HeroQuest Gold

[Bareheaded Warrior]

#16 Monsters with Variable Body points - RESOLVED

Problem statement: Against the Ogre Horde introduces a new concept of monsters, specifically Ogres, having Variable Body points. This is widely regarded as not great, and the method of tracking them in the Quest book, a second related issue.

Proposed changes:
Remove the Variable Body Points concept and the Quest book tracker and replace with fixed BP for Ogres and skull counters but what BP values to use...

Discussion link:
Ogre Body Points

Additional material:
Size of Ogre figures
Ogre Stats for US
Variable Body Points
My Ogre stats

Implemented changes:

## [0.0.9] - 2023-05-03 - Fixed Problem #16

###Changed

- Scrolls (Monster Card: Ogre Warrior): Updated BP to 3, removed Variable Body Point ability
- Scrolls (Monster Card: Ogre Champion): Updated BP to 4, removed Variable Body Point ability
- Scrolls (Monster Card: Ogre Chieftain): Updated BP to 4 and Move to 6, removed Variable Body Point ability
- Scrolls (Monster Card: Ogre Lord): Updated BP to 5, removed Variable Body Point ability

###Removed

- Rulebook (Book of Morcar): removed Variable Body Point special ability as now redundant

[Bareheaded Warrior]

#17 Attack Twice - RESOLVED

Problem statement: Some special weapons and potions allow you to attack twice but the rules around handling these are not clear or consistent. For example: Orc's Bane, Heroic Brew.

Confusion arises around attacking twice, is it two attacks against the same target Orc (assuming it survives the first one) or a second attack on any other adjacent Orc or can you do your initial attack against an Orc and then move and attack a second Orc

Proposed changes:
Remove the Attack Twice concept and update Orcs' Bane to grant an extra Attack Die against Orcs (or Greenskins in general) and Heroic Brew to grant an extra Attack Die, although that just makes it a weaker version of the Potion of Strength, perhaps convert Heroic Brew to Berserker Brew and make it grant "Battle Rage" ability

Discussion link:
Defending against the Orc's Bane

Additional material:
"Attack Twice" and defence
Polar Warbear double attack
Improving Orc's Bane
Orc's Bane Combined with the Courage Spell
A few questions on Orc's Bane
Two attacks instead of one?

Implemented changes:

# [0.0.16] - 2023-06-27 - Fixed Problem #17

###Added

- Rulebook (Book of Combat: Attacking Twice): Some items allow a character to attack twice instead of the usual once, such as Heroic Brew and Orcs Bane. In this instance both attacks are considered part of one single attack action, so you cannot split the action by moving in between, neither can you switch weapons between attacks, it is a single action comprising of one attack followed rapidly by another using the same weapon. You may direct your attacks against different targets if they are both valid targets under the usual rules. Defence is handled as standard. Using more than one item that gives you an "attack twice" bonus does not stack, for example attacking Orcs with Orcs' Bane whilst under the influence of Heroic Brew means that you will get two attacks only as this satisfies the criteria for both effects.

###Changed

- Scrolls (Quest Treasure Card: Orcs' Bane): Altered text from "Orcs" to "Greenskins" and added label "Basic" inline with same on shortsword.

[Bareheaded Warrior]

#18 Fire Damage Spells use an inconsistent and poor damage mechanism - RESOLVED

Problem statement: Ball of Flame and Fire of Wrath use a damage mechanism that is different from the standard so is not consistent and also this mechanism doesn't scale for multiple BP monsters

Proposed changes:
Replace the damage mechanism used under these spells with the standard roll x combat dice, opponent loses a BP for each skull rolled. Ball of Flame would roll 3, Fire of Wrath would roll 2.

Discussion link:

Fire Damage Spells use a poor damage mechanism

Additional material:

Implemented changes:

## [0.0.11] - 2023-06-05 - Fixed Problem #18

###Changed
- Scrolls (Spell Card: Ball of Flame): Replaced "It will inflict two points of Body damage. The victim may roll two dice. For each shield they roll reduce the damage by one." with " This spell may be cast at any one square and uses the Flame Tile. Each victim rolls two combat dice, losing one Body point for each skull rolled”
- Scrolls (Spell Card: Fire of Wrath): Replaced "It will seek out your enemy and inflict one Body point of damage unless your opponent can roll a shield on one combat die" with " This spell may be cast on any one character, anywhere on the board. It will seek out your enemy and inflict damage. The victim rolls three combat dice, losing one Body point for each skull rolled."
- Scrolls (Spell Card: Skulls of Doom): Replaced "It will seek out your enemy and inflict one Body point of damage unless your opponent can roll a shield on one combat die" with " This spell allows a Sorcerer to hurl a magical skull at any square in their line of sight. The skull explodes like a fireball using the Flame Tile. Each victim rolls two combat dice, losing one Body point for each skull rolled".
- Scrolls (Trap Card: Fireburst Trap): " When this trap is activated, place the Flame Tile placed on the square indicated. Each victim rolls two combat dice, losing one Body point for each skull rolled."
- Scrolls (Spell Card: Lightning Bolt): " The caster may fire a lightning bolt in a straight line of six squares. Use the lightning bolt card tile to determine who is hit. Each victim rolls three combat dice, losing one Body point for each skull rolled. “
- Scrolls (Spell Card: Death Bolt): " The caster may fire a death bolt in a straight line of six squares. Use the lightning bolt card tile to determine who is hit. Each victim rolls three combat dice, losing one Body point for each skull rolled.

[Bareheaded Warrior]

#19 Stacking Body Armour - RESOLVED

The armour Equipment cards are used in the same way, but some cards like the shield and the helmet cards, allow you to roll an extra die, others like Plate gives you 4 DD, chainmail 3DD which replaces your base 2DD.
This inconsistency in approaches confuses some players although a clarification is called out in the rulebook. There is also a rule that states that you can only wear one piece of body armour at a time but doesn’t clarify what Body Armour is.

"You may not wear more than one type of body armour at one time."

Also the "Cloak of Protection" has the ARMOUR label, which presumably means it is armour (but is it really?), but is that also body armour?

Proposed changes:

Remove the body armour restriction, convert all armour cards to show "allow you to roll an extra die", possibly remove the "ARMOUR" label from Cloak of Protection

Discussion link:
Armour and Base Defense

Additional material:
Are Bracers "Body Armor"?

Implemented changes:

## [0.0.10] - 2023-05-23 - Fixed Problem #19

###Added

- Scrolls (Character Card: Wizard): Added text "The Wizard may not use any Equipment labelled as ARMOUR."

###Changed

- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Plate armour): Rename to "Plated mail" and replaced "allows you to roll four combat dice in defence" with "gives you two extra combat die in defence" and added "cannot be combined with Chain mail"
- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Chain mail): Replaced "allows you to roll three combat dice in defence" with "gives you one extra combat die in defence"
- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Bracers): Replaced "allow you to roll one extra combat die in defence" with "give you one extra combat die in defence."
- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Cloak of Protection): Replaced "allows you to roll one extra combat die in defence" with "gives you one extra combat die in defence"

- Rulebook (Book of Between Quests): replaced the following text "The armour Equipment cards are used in the same way. However, some cards like the shield and the helmet cards, allow you to roll an extra die. This is an extra die in addition to the those you would normally roll. If, for example, you had the chainmail card and the shield card you would roll a total of four combat dice in defence.
You may not wear more than one type of body armour at one time." with "The armour Equipment cards allow you to roll extra dice in addition to those you would normally roll. If, for example, you had the chainmail card and the shield card you would roll a total of four combat dice in defence."

###Removed
- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Shield): Removed "May not be used by Wizard."
- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Helmet): Removed "May not be used by Wizard."
- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Plated mail): Removed "May not be used by Wizard."
- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Chain mail): Removed "May not be used by Wizard."
- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Bracers): Removed ARMOUR label
- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Cloak of Protection): Removed ARMOUR label

[Bareheaded Warrior]

#20: Searching for and disarming traps - RESOLVED

This particular problem, or set of problems, I have been putting off and dreading for an age. It is the great big elephant in the room of Polishing the SE.

There are so many individual problems within the context of “Searching for and disarming traps” within the SE rules that handling them as individual problems doesn’t make sense as the resolutions all overlap making a mess, equally handling them as one big problem doesn’t really fit into the approach that I have used so far of identifying individual problems, numbering them, and fixing them one at a time.

In order to get around this great big complex knot, I have decided to create a single problem here #20 “Searching for and disarming traps” and then spin that off into a side topic, that lists all the individual problems within this area, debates them and (hopefully) results in a single body of changes to resolve them all, which I can then include in this post as modifications to resolve this problem.

Discussion link: Search – The Binding Topic

Implemented Changes:

# [0.0.17] - 2023-06-28 - Fixed Problem #20

###Added

- Rulebook (Book of Exploration): Movement and Traps
If, as part of movement you step onto a trapped square, or try to open a trapped chest or door, then the Evil Wizard player will stop your movement and inform you of the presence of a trap. At this point you must perform a roll to detect and disarm the trap (see Book of Traps for the process).

- Rulebook (Book of Exploration): Movement and Secret Doors
If, as part of movement, you step onto a square adjacent to a secret door, then the Evil Wizard player will stop your movement and inform you of the presence of the secret door and will place an open secret door tile in the appropriate position before laying out the contents of the dungeon behind the door.

- Rulebook (Book of Traps): Detect and Disarm Roll
A hero rolls a Red Die, if they score 5 or more the trap has been disarmed, otherwise they have sprung the trap.
• The Dwarf being a "Trap Master" will be successful on a roll of 3 or more

- Scrolls (Character Card: Dwarf): You are a good warrior and get a bonus to detecting and disarming any traps that you find.

- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Tool Kit): The tool kit enables you to add 1 to your detect and disarm roll for trap that you find.

- Rulebook (Book of Searching): Searching
On your turn you may opt to perform a search, this is a full turn action and includes both your action and your movement for that turn.
You may Search in a room only and not in a passageway. You must be in the room; the room must be free of monsters, and you must not have any monsters in any squares next to you to perform this action.
A room can only be searched once, although it may take more than one search action to complete a search of a room.
If the room contains one or more trapped squares, then place the searcher on the nearest trapped square and follow the process above. This ends the search action.
If the room contains no trapped squares but does contain one or more secret doors, then place the searcher on the square adjacent to the nearest secret door and follow the process above. This ends the search action.
If the room contains no traps and no secret doors, then the searcher may have found treasure.
Some of the Quest notes detail specific treasure which can be found by searching. If a character searches in that 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.
Once a room has been searched, it must be recorded as being searched by placing a tile (any tile face down will do) in the room. This room cannot be searched again.
For clarity, searching in a room containing treasure chests does not cover the chests themselves which are handled through “opening”.

- Rulebook (Book of Traps): Well Hidden Traps
Some quests such as Kellar’s Keep: The Spiral Passage have traps hat are described as “Well Hidden”. These traps require a roll of 6 or more rather than the usual 5 or more to detect and disarm successfully.

- Rulebook (Book of Traps): Magical Traps
Some traps are magically triggered and cannot be detect and disarmed by any character apart from spellcasters. If a non-spellcaster steps on a magically trapped tile, opens a chest or door, then the trap is activated automatically with no detect and disarm roll.
If a spellcaster steps on a magically trapped tile, opens a chest or door, then they may make a detect and disarm roll as per the standard rules above, and they gain a +1 to their roll for each Mind dice above 4.

Note: The toolkit bonus does not apply to magical traps

###Removed

- Scrolls (Character Card: Dwarf): You are a good warrior and can always disarm traps that you find.

- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Tool Kit): The tool kit enables you to remove any trap that you find. Roll one combat die. On a roll of a skull the trap goes off and you lose one Body point. Once you have rolled the die the trap is removed.

- Rulebook (Book of Searching): Searching
Heroes may either search for secret doors and traps or search for treasure as an action. Searching for secret doors and traps will not reveal treasure, and vice versa. Heroes may not search if they are next to a monster or there is a monster in the same room or passageway. Monsters never search.
When a hero searches, they search the whole room or passageway in which they are standing. If they are standing on a square shared between two passageways, then they must declare which of the two passageways they are searching.
The Evil Wizard player then checks the map in the Quest Book to see if there is anything hidden in that room or passageway. If there is anything to be found, the Evil Wizard player must reveal it.
Searching for Secret doors and traps
Secret door tiles are only placed on the board if a hero finds them by searching.
Secret doors may be found by a search on either side of the wall in which they are placed.
Once found, secret doors stay open for the rest of the game.
Trap tiles are only placed if found by a search or if triggered by a hero moving onto the trapped square.
Pit traps and falling block traps are placed onto the board when found. Spear traps are made harmless when found, so there are no tokens for spear traps.
Disarming traps
Trap tiles may be removed from the board by any hero who has the Tool Kit equipment card and is adjacent to the trap. They may only remove one trap per turn.
Searching for Treasure
Some of the Quests supply details about specific treasures which can be found by searching. If a character searches for treasure in that room or passageway the Evil Wizard player should reveal what treasure is hidden there. If there is no specific treasure listed for that room or passageway, then the hero player must take the top Treasure card.
Once a room or passageway has been searched for treasure, it must be recorded as being searched by placing a tile (any tile face down will do) in the room or passageway. This room or passageway cannot be searched for treasure a second time.

- Rulebook (Book of Traps): Well Hidden Traps
#From Kellar’s Keep: The Spiral Passage
The traps in this passageway are so well hidden that any hero who searches for traps will only find the next trap down the passageway.

- Rulebook (Book of Traps): Magical Traps
#From Wizards of Morcar
Whenever a character enters a room described in the Quest notes as containing a magical trap, the Evil Wizard player must refer to the Magic Reference Chart to see the effects of that trap.
Magical Traps cannot be found by searching. They can only be disarmed with certain spells specified on the Magic Reference Chart. Magical traps may only be activated once. As soon as a magical trap has been activated, heroes can move safely through that room or passageway.

[Bareheaded Warrior]

#21: With no incentive for the Heroes to keep moving the game can drag a little - RESOLVED

Problem statement:

HeroQuest is a fairly fast-paced game but with no incentive for the Heroes to keep moving the game can drag a little, especially as players may keep searching every nook and cranny for more loot.

Discussion link: Evil Wizard card rules that require no Evil Wizard cards

Proposed solution:

Wandering Monster Roll
For two co-operative adventurers - At the end of each of his turns, Morcar rolls a combat die. If the result is a ‘white shield’, he may place a wandering monster anywhere on the board, in any room or corridor that the players have visited but no longer occupy. If such an area does not exist, Morcar does not place a wandering monster.
The effect of the first of these adjustments is to speed up the adventurers, since the more turns they spend on the quest, the more forces Morcar has. This discourages them somewhat from searching every little nook and cranny for traps and treasure.

Games International No.9 Sept/Oct 1989

However this solution as it stands may result in a build up of forces behind the heroes which isn't ideal so it may need to be tweaked. May also be value in reworking Wandering Monster placement in general to avoid player exploit around the searcher hiding in a corner.

Also I think 1/3 odds are too high in practice and 1/6 seems to work better.

Implemented changes:

# [0.0.13] - 2023-06-20 - Fixed Problem #21

###Added

- Rulebook (Book of the Evil Wizard Player: Wandering Monsters): At the start of each of their turns, the Evil Wizard Player rolls a combat die. If the result is a ‘black shield’, he may place a wandering monster on the board.

Further implemented changes:

# [0.0.25] - 2023-12-23 - Fixed Problem #21

###Added
- Rulebook (Book of Play: Dungeon Cards):
7. Dungeon Cards
These represent bonus items and events that the Evil Wizard player can use to strengthen his forces.
Once the hero players have rolled their movement dice at the start of the round the Evil Wizard player rolls a single Combat die, if a special symbol is rolled then they may draw a Dungeon Card.
Each dungeon card contains details of when it can be played and the effects that occur when it is played. The Evil Wizard player can only hold a maximum number of Dungeon cards equal to the number of heroes in play, generally 4. If drawing a Dungeon card takes the number held to greater than this amount the Evil Wizard player must play a card immediately, if this is possible, or must discard a card from their hand.

- Scrolls (Dungeon Cards): Created Dungeon Cards and Added to Scroll List

[Bareheaded Warrior]

#22: Unarmed Combat is not defined - RESOLVED

Problem statement: Unarmed combat appears in a couple of quests and isn't defined, although strictly speaking for SE it is defined but it isn't aligned with card-based weapon equipment. Legacy of the Orc Warlord in GS introduces the concept of unarmed combat, but the solution presented has a couple of issues
• All Heroes have the same attack strength when unarmed, that doesn’t reflect the Barbarian’s formidable strength
• Unarmed Heroes have the same Attack Dice as Heroes armed with a Dagger rendering the weapon pointless (sorry!) especially following the removal of the dagger throwing option previously
+ Unarmed attack, assume that any Heroes finding themselves momentarily without weapons will improvise a weapon, equivalent in effect to a Dagger, broken bottle, candle stick, torch, large bone...
+ The Barbarian “Battle Rage” special ability already introduced would still apply when he is unarmed so that is fixed for free.
Note: Return of the Witch Lord - Halls of the Dead: The Barbarian and the Elf are unarmed so need to cover that situation too.

Discussion link: Lair of the Orc Warlord

Additional material:
Minor Houserules: Unarmed Attacks, Jumpy Elves

Proposed changes:if we are adopting NA edition rules around starting weapons (see # above) then we should probably adopt the same principle around unarmed combat and adopt the following:

A Hero with no weapons or armor rolls one die to attack and two dice to defend

Implemented changes:

## [0.0.11] - 2023-06-05 - Fixed Problem #22

###Added

- Rulebook (Book of Combat: Attacking and Defending): Added the following text "A character with no weapon equipment card rolls one die to attack."
"A character with no armour equipment cards rolls two dice to defend."

[Bareheaded Warrior]

#23: Pass through Rock Spell is not properly defined in terms of handling ‘revealing’ - RESOLVED

Problem statement: The Pass through Rock spell doesn't include any information around handling impact of this spell on the standard reveal rules. It also doesn't state whether the spell can be used to pass through monsters, furniture and similar and if not how you handle those situations.

Discussion link:Pass through rock - furniture and monsters

Proposed solution: Rewrite the Pass-through Rock Spell to avoid some of the game breaking properties of the original, inspired by Japanese version of HeroQuest
Note: Needed as the original spell description doesn’t suggest how to handle revealing objects when moving through undiscovered squares and there doesn’t seem to be any non-contentious solution so clarification from the Japanese version has been adopted.

Implemented Changes:

# [0.0.25] - 2023-12-23 - Fixed Problem #23

###Changed

Edited this to remove the strikethrough text

- Rulebook (Book of Play: Exploration):
Blocked Squares
These tiles should be placed according to the map in the Quest Book as soon as they become visible to a character player. These tiles show where extra walls have been built, or wherea ceiling has fallen in. Neither characters or monsters may move through blocked squares.

- Scrolls (Spell Card: Pass Through Rock):
Edited this to add the text in italics

Pass Through Rock
This spell may be cast on any one player. That player may then move through walls, as if the wall contained a door, when he next moves. The player may move through as many walls as his movement will allow. The spell is then discarded.
Note: Monsters revealed in this situation MAY, on their turn, open doors to get out of the room.

[Bareheaded Warrior]

#24: Can you use a shield with the Crossbow - RESOLVED

Problem Statement: There is no restriction on using a Crossbow and Shield combination, although such a restriction exists for other weapon combinations such as the Battle axe and Shield. The presumed logic behind the restriction on the Battle axe is that the weapon needs both hands to be used effectively and the individual player turns whilst sequential are supposed to represent simultaneous or at least parallel overlapping activities. If that logic is correct then should the same apply to the Crossbow. Also need to consider the Short bow and Shield combination, and the Staff and Shield combination - does the same apply to those and if so does that influence the Crossbow and Shield debate?

Discussion link: Crossbow--2 handed or can use a shield?

Additional Material: Crossbow Argument

Proposed Solutions:
(1) Do nothing it is fine as it is (allow Staff, Short bow and Crossbow to be combined with Shield)
(2) Split the existing Crossbow into a Crossbow and a Crossbow Pistol, the former having a restriction, the latter not (but increase the price tag) and add the restriction to the Staff and Short bow
(3) Add the restriction to all 3 and potentially bring in a crossbow pistol in addition (or not)

Implemented Changes:

# [0.0.15] - 2023-06-25 - Fixed Problem #24

###Changed
- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Staff): Added "Both Hands" label
- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Battle Axe): Added "Both Hands" label
- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Short Bow): Added "Both Hands" label
- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Crossbow): Added "Both Hands" label
- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Repeater Crossbow): Added "Both Hands" label
- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Shield): Added text "Cannot be combined with any weapon displaying the "Both Hands" label."

[Bareheaded Warrior]

#25: Strength Test used for Doors that need to forced open is inconsistent - RESOLVED

Problem statement:
The Stuck Door in KK and the Stone Doors in AtOH both require physical strength to force them open, but they use different mechanisms which is inconsistent. In addition the mechanism used for the latter means that it is impossible for the Wizard to open stone doors, meaning that he could get trapped and die of thirst and boredom, not exactly a heroic end!

Suggested resolution:
Create a standard strength test mechanism, add it to the rulebook, and apply to both those situations and anything similar

Discussion link: Strength of Body/Mind Tests

EDIT: This concept really grew arms and legs and mutated into a single consistent mechanism for handling all tests that are not Combat (or damage) rolls, summarised on the Of Mice and Mystics: Action Dice topic

Implemented changes:

# [0.0.13] - 2023-06-20 - Fixed Problem #25

###Added

- Rulebook (Book of Exploration: Strength Roll):

This roll is used when raw strength is needed such as forcing open jammed or stone doors.

A character rolls a number of combat dice indicated below and is successful if they score at least one . Failure ends your turn.
• Barbarian 4
• Dwarf 3
• Elf 2
• Wizard 1

- Rulebook (Book of Spell Casting: Spell Break Roll):
Some spells have a lasting effect on their victim. These effects can be broken on the victim’s turn by succeeding with a Spell Break roll.
Roll action dice equal to your Mind value, score at least one special symbol, to break the spell effects.
Note: These spell effects are automatically broken if the spell caster is eliminated.

###Changed

- Rulebook (Book of Exploration: Jumping a Pit):
Characters may try to jump across a pit. They must have enough movement left to get across the pit, counting the pit square as one square, and the square on the other side must also be unoccupied for the character to jump onto, and the pit square itself must be unoccupied.
Any character who tries to jump across must roll four combat dice, if they roll at least one , they have successfully jumped the pit and may continue their move. Otherwise, they fall into the pit.

- Rulebook (Book of Traps: Detect and Disarm Roll):
A hero rolls two combat dice, and if they score at least one they have been successful and the trap has been disarmed, otherwise they have sprung the trap. Either way their turn ends.
Note: Some quests feature traps that are described as “well hidden”, heroes roll only one combat dice when attempting to disarm these traps.

- Rulebook (Book of Heroes: Trap Master):
A character with this special ability rolls two extra combat dice when rolling to disarm a trap.

- Scrolls (Treasure Card: Potion of Strength): You find a small purple flask. It is a Potion of Strength. You may drink the potion at any time. It will enable you to roll two extra action dice on your next attack OR your next strength roll.

- Scrolls (Equipment Card: Tool Kit):
Tool
The tool kit enables you to roll one extra combat die when attempting to disarm a trap.
Cost 250 gold coins.

- Scrolls (Spell Card: Fear):
Replaced the last sentence with "The victim may attempt a spell break roll to end the effects at the start of each of their turns."

- Scrolls (Spell Card: Sleep):
Replaced the last sentence with "The victim may attempt a spell break roll to end the effects at the start of each of their turns."

- Scrolls (Spell Card: Mind Lock):
Replaced the last sentence with "The victim may attempt a spell break roll to end the effects at the start of each of their turns."

- Scrolls (Spell Card: Dominate):
Replaced the last sentence with "The victim may attempt a spell break roll to end the effects at the start of each of their turns."

- Scrolls (Spell Card: Madness):
Replaced the last sentence with "The victim may attempt a spell break roll to end the effects at the start of each of their turns."