Wands

[mitchiemasha]

I like the idea of Blank Spell Scrolls, adding the use of the Sorcerers Table. This is the only place the wizard can inscribe 1 with a know spell. All it costs is an action. Naturally... in a later quest, the table would be cursed. The quest notes would word some fluff in regards to it being and the wizard would have to roll 1 CD6 to see if losing a MIND point, if successfully inscribing the scroll or nothing. It's good when ideas utilise what's already in the game.

There's still plenty of room for wands. I'd say only 3 casts and a higher gold cost. Not returnable via the ring. Spell rarity is a very important dynamic to playing the Wizard. Choosing wisely to use his spells is how you and the character grow. The character progression for him is in you figuring him out, quite different from the bash and dash of the Barbarian. Increasing castability too much seriously shifts him over.

[lestodante]

I really like the idea of a bunch of items that only the Wizard (or equivalent high mage) can buy. The USA instruction booklet made it sound like "future quest packs" would offer such "powerful magical items" that the Wizard should "save your gold" for... so I'm all for it. Make the stuff expensive. But we need creativity, not just another equivalent of the "spell scroll" recycling stuff we've already gotten. I have some ideas of my own but it will take some time to hammer them out... perhaps also there could be items that increase in power or can't even be used until you reach a certain "level" (using a basic leveling system like number of quests completed). Limit the number of times they can be used per quest for balance sake.

I realize that to a certain point, the spell scrolls can turn a Barbarian into a Wizard (except his mind points will still be low and once he uses a spell, it is gone for good). There should be similar limitations if you were trying to turn a Wizard into a Barbarian (like "magical armor" and "magical weapons" that give him the same strength and durability as a tricked out warrior like that). To my mind the hard fighting should be left to the fighters, while the mages should be the "wait for the right time then WHOA look at what he did" sort of characters that can make the difference when it counts.

I agree 100% with Kurgan... and I add the idea that a wand could cast both 1 standard spell AND 1 new spell. We could use tokens to take track of the usage (like the Sky Orb in the EQP).
I usually like to add strategy and variety to the game more than overpowered items. My version of the Wand of Galimatias (from The Screaming Spectre novel) allows the Wizard to cast all the 4 Elemental spell groups, BUT if equipped, it deny to carry and use any other kind of staff or wand (like the Wand of Recall for example) for the whole quest. So it gives a bonus and a malus at the same time.

I like the idea of Blank Spell Scrolls, adding the use of the Sorcerers Table. This is the only place the wizard can inscribe 1 with a know spell. All it costs is an action. Naturally... in a later quest, the table would be cursed. The quest notes would word some fluff in regards to it being and the wizard would have to roll 1 CD6 to see if losing a MIND point, if successfully inscribing the scroll or nothing. It's good when ideas utilise what's already in the game.

This is another great idea Prince! The skill to write on a blank scroll can be earned after a bit by the Wizard. He can put whatever spell he wish on it but a blank scroll is a rarity to be found; maybe it can be an additional treasure card? But once you found one of this it is not replaced into the deck for a long time and obviously there can be only one blank scroll per time.

[Jafazo]

I have tried using rechargeable wands, yes, but my mods are different than what you presented.

The Bad I see
1. Keeping track of charges / uses gets annoying when it needs to be applied to numerous things. If my Wizard ends up with 8 wands, that's a lot of charges to keep track of. Experienced fans don't mind, but new / younger players tend to dislike it. I try to stay away from that mechanism when it comes to Heroquest cause I find it to be the game I pitch at younger folks or people who don't really play tabletop RPG's.

2. The cost of 500 gold forces the Wizard to spend big before he can get anything. A friendlier payment option would be more appealing. Maybe offer wands at 100 gold per charge up to five charges per wand. This way if the Wizard only has 300 gold he can still make a purchase and even split it up any way he likes. One wand with two charges, one with one charge etc.

[lestodante]

Hmmm... I realy don't like the idea of buying a recharge; it is a Wand, not a an electronic cigarette.
So I prefer that once used it will pulverize

[SirRick]

Hmmm... I realy don't like the idea of buying a recharge; it is a Wand, not a an electronic cigarette.
So I prefer that once used it will pulverize

That is what I was thinking as well. It crumbles to dust when used up. I took some inspiration from the Instruction Manual that says the wizard should save his money for "powerful" magic items in future quest packs. So any new items should be a little bit higher in price, so it takes some time to save up for it, but not too much.

If any new items/potions/or whatever cost too much, the wizard is much better off hiring mercenaries.

[mitchiemasha]

If any new items...

Agreed!

[Jafazo]

Hmmm... I realy don't like the idea of buying a recharge; it is a Wand, not a an electronic cigarette.
So I prefer that once used it will pulverize

You misunderstand. I never suggested letting Heroes pay for recharges. I suggested letting them buy wands with more or less charges. 200 gold for a wand with two charges, 400 gold for a wand with four charges, etc. Once the charges are used up, the wand's done. Letting heroes recharge wands is redundant considering I just said the hassle of keeping track of charges is annoying. The reason for pricing it that way is so the Wizard could actually buy something with smaller amounts of gold earlier on instead of having to wait until he has a whopping 500 gold to buy just one wand with a bunch of charges.

The barbarian, dwarf and elf see upgrades earlier considering equipment from the armory costs around 150 gold a piece so this way the Wizard has something to show for it too.

[wallydubbs]

Did anyone ever stop to consider of wand equipping?

Throughout the quest packs there are various wands that the Wizard (or Elf) can hold: Wand of Recall, Bone Wand, etc.
Does the Wizard actually need to be holding these in his hands to use?
Some people play that changing out equipment during the quest should cost a turn, if you want to put away the Battle Axe and take out the Broadsword and Sheild, it'll take a turn to switch up.
In like manner the staff is a 2 handed weapon. Does the Wizard need to put that away in order to equip the Wand of Recall?

I never really had a problem with this until I came across the Ancient Staff in the Elf Quest Pack.
The staff is traditionally a 2 handed weapon and unlike a wand, can't just be put in your pocket. So I really have to ask if this defensive weapon should be in the Elf's hand if he's going to start deflecting spells back at the caster and his minions. It seems powerful enough to limit the Elf's carrying equipment.

[slev]

I actually did something *similar* with my "foci" idea.
It developed into something else for me (and my "advanced magic system"), but there should be some useful ideas here:
viewtopic.php?f=38&t=2781

[Kurgan]

Hmmm... I realy don't like the idea of buying a recharge; it is a Wand, not a an electronic cigarette.

My Alchemist variation might take to this idea, actually...

I agree that the purchasable recharge does add extra complexity, so the items I'm thinking of now will automatically recharge when you go to the next quest, just like a spell. Or if it requires a certain amount of mind points, you lose it if your mind points drop below the required level, but gain it back if you reach the threshold again (through use of potions, for example).

The point about the Staff, wally, is well taken. I think of a Wand as a little object you can whip out easily enough, but a big staff seems like a piece of equipment you need to swap out, if you don't have a free hand.