EU Quest Treasures - Sognirstane (Durrag-Dol), Melar's Wand

[Zenithfleet]

Hi all,

Hoping for some feedback on these two WIP cards. These are both for the European edition of the game.

I've been revamping the White Dwarf quests (Halls of Durrag-Dol and Eyes of Chaos), plus Plague of Zombies from the Adventure Design Kit.


In Durrag-Dol you get a new Quest Treasure (Artifact) - a magic hammer called Sognirstane. The published version is too detailed/fiddly to fit on a card, and also seems too weak ... so I'm trying out a version that may be far too powerful! Let me know what you think.

Sognirstane

"This magic hammer allows you to roll four combat dice in attack. You may also throw Sognirstane. It flies back to your hand after throwing. Sognirstane makes you immune to Earth, Air, Water and Fire spells, even helpful ones. You also cannot cast any spells while carrying Sognirstane."

Notes: Four dice ranged may be far too strong, and I may need to limit it to three dice. However, in that case it's effectively just a crossbow ... admittedly a powerful thing in itself if you're using the 'only buy something if there's a physical card for it' version of the EU rules.

The problem is that I can't yet judge how severe the drawback of spell immunity is. Is the lack of any healing spells and other buffs serious enough to make the four-dice attack balanced? What do you reckon?

There's also the awkward possibility that players may try to game the system by simply handing the hammer to a different hero in order to get healed, then take it back again...

The Quest where you get it is also fairly easy, being balanced at roughly base-game level. Or at least that's how I eyeball it. Let me know if you've played it and feel differently. However, the Quest does include the possibility that you could steal the hammer without getting the ancestors' blessing and end up cursed with one fewer defence die than usual. Argh, so many variables!

(Note that as per EU cards, there's no restriction on the Wizard using this--but in practice they're unlikely to do so due to the spell-casting prevention clause.)



I also have a new Quest Treasure I've come up with for the Plague of Zombies quest, based on the Bone Wand art from the NA Elf Quest Pack. I've given it a different name because mine works differently to the NA Bone Wand. And who better to honour than the most legendarily awesome wizard in HeroQuest? He sure had a lot of undead in his Maze...

Melar's Wand

"Melar's Wand allows you to control one Skeleton, Zombie or Mummy instead of attacking. Roll one combat die for each of your Mind points. If you roll more skulls than the monster's Defend value, you may move it and attack with it this turn, and the Evil Wizard player cannot control it this turn."

Notes: The idea here is that you have to keep using the Wand each turn if you want to maintain control over an undead creature--it might break free and attack you. And if you try to use it, you give up your attack, which means that if you fail, you've wasted your chance to kill the deadie before it attacks you. "Obey me! OBEY ME, I SAID! Uh oh..."

The Barb won't be able to use it on anything, but the Dwarf might be able to control a Skellie. The Elf can control Skellies and Zombies. The Wizard can reliably control Skellies, probably control Zombies, and might sometimes master a Mummy.

Again, not playtested, so advice very welcome.

[lestodante]

Melar's Wand is very similar to the Bone Wand you may find in the Elf Quest pack. Since the Prophecy of Telor (by Sthephen Baker) will be officially released next years I will wait to read it before creating new artifacts related to Melar.

I agree with the Sognirstane ideas... It was the weapon of a God!! So it MUST be owerpowered! Also it is intended to be used only in A Growl of Thunder quest and then returned to the Barbarians Tribe where it was stolen.
Maybe the Barbarian will be able to use it more times in the future in some custom quests, who knows. So it is ok for me and the protection against spells is a good feature to add but I don't see many enemies using the four Elemental Spells.
You should check the Tyrant's Tomb questbook that Pancho is working on (almost finished, inspired by the three novels written by Dave Morris). I posted 3 custom cards for the 3 items related to the Thunder God here: viewtopic.php?f=149&t=5045&start=220#p102158
The Halls of Durrag Dol features the Sognirtane once more. But this time it only allows you to attack with 2 combat dice but add the spells immunity.
Confusion....
There should be some way to merge the 2 versions of the hammer as it is the same weapons.
A Growl of Thunder quest can be found here: http://www.yeoldeinn.com/downloads/publ ... hunder.pdf
The Halls of Durrag Dol quest can be found here: http://www.yeoldeinn.com/downloads/publ ... ag-dol.pdf

[Zenithfleet]

I agree with the Sognirstane ideas... It was the weapon of a God!! So it MUST be owerpowered! Also it is intended to be used only in A Growl of Thunder quest and then returned to the Barbarians Tribe where it was stolen.
Maybe the Barbarian will be able to use it more times in the future in some custom quests, who knows. So it is ok for me and the protection against spells is a good feature to add but I don't see many enemies using the four Elemental Spells.

Hmm, there is a similar item in A Growl of Thunder (1993?), called Thor's Hammer. Didn't know that. Thanks.

However, Durrag-Dol came out two years earlier (1991). So I'd say Sognirstane came first, and Thor's Hammer was inspired by it. (The HeroQuest item, I mean, not the idea of a Norse thunder god named Thor and his hammer, which obviously predates the 90s by at least a few years. )

The Sognirstane in Durrag-Dol is clearly meant to provide protection against the White Seer (Skaven wizard at the end) who steals elemental spells from the players and then uses them against you.

Beyond that quest, protection against spells will only occasionally help in the EU version (e.g. against Balur). Even against custom Chaos Spells it won't work. I interpreted it as a penalty, so you can't be buffed/healed if you carry it. Therefore in theory it should balance the four-dice attack. Maybe. Possibly.

EDIT: At the very least, I need to say you can't use a shield with Sognirstane.

EDIT #2: Having now playtested the Durrag-Dol quest, I think I'll have to include the rule that you lose the hammer when you throw it and have to pick it up from the square where it fell. It's just too powerful otherwise. (Come to think of it, such a rule might actually see a Spear thrown once in a while and actually encourage someone to buy the Hand Axe...)

The Halls of Durrag Dol quest can be found here: http://www.yeoldeinn.com/downloads/publ ... ag-dol.pdf

Um, yes, I did already mention I was looking at Durrag-Dol. That's why I'm making a card for Sognirstane in the first place.

Melar's Wand is very similar to the Bone Wand you may find in the Elf Quest pack. Since the Prophecy of Telor (by Sthephen Baker) will be officially released next years I will wait to read it before creating new artifacts related to Melar.

Er, yes, I did say it was inspired by the Bone Wand in the EQP...

(It doesn't have to be called Melar's Wand. That's just a working title.)