLife() + extraLife, ((QuestChallenge) event).getAILife());
 
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/forge/quest/gui/QuestMainPanel.java b/src/main/java/forge/quest/gui/QuestMainPanel.java
index 483fb377f51..4431c92542a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/forge/quest/gui/QuestMainPanel.java
+++ b/src/main/java/forge/quest/gui/QuestMainPanel.java
@@ -807,7 +807,7 @@ public class QuestMainPanel extends QuestAbstractPanel {
         AllZone.setQuestEvent(selectedDuel);
 
         AllZone.getGameAction().newGame(humanDeck, computer, QuestUtil.getHumanStartingCards(this.questData),
-                QuestUtil.getComputerStartingCards(this.questData), this.questData.getLife(), 20, null);
+                QuestUtil.getComputerStartingCards(this.questData), this.questData.getLife(), 20);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -835,7 +835,7 @@ public class QuestMainPanel extends QuestAbstractPanel {
         AllZone.getGameAction().newGame(humanDeck, computer,
                 QuestUtil.getHumanStartingCards(this.questData, selectedChallenge),
                 QuestUtil.getComputerStartingCards(this.questData, selectedChallenge),
-                this.questData.getLife() + extraLife, selectedChallenge.getAILife(), selectedChallenge);
+                this.questData.getLife() + extraLife, selectedChallenge.getAILife());
 
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/forge/quest/gui/QuestWinLoseHandler.java b/src/main/java/forge/quest/gui/QuestWinLoseHandler.java
index bf9755239ca..761b9c6e045 100644
--- a/src/main/java/forge/quest/gui/QuestWinLoseHandler.java
+++ b/src/main/java/forge/quest/gui/QuestWinLoseHandler.java
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ public class QuestWinLoseHandler extends ControlWinLose {
             }
 
             AllZone.getGameAction().newGame(Constant.Runtime.HUMAN_DECK[0], Constant.Runtime.COMPUTER_DECK[0],
-                    humanList, computerList, humanLife, computerLife, this.model.qEvent);
+                    humanList, computerList, humanLife, computerLife);
         } else {
             super.startNextRound();
         }