TPK, total party kill

[knightkrawler]

I would return artifacts at a MUCH slower rate if even at all. Those can be the price for dying.

Only those that are needed for specific tasks, probably.
But the players knowing they have to find those again and WILL makes for some boredom during the quests building up to that where they need these artifacts.
That's why I prefer letting them keep those and sending Heroes into the first quest with nothing on them but a 2 AD weapon assigned to the hero type.

Artefacts that are not required but just add fluff are lost. Period. There are many artefacts in the game, and there's likely a border of value to each individual piece if each Hero struts around with four artefacts.
I strive to keep the individual values of artefacts as unique enhancements to stats that you cannot have any other way (like plate armor without movement penalty: Borin's Armor). Dying means losing those. As a Hero you now begin finding others and tactically adjusting your play until you play again.

Of course it's a no-brainer to let a new party re-play the same quest with some twists. It's in the rules and intuitively the right thing to do.

[Goblin-King]

Besides the Spirit Blade, are there even any other artifacts that are "needed" for anything in the official quests?

[Jafazo]

I would return artifacts at a MUCH slower rate if even at all. Those can be the price for dying.

Only those that are needed for specific tasks, probably.
But the players knowing they have to find those again and WILL makes for some boredom during the quests building up to that where they need these artifacts.
That's why I prefer letting them keep those and sending Heroes into the first quest with nothing on them but a 2 AD weapon assigned to the hero type.

Artefacts that are not required but just add fluff are lost. Period. There are many artefacts in the game, and there's likely a border of value to each individual piece if each Hero struts around with four artefacts.
I strive to keep the individual values of artefacts as unique enhancements to stats that you cannot have any other way (like plate armor without movement penalty: Borin's Armor). Dying means losing those. As a Hero you now begin finding others and tactically adjusting your play until you play again.

Of course it's a no-brainer to let a new party re-play the same quest with some twists. It's in the rules and intuitively the right thing to do.

That finding artifacts again would become boring is a matter of opinion. Done right, I feel the adventure could be lots of fun.

The suggestion I provided was one of many. No single method for handling a party wipe is the 'best' or 'right' solution, none, not even mine. We could even argue that having players replay the same quest over with tweaks isn't a no brainer and that instead, they shouldn't be allowed to replay the quest period. If they failed to kill the Witch Lord, the end, the Witch Lord won... suck it up. Next quest! I try to encourage the diversities, not just press my method against anyone else's. In my post I did specify that artifacts would basically be lost, but I wouldn't keep heroes from ever finding another Borin's armor. The armor would reappear, but way later. By letting heroes request a chance to recover lost artifacts, I'm being lenient, but even if I allowed that I might require one new quest per artifact being recovered. 'Work for it ya bums!' It just gives me an excuse to write out another quest anyway and my creativity knows no bounds. 'Upon defeating you, Zargon distributed your artifacts to his minions with plans to strengthen his armies and lead a final assault against the forces of good! Your efforts to recover what was yours will further cripple the armies of darkness in the coming wars. Truly, Heroes, you have learned much since the days of your first Trial."

I could even spit out a reason to let Heroes keep EVERYTHING they had and simply, try again. "Mentor casts a powerful spell and returns the Heroes fallen bodies to his tower where he resurrects them to fight and try again." Or maybe the following as the default GAME OVER display to ANY quest Heroes Mass Wipe within, "Alas, the efforts of Morcar's chosen Heroes have failed and thus, Zargons forces have advanced without challenge. Before the world could be plunged into chaos Morcar is forced to intervene. Regrettably, he channels a great power from Loretome and the hands of time are turned. Heroes regain all their lost equipment and live to fight another day, but at what cost?"
Boom, tough actin' tanactin.
- Flex -
ACHOO! Snot hard.... snot that hard

Besides the Spirit Blade, are there even any other artifacts that are "needed" for anything in the official quests?

In the official quests, probably not, but the Hero Quest game system stems beyond the official quests unless you have a habit of replaying the official quest book over, and over.... and over. It's not hard to consider that within one of these custom quests, a seemingly useless artifact could be given a much more important role.

[Goblin-King]

Part of the fun in HQ is that your character has a chance of dying.
Mentor's "reset-spell" is definitely not the way to go in my humble opinion.

We decided on the following last time...
If one or more, but not all, heroes die they are permanently dead- any equipment not claimed by another hero is lost. These are the actual standard rules.
In case of total wipe, all gold and potions are lost.
A portion of the players' equipment is found throughout the quest. The other portion is lost.

This sort of represents a batch of new heroes. Mentor didn't expect the original ones to fail, but here we are...

[cynthialee]

I would make them start over from the very beginning an admonish them for failing.

and I would walk away from your game table and go find something more fun to do than deal with ego issues with the Gamemaster.

[Gold Bearer]

I think the best way is to give their artefacts (but not equipment) to the monsters so the new heroes can get them but have to fight improved monsters for them. Character progression is a nice way of making hero deaths hurt.

No single method for handling a party wipe is the 'best' or 'right' solution, none, not even mine.

[Anderas]

I've read an article about a computer game on middle earth.

Apparently it is not very interesting - but there was one outstanding function, the so-called "Nemesis module".
If an Orc managed to kill the player, the game made sure the player knows the name of the Orc and the place where he lives. Even more, the Orc was teasing the player after he lost.

Then, for the next try, the Ork has more abilities, is stronger and smarter and has a bigger tribe than in the last game. The player can ignore him now, or hunt him. Because of the teasing, it is not likely that the player ignores the Orc. If he hunts him, it will be really difficult - after all, last time the player was losing against this Orc, and now it is more difficult than before!

It's just an idea: Give the Party Wipe a named evil Character as "Face" and let the players decide to continue the campaign or to hunt down their Nemsis first. I guess, during the hunt down of their Nemesis, they can play 3, 4 quests, accidentally regain their equipment and be ready for the campaign again.

[Daedalus]

Besides the Spirit Blade, are there even any other artifacts that are "needed" for anything in the official quests?

Though they aren't represented with Artifact Cards, I'd maintain there are some items found in the text of official Quests that technically qualify:

• In Quest 5 of AtOH, The Pit of Chaos, Festral's Ring of Power is "needed" to destroy the source of Chaos power by hurling itinto the Pit of Chaos. It's an artifact because it's capitalized (equipment isn't), it provides a special power, and it's found as the objective of a Quest (see Quest Book artifact names and Artifacts on p.17 of the NA Instruction Booklet for the last two qualifications).
  
• In Quest 5 of the EQP, The Alchemist's Laboratory, a bottle/flask of Moonsilver must be gotten (it's "needed") to open an entry into the Realm of Reflection. A special tile represents it, as it must be used later with a mirror to move between Quest 9 and 10 of Hidden Realms. It is capitalized, is found as a Quest objective, and provides a special power--so it's an artifact.
  
• In Quest 8 of the BQP, The Search for the Scepter, the Scepter of Glacial Majesty must be destroyed (it's "needed") before the Quest can be completed and the Frozen Horror may be harmed at the end of Quest 9 and 10, The Heart of Ice. Capitalized, Quest objective, special power--check, check, check. As this one can't be moved, it also can't be lost in a total party wipe.
  
• In Quest 10 of the BQP, the Crystal Key must be gotten (it's "needed) in order to open the door to the Frozen Horror's seat of power and confront it in a return trip to Quest 9. (Maybe a couple of Pass Through Rock spells would be enough for a couple of Heroes to bypass this and prevail, but it is doubtful they would win.) Capitalized in the Parchment Text only, Quest objective, sort of a special power--check? check, check?

If you count the Japanese edition of Hero Quest as official, then the don't forget the three Legendary Treasures that are "needed" to defeat the Evil God in Quest 14, The Final Battle: the Flame Axe, the Freeze Bow, and the Silver Blade. These are obviously artifacts, as they have cards in the company the Talisman of Lore and Wizard artifacts.

[Super Saiyan Musashi]

Also by the way, does anyone happen to have a spare american rulebook laying around they would like to part with?

Hasbro shares a PDF of it for free: http://www.hasbro.com/common/instruct/heroquest.pdf

There's a physical copy for sale here for $5, says shipping available worldwide: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HeroQuest-Board ... 339cce655a

For the subject at hand: Sounds like there's a few different ways folks handle this. If I were determined to go by the book, I'd think the players restart the failed quest, and that the GM offer them a chance to have it made easier, which they can accept or decline. I would also probably have the team keep their stuff from before the failed quest as if they had a video game-esque Save File. That being said, I can see why some folks prefer to be more creative, though if you're going to, the GM and the Hero-players would be wise to agree on the policy beforehand; might save some ragequits.

Back when I played HQ in the 90s, my friend who owned the game therefore played GM would usually have me do the quest over with Sir Ragnar (who you rescue in Quest 2) as a guest ally. Ragnar would have a short sword, no extra armor, standard movement, no spells, 7 BP, 3 Mind. I unfortunately saw many TPKs because, strictly speaking, my friend cheated like a Mutha'. I've actually been wanting to try playing HQ the proper way for quite some time now.

[Kurgan]

I have allowed one ill-fated character to begin a zombie, who then had to be rescued and "cured" by the other heroes in a custom modified quest (without the player). It was an interesting experiment. Generally I'd say that apart from taking their gear and spreading it out as special treasures (especially artifacts) in the next quest with the new heroes, make them regain their lost footing as punishment for their failure. The "lose all your gold" thing from the Japanese quest comes to mind as well. I like in the other thread the discussion about how the heroes would have to fight their way back from the afterlife or something...

You could always have the survivor(s) find the elixir of life, and then partake in a rescue mission for their friend...