by Kurgan » Saturday September 30th, 2023 3:26pm
I really got thinking about these due to "hard" expansions like Frozen Horror, Mage of the Mirror (and also Dark Company or what I've heard about Wizards of Morcar). As written (at least under NA rules) these packs are a bit unfair, so having the heroes be a little uber powerful could help compensate and still retain the "fun" while keeping the heroes fresh and interesting to use.
Playing "long campaigns" is tricky with adult schedules, so I have the habit of "passing along" a hero from one play session to the next. If the new player is willing, they can take over control of an "already in progress" hero, and simply change the name (if they want) and retain whatever equipment, gold, potions, and upgrade progress along with them.
After awhile it may seem a little complex, with character sheets filling up with stuff, but there are ways to remedy that (when you need 'em, those potions can be used fast! gold goes to pay mercenaries, etc).
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What general benefit is there to becoming a "Champion" in this system? That hero gets a bonus reward of 500 gold coins to spend how they choose. A "Knight" doesn't get a specific gold reward. And yes, I would say that at this point Zargon can "unlock" Alchemist Shops (and other spell categories) for other expansions you "own" for the use of those heroes if they wish (again unless it would destroy the difficulty of a not-so-difficult set of quests being played).
Refining the four classic heroes (I'm actually using it now that they have completed enough quests!).
Complete 3-5 quests (Zargon's discretion; larger number if they are "easy" quests, fewer required if they are "hard" quests): Champion upgrade.
Complete 10+ (total) quests: Knight upgrade
It doesn't matter if these are "multi-part" quests, each quest completed with that hero present counts towards the upgrade. Zargon's discretion if a hero joined "at the last second" and didn't really do anything as to whether that should count of course.
If a hero dies (but is restored, even with the Elixir of Life), upgrades are retained. Heroes and Zargon may mutually agree to start a new expansion with "basic" heroes again if it would feel unbalanced of course.
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"Barbarian":
[completes 1 quest: automatically draw 1 random combat card per quest, resets next quest]
Champion upgrade:
substitute 2 black dice with any sword
2 random Combat Cards per quest (resets next quest)
Knight upgrade:
substitute 3 black dice any sword/axe
3 random Combat cards per quest (resets next quest)
1 random combat potion per quest (from "Potion deck" that affects attack or defense)
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"Dwarf":
[completes 1 quest: automatically draw 1 random combat card per quest, resets next quest]
Champion upgrade:
substitute 1 black die with any axe/hammer
black shield may be re-rolled once when disarming trap (2nd chance to succeed)
2 random Combat Cards per quest (resets next quest)
Knight upgrade:
substitute 2 black dice with any axe/hammer
auto disarm trap (declare intention to disarm and move to square, trap disarmed without rolling)
3 random Combat cards per quest (resets next quest)
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"Elf" :
[unlock Elf Spells from MOTM, including adding 9th Elf Spell "Moon Time" which transforms Elf or an ally into a Wolf for three turns, with Giant Wolf powers but drops equipment tile; wolfsbane/superior restoration potion cures it instantly]
[completes 1 quest: draws 1 random Potion at beginning of quest - if "poison" redraw]
[can draw random Potion at Alchemist Bench if no quest note instead of Treasure deck draw]
[can restore 1 used spell at Sorcerer's Table if no quest note instead of Treasure deck draw]
Champion upgrade:
1 random spell scroll (alchemist item) per quest OR 1 Elf Spell added (even if already chose 3 elf spells instead of elemental spells)
upgraded Elemental spells (Rock Skin is +2 instead of +1, extra square of movement added to Veil of Mist/Pass Through Rock, 2 extra squares movement added to Swift Wind, 5 BP restored with Heal Body/Water of Healing, Fire of Wrath/Ball of Flame requires roll of 6 to defeat damage, Courage adds black dice, Genie substitutes up to five random color dice, Tempest lasts two turns if rolling skull on 1 die).
Knight upgrade:
2 random spell scrolls (alchemist items) per quest OR 2 Elf Spells added (even if already chose 3 elf spells instead of elemental spells)
still upgraded spells but Genie can pick all 5 of the dice colors
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"Wizard" (Alchemist):
[completes 1 quest: draws 2 random Potions at beginning of quest - if "poison" redraw]
[can draw random Potion at Alchemist Bench if no quest note instead of Treasure deck draw]
[can restore 1 used spell at Sorcerer's Table if no quest note instead of Treasure deck draw; if no spells used, can draw 1 random Spell Scroll/Alchemist Item]
Champion upgrade:
upgraded spells (see Elf upgrades)
Wizard's (Alchemist's) Staff: 2 black dice
Wizard's (Alchemist's) Cloak: substitute 1 green die
Knight upgrade:
previous upgrades plus:
sacrifice 3 unused spells (or scrolls/alchemist items) of the same elemental type to summon an Elemental
I also thought that a "Knight" level Wizard/Alchemist could gain access to a special new Armory full of items only he can use, "powerful magical items" that were long ago promised but never delivered, via the classic rulebook. Here I'm thinking (purchasable) artifact-type items that give special effects, exclusive potions, lots of borderline OP stuff (but expensive!). "The Wizard's Arsenal."
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Zargon (Evil Wizard player):
I would not use these upgrades on the very first quest for the heroes, but after that...
If majority of Heroes in play are champion level, roll 1 combat die when monster revealed (game system monsters, excluding gargoyles, named villains and magically summoned or wandering monsters). Black Shield makes that monster an "Elite." This monster rolls all Black Dice when attacking and all Blue Dice when defending.
Depending upon how many (Hero) combat cards are drawn, Zargon may draw double that number of (Chaos) Combat cards at the beginning of the quest (cards reset next quest). So if the heroes draw 1, Zargon gets 2. Heroes get 2, Zargon gets 4, etc.
If majority of Heroes in play are knight level, Zargon rolls 1 combat die to check for Elite monsters, but now he rolls a blue die (doubles the chances they will be elite).
If majority of Heroes in play are Champions or Knights, Zargon may draw one card from the "Evil Wizard" ("Threat") deck at the beginning of each turn if there are no monsters on the board. He can hold up to three cards in hand. If he wishes to draw a fourth card, he either has to use it immediately, or discard (or use) one of the ones already in his "hand." If the deck is used up, he should re-shuffle them and start again with the option of drawing one card each turn when there is no monster on the board.
When it comes to hiring mercenaries, I haven't done much with this yet, but if the heroes really "waste" mercenaries, it could always be stated that fewer of them are willing to fight for the heroes, or perhaps the prices go up. Of course using the Warhorn of Command (Into the Northlands) or simply playing by the rules of Wizards of Morcar, heroes can gain an incentive to keep their Men-At-Arms alive from quest to quest instead of using them as cannon fodder. You can even do little mid-quest vignettes or cutscenes where perhaps the Heroes stroll by the local tavern and whichever soldiers of fortune show up, those are the ones who can be hired, and it isn't guaranteed that all 12 (or whatever) will be available at the regular prices. I've also thought of eventually adding new Ogre Mercenaries (same as Ogre Warriors but with 1 extra mind point and body points fixed at 3. When the Ogre defeats the last monster of a group, he can gain back 1 lost BP (unless it was an undead monster). He costs 200 gold coins per quest and takes up 2 "mercenary slots."
Also I like the idea of being able to hire Elf mercenaries (where appropriate; using the extra blue figures found in the Mage of the Mirror and/or Rise of the Dread Moon boxes). Perhaps 100 gold for an Elven Archer and 200 gold for an Elven Warrior. These characters like the others will roll white shields for defense and can use Equipment, Potions and Spell Scrolls handed to them by heroes, can be affected by spells, and otherwise behave as heroes under the control of the hero who hired them (and can continue on if that hero dies if that player wishes).
You simply have to be at least a "Champion" to be able to hire mercs of any kind. In actual practice I think we've hired mercs even when the hero technically hasn't completed at least 3 quests, but simply was starting a quest that allowed hiring of mercs. I think retaining the "Champion" requirement as a minimum is appropriate as one champion in a group would get to hire mercs while the non-Champions would have to wait to earn the privilege.