Passing equipment between heroes, artifact plate armor

[Gold Bearer]

Here's mine.
A hero can use their main action to give/take any amount of items from/to a directly adjacent hero.
Simple.

The borins armor thread seems to have a consensus of enhanced plate-mail without penalty that allows you to use Shields and helmets. One poster seems to think that it would be stuck at 4 defense dice. I could see it either way as well, because it is an excellent artifact and might need a drawback.

Who said that? Borin's armour can definitely be combined with a shield and helmet (and cloak of protection and bracers if you're using those), even though it actually includes a helmet in the picture, a better helmet can be worn instead.

Here's my item passing rules:

Passing Items
On their turn, any Hero may pass any one item they own to other Heroes. If the 2 Heroes are in adjacent squares and neither Hero is adjacent to a Monster, the item can be passed with no problems. If the item is a piece of armor or clothing that is currently equipped or being worn, then passing the item counts as an action. Otherwise, it can be performed alongside an action as a bonus.

That leaves open the issue of items being used multiple times in the same round.

If the Heroes are adjacent to a Monster or not adjacent to each other but within sight range, the item can be passed from one Hero to the other with a chance to drop the item. The throwing Hero must roll one White Combat Die. If a Black Shield is rolled, the item falls to the ground in a space halfway between the two Heroes (or at the Hero’s feet if adjacent to a Monster). The item can be retrieved by any Hero or Monster moving to that space on their turn with no additional action necessary other than announcing their intention to pick up the item. Important! Fragile items like Potions will break and be destroyed if the throw fails. An item’s durability will be decided by Zargon.

Nice, throwing items to each other is a cool idea. I'd make it always drop adjacent to the target though, it's cleaner than half way and makes more sense.

[Spookyhappyfun]

Here's my item passing rules:

Passing Items
On their turn, any Hero may pass any one item they own to other Heroes. If the 2 Heroes are in adjacent squares and neither Hero is adjacent to a Monster, the item can be passed with no problems. If the item is a piece of armor or clothing that is currently equipped or being worn, then passing the item counts as an action. Otherwise, it can be performed alongside an action as a bonus.

That leaves open the issue of items being used multiple times in the same round.

Good point. Maybe a line about items only being able to be passed once per round?

[Pancho]

I don't allow the passing of equipment. I consider it cheesy, gamey, against the spirit of HQ, and even mood-breaking.
I wouldn't dream of telling others how they must do HQ, but for me its a no-no.

Potions are different, in that I can easily imagine one fellow passing a healing draught to another, if that character is in distress.

[benvoliothefirst]

Here's my item passing rules:

Passing Items
Important! Fragile items like Potions will break and be destroyed if the throw fails. An item’s durability will be decided by Zargon.

That's exactly what I was thinking. I can imagine some lovely instances where heroes are desperately throwing glass bottles around a room filled with monsters and at the critical moment, the barbarian whiffs it and their hopes shatter with the liquid slowly dripping down the walls. Love it.

[knightkrawler]

I don't allow the passing of equipment. I consider it cheesy, gamey, against the spirit of HQ, and even mood-breaking.
I wouldn't dream of telling others how they must do HQ, but for me its a no-no.

Potions are different, in that I can easily imagine one fellow passing a healing draught to another, if that character is in distress.

i can totally get behind that.
i've been pondering bringing this into mk2 of HQHV, though my existing rule that a hero can give another hero one item card if adjacent and without any monsters present action-free is quite simple.

[j_dean80]

I don't allow the passing of equipment. I consider it cheesy, gamey, against the spirit of HQ, and even mood-breaking.
I wouldn't dream of telling others how they must do HQ, but for me its a no-no.

Potions are different, in that I can easily imagine one fellow passing a healing draught to another, if that character is in distress.

I haven't really encountered anyone wanting to pass equipment. Usually they save hard earned money to buy it and don't want to part with it.

[mitchiemasha]

Usually they save hard earned money to buy it and don't want to part with it.

As is usually the case. The times exchanges have happened in my games, gold was involved too. The last group I was in the Heroes were quite competitive, in a good way.

[Jalapenotrellis]

The only group I've played with is a boyfriend girlfriend couple, and it always is extremely cooperative, sometimes a little too much! Our games last about 3.5-4 hrs with the table debates.

[Pancho]

Players asking to pass equipment rarely happens, in my experience. But as it will come up from time to time I think it makes sense to ban it.
Swopping over plate armour would be impossible, but even exchanging lighter pieces of armour would take time and be unrealistic. Same with weapons. These guys are going into a dark dank dangerous dungeon full of creatures that want to end their lives. An individuals equipment therefore becomes his life support system, an extension of his own body. There's no way they're going to it give away so easily.
Then there's the issue of a character being able to use a new type of weapon straight away without any sort of penalty, or it being the right size and shape to be of use for another player. The difference in size between the four traditional heroes would be great.

[Anderas]

I didn't want to overrule this so I just said swapping equipment cards and giving equipment to adjacent heroes is possible. But: Both have to happen before the first action.

So you cannot use it and then trade it afterwards.
Likewise, if you receive equipment but you already took your action, you can't equip it anymore until your next turn.

The point about Monsters being present is a good one. You just don't have the time to hand over a shield while someone tries to beat you to death. Maybe I add that sentence.

Giving a potion could be possible but then you roll a white die per monster present and if you roll a black shield it breaks? Didn't think about that one either.