Descent 2E or Hey is that guy HeroQuest related to you?

[Blackthorn]

I do see some WONDERFUL game design aspects that I haven't seen with other
games of the type. For example...the "plot tree" that is mentioned, depending on whether
the heroes or the bad guy wins. And the ability of the bad guy to take a class, as well.
Nice stuff.

I think these aspects are new to the second edition which has been getting some new positive reviews, even from first edition Descent players and people who don't like of Fantasy of Flight games.

[Blackthorn]

I downloaded the rule book and it seems pretty involved. Maybe if I played a few games...

[knightkrawler]

I'm getting it for X-Mas...

[Patroclus]

I don’t have played it but I see some previews.

The battle system looks similar to HQ, with hearts and shields instead of skulls and shields. That’s nice. There is a map for traveling with cards for events, that’s awesome. But it is still far from HQ… the difference? HQ is very close to the ad&d… if you want to roleplay it is easy to do it, with no problem. You can add as many npcs you want to add in your story, a giant to give you directions, or a gnome who will try to sell you a special item for a crazy amount of gold. You can add everything in your HQ quests, because it’s a pure dungeon crawler focused on the searching of the dungeon and not on battles. The descent and most of the other games, except the ad&d, are based on the tactical battles, they are more like chess where you try to bit your opponent.

About the repeatability, on HQ you want to finish the original quests just to start making your own. On the descent who is going to make tactical missions? I believe no one…

Of course it is possible to add all these minis to your HQ game, and find some use for all those tiles and tokens (the hearts for example can be used for body). Also, if you are only two players, maybe it is better to play the descent than the HQ with the one player as the GM and the second controlling four heroes. Finally, if we love dungeon crawling boardgames it’s a good thing to support them and spend some money for them.

[HeroQuestFrance]

I should receive the french version next week.
It is just released here.
But it's definitively not a HQ.

[Maike05]

Hi! Just wanted to say i getting it for x mas can't wait to get more minis to paint mwahaah

[Blackthorn]

Kightcrawler and Maike05, Christmas was nearly a month ago, so I must ask: how do you like Descent 2.0? How about you, HeroQuest France? I'd like to see a review of this game from the perspective of a HeroQuest fan.

[knightkrawler]

As far as I'm concerned:
it was planned as a part of my collection, and that's what it's been.
So I can't tell you anything about playing it.

But i can tell you something about this game from the point of view of somebody who wanted to have it for the parts useable in HQ and the inspirational values.

Hero minis: very detailed, very beautiful, 8 hero classes that convert wonderfully into HQ. Like in 1st edition the scale is awkward. Even though the height of the minis may fit HQ style (with a lot of good will), the proportions certainly don't. These minis look realistic. Put the Berserker from Descent 2e next to a HQ wizard and you'll know what I'm talking about. But... the looks of these minis are very very tempting to use them.
Monster minis: outlandish types, detailed, great supplements for HQ, crappy goblins, however.
Tiles: no ugly white grid like 1st edition, very very beautiful tiles I tell you. Certainly worth planning Modular board quests like it's all the rage in Germany.
the big disadvantage: everything is printed on there - water holes, obstacles, furniture... very limited uses left there.
Markers: almost all 1st edition markers are gone, so there are almost no useable parts there.
Quests: many many adventures, campaign mode included, I plan to someday convert this into a questbook.
Cards: lots of inspiration there, especially with the skills...

[Blackthorn]

Thanks for the reply, but I'm interested in playing the actual game. I generaly don't add compnents from other games to HeroQuest...aside from the occasional Dragon Strike mini.