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Search for Treasure Question

Discuss the Rules of HeroQuest as set out by Milton Bradley Game Systems and Quest Packs.

Re: Search for Treasure Question

Postby Kurgan » August 11th, 2021, 11:32 am

Yeah, the simple fact is that the NA and EU rules are different, absolutely. With homebrew, you do what you like... some even prefer to play with unlimited searches (and even shuffling back good cards into the deck after they're used up). I try to understand the evidence of what they intended as best I can but then after that, it's your free choice.

Since I'm using the NA rules as my base, I do add in stuff from the EU, but obviously I modify it, otherwise I'd just be using the EU rules instead and it could get weird. Other people do it the opposite way, start with EU rules and add in modified NA content. Hasbro is doing the same thing with their remake. Maybe I'll end up disagreeing with their way of blending the EU elements into the NA game in their edition, we'll see!

Then there's the Japanese rules, which I have yet to hear about someone actually playing straight, but I wouldn't mind doing that one of these days.

Cards contain exceptions to the general rules, and quest map notes can trump even these. And expansions add even more exceptions. You go with it, unless you don't like it, and you're Zargon, then it's something else, but best to agree ahead of time to avoid squabbles.

But I played it wrong for quite awhile before I realized the NA rule was intended to be that you got up to four Treasure searches per room (one for each living Hero; with few exceptions, based on quest notes), and only the first one is the special treasure, whatever that might be (even "nothing"). I certainly am not fearful of them getting "too much."

Many people I play with are reluctant to search, and the other fact is that I am building up to really hard quests, and those potions and gold will be needed for those greater challenges (my preference rather than nerfing, dumbing down and neutering those quests). It all depends upon what you want and plan I guess.


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Re: Search for Treasure Question

Postby Agente Cooper » August 11th, 2021, 11:54 am

In the european rules, you play "The Trial" right after explaining movement and fighting, and before explaining magic and quest. In fact, "The Trial" does not have a wandering monster (it is logical since it is played without treasure cards). However, in that adventure, the heroes can open chests. That suggests that opening chests works like opening doors (it does not count as an action), and it does make sense that all chests in all adventures have a note indicating what is inside, even if there is nothing.
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Re: Search for Treasure Question

Postby Kurgan » August 11th, 2021, 1:59 pm

Yeah I didn't realize until recently that technically the Trial in the EU edition is played differently than the other Quests. The Japanese version is well known for having different rules that get added and modified as the quests progress, but it's not the only one! The premiere edition of HQ technically has two little training rooms (heroes fighting goblins and each other) before you begin the first numbered quest (which in that edition is "the Maze").

Speaking again for the NA rules...

If there's no note, then it's just a piece of furniture, hence the search doesn't result in "The Chest is Empty, you find nothing" but you draw a card from the Treasure Deck. If the notes explicitly say the Chest is Empty then that means the first searcher gets a "nothing" search, later searchers get a card, simple as that.

You can argue that it's a glitch (and you'd probably be right, probably just an oversight), that the quest writers made a mistake and its anyone's guess whether they wanted to put a real treasure in there or make it explicitly empty. Hence, home brewers make a judgement call there.

Plenty of quests include chests that have a note saying there's a trap, but don't mention any treasure. In that case you could say the first person finds only the trap, later searchers find a card.

If the notes say the Chest has a trap but doesn't mention a special treasure, I would not grant the first searcher a card, whether or not they get hit with the trap. But I would grant a draw from the later searchers. I think that's how the rules were intended to work, but I'm open to being corrected on that.

Opening a treasure chest is something that happens automatically when you search for treasure in that room. Otherwise you could just open it to see what's inside, without searching for treasure, right? (and still getting hit by the trap if there is one). Taking what's in it is not a separate action. Searching for Traps reveals any furniture traps, then you can try to disarm it (or you end up hit by it on a treasure search).

I agree the mechanics work differently in different editions. Again I default to the version I use that I know the best. You don't have to stand next to it, you don't have to say "I'm opening the chest." When you search for treasure, you automatically try to open it, and you get whatever is inside (whether it's a trap, a real treasure / "empty/nothing" via the quest notes, or a card draw). Any Treasure search includes all the furniture in the room. Some people like to homebrew rules where you can search individual pieces of furniture, but even a bare room is not automatically empty, you still get four Treasure search attempts unless the notes say otherwise.

Some furniture is flagged as the source of a special treasure, but most are not. Hence, not every Alchemist's Bench has a potion, and not every bookcase has a scroll and not every Weapon's Rack has a free weapon. I made some homebrew rules to increase the odds of such things happening, but that's me.

Furniture in HQ is more for decoration or an obstacle, until you decide otherwise. Yes, it's disappointing to find an empty Treasure chest, but I would play a quest without any note NOT as "Empty, you find nothing" but "draw a card" (or more likely, I would modify the quest ahead of time and put in an otherwise missing treasure... see EQP/BQP with artifacts that are officially never found).

If the notes say nothing, you either follow the basic rules, or as Zargon, you're free to make it up if you think it'll make the quest better.


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