• Advertisement

Make a small donation to Ye Olde Inn!

Donate via Paypal

Every cent received goes toward Ye Olde Inn's maintenance and allows us to continue providing the best resources for HeroQuest and Fantasy Gaming fans.

Yeti in soloquest = instadeath

Discuss Quests, Cards, Monsters etc, from the Barbarian Quest Pack: The Frozen Horror.

Re: Yeti in soloquest = instadeath

Postby Kurgan » Tuesday June 7th, 2022 6:37pm

The original draft notes (thanks Lucapaschi) indicate that the designers originally intended the Yeti hug to only do 1 BP of damage per round (not 2) and instead of being unbreakable, the Hero rolls TWO white combat dice... one white shield means the damage is negated that round... two white shields means he escapes the hold. The Yeti CAN still defend while holding a hero, but defends with ONE LESS (2 instead of 3).

Under the old rules it would have been a dangerous (but survivable) type of trap situation in the three Solo Quests where the Barbarian has nobody to rescue him otherwise. The same rule ought to apply to all of the heroes (and even the Mercenaries) who fall victim to the Yeti. No fancy strength checks or hero specific mechanisms required, just simple...

Hopefully people implement such a fix in the remake! I personally add the homebrew rule that you use three dice... and three white shields mean you REVERSE the hold and do a wrestling move on the Yeti, dealing 1 BP of damage to the monster. hiyah! :mrgreen:
Last edited by Kurgan on Monday August 15th, 2022 12:09pm, edited 1 time in total.


Rewards:
Destroyed a Zombie!
User avatar
Channeler
Kurgan

Witch Lord
Witch Lord
 
Posts: 6480
Images: 85
Joined: Saturday February 23rd, 2019 7:08pm
Location: https://discord.gg/2R9pEP4cty
Forum Language: English (United States)
Hero:
Evil Sorcerer: Zargon
Usergroups:
Scribes Group MemberAdventurers' Guild Group MemberChampion Group Member

Advertisement

Make a small donation to Ye Olde Inn!

Donate via Paypal

Every cent received goes toward Ye Olde Inn's maintenance and allows us to continue providing the best resources for HeroQuest and Fantasy Gaming fans.

Re: Yeti in soloquest = instadeath

Postby Hogg » Sunday August 14th, 2022 3:01am

A Yeti in a hallway can present a similar problem. There are several quests that have Yetis in corridors, including as wandering monster traps.
Hogg

Goblin
Goblin
 
Posts: 19
Joined: Saturday June 6th, 2020 9:30pm
Forum Language: English (United States)
Hero:
Evil Sorcerer: Zargon

Re: Yeti in soloquest = instadeath

Postby Kurgan » Monday August 15th, 2022 12:13pm

Well we have some official "solutions" from Avalon Hill in the remake edition now...

By way of the free online "Into the Northlands" quest.. at the end there's playtesting/errata suggestions:

Don't use the Hug attack at all in Solo quests, just normal attacks. That bypasses the problem entirely there. Zargon just pretends the ability doesn't exist in those instances.

In the official HeroQuest Companion App (version 1.5 added the Frozen Horror quests, along with Mercenaries for that pack only, etc), it mentions not using the hug attacks and it also has a toggle you can add for the group quests wherein a "hugged" character has the ability to "break" the hold simply by rolling two RED dice on their turn, and if any 5's or 6's are rolled, the character escapes. There's simply a button to click on the character that lets them "break" the hold.


Rewards:
Destroyed a Zombie!
User avatar
Channeler
Kurgan

Witch Lord
Witch Lord
 
Posts: 6480
Images: 85
Joined: Saturday February 23rd, 2019 7:08pm
Location: https://discord.gg/2R9pEP4cty
Forum Language: English (United States)
Hero:
Evil Sorcerer: Zargon
Usergroups:
Scribes Group MemberAdventurers' Guild Group MemberChampion Group Member

Re: Yeti in soloquest = instadeath

Postby manaknight14 » Friday October 7th, 2022 10:22am

Question for all the Zargons, as I’ve been thinking about honest ways to deal with the inescapable hug dilemma. How do you feel about allowing a hero to escape a hug if they are in a “can move through monsters” status such as that from Veil of Mist? Veil of Mist itself doesn’t help in the solo quests since even if the the barbarian had it on a scroll, he would need to be able to perform an action to use it. But if he had something like Dust of Disappearance, he could sprinkle it on himself and slip out of the confused yeti’s grip. Thoughts on this?

One additional consideration about employing this rule if you have players using AH’s new heroes: the rogue’s combat mobility skill would make him completely immune to yeti hugs!
manaknight14

Orc
Orc
 
Posts: 42
Joined: Friday November 12th, 2021 11:46am
Forum Language: English (United States)
Evil Sorcerer: Zargon

Re: Yeti in soloquest = instadeath

Postby Kurgan » Friday October 7th, 2022 11:07am

Even though I think the Yeti hug was unfair as written (with the fixes it is tough but survivable)... I don't feel like the Rogue's ability is magical or supernatural... it's slipping past a target that normally blocks your path vs. actually is holding you tight after dealing damage ("hug"). So I would say NO.

But, as Zargon you do what you like, if you want to say the Rogue is immune (all he has to do is move one square away and he's free then one back and he can attack the target normally... or at range without moving back I suppose) then so be it. I don't think that's what they intended though.

Using Dust/Veil requires an action so the victim can't do it to himself, but if someone else uses it on him, what then? Not mentioned in the rules (they should have thought of it) but it's up to you. To me the Veil/Dust are just meant to cloud vision so that the hero can "slip past" (the monster can't tell if the one passing by him is friend or foe) not like magically pass through him.

But again, if as Zargon you feel like you should allow it, and make the spell/artifact break the monster's grip, then go for it. I'd say no. Some have said that the only thing that should break the grip is death itself. The hero falls dead then revives (free) with the unused healing potion/spell, but that's the absolute worst case scenario. I'm for the other options but this one feels unsatisfying. As the GM though, if the hero suggests it, it's your call to make.

Now if you want to say the Rogue is extra flexibly strong as well as agile and that's why he should have an easier time getting out of a Yeti hug, maybe you could say he rolls more dice to escape, or else he has an even better chance of getting out (let's say he escapes on the roll of a skull instead of a white shield... or 4-5-6 instead of just 5-6)?


Rewards:
Destroyed a Zombie!
User avatar
Channeler
Kurgan

Witch Lord
Witch Lord
 
Posts: 6480
Images: 85
Joined: Saturday February 23rd, 2019 7:08pm
Location: https://discord.gg/2R9pEP4cty
Forum Language: English (United States)
Hero:
Evil Sorcerer: Zargon
Usergroups:
Scribes Group MemberAdventurers' Guild Group MemberChampion Group Member

Re: Yeti in soloquest = instadeath

Postby Bareheaded Warrior » Friday October 7th, 2022 1:00pm

Yeti hug is activated when its attack roll shows at least two skulls*, damage is worked out as usual and you are now considered as 'being hugged'

*this follows the same logic as the pushback rules that we discussed elsewhere and this hug would be instead of a push back.

On your turn, as the huggee, you must take a strength test to break free. Roll a red die for each of your starting Body Points (in this case 8) if you score at least 2 sixes then you have escaped and can take your turn as usual, otherwise you cannot do anything.

On Zargon's turn, if the Yeti has a victim in a state of huginess then the victim automatically suffers 3 lost BP but can defend with one less damage die than normal.

If attacked by another Hero, the Yeti will automatically release the hug to defend itself (no help in solo quests)

On reflection, perhaps referring to the attack as a "Crush Attack" may reduce the cute factor which seems a little out of place for this deadly monster
:skull: = white skull, one "hit"
:blackshield: = black skull, one "hit"
:whiteshield: = shield, cancels out one "hit"

HQ Editions: 1989 Original Edition (First Edition [FE] and Second Edition [SE]), 1990 Remake [90], 2021 Remake [21]

HQ Golden Rules Rule Fixes based on Original 1989 HeroQuest.

HQ Common Notification System to identify squares on the board


Rewards:
Wrote an article for the Blog.
User avatar
Bareheaded Warrior

Scout
Scout
 
Posts: 1067
Joined: Sunday December 8th, 2013 11:12am
Location: UK
Forum Language: British English
Hero:
Evil Sorcerer: Morcar
Usergroups:
Adventurers' Guild Group Member Champion Group Member

Re: Yeti in soloquest = instadeath

Postby wallydubbs » Tuesday August 15th, 2023 9:11pm

Some of us have tried to doctor the solo quests to make it playable for a new Barbarian, but I just recently got around to playing it with an experienced Barbarian, maxed out with weapons, armor and potions; upon going through the solo quests, not using the Yeti hug, the Barbarian barely survived losing all his healing potions previously acquired from the Game System, Keller's Keep, Return of the Witch Lord, Prophecy of Telor. I've been using a standard Hero Quest treasure deck, which I've noticed Healing Potions come up much more frequently with a deck of 26 (14 Good, 12 Bad) cards. Frozen Horror adds 4 good and 2 bad, but since the bad cards only target Mind Points they're not too crucial. Before the new releases I had always played with an expanded treasure deck of 42 cards (22 good, 18 bad, 1 neither, 1 both). With only 3 healing potions and 2 Warmth potions in both cases they come up more often with 32 deck, and the Maxed-out Barbarian went through ALL his healing potions within the first 3 solo quests.
The ONLY advantage a solo quest has is that the hero can take his time performing all 3 searches (Traps, Secret Doors, Treasure) but he has no allies to back him up if a Wandering Monster comes up, I've also noticed that quite a bit of gold can be gained through a single quest if all treasure searches go to one hero.
Barbra completed the first four quest packs with her companions: Drew, a Druid that has been there from the start, (An Elf and Warlock were lost in The Trial; the Wizard was killed in Lair of the Orc Warlord by a Wandering Monster; the Rogue was lost somewhere in Keller's Keep, to be replaced by Penny, the Dwarf) and Galedriel another elf that joined after the first one was died.
She went in with a Battle Axe, Chainmail, Helmet, Talisman of Lore, Armband of Ice, Ring of Fortitude, 7 healing potions (4 dice roll, 2 +4, 1 +2), 1 potion of Defence, 2 potions of Strength, 2 potions of icey Strength, 2 Potions of Battle Rage, 1 potion of Dexterity, and 1 potion of Battle, 1 Potion of restoration. Looking back I suppose a potion of Frost Skin would've helped, but I suppose I was thinking more offensively. These potions aren't counting the ones found during the quests. But i must mention that during at least 2 of these quests the Wandering Monster card came up 6 times! Not counting the Wandering Monster traps. So the Barbarian had a pretty rough time with these 3 quests. Luckily he'll have backup in the next 7. It'll be like a regular group of 4 with a Druid instead of a Wizard, which will be more combat oriented when the Druid is Shapeshifted with a Longsword.

I just got to say these solo quests are insanely difficult even if you don't use the Yeti hug, it's impossible to accomplish with a new Barbarian and for a maxed out one still very difficult.


Rewards:
Wizard of Zargon Group Member
wallydubbs

Crossbowman
Crossbowman
 
Posts: 1524
Joined: Thursday October 18th, 2018 7:15am
Forum Language: English (United States)
Evil Sorcerer: Zargon
Usergroups:
Wizards of Zargon Group MemberChampion Group Member

Re: Yeti in soloquest = instadeath

Postby LucaRocks » Saturday October 21st, 2023 10:16pm

Hey so the Yeti can still move and defend while hugging right? It's says in the book he can't attack but that doesn't mean he can't do other stuff, correct?
User avatar
LucaRocks

Orc Shaman
Orc Shaman
 
Posts: 360
Joined: Tuesday January 10th, 2023 8:40pm
Forum Language: English (United States)
Hero:
Evil Sorcerer: Zargon

Re: Yeti in soloquest = instadeath

Postby Kurgan » Sunday October 22nd, 2023 2:17am

I always just assumed the Hug made the Yeti (and the hero) both immobile, but you've put up an amusing scenario I never considered where the Yeti just wanders around the map carrying the hero (perhaps back to its lair for eating?). I'm pretty sure the app treats it as a "both are immobile" situation, but I'd be curious to see playtests of the results of a mobile duo.

I realized that Dust of Disappearance doesn't say it's an action to use, but I would still rule the same, that it doesn't let you pass through the monster that is grabbing you to escape the hug (though I'm sure people will say "but you toss the dust IN HIS EYES BLINDING HIM!" which fits in with my own homebrew "uncommon feat" thing).

Originally the Yeti (and the hugged hero) could both defend from outside attacks (with 1 less). The point was that the two are locked up and an ally could come by and wail on one to finish them off (the good guys are supposed to kill the Yeti to free their friend, which is the only way he could escape in the final 1992 edition). But technically if the text just says that the hero can't defend against the hug or take any other actions (defending against outside attacks isn't an action) and the Yeti can't make any other attacks (but could move).. if you go by what it doesn't say. I don't recall if the draft notes clarified this any further as it's been awhile since I looked at those sections... but a second Yeti attacking the hero in the hug would have the effect (if he did any damage) of having a second hug simultaneously, which really would put the hero in grave danger. Of course if allies are around, they could freely cast spells on their guy to keep him alive, but couldn't hand him a potion to use because he would necessarily be adjacent to a monster (the Yeti in this case).


Rewards:
Destroyed a Zombie!
User avatar
Channeler
Kurgan

Witch Lord
Witch Lord
 
Posts: 6480
Images: 85
Joined: Saturday February 23rd, 2019 7:08pm
Location: https://discord.gg/2R9pEP4cty
Forum Language: English (United States)
Hero:
Evil Sorcerer: Zargon
Usergroups:
Scribes Group MemberAdventurers' Guild Group MemberChampion Group Member

Re: Yeti in soloquest = instadeath

Postby LucaRocks » Sunday October 22nd, 2023 1:34pm

Thanks for the detailed discussion!
User avatar
LucaRocks

Orc Shaman
Orc Shaman
 
Posts: 360
Joined: Tuesday January 10th, 2023 8:40pm
Forum Language: English (United States)
Hero:
Evil Sorcerer: Zargon

PreviousNext

Return to The Frozen Horror

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: CommonCrawl [Bot] and 3 guests