HQ - HEROES & VILLAINS (knightkrawler's full rule set)

[knightkrawler]

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9gqju8qd3t4l4yl/AADnD3EHRsGmNXhQmYhs1LCma?dl=0

Caellar's Caer is done. Acutally, it's all 10 quests from Kellar's Keep,
with the same overall theme, but completely new enemies:
Brood (Skaven), Grimdwarfs, and Ogres.

[slev]

Point on naming "Caellar's Caer".
Caer is a celtic word, indicaling that the whole name should have a celtic pronunciation.
Thus we's expect a rolled doubble "L" sound, like is found in Welsh & Klingon.
Just making sure you wanted it pronounced that way.

[knightkrawler]

As the whole background world, linguistics is also fantasy.
i assume that caer is a dwarfish word, pronounced as you clarified.
but i implemented it as a real loanword into "central human", where pronunciation becomes somewhat simpler (like "to care").
Dwarfs invented the concept of what a caer is (a magically protected town or fortress).

EDIT: Since I misunderstood your post, Caellar is the Dwarf who came up with the methods to protect that particular caer.
I assume that central humans (just assume they speak American English in my world) would pronounce it like they did Kellar.
The Dwarfs, more guttural and based on German phonetics, would say something like Kaylarr (roll the "r", "ay" is like in German "Kaiser", the "i" being very short and rounded).

[Gold Bearer]

I finally got round to starting to look at this. This post might come across as negative but it's just to give feedback about what I don't like because that's much more useful feedback. Obviously just stating my own opinions that are influenced by my own tastes. I've only read the rulebook so far. I haven't read the other posts in this topic yet either so sorry if it's already been covered.


The rule book is written for people who don't know the standard HQ rules, a separate version with just the changes would be very useful for the vast majority of people who will read it.

I'd prefer it to be presented in a more modular fashion, like the optional rules. I think we should all try to do that whenever possible so that we can easily use bits and pieces from any rules sets to make our own custom rules that suit us.

Why do you have to discard a third of any gold you give to another hero? This is a very strange rule. I can understand gameplay taking priority over realism but I think every rule should at least make sense in the context of the game world and I can't see any 'in world' reason for this rule. I think this breaks the immersion of the roleplay element of the game. One way to limit the freedom of equipment swapping is to rule that they have to give some of equal value to the other hero if they want to make a trade but I think even this breaks the immersion because they're (usually) supposed to be a team. I think stuff like this should be left entirely up to the players. I did use the rule of trading stuff of equal value for my rogue/thief hero but that's part of what makes that hero who it is.

In the optional rules it says as a heading "Secret doors stay close" instead of Secret doors stay closed". Do they follow you around the dungeon?

[knightkrawler]

Thanks for reading the rules and the feedback.
It can't be negative, really, because I know exactly why I wrote R&R for what purpose.
The modular stuff comes in with the compendiums I'm writing.
I already finished the Morcar Compendium with additional rules, and there's the Questbook Guide, and a Champion Compendium is being written as we post.
The losing gold mechanic is something I've been getting some flak on, the mechanic might have been a little too important to me.
It's on the consideration list.
Typo in the Optional Rules. Will go over that with the next editing wave.

Thanks again.

[Gold Bearer]

Again, just my opinions, feel free to just ignore them.


Some nice cards but I'm not about the use of symbols in the description texts in place of words. Maybe it's a better system if you're used to it though.

The cards have very thick borders which I think spoils them a bit.

A very minor point but on the character cards you put the MP symbol before BP and a couple of times I read it the wrong way round, BP is normally put first. Even if MP is just as important I think BP should be first. The symbol you're using for MP looks like a blood drop which doesn't help because it suggests (at least to me) that it's BP.


I haven't studied the cards in depth but after a quick read...

Dubious luck - Instead of '... when searching for treasure the next time', the next time you search for treasure' or 'on your next treasure search' sounds much better.

Intimidation - Does any action include side actions?

Healing Surge - Is it a total of 2 BP and/or MP that can be two of one or one of each? If it is I think a better wording would be '... may restore up to two points in total of BP and/or MP.'

Prayer For Peace - 'Until the beginning of your next turn, you cannot be attacked'. Id prefer 'You cannot be attacked until the beginning of your next turn'. Again, just sounds nicer.

Quick Kill - Instead of a big space and then explaining that it can't be defended, '... that cannot be defended against.'

Attack Glitch - '... botch your swing and miss' sounds like you've botch your miss. '... botch your swing and miss the target' sounds better. Also I think this needs a better name, like Miss or Fumble.


Hope that helps.

[knightkrawler]

Invaluable feedback on the cards. Been waiting a long time for this.
1. The card border is 6mm on each side for the bleed area that Printerstudio demands. 3mm are cut off. I had them all printed and I'm absolutely excited about their look.
2. MP used before BP is inconsistent, which I will change with the next full-sweep-revision, but it derives from my wanting BP on the outside of the list of scores: MOV-ATT-DEF-MP-BP for quicker reference.
I used that blood icon because for MP tokens I use the drop tokens from Descent.
3. I think the wording of "Side Actions" in R&R makes it so that side actions are not actions. Case in point, the Intimidation spell: you can still take side actions. Will have to revisit the side actions chapter.
4. Prayer for Healing and other healing spells and potions: I thought the wording now is pretty clear. I decided on using the word "sum" where it is the most decisive: "You may take a sum of 5 Mind and Body points".

And many thanks for the editings, I will write up the miracles this evening, because much of what you suggest makes sense.
Thank you very much, GB!

[knightkrawler]

Update: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wb3ws9d9i1991vi/AACT4ncdbcjNkk4JDlV3_Byka?dl=0

The Champion Compendium introduces

- New Hroes for every class
- Academy cards for Hero advancement
- new cards for spells and companions
- companion/mercenary rules
- rules for hero advancement

[Gold Bearer]

The wording for storm attack would read better if it was '...the defending figure loses 2 and you may move them to an unoccupied adjacent square.' I assume when you say adjacent that includes diagonally adjacent, I don't remember that being mentioned.

Granite oil say until you next discard one health instead of lose one health.

I don't think you should be able to use the aiming wax after rolling the attack dice, it should be before.

[knightkrawler]

The wording for storm attack would read better if it was '...the defending figure loses 2 and you may move them to an unoccupied adjacent square.' I assume when you say adjacent that includes diagonally adjacent, I don't remember that being mentioned.

Granite oil say until you next discard one health instead of lose one health.

I don't think you should be able to use the aiming wax after rolling the attack dice, it should be before.

Yes, adjacent includes diagonal. Orthogonally adjacent is worded as such, although I could in version 2 use icons for these terms. I'll have to see...
For Granite Oil, discard and lose mean the same, that much is cleared up in the rulebook. Should go over coherent card wording though. Very good find!
Aiming Wax: as a mechanic to improve your attack, it works the way I wanted it as is. Otherwise the chances of a wasted focussed attack seem to high for me.

Again, I can't thank you enough for taking all this time and showing interest and insight.