HeroQuest Prime

Still buzzing from the success of my current and ongoing Roll20 HeroQuest campaign, I've had the very nagging (in a good way) urge to go balls-in in modifying the original HQ rules to my tastes. As I kept thinking about what I wanted, the scope of the project kept expanding. This is definitely still a work in progress, and I'm looking for feedback for these ideas. Here's what I've got so far. Note that for many of the rules, I will be cherry-picking what other people have done, if I don't come up with something new myself. Naturally, credit will be given in the package, and it will be made available for everyone to check out. This is going to be kind of stream-of-consciousness, so I beg your pardon if it seems rambly. No time to organize these thoughts properly.
No more just picking one of 4 characters. Start with your choice of race:
Human - Special ability: Add 1 to your choice of Body Points, Mind Points, or Movement.
Dwarf - Special ability: Ignore the movement penalty while heavy armor is worn.
Elf - Special ability: Ignore the movement penalty for moving over low furniture (the rule for this is that over chairs, tables, and other similar low furniture items, you can move across them but each square costs 1 extra movement).
Class selection is insanely improved, and each has a unique special ability:
Acrobat - You can split your movement phase up with an action (move>attack>continue move)
Assassin - Can disarm traps like the base Dwarf does, without a toolkit.
Bard - Going to work on new party buff spells, probably just 3 card. So, like the standard Elf's usage of a short sword but no damaging spells
Druid - Like Bard, but animal-themed spells, noted below.
Duelist - If you get hit with 2
, you get a free riposte attack with 1CD. The enemy defends as normal.
Elementalist - Like the specialist wizard selections from the Imperial Academy (geomancer, pyromancer, etc)
Hunter - You pick one monster type (goblin, fimir, etc.). Against that monster type, you can roll 1 extra attack die.
Illusionist - A wizard with a mind-altering spell list (fear, command,and sleep will be 3 of them to start with)
Knight - On another Hero's action, you can choose to swap with a willing adjacent ally and take the damage your ally would have otherwise taken.
Monk - Flurry of blows. Sacrifice your move action to attack more. Haven't worked out the exact mechanics on this one.
Paladin - While defending from attacks, you can roll
instead of
to defend.
Ranger - Your range with bows is doubled (normally the range on bows is the Hero's max Body Points)
Sorcerer - Start with one spell group and learn spells as you come across them. In the late game, the Sorc would be crazy overpowered, so I'm thinking to limit this by saying Sorc must choose which spells to start each quest with (up to 6 spells per quest)
Thief - In lieu of attacking as your action, you can steal 1d4x10 gold coins from a monster if you roll a
on 1CD. Rolling
means you don't steal anything, and
means the monster notices your attempt and gets a free hit on you. You defend normally.
Warlord - Switch places with one monster as your action, if you roll at least 1
on your attack.
Warrior - Choose one weapon. You gain +1 AD with that weapon.
But monsters are also upgraded with special moves and more variety! (List is still incomplete)
Goblin Skirmisher - Can move-action-move just like Acrobats.
Goblin Archers
Skeleton Warriors - 1 extra defend die for using a shield
Skeleton Archers
Fimir - They all get Fimir spells (I forget who came up with this, but they are great!)
Giant rodents
Mounted monsters!
More to come...
New spell groups to choose from, too! The Animal, Plant, Sun, and Night spells from here: http://scattergamed.blogspot.com/2012/10/development-log-heroquest-monthathon-3.html.
There will be a greatly expanded selection in the Armory, including a Potion Shop and a Magic Shop (casters can purchase new spells or spell groups).
Monsters will drop weapons that Heroes can pick up if they so choose. The Armory will buy back those weapons at half price. Undead do not drop their weapons. Well, more like, the weapons they use are such poor quality that the Armory refuses to buy back.
Weapons can be damaged if you roll all
on your attack (up to 4, if you do more than 4CD on your attack). Damaged weapons attack with one less CD. Damaged weapons can be repaired at the Armory between quests for a price cheaper than buying new. If a damaged weapon gets damaged again, it is broken and useless.
Likewise, armor can be damaged/broken/repaired the same way when you defend.
New Spell scrolls added from the link given above.
Mercenaries can be hired.
Heroes can enter the Melee Magerie to learn new skills!
New items
The Toolkit is renamed Standard Toolkit and works as normal. A Master Toolkit is added, which lets anyone disarm traps like a base Dwarf would. Assassins using a MTK get to reroll a
once, that would otherwise have sprung.
Healer's Kit - As an action, roll 3CD. For each
the target heals a BP. If you roll
the contents of the kit are used up.
Magic Ammunition - Add +1CD to every attack with a ranged weapon. The ammunition is used up when you roll 1
on an attack.
Quiver of Arrows/Bolts - Used to replenish Magic Ammunition.
No more just picking one of 4 characters. Start with your choice of race:
Human - Special ability: Add 1 to your choice of Body Points, Mind Points, or Movement.
Dwarf - Special ability: Ignore the movement penalty while heavy armor is worn.
Elf - Special ability: Ignore the movement penalty for moving over low furniture (the rule for this is that over chairs, tables, and other similar low furniture items, you can move across them but each square costs 1 extra movement).
Class selection is insanely improved, and each has a unique special ability:
Acrobat - You can split your movement phase up with an action (move>attack>continue move)
Assassin - Can disarm traps like the base Dwarf does, without a toolkit.
Bard - Going to work on new party buff spells, probably just 3 card. So, like the standard Elf's usage of a short sword but no damaging spells
Druid - Like Bard, but animal-themed spells, noted below.
Duelist - If you get hit with 2

Elementalist - Like the specialist wizard selections from the Imperial Academy (geomancer, pyromancer, etc)
Hunter - You pick one monster type (goblin, fimir, etc.). Against that monster type, you can roll 1 extra attack die.
Illusionist - A wizard with a mind-altering spell list (fear, command,and sleep will be 3 of them to start with)
Knight - On another Hero's action, you can choose to swap with a willing adjacent ally and take the damage your ally would have otherwise taken.
Monk - Flurry of blows. Sacrifice your move action to attack more. Haven't worked out the exact mechanics on this one.
Paladin - While defending from attacks, you can roll


Ranger - Your range with bows is doubled (normally the range on bows is the Hero's max Body Points)
Sorcerer - Start with one spell group and learn spells as you come across them. In the late game, the Sorc would be crazy overpowered, so I'm thinking to limit this by saying Sorc must choose which spells to start each quest with (up to 6 spells per quest)
Thief - In lieu of attacking as your action, you can steal 1d4x10 gold coins from a monster if you roll a



Warlord - Switch places with one monster as your action, if you roll at least 1

Warrior - Choose one weapon. You gain +1 AD with that weapon.
But monsters are also upgraded with special moves and more variety! (List is still incomplete)
Goblin Skirmisher - Can move-action-move just like Acrobats.
Goblin Archers
Skeleton Warriors - 1 extra defend die for using a shield
Skeleton Archers
Fimir - They all get Fimir spells (I forget who came up with this, but they are great!)
Giant rodents
Mounted monsters!
More to come...
New spell groups to choose from, too! The Animal, Plant, Sun, and Night spells from here: http://scattergamed.blogspot.com/2012/10/development-log-heroquest-monthathon-3.html.
There will be a greatly expanded selection in the Armory, including a Potion Shop and a Magic Shop (casters can purchase new spells or spell groups).
Monsters will drop weapons that Heroes can pick up if they so choose. The Armory will buy back those weapons at half price. Undead do not drop their weapons. Well, more like, the weapons they use are such poor quality that the Armory refuses to buy back.
Weapons can be damaged if you roll all

Likewise, armor can be damaged/broken/repaired the same way when you defend.
New Spell scrolls added from the link given above.
Mercenaries can be hired.
Heroes can enter the Melee Magerie to learn new skills!
New items
The Toolkit is renamed Standard Toolkit and works as normal. A Master Toolkit is added, which lets anyone disarm traps like a base Dwarf would. Assassins using a MTK get to reroll a

Healer's Kit - As an action, roll 3CD. For each


Magic Ammunition - Add +1CD to every attack with a ranged weapon. The ammunition is used up when you roll 1

Quiver of Arrows/Bolts - Used to replenish Magic Ammunition.