Ye Olde Inn

Trying to use the items as written makes the thorn hammer kinda meh, basically a crossbow, but the belt doubling defense is way to strong. Granted I don't think it mentions being combinable with other armor. If it does though that's way to strong.

What changes to the artifacts have you guys done?

Sorry for the late response. Just joined the forum but a long time HQ'er...that's a thing. In the rules it says "Thunder God’s Belt This belt (armor) allows you to roll 2 extra dice in defense. It May not be combined with a suit of armor. May not be used by the Wizard"

I would classify the "suit of armor" as Chain Mail and Plate Mail. But the helmet and Shield are still OK to use with the belt, though both are classified as "armor" in the armory. But the beauty of HeroQuest is that depending on who you are playing with and who your "Zargon" is, you can house rule so that it replaces all "armor" from the armory. so no belt with helmet and shield. A real Conan kind of Barbarian armor.

In the description before the lettered notes, the belt is explained to allow you to roll 4 dice in defense. This inconsistent with the later note granting double defense.
I'd say ignore this. Then the belt is basically a re-skinned Borin's Armor.

As for the hammer, I houserule that throwing weapons doesn't need to be equipped to be thrown - unlike the crossbow which you can't fire if you are using another weapon.
With this point of view, the hammer makes sense. You can attack using the battleaxe or whatever, but still make a ranged attack instead if the opportunity arises.

Why fight with anything but the Hammer of Thor? It allows any Hero to throw 2 extra dice in combat. The Barbarian has 3 dice already, so that's 5 dice from an adjacent square and 5 dice as a thrown weapon that automatically returns! The only thing it doesn't do better than every other weapon is a diagonally adjacent attack. Oh, and I almost forgot--it instantly kills all the Orcs present when the Barbarian claims it if he is wearing the Thunder God's Gloves.

I'd say the belt, hammer and gloves are best left behind with the Barbarian's tribe. The weapon especially will kill a standard game of Hero Quest. Only if a mighty campaign of epic proportions is planned with awesome dragons and fierce giants would I permit this set of artifacts. Five combat dice to attack adjacently or at range with six combat dice to defend would be boring against Hero Quest monsters. Well, maybe it would be okay for more solo Quests.

I just read it (again) and the wording is screwy, and this is how I would use them.

The belt when first mentioned says it adds two extra dice for defense, but when you read the caption it state "may roll twice as many dice". I would only use it as stated adds two extra combat dice of defense and that's it (may be used with helmet, shield and chain mail), other wise Zargon will have no chance and the dice are already stacked against him.

The hammer has four and only four combat dice (can't be used with other weapons, main weapon only (with the gloves of coarse)), and may be thrown at any monster that you see (taken from the armory for the dagger "may be thrown at ANY monster you see") that is not adjacent to the hero in any direction.

Hope that this helps.

Apparently you have been referencing Phoenix's localization. He sometimes takes a few liberties with his downloads and makes a change here or there where he feels an improvement is necessary to match the North American rules. The toned-down hammer is an example. Check out drathe's scan here at the Inn on the Quests page to see the original Quest.

Daedalus

Your right I did only read Phoenix's, I forgot to read the other one. I also had my wife run through the scan by drathe not the Phoenix's remake.

If that's the one that is being used I would only let the belt be used with the shield and helmet, other wise Zargon would again have no real chance at hitting the heroes. After the heroes got to ATOH, MOTM, TFH, WOZ then we could talk about adding the chain mail or plate mail to the list.

As for the hammer I would still keep it the same four attack dice only (as main weapon only or five if the broad sword is the weapon the hero has) because if the hero is rolling six attack dice or higher most of the regular monsters are toast, what would be the point in Zargon even rolling. This way here Zargon would have a chance (because the dice are stacked against him) in ATOH, MOTM, TFH, WOZ.