Ye Olde Inn

I recently came up with a house rule that makes scroll use easier for the more studious types, and also makes the Talisman of Lore a bit more useful.

A Hero attemptimg to use a scroll rolls a red die and compares the result to his current Mind Points.

Roll is less than or equal to Mind Points: scroll works normally;
Roll is equal to MP+1 or MP+2: spell does not funtion, but scroll remains;
Roll is equal to MP+3: spell does not function and scroll is consumed;
Roll is more than MP+3: spell backfires- beneficial spells affect monsters, detrimental spells affect Heroes. If there are no obvious benefits or detriments (e.g. Clairvoyance), use the same result as the MP+3 roll.

It's a bit more work, but does less to offend my sensibilities...

Zeno.

Zeno wrote:...Roll is equal to MP+3: spell does not function and scroll is consumed;
Roll is more than MP+3: spell backfires- beneficial spells affect monsters, detrimental spells affect Heroes. If there are no obvious benefits or detriments (e.g. Clairvoyance), use the same result as the MP+3 roll.

Both are for MP+3. Did you mean MP+4 = backfires?

Just trying to clarify

Ah, yes, but one is for a roll equal to MP+3, the other is for a roll more than MP+3. Not the same.

But I suppose I could have said MP+4 or greater instead for the latter, if I wanted to use more letters!

Zeno.

Ahh, yes, I see now....

I'm just stupid.

ok Im back with some ideas about the spells. Im trying to have some lower class magic incorporated in those and one or two more serious magic spells. Im keeping the great idea of

Have a non-magic character roll a combat die to see if they successfully cast the spell. With their limited knowledge there should be some sort of success roll. Something like, roll one Combat Die for each of your mind points. If a Black Shield is rolled, the spell is cast successfully.

1 Blinding flash
this spell generates a flash of light that blinds ones opponent. The monster can move but cannot attack during its next turn.

2 Stone grasp
Once conjured this spell turns the legs of the targeted monster, to stone. The monster can defent itself and attack to the opponents within its reach but cannot move for 1 turn.

3 Discord
A powerfull spell that will make the monsters within the Hero's line of sight to turn against each other for one turn. Zargon/Morcar, in his turn cannot attack the players with these monsters, and has to roll the battle dices for their browl. The monsters in the process can lose body points or even die as if they were fighting a hero.

4 Powerfull blow
Superhuman power fills the Hero with energy and his next blow will be inflicted to all monsters adjucent to his position.

5 Safe passage
This spell hypnotises all the monsters within the line of sight of the Hero and allow him to pass by them unharmed for this turn. If the player attempts to attack the monster the spell breaks immediately.

6 Flight in fear
Once conjured this spell fills the monster hearts with fear. For this turn they cannot attack and have to move away from any Hero for as many squares they can.

7 Locked door
Once conjured this spell can close again and lock an open door, imprisoning the monsters that remained inside the room. In order to work all the heroes must have left the room first.

Thats what i though till now. Im open to suggestions and offcourse more spells

bump?

I also made basic rules for my HeroQuest game & expansions to suit with american rules.
So I added :
* the extra life points of monsters.
* the chaos spells (traduction and adaptation)
* the real number of monsters in a quest (always less in european release)
* re-done all maps
* fixed courage spell card.
What I didn't do :
* didn't touch to treasure cards, the european is better on this.
* didn't added the spell scrolls it make a non sense to the magic spells use.
What I've done :
*fixed Djiin spell card : now he can attack a visible figurine with 5 dices OR resurrect a dead visible hero (1 bdy pt/1 sp pt)
It gives more importance to the healer/sorceer.

Muggles may cast from spell scrolls at the cost of one Mind Point

I like the idea. I would have to say that since 'magic' scrolls have often been depicted as simply a string of special words, it can work for the barb or dwarf.
But still, for me, they have to roll red die vs Mind points. Barb only has a 1/3 chance.

el_flesh wrote:

Muggles may cast from spell scrolls at the cost of one Mind Point

I like the idea. I would have to say that since 'magic' scrolls have often been depicted as simply a string of special words, it can work for the barb or dwarf.
But still, for me, they have to roll red die vs Mind points. Barb only has a 1/3 chance.

That's a great houserule! I did add the scrolls from all the US quest packs to my game, but a mind point check is fantastic. Gives those MP's some use at last. (We haven't gotten to the quests where MP's are important yet)

The way I see it (which is apparently not the popular opinion) is that the spell scrolls should be able to be used by all Heroes because it's just an enchanted scroll that is actually doing the magic, not the Hero himself. For instance: the Wizard and Elf must choose which spells to memorize, which apparently requires some sort of training to remember arcane words or some such. A spell scroll just sort of "activates" when a Hero uses it, no Mind power needed.

Also, it crumbles to dust immediately after use, so it doesn't allow any one Hero to be over-powered for long.

I do see the other side of the argument though: why can a Barbarian, if only for a limited time, be able to preform what is essentially a Wizard skill, but a Wizard never finds some sort of Artifact that allows him to preform great feats of physical strength for a similarly short period of time? Just an overlooked piece of poor design, I wager. And maybe THAT'S something that's up to us, the fans, to rectify, by adding an Artifact card that can be used by all the Heroes but is like a giant's ancient sword, enchanted to act on its own, which swings in an arc, striking all enemies adjacent to the Hero for 6 WD, but then immediately crumbles to dust. Or something?