Translation of "Slumbering Monster" by Roberto de Moraes

[Jafazo]

So, I only just started looking at this quest, and it looks like fun, but the Axe of Destruction seems like a really big problem. You 'recharge' its awesome blow capability by basically destroying any other artifact. This now gives heroes the ability to destroy artifacts. A cruel player could decide to start touching it up against another players Borins Armor, Spirit Blade etc if he wanted to destroy them for any reason. Magical Throwing Daggers, spell scrolls, anti-poison quills and other moot artifacts will lose purpose and will most likely become fuel for this awesome axe so expect to see 10 combat dice attacks more than once per quest.

With the versatility of so many home brew quests it also means that putting too much reliance on any artifact could prove problematic for Zargon. If Heroes are required to interact with any kind of artifact, the Axe of Destruction can destroy it, resulting in problems like failed quests, death or a quest completed more quickly than anticipated, like Frodo draining the one ring with the axe and bypassing the venture to mount doom.

A clever 'Creature' of this quest might try to "Command" the hero holding the Axe of Destruction and use the recharge ability to destroy an important artifact that same hero carries, if he takes command of the hero after the sword was used. Or just burn the use against another hero then immediately recharge it by destroying a held artifact. God forbid the Creature be smart enough to Command that hero, drink a heroic brew (two attacks this turn), attack another hero with 10 combat dice, drain an artifact he's carrying, attack that same hero with 10 attack dice, drain another artifact he's carrying. If the hero is carrying both the Axe of Destruction and the Chaotic Sword the creature might choose to recharge the axe by draining the Chaotic Sword, meaning the only weapon that can now harm it would be the artifact draining Axe of Destruction. Big problems.

[Drew]

So, I only just started looking at this quest, and it looks like fun, but the Axe of Destruction seems like a really big problem.

I disagree. I dont think its such a big problem, i think you are overthinking it. Ill examine your 3 points and tell you what I think.

1. I believe that it can only destroy artifacts that the wielder has, it cant destroy other people's that would be stupid. And about "Magical Throwing Daggers, spell scrolls, anti-poison quills", I play the EU version where none of these exists, so problem solved. Maybe the quest was designed with the EU game system, where there are only 5 basic artifacts, so that'd make sense. I understand US players might have a problem with it but I can't help since im not familiar with the US version or those artifacts you mentioned.

2.to be honest the only point I agree with you is that It could harm a quest by sacrificing an artifact that you will need later in the same quest or a future one. Having an easy go on a quest can always happen in HeroQuest by just taking the "best" path and not exploring the whole map so I disagree that a quest been completed quicker is a problem cause its actually normal.

3. I dont see a problem here. HQ in not designed for the heroes to always win, if you have a smart Morcar/Zargon who has such a chance with a clever "creature" (as long as he doenst make it up and its balanced) then he should do it. Wipe the heroes and have a victory for himself for a change.

In conclusion I see the points you make I just dont think that these are "problems" except destroying an artifact you'd need in the future, that is a problem indead.

[lestodante]

Not a big problem for me also... it is instead the interesting thing about this weapon.
They have to chose wisely wich artifact can be sacrificed to recharge the power of the AXE.
I was also considering to not tlet the effect over the other artifacts permanent but to last for several quests instead (maybe 4 or 5). So the touched artifact will lose its power for a long time but not forever.
This will avoid to destroy some key-artifacts and also will make it usable more often. But there was not enough space on the card for writing all, neither I wanted to change the adventure too much.
Destroying (even just temporarily) an artifact will give space to use other custom cards. For example I am creating a quest with 5 Magic Staffs, each of them featuring different skills and the Wizard can carry only once per quest, the other ones can be temporily out of the game while he's experimenting the powers of all the others.

We can also think to some special guy that has the power to regenerate an artifact that lost its power, but you have to pay lot of gold coins for his unique services!

[The Admiral]

So, I only just started looking at this quest, and it looks like fun, but the Axe of Destruction seems like a really big problem. You 'recharge' its awesome blow capability by basically destroying any other artifact. This now gives heroes the ability to destroy artifacts. A cruel player could decide to start touching it up against another players Borins Armor, Spirit Blade etc if he wanted to destroy them for any reason. Magical Throwing Daggers, spell scrolls, anti-poison quills and other moot artifacts will lose purpose and will most likely become fuel for this awesome axe so expect to see 10 combat dice attacks more than once per quest.

With the versatility of so many home brew quests it also means that putting too much reliance on any artifact could prove problematic for Zargon. If Heroes are required to interact with any kind of artifact, the Axe of Destruction can destroy it, resulting in problems like failed quests, death or a quest completed more quickly than anticipated, like Frodo draining the one ring with the axe and bypassing the venture to mount doom.

A clever 'Creature' of this quest might try to "Command" the hero holding the Axe of Destruction and use the recharge ability to destroy an important artifact that same hero carries, if he takes command of the hero after the sword was used. Or just burn the use against another hero then immediately recharge it by destroying a held artifact. God forbid the Creature be smart enough to Command that hero, drink a heroic brew (two attacks this turn), attack another hero with 10 combat dice, drain an artifact he's carrying, attack that same hero with 10 attack dice, drain another artifact he's carrying. If the hero is carrying both the Axe of Destruction and the Chaotic Sword the creature might choose to recharge the axe by draining the Chaotic Sword, meaning the only weapon that can now harm it would be the artifact draining Axe of Destruction. Big problems.

I just simply would not allow any of that.

[Presti70]

I cannot see a way to get to the Axe. Is it just me, or is this a dead end? If so, I propose putting a secret door at the back of the bottom left room with the Fimir and the chest?

How was resolved this problem? Looking at the new map of the Quest2 , the central room with the "G" note, is still unattainable....
I think that adding a normal door in the room with the A note, will resolve this problem.

[Drew]

I cannot see a way to get to the Axe. Is it just me, or is this a dead end? If so, I propose putting a secret door at the back of the bottom left room with the Fimir and the chest?

How was resolved this problem? Looking at the new map of the Quest2 , the central room with the "G" note, is still unattainable....
I think that adding a normal door in the room with the A note, will resolve this problem.

The secret door in the north of the room is the entrance to room G. (Check how room D is connected with the room above it, its the same)

[Pancho]

I cannot see a way to get to the Axe. Is it just me, or is this a dead end? If so, I propose putting a secret door at the back of the bottom left room with the Fimir and the chest?

How was resolved this problem? Looking at the new map of the Quest2 , the central room with the "G" note, is still unattainable....
I think that adding a normal door in the room with the A note, will resolve this problem.

The secret door in the north of the room is the entrance to room G. (Check how room D is connected with the room above it, its the same)

Yeah but you can’t get to room D from the stair tile. I agree with Presti that it’s impossible to get to room G, unless I’m really missing something. It’s not the fault of anyone who worked on this thread, the original quest was missing a route to the axe.

[Drew]

I cannot see a way to get to the Axe. Is it just me, or is this a dead end? If so, I propose putting a secret door at the back of the bottom left room with the Fimir and the chest?

How was resolved this problem? Looking at the new map of the Quest2 , the central room with the "G" note, is still unattainable....
I think that adding a normal door in the room with the A note, will resolve this problem.

The secret door in the north of the room is the entrance to room G. (Check how room D is connected with the room above it, its the same)

Yeah but you can’t get to room D from the stair tile. I agree with Presti that it’s impossible to get to room G, unless I’m really missing something. It’s not the fault of anyone who worked on this thread, the original quest was missing a route to the axe.

I understand your point. I just think that it s not that the creator "forgot" to add a door, its just that he used secret doors wrongly. As you can see he used it the exact same way in room D so I dont think that he "forgot" to make the rooms accessible. I think those two secret doors where supposed to be placed in the opposite way to be used an the entrances to rooms D and G and he just messed up. What do you people think?

[Pancho]

I cannot see a way to get to the Axe. Is it just me, or is this a dead end? If so, I propose putting a secret door at the back of the bottom left room with the Fimir and the chest?

How was resolved this problem? Looking at the new map of the Quest2 , the central room with the "G" note, is still unattainable....
I think that adding a normal door in the room with the A note, will resolve this problem.

The secret door in the north of the room is the entrance to room G. (Check how room D is connected with the room above it, its the same)

Yeah but you can’t get to room D from the stair tile. I agree with Presti that it’s impossible to get to room G, unless I’m really missing something. It’s not the fault of anyone who worked on this thread, the original quest was missing a route to the axe.

I understand your point. I just think that it s not that the creator "forgot" to add a door, its just that he used secret doors wrongly. As you can see he used it the exact same way in room D so I dont think that he "forgot" to make the rooms accessible. I think those two secret doors where supposed to be placed in the opposite way to be used an the entrances to rooms D and G and he just messed up. What do you people think?

I think we are completely misunderstanding each other here. Secret doors can be opened from either direction, so it’s not a case of the designer misusing secret doors, it’s a case of him not creating an actual route to the Axe.

Forget room D for a moment. Start at the stair tile, and try to trace a route to the centre room. You can’t do it. A completely new door needs to be added to the map to allow Heroes access to the centre of the game board.

[Anderas]

I propose a teleport trap or a tunnel entrance hatch instead of a door.