Returning after 25 years

[Gold Bearer]

Fate points... consider that idea stolen.

Have it. It's directly lifted from AHQ anyway.

any chance you have posted some more info about those elementals to summon (wizard veteran) somewhere? i'd like to know more.

I don't think I ever got round to the elementals. I got the idea from the spell card pictures, they all show an elemental that you can't use. I'm thinking they should start with a decent BP and lose 1BP every turn as they fade away from this reality. Not sure if they should actually be hurtable except with spells. Maybe just the earth one. It would also be cool if they could cast their elements spells.

I need to reword those skills. That's a first draft that I never got round to neatening up, it should be a lot cleaner and clearer. I think I'll tone down the dwarf's anti-magic so it just forces them to discard the spell on a black shield. It seems a bit OP and I've got another hero who can rebound spells. I also need to rule that fate points can't be used with instant effect spells or genie would be too good, air is already better than fire.

I was tempted to use those coloured dice but I want the rules to be instantly usable. It also wouldn't work with PBP.

[Count Mohawk]

Actually, the original Agin's Inn had a page with some Elementals' stats. You'd need to adapt them, since Agin gave some of them better base stats than the Heroes, but the ideas are there for the taking.

[zaleuhe]

Awesome, thanks for all the inputs and insights!

[whitebeard]

Yea, the elf is definitely best but he tends to heal the wizard and then die.

[Gold Bearer]

This could work.

Elementals
5BP 5MP A4 Can cast without using an action but can still only cast one spell per turn. Lose 1BP every time they attack or cast.

Earth: M4 (or one dice), D8.
Fire: M8 (or two dice), D0, double damage against mummies, lights up dark areas, ethereal (only harmed by magic).
Water: M12 (or three dice), D0, can move through enemies, ethereal (only harmed by magic), immune to fire magic.
Air: M16 (or four dice), D0, pushes the target back until they hit something solid, ethereal (only harmed by magic).

Edit:
If the elemental doesn’t attack or cast during its turn roll a combat dice. On a skull it loses 1BP and on a black shield it fades back to the elemental plane.
Otherwise there’d be no point in not using it and they’d summon it before they go into a room.

[Daedalus]

...
2) How does the characters base skills interact with weapons/armor? i.e. My barbarian card shows he starts with a broadsword and can throw three attack dice. That seems more of a attribute of the sword than the barbarian. So the Barbarian's really starting advantage is he has better starting equipment than sheer brawn?

3) Continuing with the thought of #2, how does this affect leveling up using the advanced rules?

2) Yes, the 3 combat dice for attack is aptly described as an attribute of the starting broadsword. However, starting with a default broadsword attack that can never be taken away in the base game and first two expansions is an attribute of the Barbarian using the European (EU) rules.

Check out Legacy of the Orc Warlord, the sixth Quest of the EU base game. Heroes start that Quest without equipment gained from previous Quests. The Barbarian's starting broadsword is exempt from being taken away as it was never gained. As he escapes, he immediately may begin whacking monsters using the 3 combat dice printed on his character board. Though I'm not sure how he managed to conceal it in confinement sporting just a loincloth.

The North American (NA) rules changed the Hero Card by listing the Barbarian's starting weapon as the broadsword and made his starting 3 Attack Dice dependent on it. Quest 6 of the NA version took away all Hero equipment, so any Hero started his escape punching with just 1 Attack Die.

To account for the sheer brawn of the Barbarian, you must look to his Body Points. Under Body of p.5 in the EU rules it is stated, "This is a measure of your character's physical strength." In The Great Citadel, the sixth Quest of Kellar's Keep, the old door at room A may only be opened by a Hero rolling the same number or less than his starting Body Points on two red dice (EU version). The same kind of check is used later for other portals in the expansions.

3) I imagine you are referring to how Heroes level up with upgrades. This is accomplished through either better equipment purchases or through found artifacts. A permanent, default broadsword attack doesn't affect upgrades in any way. If a battle axe is later purchased or even found, 4 combat dice to attack is simply substituted as the Barbarian's new attack. If he used a spear, he'd throw 2 combat dice instead.

If you play through the Barbarian Quest Pack of the NA Hero Quest, the sheer brawn of the Barbarian may be upgraded with the Amulet of the North artifact. It adds 2 Body Points while worn, making the opening of heavy or stuck portals all the more likely.