BlackJax HeroQuest Compendium

[BlackJax]

I wasn't quite sure which section of the forum to post this in, as it is a compilation of official rules, house rules, plus additional heroes, monsters, equipment etc so I guess I'll call it a project!

This is my attempt to collate all the rules of the original version of the game first published in the UK in 1989 and all expansion materials subsequently published for this version in the various expansions that followed, into a single document, laid out in a clear modular format.

This may sound like a straight-forward task however many of the game’s rules didn’t appear in the rulebook but were held on cards or the quest book or in specific quests and it wasn’t clear where rules presented in specific quests and cards were supposed to be clarifications of, or exceptions to, the general rules in the rulebook. Later expansions also included additional rules on cards or in the quest books and again it wasn’t always clear how these additional rules were supposed to work with the existing ones, were they clarifications of updates to or replacements for, earlier rules.

Having compiled all the official rules I am now using the Inn to identify some of the most experienced issues with the game and applying some fixes and incorporated some commonly used house rules that improve the playing experience.

I'm mainly making this for my own use as I too am a returning player, but as so many Inn members have been generous with sharing their own work, which I am mining extensively then it seems only fair to share my output too!

BlackJax HeroQuest Compendium.pdf

EDIT: New Version 10/03/2026 uploaded

Removed the rule of thumb about line-of-sight in the same room as that might be causing confusion
Added a new condition to the line-of-fire rules about the line being blocked if it passes through more than one square occupied by a figure
Restored the no back tracking rule from 1st edition
Added the large monster rule adapted from Against the Ogre Horde (for movement and line-of-fire)
Added the rules around area of effect

Add in the some extra equipment cards from various sources and tidied up the appendices

[MULE]

This is great - loads of content and new ideas. I'll be doing some bed time reading. Thank you.

[BlackJax]

Hopefully it doesn't put you to sleep!

I'm working on an expanded version in response to feedback from Inn members and more stuff that I have found here, but I'm not going to promise a delivery date, as I'll miss it

[BlackJax]

As my full compendium is a sizeable document, it has been suggested that I put together a short summary, top 10 most significant changes, type of post, so people can decide based on that whether the full compendium may float their boat (or not).

This is a work in progress but initial draft...

BlackJax HQ Compendium Key Changes Summary

#1. Common Test Method
The original game lacked a common method of taking tests and determining the outcome. Tests for jumping, body strength and mind strength all appear in the original game and its expansions but the way these tests are handled are all completely different (examples).

The "attribute" linked to the test tells you the number of combat dice to roll and you generally need 2 or more skulls to succeed.

+ Move test uses the Move value (for monsters this is 1/2 the move value on their card, for heroes = 5, = 4, & = 3) and is used for jumping, escaping pinning and similar
+ Strength test uses the Strength value (Starting Body points minus 3) and is used for forcing open jammed/locked doors, opening tombs, lifting portcullises and similar
+ Attack test uses the Attack value and is used for attacking
+ Defend test uses the Defend value and is used for defending
+ Mind test uses the Mind value and is used for Mind attacks and defence mainly

For example: To jump a pit, the Dwarf player would need to take a Move test, rolling three combat dice (as the Dwarf has a Move attribute of three) and would need to score 2 or more skulls to succeed and jump the pit.
counts as one skull so the attempt would fail.
counts as two skulls and the special skull can be rolled again once, scoring another so the total skulls would be 3 so the attempt is successful.

#2. Exploding Combat Dice
The base game was too easy if heroes co-operated and they always did eventually

= "special skull" that counts as a "skull" but can be rolled again, once, counting as a normal "skull" if rolled again.
= "skull"
= "shield" cancels out a skull (hero & monster)

#3. Different Sculpts for Different Folks

In the original game there are 3 different sculpts provided for the Goblins and 4 for the Orcs which gives the opportunity to do this:

Goblin
(hand axe)
As monster card

Goblin with spear
(straight sword)
As monster card and can attack diagonally

Goblin with short bow
(curved sword)
As monster card and can do missile attack

Orc
(sword) as monster card

Orc with flail
(flail)
As monster card and can attack diagonally

Orc with crossbow
(cleaver)
As monster card and can do missile attack

Orc Warlord/Captain
(notched sword)
As specified in Quest Notes

Unless specified in the Quest Notes the evil wizard player may choose the variant to deploy when the appropriate monster is indicated on the Quest Map

Skeleton

Whilst the Skeleton is provided with only a single sculpt I allow those to attack diagonally as it suits the scythe and makes them more interesting in play.



#4. Handling Containers

Certain furniture types, the cupboards, chests and tomb may contain items of interest in addition to what may be hidden in a room. These furniture types are referred to as “containers”.

Containers are not included in a search of a room but are handled separately as follows.

A hero next to a container may choose to open the container and remove the contents as a free action. If the Quest Notes indicate the contents of the container including any traps, then use the Quest Notes otherwise do the following.

Cupboard

When a hero declares that they are opening a cupboard that they are next to then the evil wizard player draws the top treasure card from the deck.
• If the treasure card is a Potion or Valuable Item card, then give the card to the hero player
• Otherwise (a Nothing, Trap or Wandering Monster card) then the evil wizard player must tell the player that the cupboard is empty and must put the card back into the deck
and shuffle.

Chest

When a hero declares that they are opening a chest that they are next to then the evil wizard player draws the top treasure card from the deck.
• If the treasure card is a Potion or Valuable Item card, then give the card to the hero player
• If the treasure card is a Trap card, then the trap must be handled as usual. Having resolved the effects of the trap, return the card to the treasure deck, shuffle and draw a second treasure card following the instructions for the cupboard above.
• Otherwise (a Nothing or Wandering Monster card) then the evil wizard player must tell the player that the chest is empty and must put the card back into the deck and shuffle.

Tomb

When a hero declares that they are opening a tomb that they are next to then they must first pass a strength test as tomb lids are heavy, then the evil wizard player draws the top treasure card from the deck.
• If the treasure card is a Potion or Valuable Item card, then give the card to the hero player
• If the treasure card is a Trap card, then the trap must be handled as usual. Having resolved the effects of the trap, return the card to the treasure deck, shuffle and draw a second treasure card following the instructions for the cupboard unless a Wandering Monster card is drawn in which case follow the instruction in the next paragraph.
• If the treasure card is a Wandering Monster card, then you have disturbed the rest of the long dead occupant. The evil wizard player must place a skeleton next to the hero, and it attacks immediately (like the usual wandering monster). Having resolved the skeletons attack, the evil wizard player must return the card to the treasure deck and reshuffle before drawing a second card and following the instruction for the cupboard above.
• Otherwise (a Nothing card) then the evil wizard player must tell the player that the tomb is empty and must put the card back into the deck and shuffle

#5. Movement
If you choose to open a door, then the Evil Wizard player moves your hero figure through the door onto the first square of the room or passageway that lies behind the door and then lays out everything on the board in that room or passageway that you can see. This costs a point of movement as usual unless you open a door with no movement points remaining in which case it is a free movement.

During your turn you cannot move through the same square twice, which in combination with the door opening method above means that once you have moved into a room or passageway then you cannot move back out until your next turn.

Rapid Move
You may choose to sacrifice your action on a turn and instead use it to move several extra squares up to your movement score.

Snake Eyes
You must roll your movement dice every turn, even if you are choosing not to move, and if you roll on your movement roll then the evil wizard player may immediately place a Wandering Monster

Pinned Characters
If you are the only hero in a square next to a monster, or only monster in a square next to a hero, then you count as being “pinned”.
A pinned character can only move and perform certain actions if you first pass a Move test, such as moving, opening a door or container.

Movement and Hidden Features

If, during movement a hero moves onto a square containing a trap trigger, or opens a door or container that is trapped then the trap activates, unless the hero has the ability to disarm traps in which case they get a chance to disarm the trap before it activates, depending on the trap type they may get the chance to reduce the damage through a move test.

If, during movement, a hero moves onto a square next to a secret door, then the secret door is automatically found and opened and the Evil Wizard player, places the secret door tile, moves your hero figure through the door onto the first square of the room or passageway that lies behind the door and then lays out everything on the board in that room or passageway that you can see.

#6. Unified Search
The separate search actions for traps, secret doors and treasure are scrapped and replaced with a single unified search action detailed below.

Heroes may search as an action, provided they are not next to a monster and there are no monsters in the room. Monsters never search.
When a hero searches, they search the whole room in which they are standing, except for any containers within the room.
The evil wizard player then checks the map in the Quest Book to see if there is anything hidden in that room. If there is anything to be found, the evil wizard player must reveal it in the following sequence.

When a hero searches a room that contains hidden features (traps or secret doors) the evil wizard player moves the figure onto the trapped square or onto the square next to the secret door and the hidden feature is activated. If there are more than one hidden feature in the room, then move the figure onto the closest one. Activating a trap (unless you can successfully disarm the trap) ends your turn, opening a secret door ends your search action but you may still move
if you haven't done so already. Rooms where the search attempt has failed due to activating a trap or finding a secret door, can have the search action attempted again on a subsequent turn.

When a hero searches in a room that doesn’t contain any traps or secret doors, then they may have found some treasure. Some of the Quests provide details about specific treasures which can be found by searching. If a character searches for treasure in the appropriate room the evil wizard player should reveal what treasure is hidden there. If there is no specific treasure listed for that room, then the hero player must take the top Treasure card, and the evil wizard player
will mark the room as search completed. This room cannot be searched again.

#7. Multiple Monster BP

Some elements of the game appeared later in expansions, but I have applied these back to the whole series with the benefit of hindsight, so now “personality monsters” as Against the Ogre Horde refers to them and certain standard monster types have more than one Body Point. These need to be tracked using counters or tokens placed under the figure. Penny coins work well.

1BP:
2BP:
3BP:

In the same spirit The Wizard now has 5 Body Points and a Mind attribute value of 5 so can choose only 2 sets of 3 spells at the start of the game, at least until he has the Talisman of Lore which increases his Mind attribute to 6 allowing him to choose 3 sets of 3 spells at the start of the game.

#8.Sorcerer and Spells

The Sorcerers and their spells from Against the Ogre Horde and Wizards of Morcar have been applied retrospectively, so now The Witch Lord in the original campaign and Return of The Witch Lord can use all six Necromancer spells, as can Kessandria the Witch Queen and Erongil the Corpsemaster from Revenge of the Weatherman, Grak from x is now an Orc Shaman with access to the Orc Shaman spells, and some of the other evil spellcasters from Kellar’s Keep and the Return of the Witch Lord also have access to spells.

#9. Handling Cards, Tokens and Character Sheets
The use of Body point counters to track Monster BP (point 7) can be expanded to also track Hero Body points, by issuing the corresponding number of counters for each Hero player to place on their character board and hand back as they lose them. This along with some other tweaks below, means that Character Sheets no longer need to updated during play, but instead are updated between quests to track the heroes progression.

When a hero draws a Treasure card that has a value, place it on their Character board until the end of the adventure and then total up the value record it on the charcater sheet and return the treasure card to the deck for the next adventure.

When a hero draws a Treasure card showing a potion then they take the card. These must be discarded when used and are not returned to the treasure card deck until the Quest in which they are used has ended.

At the end of a Quest use the Character Sheet to record the equipment, quest treasure, potion cards that the hero has so that they can be returned to them for the start of the next quest (unless they buy/sell any)

These cards may be given or exchanged between players freely between quests but within a quest the following rule applies:

Giving Items
A character can give any number of items to another character on their turn as an action if they are both next to each other.

Equipment cards in hand or stacked

#10. Line-of-sight

Line-of-Sight [LOS]
This rule is used to determine what a character can see.

A figure can be seen by another figure only if you can trace an unobstructed straight line between the centre of the squares occupied by the two figures. If the line passes through a wall, then the figure is not visible. Deciding what can be seen by a hero is very important because it determines what should be placed onto the board. Only put things on the board if they can be seen by a hero.

Line-of-Fire [LOF]
This rule is used to determine what a character can attack with a missile weapon or spell.

A figure can target another figure if
a)
The figures can see each other (using the Line-of-Sight rule given in the previous section)
b)
The line-of-sight drawn between the two figures does NOT cross the centre of a square occupied by another figure.

Note: Blocked square tiles represent solid rock surrounded by walls.

Line-of-Sight One Pager