Carrying and changing equipment during a quest

[Kurgan]

As Zargon, I also wouldn't allow a hero to say "I'm dropping X" right before the Ice Gremlin tries to steal it, as if that would stop the theft (I would instead just say the Ice Gremlin grabs the thing they dropped and runs off full speed, etc).

I would love some time or two to play HeroQuest entirely under a different ruleset than I normally use (EU 1st/2nd or Japan). Many of us seem like we are trying to achieve the perfect balanced version incorporating all the lore and quirks of the different versions into one, but we all have different ideas of what that ought to look like.

But the "two handed weapon" thing all revolves around the original intention of the game rules which seems to be to force compromise in one area of strategy for the heroes and then a desire to preserve that by preventing cheating (the exploiting of loopholes or ambiguity if you prefer). Otherwise, who cares? Just let everyone use any armor or weapon on their turn they like, whenever they need it, so long as they acquired it legally in the first place. Does that make the heroes "too powerful"? (Compared to what?)

Some original rules we want to save, others we're willing to bend, amend, etc. in the process.

[Bareheaded Warrior]

Many of us seem like we are trying to achieve the perfect balanced version incorporating all the lore and quirks of the different versions into one, but we all have different ideas of what that ought to look like.

For me, trying to merge the different versions into one is too much work, especially as each has its own individual quirks, flaws and flavour, I am just trying to identify common flaws and misinterpretations in the version that I use, the Second Edition, and document these flaws and then use the collective wisdom of a hundred EWPs (i.e. this forum) to try and determine the best or at last better modifications to resolve the flaws and interpretations.

Specifically on this topic, the game appears to have a restriction on switching weapons (implied by the comment on the battle axe card about shield use) but no such rule is explicitly stated so I was trying to draw that out and document it.

But the "two handed weapon" thing all revolves around the original intention of the game rules which seems to be to force compromise in one area of strategy for the heroes

Essentially yes I think that they didn't want all heroes (excluding the Wizard) to end up with identical, optimal equipment configuration:

1) All heroes armed with a single 4AD missile and hand-to-hand permanent weapons covering adjacent, diagonal and all other squares, combined with plate armour, helmet and shield, giving them the "max" 6DD

Hence they created some distinction, for example between hand-to-hand and missile weapons, so no single weapon, covers all 3 attack vector - adjacent, diagonal, missile (technically the "Spear" does but that isn't permanent)

2) And also the Battle axe / Longsword dynamic in that one is not just better than the other, the Battle axe gives you 4AD, but only against adjacent targets, whilst the Longsword, has one less AD, but can be combined with a shield giving you an extra DD and the diagonal aspect gives you a little extra reach and some tactical options so there is an element of choice/tactical options/differentiation.

Obviously you can get around this to a certain extent by having all 3 heroes equipped with Battle axe, Longsword, Shield, Crossbow, Plate, Helmet and switching between weapon combinations, but some restrictions still apply (battle axe and shield, plate movement penalty) and I personally, although I think I'm in the minority here, take this a step further by limiting equipment through the available cards, so players have to consider balance between the "team" rather than all being "one-man bands" but that is a different topic!

[killerchip]

Edited by HispaZargon: Due to topic similarities, this post has been moved here from thread "Weapon Switching rule".

Weapon Switching
Weapon switching is an action. To switch a weapon you carry, you have to spend an action, in place of a normal action (e.g. cast a spell, attack, etc.).

It can also be taken instead of movement. So for example, if you don’t move, you can switch weapon and attack.

This rule adds a bit more strategy interest to the battle.

Some other homebrew rules we use at:
https://erebus.killerchip.net/homebrew-rules/

[burglekutt]

Edited by HispaZargon: Due to topic similarities, this post has been moved here from thread "Weapon Switching rule".

I've used minus -1 attack or defense on the new item that's being pulled.

Example:
Elf has a Long Sword & Shield. He attacks on his turn, then quickly trades those out for his Battle Axe:
He either loses the defensive value of his Shield this round (before the monster attacks), or his Battle Axe is -1 Attack next round.

Elf has a Battle Axe. He attacks on his turn, then quickly trades it out for his Long Sword & Shield. The Shield is useless this round, or his Long Sword is -1 Attack next round.

Elf has a Battle Axe. He attacks on his turn, then quickly trades it out for his Long Sword (diagonal). His next attack is -1 (2Att Long Sword.)

The hero decides whether he wants to lose an Attack or Defense dice this round, or lose an Attack or Defense Dice next round.

[HispaZargon]

If serves, I just use the most simplified rule I found for this, which is just considering that the Hero player decides at the beginning of his/her turn (and ONLY then) which combination of weapons/shield their Hero wields, without costing any action, and it is considered that they use such combination until the beginning of their next turn (so they also have the same during Zargon's turn).

If the player does not declare that he/she wants to change their weapon at the beginning of their subsequent turns, it is assumed they wield the same combination as the last time they switched.

In my experience, playing this way avoids any kind of doubts during the game and makes it faster.

[Evil Frog Wizard]

If serves, I just use the most simplified rule I found for this, which is just considering that the Hero player decides at the beginning of his/her turn (and ONLY then) which combination of weapons/shield their Hero wields, without costing any action, and it is considered that they use such combination until the beginning of their next turn (so they also have the same during Zargon's turn).

If the player does not declare that he/she wants to change their weapon at the beginning of their subsequent turns, it is assumed they wield the same combination as the last time they switched.

In my experience, playing this way avoids any kind of doubts during the game and makes it faster.

I don't really have a dog in this fight, and I probably don't have as much experience as many here, but.. I kinda assumed this was the sort of default 'go to' ruling on this. I'm not saying doing it another was is bad, or wrong. Just that I think most people do it this way. You choose your weapon to use for the round, and that's the weapon your using until your turn comes up again. No flipping back and forth on your turn.

Edit: I don't think I used the quote feature right. Been a while since I used these sorts of boards.

[HispaZargon]

I don't really have a dog in this fight, and I probably don't have as much experience as many here, but.. I kinda assumed this was the sort of default 'go to' ruling on this. I'm not saying doing it another was is bad, or wrong. Just that I think most people do it this way. You choose your weapon to use for the round, and that's the weapon your using until your turn comes up again. No flipping back and forth on your turn.

Yeah, I just shared a general comment about how I handle the supposed default rule to introduce the less impact possible, since it was rather vaguely described in the rulebook.

Edit: I don't think I used the quote feature right. Been a while since I used these sorts of boards.

You just need to click in the "QUOTE" button and write after the automatically written text to correctly quote a message. I already edited your previous one to look correctly too.

[Evil Frog Wizard]

I don't really have a dog in this fight, and I probably don't have as much experience as many here, but.. I kinda assumed this was the sort of default 'go to' ruling on this. I'm not saying doing it another was is bad, or wrong. Just that I think most people do it this way. You choose your weapon to use for the round, and that's the weapon your using until your turn comes up again. No flipping back and forth on your turn.

Yeah, I just shared a general comment about how I handle the supposed default rule to introduce the less impact possible, since it was rather vaguely described in the rulebook.

Edit: I don't think I used the quote feature right. Been a while since I used these sorts of boards.

You just need to click in the "QUOTE" button and write after the automatically written text to correctly quote a message. I already edited your previous one to look correctly too.

I figured it out. Thanks.