Elf Quest Pack (Mage of the Mirror) remake thread Barbarian Quest Pack (Frozen Horror) remake thread Rogue Heir of Elethorn (Hero Collection II) thread
Commander of the Guardian Knights (Hero Collection I) thread Rise of the Dread Moon (original expansion) thread
Prophecy of Telor (Mythic/retail) thread Spirit Queen's Torment (Mythic/retail) threadThe above links provide more up to date and detailed information on releases not related to the Hasbropulse pledge release or retail versions of the remake Game System, Kellar's Keep & Return of the Witch Lord.
Added a quick write up on differences between the Pledge and Retail versions here.The archival thread follows...
Since many of us are really curious and some of us might be disappointed by this new remake, does anyone have interest in an exhaustive, nitpicking "unboxing" of the new Hero Quest when it comes out? [ split off from the main BIG Discussion Thread(tm) ] (see also the new remake discussion threads for individual quest packs)
Edit: The Mythic tier has shipped and people have started receiving them this week (to US and Canada) as of 10/3/21, so details are flooding in...
Update 2/14/23: A list of answered questions about differences between the Tiers and the Retail releases has been posted: here.
Update 11/11/21: I have now posted my own unboxing video and while a few are waiting for their games, most of those who were going to do an unboxing have done so. We're still interested in seeing your thoughts, any corrections to what has been posted so far, and reviews, even live games, so keep sending those updates![/b]
Update 1/28/22: By now everyone on the list has gotten their sets and posted thoughts in some form or another. Thank you again for everyone who helped (and continues to point out things we've missed). Many are now waiting on their "Guardian Knight" expansion which was originally set for release in late November 2021, but has been delayed multiple times, with some getting their sets in Dec-Jan and others being delayed again until March-April. Game System, Kellar's Keep and Return of the Witch Lord are in retail, but all questions about whether any extra heroes (such as the Bonus gender-swapped heroes available through the Pulse pledge drive) would be available from any retailers have come back negative... and customer service can't answer if or when they will ever be available somewhere else. My advice on those seeking to get them is to wait, as we don't know what will happen with future releases and for all we know they might change their mind on these if demand is high enough (send your emails, tweets, instagrams, etc. to Hasbro & Avalon Hill!).
Update 4/3/22: Various websites in Scandinavia have been showing full color photos of miniatures (not pre-rendered cgi) from the remake edition of the Frozen Horror (Barbarian Quest pack) along with pictures of the box art, a new character sheet pad, re-colored dice and tiles apparently weeks before english-speaking Reddit started to comment on them and tweet about it. The only comment Avalon Hill had about these was to say they were double checking release date information ("Q3 2022") and price (approximately 50 USD). Looks like it will include 35 cards which is logical if it follows past precedent with KK/ROTWL including the Alchemist Shop potions as Equipment cards. The female Barbarian is red, there are extra blue combat dice and extra blue movement dice included as well according to photos. No photos of the cards have been shown yet. Meanwhile the Guardian Knights was delayed again and Avalon Hill issued an apology, heavily implying that not only will there be no more produced but those with pre-orders may not all be fulfilled either due to a miscalculation in demand for the product. As of this writing I myself have not had my order fulfilled and have no idea if it will ever come about. Speculation is that the Frozen Horror remake will be a full retail release, but details are yet to be confirmed publicly by official sources. Also, it will include 12 dark blue mercenaries (doubling the number from the original that had grey ones) with at least two types being female (Halberdiers and Scouts). My guess is in keeping with the theme so far, the cards will probably have a lot of "blue" on them. [Edit: This turned out to be an incorrect guess, the cards use the same color theme as the Game System though the quest book has some blue and the animated background "fog" in the HQ Companion App for these quests is blue rather than green. No word yet on any official errata for these notoriously difficult quests that have been criticized for showing a lack of playtesting but is nevertheless sought after by collectors due to its rarity. Edit: "Into the Northlands" was a digital prelude quest that was released on the same day that the official global release date was announced (August, though units were shipping already at the beginning of July) which featured new Artifact Cards "Warhorn of Command," "Spiked Shield," "Cold Iron Plate Armor," and "Ice Queen's Spear," along with a new character card for an "animal companion" a friendly Wolf to accompany a solo hero (suggested to be represented by the "mystery tile" showing Mentor's seal on one side and Zargon's "eye" on the other.
Visit this thread HERE for much more up to date information on "The Frozen Horror" Remake (officially released Aug 1, 2022).
(and yes, I did get my Guardian Knights finally, most others have reported to have gotten theirs or else their orders were cancelled and refunds issued)
The official Frozen Horror Remake has been shipped to many customers already ahead of the official release date. Edit: This product did finally sell out and notice was given that it would not be re-released in the same form, and so now can only be found from scalpers at scalper prices, but we have it on good authority that those who missed out on the Knight may have a future opportunity to get a character much like this. Please enjoy the thread below as we covered the release of these amazing products!
7/3/22: Various unboxing videos of the Frozen Horror remake expansion (still not officially announced for a release date) are starting to trickle in. Great job Joe Kamler and Amalgamash for posting the first ones I have seen on youtube! details here. Fan unboxings showing components, text pages, and more, between these you will learn a lot about the contents! It seems the errata details are slowly coming out but don't appear to be included in the actual box (unfortunately).
I had no doubt that the famous "Bard" (BardicBroadcasts on youtube) will probably do one, and I bet paid sponsors will do it before anyone else. Edit: Turns out I was wrong about this, unboxings continue to appear but not from those sources yet. Edit #2: Actually he took a leave of absence for awhile due to technical/personal issues but is set to come back soon!
But since we had90 days to return the UNOPENED package for a refund[/b] (which for most of us would be early February 2022) after it arrives on our doorsteps (if not satisfied) wouldn't it be a nice service if somebody did open up the thing on camera and show what's all there, including any "rule changes" or anything different from previous versions to help other consumers?
That person would be sacrificing their own opportunity for a refund of course.
I was going to volunteer myself, but with my luck, the Mythic Tier edition I ordered will probably arrive long after everyone has posted their own video and said what they were going to say about it. Still, I wanted to get this going. We're not asking for a fancy livestream with professional lighting or anything, just something where we can get answers to questions and visuals whenever possible. But even a simple transcription of the text and confirmation of a "match" or "change" is helpful. If you don't feel comfortable showing your face on camera, that's fine too, do it how you want.[/i]
Mythic Tier or Heroic Tier?
When the remake was being sold to the public, HasbroPulse put out a fundraiser (similar to a kickstarter). The basic pledge (and purchase) was $99.99 for the remade Game System, but it would come with a bonus of four gender swapped heroes and "Sir Ragnar" alternate hero miniatures.
Those who pledged $149.99 got that plus remakes of the first two expansions Kellar's Keep (KK) and Return of the Witch Lord (ROTWL), plus bonus figures of the Witch Lord bad guy and a "Mentor" as a hero (with his own "Wizard" card). Additionally Mythic tier would receive "all unlocks." This included a new design of Orc (x2), Mummy (x2), Skeleton (x2), Zombie (x2), Goblin (x2), Dread Warrior (x2), Abomination (x2), Dread Sorcerer (x1), and (although they were not reached with the stretch goals) bonus of Dragon (x1) and an alternate Gargoyle (x1). It was revealed that the "unlocks" would all appear in a new box alongside the others. The gender swapped heroes come in a small box that was inside the big box.
Are there any extras included in the box besides what we know? Answered: Yes. The miniatures come in these flimsy plastic trays that you have to pull out of. The miniatures are pre-assembled (only the skulls are on sprues). Each of the trays is covered by a cardboard slip-cover that depicts the remade Les Edwards style cover artwork. There is a white cardboard platform inside the game system box but it serves no function except to fill space (or allow you to hide things under it). There don't appear to be any fliers or advertisements and no UPC stickers on the boxes.
Specifically people want to know: Are the rules different? What new content or story-line or world changes feature in the "New" quest packs?
Generally speaking the 2021 Remake uses the North American (NA) rules and designs as a base. However, certain elements from the European (EU) original are retained or modified back in. For example, instead of an "Armory board" there is a deck of "Equipment cards." While the Cloak of Protection and Spear (present in the EU edition) are gone, the Bracers & Handaxe are ported over. Two Treasure cards (Holy Water and Potion of Defense) have been made into Equipment cards in this new edition. All of the extra Artifacts that the NA version had (which the EU versions lacked) such as the Spell Scrolls, Armband of Healing, Rabbit Boots, etc. are present here. In fact, the Alchemist Shop potions are now full size cards (there are no "smaller cards" this time that need to be cut out, but there are "copies" of the relevant cards at the beginning and ending of all of the expansion quest books in this set).
Card face text (Treasure, Monsters, Artifacts, Spells, Equipment) Answered. ARTIFACTS: Only small clarifications (Borin's Armor, Wand of Magic, etc). new Artifacts include: Rod of Telekinesis, Fortune's Longsword, Phantom Blade, Ring of Fortitude, Crown of Shadows, and Dragon Spear. There is a seventh new Artifact, the "Lightning Bolt Spell Scroll" which has no card, but is featured in the back of the Crypt of Perpetual Darkness quest book reference page. Their abilities are discussed here and here. They are used in the new quest books.Artifact References (on the inside back page of each new quest book): Please note some of these Artifacts are re-used from other quest books!
Crypt of Perpetual Darkness:
Crown of Shadows (Artifact)
Dragon Spear (Artifact)
Ring of Return (Artifact - Game System)
Magical Throwing Dagger (Artifact - Kellar's Keep/Return of the Witch Lord)
Holy Water (Equipment - Game System)
Spell Scroll Lightning Bolt (Game System Dread Spell... no card for Artifact version)
Spell Scroll Tempest (Artifact - Kellar's Keep)
Battle Axe (Equipment - Game System)
Crossbow (Equipment - Game System)
Potion of Speed (Equipment - Game System)
Spirit Queen's Torment:
Fortune's Longsword (Artifact)
Phantom Blade (Artifact)
Anti-Poison Quill (Artifact - Return of the Witch Lord)
Spell Ring (Artifact - Game System)
Dust of Disappearance (Artifact - Return of the Witch Lord)
Rabbit Boots (Artifact - Return of the Witch Lord)
Spell Scroll Courage (Artifact - Kellar's Keep/Return of the Witch Lord)
Spell Scroll Fire of Wrath (Artifact - Kellar's Keep/Return of the Witch Lord)
Spell Scroll Tempest (Artifact - Kellar's Keep)
Orc's Bane (Artifact - Game System)
Prophecy of Telor:
Rod of Telekinesis (Artifact)
Ring of Fortitude (Artifact)
Spell Scroll Heal Body (Artifact - Kellar's Keep/Return of the Witch Lord)
Spell Scroll Tempest (Artifact - Kellar's Keep)
Spell Scroll Ball of Flame (Artifact - Kellar's Keep/Return of the Witch Lord)
Spell Scroll Courage (Artifact - Kellar's Keep/Return of the Witch Lord)
Spell Scroll Fire of Wrath (Artifact - Kellar's Keep/Return of the Witch Lord)
Spell Scroll Sleep (Artifact - Kellar's Keep)
Spell Scroll Rock Skin (Artifact - Kellar's Keep)
Spell Scroll Genie (Artifact - Kellar's Keep)
All Artifacts from KK & ROTWL appear as full size Artifact cards now and a copy is still found in the quest book for reference.
EQUIPMENT: Rapier (250), Bracers (550), Hand Axe (200), Wand (125), Holy Water (400!), Potion of Speed (200) (+Dagger and Longsword were not previously in the Equipment deck but are there now), plus multiple copies of certain items (Shields, Battle Axes, Crossbows, Helmets, Longswords, Daggers). All Alchemist Shop potions are converted into Equipment cards and there are two copies of each (1 copy of each found in KK and in ROTWL) and a copy is found in the quest book for reference. Holy Water and Potion of Speed were Treasure cards from the EU edition and are now Equipment cards part of the "Armory" (there is no Armory board, it is just a concept that works just like the NA classic edition). There is one more new weapon that is mentioned in the Spirit Queen's Torment quest book but there is no card and no stats listed (the Spear, which appeared in the EU version of HeroQuest).
TREASURE: Spiked pits replace the regular pits, otherwise it's all the same as NA deck.
MONSTERS: Abominations replace Fimirs and Dread Warriors replace Chaos Warriors. They retain their stats, and the rest of the monsters are the same.
Prophecy of Telor's "Alchemist Shop" section in the Questbook includes two potions that don't have any actual cards:Potion of Magic (new graphic)
When consumed this potion allows a spell castor to regain three of the spells they have already cast on a quest.
400 gold coins
Potion of Healing
This sweet-smelling potion liquid restores up to 2 lost body points when consumed.
200 gold coins
Plus the usual Potion of Restoration and Potion of Battle seen previously.
What are the card sized at / how many? Answered: Some confusion around the number of cards (hero character or turn cards should be counted, also there are many duplicates of cards throughout the packs) but the total usually comes to 151. Cosmic Tavern reports:I have a pack of GameGenic Standard Card Game prime sleeves and they fit perfectly. The sleeve size on the GameGenic pack says 66x91mm. I measured the actual card, and it's about 64mm x 90mm.
What are the tiles like, double sided? Answered: The tiles in general have the same linen finish as the cards. The Dragon box set's tiles (Crypt of Perpetual Darkness, Mythic tier) seem to have the same image on both sides in many cases. The KK/ROTWL tiles are white on the reverse side like the NA editions but they are the same thickness as the other tiles this time. The reverse side of the Spiral Staircase has a horizontal staircase going down and the reverse side of the Double Blocked squares are sewer grates. There is one "mystery tile" unexplained on each of the main tile sheets. Game System has an "Eye of mentor" (with "pumpkin skull of Zargon" we are calling it) on the other side with a purple background. ROTWL has a "Bone Pile" tile. KK has a "Statue" (of a mummy) tile. No explanation is given but many theories exist as to what these would be used for other than decoration for your custom fan-made quests.
Any changes to...
Instructions Rulebook text (Intro stories, gameplay rules)? Answered: The Rulebook text is basically identical to the NA edition other than a few word substitutions in the story and making Zargon use gender neutral pronouns. It is clear that line of sight still works the same, no further clarifications were made to Treasure searching or spell usage. It was made clear that Heroes are able to share gold with each other and to give Artifacts to another on their own turn. The Sea of Claws is referred to as the Sea of Talons, just as Dread replaces Chaos in all references, and the Empire/Emperor is referred to as the Realm/King. References to brave/good men is replaced with good warriors. The line about the Wizard being wise to save his gold is still there but doesn't mention powerful magical items being for sale in future expansions (no such purchases are offered in the new quest books either... at least nothing exclusive to the Wizard!).
In the new Rulebook intro, Ladril the Elf is said to be from Elethorn, rather than Athelorn. "Northern Dread Wastes" replace "Northern Chaos Wastes", as expected.
The new Game system's quest book says the Heroes will be acclaimed as "Champions of the Realm and dubbed Sovereign Knights" if they complete the 14 quests (classic edition read "Champions of the Realm and dubbed Imperial Knights"). The Dwarven stronghold which features in Kellar's Keep, where "the King" (no longer the Emperor) is held up with his army is now referred to as "Kaba Karn" instead of Karak Varn). Thanks again to deadgamer for revealing these and many other changes!
The new rulebook and all the quest books are held together by stitching (white string) instead of metal staples like the classic quests.
Quest book ("parchment text" descriptions, character names, any major changes to the basic quests)? Answered: Other than some name changes (Black/Dark; Emperor/King; Empire/Realm; Chaos/Dread; Warlock/Sorcerer; World's Edge/World's End; Karak Varn/Kaba Karn; Sea of Claws/Sea of Talons; Fimir/Abomination) no real changes noted, although occasionally it will refer to the King as "His Majesty" or the ending of KK says you "earned" your gold instead of "will receive" it. Names of spells or titles of monsters that were capitalized in the original are often lower case now. Orcs are referred to as "allied Orcs" (meaning some aren't part of Zargon's forces I guess) and the monster descriptions at the end of the GS quest book are different (no mention of slavery, Abominations replace Fimir and they are given a generic description of a monster little is known about). The Orc description is altered to say that those allied to evil sorcerers have those bad qualities which are toned down, emphasizing their fierceness as warriors rather than their delight in cruelty and slaughter. Goblins are small and quick instead of small and "cruel."
The text is more "gender neutral" with references to "Man" or "Men" being replaced with "one (as in "no one will say")" or "Warriors," etc. Zargon, in places where he's not explicitly named, seems to be referred to as "the evil sorcerer" or "they/their" instead of "he/him."
Blackfire Pass is now "Darkfire Pass" and "Blackfire Crag" is now "Darkfire Crag" just as the "Black Mountains" are now the "Dark Mountains," etc. but the Black Banner is still the Black Banner.
The infamous "trap error" (a pit trap being placed next to an unmarked chest) in Quest 3 has been reprinted in this edition (an error from 1990, not present in the EU original for that quest). A note also indicates to "use the Orc with the large sword to represent Ulag" which is no longer applicable to the new version since there are equal distributions of orc designs (two orc types use swords and there are two of each). These errors show the text in the new edition is by and large the same text as the 1990 edition in english. "Use the Orc with the large sword to represent..." is still in the text, despite there not being a single unique Orc (other than the Bard hero for Mythic tier) to select for these quests (this issue was created by the Remake, it wasn't a mistake in the original).
The quest map layouts of GS, KK & ROTWL seem to be identical to the classic NA versions.
No real changes to the quest books other than some word substitutions as noted above for terms deemed to close to Warhammer fantasy/GamesWorkShop terms and a few things have been made to sound more gender neutral. Ullar's ghost laughs "wildly" instead of "madly."
If I missed any however, please let me know! I know a thread is being started compiling the "Errata" of the new edition of the game (thanks HispaZargon).
RETAIL VERSION DETAILS (Dec '21 to present): New cards that you'd find in the RETAIL version of the Game System (not found in the NA 1990 edition): Equipment: Hand Axe, Potion of Speed, Holy Water, Bracers... Artifacts: Fortune's Longsword, Ring of Fortitude, Rod of Telekinesis, Phantom Blade. the Treasure "Pit" hazards are spiked pits (like EU edition) and the Elf is female by default. slight clarifications to the text of Courage (Fire Spell), Wand of Magic (Artifact), and Borin's Armor (Artifact). and the fact that the Armory Board is replaced by the deck of Equipment cards (like the EU edition) with duplicates of certain items (Crossbow, Battle Axe, Longsword, Shield, and Helmet) otherwise you'll find it the same as the North American edition from 1990.
The only difference with the RETAIL version of Kellar's Keep and Return of the Witch Lord seems to be that the tiles are BLACK on the back instead of "unfinished" white from the pledge versions (Mythic tier).
It turns out the "bonus heroes" (gender swapped) are NOT available in any edition of the Retail game system. Though the Guardian Knight pack was included as one bonus extra from one retailer (now long since sold out), the online GameStop Canada.
No errata corrections were noted in the RETAIL version vs. the Pledge versions.
Spoilers? (the THREE new Quest books in terms of text) Answered.***SPOILERS! You have been warned...
Prophecy of Telor (13 quests) follows the story of the Talisman of Lore and a return to Melar's Maze to follow a formerly good and powerful magic user who was corrupted. Tolkien vibes in this one. The focus is heavily on the Wizard, Wizard lore and magic in general. The quests follow similar patterns to those in the Game System but with new puzzles and LOTS Of story enhancing text (a la Dark Company) for Zargon to share with the Heroes. Other than two quests, the difficulty doesn't seem extreme, more lots of puzzles and gimmicks to keep the heroes guessing, whether they have played HeroQuest before or not. Highlights include underwater travel, turning into orcs, multi-level towers, and other twists and turns. Takes place a long time after the original Talisman of Lore quest and if you succeed will re-affirm your status as champions.
Spirit Queen's Torment (14 quests) seeks to incorporate Orcs not just as evil cannon fodder but as occasional allies. A few Orcs are portrayed as neutral or even good and can be recruited as secondary (mercenary-like) characters. The story begins with Mentor's elven "diviners" who have some Orcs (and apparently Goblins) who work for them. The Bard hero figure can stand in for these characters. Don't worry classic fans, there is still plenty of use for Orc's Bane and plenty of "greenskins" to kill in this one. There are two possible endings (other than total party kill/failure of course). Many mentions of the afterlife and spirits, more so than most quests before seen in the franchise. Once again it deals with a powerful, formerly good magic user who has been corrupted.
Crypt of Perpetual Darkness (10 quests) introduces the "Dragon" figure and the character of Venim. This pack incorporates a whole sheet of new tiles including a "Rat and Candle Tavern" room that begins the adventure as well as acid tiles and other things. The Dragon is the main boss at the end and you are seeking a Dragon Spear that is like the equivalent to the Dragon just as the Spirit Blade was to the Witch Lord.
***End Biggest Spoilers***
Anything that has changed from the "preview" digital "not final" images posted on the Avalon Hill HQ page and blogs. Answered: The (larger AND plastic) dice were originally shown to have rounded corners but now have "sharp" or "square" corners like generic dice (and the red movement dice have white rather than gold pips). The Druid figure (and card illustrations) more closely resembles the second, more detailed version that was shown during the fundraiser campaign rather than the first one that was posted. The miniatures appear in different colors instead of all being gray as was first shown in the previews. The "Potion of Healing" treasure card no longer says it restores up to 4 body points but instead the equivalent body points from the roll of 1 red die (1-6 possible). No mention could be found of the "rule clarification" of monsters all being revealed in a row in a corridor at the same time (most people played this way anyway all along). I would characterize the original (grey) cgi renders of the miniatures to be somewhat more "dynamic" and "exaggerated" than the final versions we actually got. You can see the difference by comparing the artwork on the Monster and Hero cards (and other places like the rulebook) compared to the actual figures. I actually think the new figures look a little better, but retain the same basic design and poses as before.
As pointed out by lestodante here the wording of the Druid's "Shapeshift" spell has changed. It appears to be a little more awkwardly worded now, but the content is the same except it says the spell is meant to be used when attacking an adjacent monster (presumably when locked in combat with an adjacent monster the spell starts, it is a bit vague now). Compare to the wording of the preview version here. Formerly it could be activated anytime and presumably would have worked when attacking at range as well.
Are the new heroes part of the classic quests? Answered: New Heroes (Bard, a male Orcish minstrel; Warlock a female halfling sorcerer; Druid a female nature magician; the rest are simply alternates of existing heroes and Sir Ragnar is an NPC) are not incorporated specially into the older quests. In fact, the Bard is introduced (and can be used as a hero OR serves as various NPCs that can be used as allies throughout Spirit Queen's Torment) is the only new hero mentioned anywhere in any of the new quests. So the use of these new characters is completely up to the players at your gaming table and your imagination. No lore has been adjusted to make room for them elsewhere. Each new Hero has its own miniature, character "turn card" and each has three spells unique to that character. The "Mentor" character is just an alternate of the Wizard for the pledge drive only (Mythic tier), his card has identical stats to the normal Wizard. The gender swapped versions of the classic Heroes are HasbroPulse (website) bonuses and have identical stats but their own minis and character "turn cards" (turn cards replace the board tiles used in the NA edition for each Hero). The four classic heroes also have secondary cards that remind what they can do on a turn ("Rule" cards).
Size comparisons of the new components next to classic ones, how things look on the new board vs. old, etc.
Answered: We have seen comparisons of the old and new character miniatures and the boxes and quest books side by side for all but the GS as well as the furniture on the new board. Others have compared the two boards showing the new one is at least six inches bigger.
Since Avalon Hill only gave the most general information prior to release, this was all necessary.
THE LIST OF VOLUNTEERS:
These are the volunteers. Please... BEFORE you open your box (the giant one from Hasbro/Avalon Hill expected first two weeks of November), please check this thread to make sure somebody else isn't going ahead of you (IF you are having second thoughts... remember, the refund is for an UNopened product). Once we have our person unboxing, everybody just wait patiently before you unseal yours. This will be your last chance to return it if the contents make you change your mind. If anything is missed, we can ask that same person the questions.
We prefer someone who ordered Mythic Tier, since that includes the extra info, but if we also happen to have one with Heroic Tier, that will do it too, in case someone is wondering what's included there.
1. Kurgan (Nov 9 - VIDEO UNBOXING Part 1, Part 2, Rules Comparison 2. ajjohnsen (Nov 12 - got it) 3. j_dean80 (Nov 9 - got it) 4. Shadzar (Dec 3 - got it) 5. lestodante (Dec 20 - got it) 6. FainFlynn (Nov 8 - got it) 7. wallydubbs (Nov 24 (?) - got it) 8. twickett (Nov 9 - got it) 9. Mbutt01 (Nov 4 - got it) 10. CaelDarkhollow (Nov 4 - PICTORIAL GAMESYSTEM, KELLAR'S KEEP, RETURN OF THE WITCH LORD)Now that everyone in our list has gotten their sets, they can answer questions and can post links for reviews/pictures/etc. on request.
IF you see somebody posted an unboxing outside the community ahead of us, please post the link in this thread. We can evaluate if anything else is left (assuming they aren't taking questions... if they are, go ahead and relay their answers here if you can please).
HeroQuest Remake 2021 Unboxing Questions: (revised from the original questions list )
Mythic Tier vs Heroic Tier? Answered: Although nobody with Heroic tier has reported getting theirs, we have been told Heroic tier will only get the Game System and (because they pledged) the Sir Ragnar bonus hero figure and (because they went through Hasbro Pulse site to order) the four bonus (gender swapped) heroes (the female Barbarian/Dwarf/Wizard and male Elf). Whereas the Mythic tier pledgers get everything (the above plus Kellar's Keep and Return of the Witch Lord and "all unlocks."
What happened to the unmet stretch goals? Answered: Joe Manganiello's quest book, along with its unique tiles sheet and dragon miniature are all included with the Mythic tier (in fact the Dragon appears on the back of the box they all come in) as well as the bonus alternate "Gargoyle" monster figure.
What's on the BACK of the GM Screen? Answered, same as the NA game: monster stats and what can be done on a turn, basics of combat.
What is the plastic on the miniatures like... is it like the Reaper Bones hard rubber (polymer)? Answered. Videos confirm they are a bit bendy.
How easy do you think it would be to mod these? The bases are round, how easy to re-base them? We now know the bases are "hollow" on the bottom and they come in flimsy plastic (disposable) holder trays that some are concerned could cause any paint to "rub off." The bases appear to be integral to the whole miniature, rather than slotted in and glued as I previously speculated. The Dragon and Barbarians have detailed bases while the rest are just thick disks with a hollow bottom.
Is all of the furniture brown or is some of it gray or other colors? Answered, some are gray, some brown, and not necessarily the same as in classic.
Do the skulls and rats actually pin to the furniture or would you need to glue them on? Answered, skulls are on sprues, rats are separate and come unattached. There appear to be no peg holes or pegs like the classic components, so you either just "rest" them on top, or can apply some glue or sticky tack to hold them in place.
Scale of furniture compared to the originals? The Tomb is big enough to house a small figure inside under the removable lid (the round bases of the characters will prevent them being completely hidden but a treasure chest or pile of skulls and rats could fit inside. The rack may be big enough to hide a small object underneath its hollow bottom. Earlier reports were wrong however, as the overall scale of the furniture is almost exactly the same. New pieces are more often the same size, or even slightly shorter/narrower (smaller!) than their classic counterparts. While highly detailed, many of them look very plain without peg holes for the rats/skulls and being all one color (the classic cardboard was full color, after all).
What color are the "bonus" figures (female Heroes, male Elf, "Mentor," Witch Lord, Sir Ragnar). Are the new heroes all red too? Answered: all heroic characters are the same shade of red. The exclusive Witch Lord figure is off white like the rest of the undead. As noted early on, the final tier mythic Dragon is gray.Miniature colors:
mummy, zombie, skeleton, Witch Lord = off white
all heroic characters (including female heroes, new heroes, "mentor" and even sir ragnar) = red
chaos warriors, gargoyles, "dread" sorcerers, and the dragon = gray
orcs, goblins, abominations = dark green
Furniture:
The "Iron Doors" (KK/ROTWL), Doors (open/closed), tomb, fireplace, sorcerer's table, torture rack are all colored gray. The rest of the furniture is brown.
So Fireplace and Torture Rack are different than classic. Yes, the top of the "tomb" comes off and looks like you could "hide" a small figure inside there.
rats = brown
skulls = off white (undead color)
Retail Price for the GameSystem seems to be $125.99 + $30 shipping on average, with KK and ROTWL being about $34.99 each plus shipping. Prices may vary with the store, rate of exchange and where they are being shipped. Word has it that while the main game is in English, other common national language versions are almost certainly planned to be available but confirmation on this would be nice.
Copies of the Retail version became available November 2020, but was out of stock in many areas. It continues to be available from various sources, mainly Hasbro, Gamestop and Amazon, though Gamestop customers have reported issues with placing orders and then being told it was out of stock. It is expected that the pre-orders from November-December will be filled January-February 2022 in most cases. Results may vary of course.
It has been teased (since 2020's "Pulse Con" hype) that the next official release from Hasbro will be a remake version of "Barbarian Quest Pack: the Frozen Horror." So far only the remade box cover artwork has been publicly revealed. When that release finally comes out (speculation is the first half of 2022) it will probably deserve its own thread topic.
*SPOILERS (Spirit Queen's Torment summary/thoughts SPOILERS*
*SPOILERS (Crypt of Perpetual Darkness summary/thoughts) SPOILERS*
*SPOILERS (Prophecy of Telor summary/thoughts SPOILERS*
(Some links got deleted I apologize; the above links are to my own thoughts on the three new packs, but the threads themselves contain many great pics too!)
Update: Cael Darkhallow has some excellent threads comparing the various versions classic and remake (image heavy!):
Game System versions
Return of the Witchlord versions
Kellar's Keep versions
For more information on how the EU (or UK) versions differ from the NA (or US) versions of HeroQuest (the remake is based directly on the NA edition), please visit this thread (EU vs NA comparison.
Cosmic Tavern posted one of the first and most extensive unboxings I had seen on youtube Kudos to him for that! deadgamer posted a bunch of great unboxing videos as well
Many other unboxing videos posted here (sorry, links were sorted once and got lost in a hasty edit (sort by date)
Update: HeroQuestFans twitch unboxing re-posted! and here's Part 2.
Special thanks to Cael Darkhollow for posting extensive pictorial comparisons on the forums here, to Shadzar and HispaZargon for errata and alerting me to things and especially deadgamer for his extensive spoiler videos!
Update: Corrected a few things, adding some discoveries by HispaZargon and others.
Update: Corrected Prophecy of Telor Alchemist Shop, thanks HispaZargon!
Update:Kurgan wrote:As Shadzar has reported... Hasbro Customer Care has posted the full Rulebook AND Game System quest book in a single PDF... full color to the public (Spoilers within)! Here
Update: Darkfox190 reports that the UK version with the "Knight" expansion has gone up for pre-order.
Blayze reports the retail version for UK on Zavvi and Amazon are taking pre-orders for Feb 15, 2022 release date
elvyler reports that the HQ Companion app has been released for Android, free It is also available for iOS on the Apple App store. Some have reported issues installing it, but the overall report thus far is that the App keeps track of actions in the game but operates on the honor system and is meant to guide the person using a physical board while they play, automating Zargon's actions (with a very rudimentary AI that has monsters attack the nearest hero), but everything else is within the human player's control and it is so far the Game System only. As such those looking for rule clarifications here that are not found in the rulebook may be disappointed, but there is some unique art in it to highlight quest objectives or events.
Further details on the App indicate that it has been updated multiple times to fix bugs and run better as well as add support for Kellar's Keep and Return of the Witch Lord. The user is expected to roll dice for heroes, draw treasure cards, read about half of the artifact cards and keep track of character sheets (gold & potions collected, Hero body and mind points, gear purchased between quests). Some bugs that have been pointed out that still remain are the game only recognizing diagonal attacks from the Bard's Rapier (it should be able to hit adjacent squares too), and poor AI (monsters seem to only target the nearest hero or perhaps the one with the most body points). The app also contains "quest hints" (optional), the ability to make furniture "intangible" (for debugging purposes) and the sound (including the voice acting) can be turned down. A mid-quest save feature exists and multiple "parties" of heroes can be created, each with 1-4 heroes (there is only one "slot" for each type of character, and all of the hero types included in the "Mythic" box are present, meaning even the "Mentor" alternate wizard can be used, but not Sir Rangar of course). The app is not downloadable in some countries, and some have reported it doesn't appear in their "app store" if they don't have a compatible device, but others have reported success getting it using a VPN.
As reported by Shadzar on twitch (re: Reddit), there's a limited edition retail version of the Game System that includes 2 extra miniatures (of a male and female "Guardian Knight" hero who starts with a shield and shortsword, 7 body and 2 mind points) plus 12 cards. This has been confirmed for release in Canada and the UK so far. Also Hasbro has released the 2021 Rulebook and Game System quest book as a PDF on their customer care page for free (spoilers)!Hero Collection: Commander of the Guardian Knights
2 miniatures (male and female versions of the character in red plastic)
12 cards:
Stalwart (2 copies)*
Shield Block (2 copies)*
Knight's Challenge (2 copies)*
Hero/turn cards (2 copies)* (labelled "Knight")
Shield (2 copies) Equipment card [The artwork on these card(s) is different than the Game System art, even though the function is identical]
Shortsword (2 copies) Equipment card [unconfirmed if the card art is different from the Game System...]
these last two are identical to the ones included in the Remake Game system (but with alternate artwork).
The Knight is a hero who apparently is intended to sub in for one of the four, and has three unique skill cards that they can use once per quest each.
Stats:
2, 3, 7, 2
The one and only hero (so far) who starts with armor!
This "expansion" can either be purchased with a copy of the Game System in retail in various territories or as a stand alone pack that nevertheless requires the Game System to play since it is just two characters and their cards.
* one each depicting each gendered version of the character
Release date: Nov 30-Dec 3rd, 2021.
Update: Product sold out quickly, but new pre-orders are supposed to ship Jan 23-April 1st (hope that last date isn't a joke!).
$14.99
Update: A new trailer on Hasbro Pulse youtube (amended to the previous preview trailer, watch the end for new stuff)
Here
Update: Stephen Baker narrated a second trailer, this time introducing the Guardian Knight hero on Avalon Hill's page
Update: A gameplay demonstration of the HeroQuest Companion App was posted, thanks Shadzar!
Update:Kurgan wrote:Finally a "heroic" unboxing... the Retail version from gamestop (Game System): from Corey Allen on Youtube
first reported by Shadzar. Notice the UPC code on the box... !
As expected just the big box, no bonus heroes in this one.
Update: Hasbro removed all traces of HeroQuest instructions (sadly meaning the classic instructions that were up for years are now gone) from their Customer Care instructions page and moved the Remake Rulebook+Game System Quest book PDF to the Avalon Hill Heroquest page.
Update: Dirge the Troll added many photos of the Guardian Knight (hero collection) expansion, showing many previously unseen details, including the Knight Skill cards and revealing the character can wear armor without slowing down his or her movement speed. See the excellent details here.
Update: Added a link to the HeroQuestFans Discord Channel and HeroQuestFans Twitch Channel (videos are backed up on youtube here).
Update: Did you miss out on the Pledge drive? So it may be too late to get the Mythic tier (unless you pay absurd scalper prices) but the RETAIL VERSION is out or coming out several places though you may have to wait a couple of months. I posted here which links to a list of retailers carrying the new HeroQuest. Keep in mind this is mostly just the Game System, or Kellar's Keep, Return of the Witch Lord and (if you're lucky) the Guardian Knight expansion, but mostly just the base set, no Hasbro Pulse extras, sadly.
Update: Small update from me on textures of cards/boxes and differences between retail and the new stock for the Guardian Knight expansion coming January here.
Update: Official news! The second "Free Quest" has been released (the first being Rogar's Hall, a "training quest" by Stephen Baker, released before the game shipped), entitled "The Forsaken Tunnels of Xor-Xel" which takes place between Quest 14 of the Game System and Quest 1 of Kellar's Keep. Join the discussion about it here. Thanks to Shadzar and HispaZargon for the news!
Update: Added new release dates for the "Guardian Knight" mini-expansion set. Also added Q&A regarding the retail versions.
Update: seekhashem posted a link to the new Kellar's Keep promo video from Avalon Hill here.
Update: I WAS WRONG. The Four "Pulse Bonus" (gender swapped) heroes will NOT be available in retail, according to the Hasbro customer service rep I spoke with on the phone 1/21/22. He has no idea if or when they will ever be available from any retail source, sorry.
Update: Info on international versions here. It is assumed that the only difference between these and the existing retail versions is the language.
Update: HispaZargon is continuing to report on errata found in the Remake editions, including the Spanish edition, which seems to give different starting weapons to the Heroes than in other editions. Delays on the Guardian Knights "Hero Collection" expansion continue to annoy those who pre-ordered them back in November... limited supplies mean orders are getting filled slowly, with ever changing "expected" dates.
Update: Added that the Retail version includes the Rod of Telekinesis artifact card (recall that the Dragon Spear and Crown of Shadows were exclusive to the Mythic tier box), along with the Phantom Blade, Ring of Fortitude and Fortune's Longsword (without the extra Mythic questbooks of course, the use of these artifacts will be up to your imagination/custom quests!).
Update: 8/31/22: Recently it was noticed that Hasbro had decommissioned the old pledge drive web page (it was inevitable) and redirected everything to their new HeroQuest franchise/shop pages. The old pages can be viewed in archive form with most media still viewable (other than the old trailer which showed the gray cgi rendered miniatures and statuary rather than the colored plastic as in the final trailer) HERE.
While this thread is useful for archival purposes, new threads are covering the Rogue Heir of Elethorn(2nd Hero Collection, very similar to the Guardian Knights in design having opposite sex figures with their own set of skill cards plus equipment of a "Bandolier" granting special abilities to dagger throwing, and most importantly for the RETAIL market... no more limited edition nonsense) releasing Dec 1, 2022, and the remake of Mage of the Mirror (EQP) in Spring 2023 (with a confirmed MALE ELF, though this time based on the 1992 box cover art rather than any previously released design, and of course he'll be in red plastic... plus there's new "elven" furniture rather than new dice/pads like in the Frozen Horror Remake... AND double the number of Elven Warriors/Archers this time with male and female versions of those plus the Ogre monster had his body points reduced to 5, we know very little else but many pictures have been posted online of the contents). Most of this info about the Rogue Heir was known for awhile but a lot was revealed at GenCon at the beginning of August. More may be revealed at PulseCon (end of September)...
Thanks to everyone who participated and contributed to this project to better inform the community about the remake!
