GimmeYerGold's [revised] Custom Cards Preview: Artifacts

[GimmeYerGold]

Artifacts! only one more set to share after this...

Notes:
1) Lifted restrictions to allow the wizard and other spellcasters to use any and all artifacts, similar to the UK/EU version. I felt this helped balancing issues with the wizard.
2) Modified some items like the fire ring. Now adds to fire spell defense rather than negating it. I felt it was hard not to meta-game when I knew a hero had fire ring, and I wanted to scorch 'em. An extra "saving throw" seemed more apt, and the ability to use it to cast a fire spell once per quest when the threat of fire was not present.
3) Limited Spell scrolls to be 1 "all star" spell from each spell group, chaos included.
4) Turned an old dwarf skill into a firearm-type artifact. powerful, but injures hero.
5) Added a Wand of Recall, borrowed the idea from Sjeng. It functions slightly differently however.
6) The auspicious talisman is an old favorite, and can help defend against the zombie's new "mob" +1 attack die skill.

More card sets I'm working on:
[revised] Encounter Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2828
[revised] Combat Skill Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2823
[revised] Chaos Spell Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2822
[revised] Hero Spell Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2821
[revised] Monster Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2820
[revised] Equipment Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2818
[revised] Lone Monster Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2816
[revised] Settlement Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2813
[revised] Treasure Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2812

[cynthialee]

Only issue I would have with this deck is the allowing of the wizard to use Borins armor and the spirit blade. Borins armor is a form of plate mail and the spirit blade is obviously a heavy hitting sword.
Also....why they put a restriction that you can not combine the cloak with the armor is silly. Plenty of armored soldiers wear cloaks. Heck, half my mini's that are dudes in plate armor are wearing a cloak also.

[GimmeYerGold]

Only issue I would have with this deck is the allowing of the wizard to use Borins armor and the spirit blade. Borins armor is a form of plate mail and the spirit blade is obviously a heavy hitting sword.
Also....why they put a restriction that you can not combine the cloak with the armor is silly. Plenty of armored soldiers wear cloaks. Heck, half my mini's that are dudes in plate armor are wearing a cloak also.

I was surprised that you mentioned that as an issue to be honest! You're always in support of giving the wizard more options, and with good reason. Coming from the "how to fix the wizard" thread, I thought this was okay to allow the wizard. The wizard is by default allowed to use Borin's armor in the UK/EU version, since it's "ultralight" I could see it working for a spellcaster. Same with the spirit blade.

Wizard sportin' his Borin brand duds in the sticker album:



My reasoning for a magical [protective] cloak not stacking with other body armor is that one piece of armor of the same type will do the defending, but not both--the defensive benefits are not combined. It would get out of hand if the elf could have a helmet, bracers, a shield, plate mail, and a cloak. That would be 8 defend dice total. If for style-reasons a hero wanted to wear a cloak with their armor, that's fine, but stacking and combining the total defensive benefits of armors of the same "type" is not something this set of cards will tackle.

In my equipment deck [and by extension, artifact deck] I follow the 3 standard "slots" for armor = head, body, and arms. Helmets & Circlets, Mail & Cloaks, Shields & Bracers, respectively.

I have the same restriction for bracers of defense, and a shield, because they are both armors worn on the arm, only one will do the work of defending, but not both. Again, they can choose to wear both for looks, but the defense does not combine.

[Anderas]

I like the a lot, again!
Say, why do you call them "Previews"?
Is there a higher resolution version coming for printing, with back and front attached to each other for easier card making?

Thanks a lot for sharing these!

[GimmeYerGold]

I like the a lot, again!
Say, why do you call them "Previews"?
Is there a higher resolution version coming for printing, with back and front attached to each other for easier card making?

Thanks a lot for sharing these!

Thanks Anderas! I'm happy to share 'em

I'm previewing them now as a way to field suggestions or feedback to improve them--and to fish for typos!.

Then, onto the final versions.

The front-back method seems to be the standard here, so I can make those, [is there a batch template for that by the way?] and also a zip folder with individual images for people who like to have them custom printed with a company, like I did with my last set.

[cynthialee]

I don't see how a cloak and armor take the same 'slot' in the least. Nor would I see a reason to prevent a hero from accumulating a 6 dice defense or even more. By the time they get that advanced they will be facing enemies throwing 8 attack dice....


{edit to add: I have no issue with ridiculous amounts of dice in play as I spent a large number of years playing Storyteller and Saga: the Game RPG's where dice grips can get into the 10-20 range of dice being thrown in a pool relatively easily.}

[GimmeYerGold]

I don't see how a cloak and armor take the same 'slot' in the least. Nor would I see a reason to prevent a hero from accumulating a 6 dice defense or even more. By the time they get that advanced they will be facing enemies throwing 8 attack dice....


{edit to add: I have no issue with ridiculous amounts of dice in play as I spent a large number of years playing Storyteller and Saga: the Game RPG's where dice grips can get into the 10-20 range of dice being thrown in a pool relatively easily.}

Taking your edit into consideration, I think what I'm aiming for doesn't offer the proper counterbalance to allow that level of power creep, 10 or more dice being rolled in both directions--I feel like I'm already a pretty generous Zargon, and the more I host games, the more I try to strive for "less is more."

If a player could have a natural 8 defend dice, and then get a +2 boost from rockskin, the fear of death would be beyond them! It would make 90% of my monster obsolete! The can of worms is open, and those worms are opening more cans of worms! I'd be forever busy creating new challenges to occupy these ever-increasing heroes, and I feel like I spend quite a bit of time already just trying to enjoy myself in the process--I can't make a career out of being Zargon, unfortunately.

I feel like I've been halfway down that road, and I don't want to go back. It was difficult to make things challenging to the players, it wasn't as fun as it was before. I'm okay nudging toward new ground, but I don't won't to turn Heroquest into something contrary to what attracted me to it in the first place.

I like the idea of a player dying, and being okay with that, because they know the climb back up won't take forever. It's about the group, it's about the good times hanging out. That's fun, that's easy, that's Heroquest!

[cynthialee]

Well...how else are they gonna face down a dragon?!
I am seeing a giant fire breathing lizard with 12 attack and 15 defend with an area effect fire attack...
Demi Gods with all the dice smacking down some serious hardships and so forth...

IDK...Sure they can't get there easy, but an epic game would rock.

[GimmeYerGold]

Well...how else are they gonna face down a dragon?!

oh, with a little thing I like to call TEAMWORK!

[cynthialee]

well no amount of team work is going to stop a monster if you don't have the heavy hitting attacks, hitpoints and armor to make it through the fight


No seriously.
Would you send the HQ heroes against a dragon with minimal equipment just because it is easier for the DM that way!??!