The Wizard Clearing House of House Rules

[GimmeYerGold]

Here's something I'm thinking of Including in my quests, along with the Wizard's Staff, and the Wizard's Cloak.



The wording encourages spellcasting, with the incentive to get back a whole spell group, it's versatile so that a Wizard can choose a healing/buff spell group, or the fire spells, or another group of custom spells.

Depending on how you wish to play, this could be a starting item, or found later.

Feel free to modify however you wish

[knightkrawler]

The wording encourages spellcasting.

That's crucial and it's why I love this card.

[cynthialee]

I do not understand the reasoning behind the italics rules on that card.
It is just a page of paper or 2 in a hand bound book. Easy enough to take the binding apart and insert or remove pages between quests.

As for the prohibition against combining with the Spell storing ring that also makes no sense. The ring has its own connection to the mystic realms of magic the mage weaves into spells. The ring is just an item that holds mystic energy same with the spell book. The book and the ring have nothing to do with each other.
My suspicion is that this is a firepower or healing control issue. My answer to improved firepower has always been more powerful foes. Healing...I do get it if it is a healing control issue, but my answer to that is the cat is out of the bag...roll with it and increase the danger and hitpoints the heroes will take.

[sajungzak]

I like it, kk. My only problem is that it replaces/negates/enhances an existing artifact.

The Fireball function could be a cumulative second artefact that can be loaded into the Staff when found. Two cards, one of which only works with the other.
When the Wiz loses an artefact some way or the other, the Staff can not be taken before the Fireballization. Because: The staff is one of the most important and difference-making artefacts from KK or RotWL onwards when playing NA rules since the Wiz can't have the other shiny fighty artefact bits.
I always thought of it that way.

So, it's a modifier, then. It can be upgraded even further in future expansions by simply switching to a new modifier. They could be gems, like in the Circlet. Or perhaps an incantation, spoken at the beginning of each quest. What do you think?

[sajungzak]

Here's something I'm thinking of Including in my quests, along with the Wizard's Staff, and the Wizard's Cloak.



The wording encourages spellcasting, with the incentive to get back a whole spell group, it's versatile so that a Wizard can choose a healing/buff spell group, or the fire spells, or another group of custom spells.

Depending on how you wish to play, this could be a starting item, or found later.

This is good. Not so much on the text, though. I would sacrifice the part about using the whole set first for some storytelling. Other than the rules and quest notes, you only get that bit of flavor from the cards.

This ancient book has been passed down from master to disciple from times long forgotten and can only be used by the Wizard. It will store one set of spells, giving the Wizard the ability to cast each spell in that set twice per quest. At the beginning of the quest, the Wizard must declare which set he is storing in the spellbook. May not be combined with the Spell Ring

[knightkrawler]

It is important that you keep the part in italics, otherwise you can just give the Wizard three doubled spells.
It is the only way to encourage spellcasting instead of making the Wiz keep three spells more when exiting the quest.

And cynthialee, I don't get the entirety of your post.
HQ is a boardgame, and as long since established by many a discusiion and cans of worms uncounted, realistic reasoning has nothing to do with it.
I understand your suggestions as far as RPGs are concerned, but HQ is a different beast entirely.
People get bashed on when they suggest you can fire a crossbow over a goblin, as in "Keep it simple!"

GYG's card is a well-thought out rule modifier with several issues suggested in this here very thread in mind, which are all accounted for.

sajugzak, I've never thought that far. You never know how and who encounters a group of heroes playing for years and playing self-written quests in a level of difficulty unheard of. I think, even more modifiers on artefacts could be a theme for a Wizard quest pack.

On a sidenote, I see every special rule, every additional card should be written along with a theme in mind, that is, a quest or quest pack.
When I started re-writing the rules, I used to include everything from the existing quest packs and put it into one volume.
Now, I go at it very differently. I first modify the game system, then I modify KK, then RotWL, and so on.
I don't know if y'all know what I mean here and why I do this, but it's my way of keeping the whole beast HQ as simple as possible, and yet put my handwriting into every piece.

[cynthialee]

I'd be more worried about a mage with the spell Tempest doubled or tripled up with the wand that allows multi casting, than I would over simple damage spells. Main boss and his bodyguard are doomed...
Base dice damage spells are a simple matter, they are a 1 shot or 2 shot deal. It is the effects spells that are truly most powerful. (when in the hands of a creative player)

Wanna impress them with the need for being more varied in spells than a handful of fireballs or genies?
Some ideas:
*A dungeon that requires the pass through rock spell 2 times to even get into the dungeon. A simple door system that can only be activated from the inside. Twice in a row. (The Heroes show up and realize to their dismay they can't get in. Dungeon attempt one is over they fail. Dungeon attempt 2 is made and considered a few weeks later. The monsters and situation have changed somewhat.)
*A trap so fast that the only way to disarm it is to have the trap disarmer be under the effects of Swiftwind. Have the trap in multiple places.
*Really hard hitting monsters with low hit points encourage the use of Rock Skin. Make new monsters. A Glass Golem or Crystal Elemental comes to mind. Easy to destroy but you do not want to be hit by such a critter.
*The target of the Heroes wrath is a pair of young nobles gone bad and they must be captured and if killed the Emperor will have the Heroes killed. But the guys want to kill you and fight hard. You need a few sleep spells. Ill-placed Fireballs and Genies will just screw the heroes in this dungeon.

just some ruminations....

[sajungzak]

How About this

The Wizard's Spellbook
This ancient book has been passed down from times long forgotten and can only be used by the Wizard. At the beginning of each quest, the Wizard must declare which spell group is being recorded in the book. When all spells from that group have been cast, they are magically restored and may be used once more. May not be combined with the Spell Ring.

Got it down to fewer words than the original without sacrifice while adding some flavor!

Why can it not be combined with the spell ring again? To prevent two double heals? The elf can just use it for that purpose while the wizard does the same. Wouldn't it be better if only one of them could have that many?
Perhaps it should read, Spells from that group may not be used with the spell ring.

[cynthialee]

Sorry some of my responses came off as a little snappish.
Rough day for me. Fibromyalgia combined with PMS is not helping me be a nice EWP.

[GimmeYerGold]

How About this

The Wizard's Spellbook
This ancient book has been passed down from times long forgotten and can only be used by the Wizard. At the beginning of each quest, the Wizard must declare which spell group is being recorded in the book. When all spells from that group have been cast, they are magically restored and may be used once more. May not be combined with the Spell Ring.

Got it down to fewer words than the original without sacrifice while adding some flavor!

Why can it not be combined with the spell ring again? To prevent two double heals? The elf can just use it for that purpose while the wizard does the same. Wouldn't it be better if only one of them could have that many?
Perhaps it should read, Spells from that group may not be used with the spell ring.

I like the succinct wording, and the flavor text, sajungazk!

To answer your question about the limitations, if you do decide to prevent a spell from being used by both the Spellbook and the Spell Ring, you can always use the text style from the Spell Ring to justify this call: "This ring enables the Wizard or Elf to cast one spell two times (not simultaneously) ... the wearer of this [spell] ring must declare which of his spells he is storing in the ring."

So, it can be said that a spell cannot be "stored" in two places at once, however I wasn't sure exactly how to word this sentiment in so few words without bluntly stating the spell book could not be combined with the spell ring.