[Complete] Summons of the Wizards' Council

[j_dean80]

Since you were fine with suggestions for another of your Quest Packs, I'll extend this request pertaining to your introduction onto the actual Quests.

Quest 1 I'm fine with you working the original content of unofficial, previously published Quests into the Quest Pack. However, the cryptic inscriptions in this Quest have always bothered me. That is, until Dave Morris was kind enough to provide their solutions to MortiS-the-Lost, which are shared here. I think it would be great of you could add those answers and explain the separate consonant and vowel substitutions at the end of the original Quest Notes. That way Morcar/Zargon could be free to give hints or at least the solutions after the Quest.

I never knew that answer. Thanks for sharing. Always bothered me too but I wanted to keep it original. I fear space is my enemy but may try to fit an answer in somewhere.

Quest 2: Due to the Dark Warrior's special rule in this Quest, it's possible 2-3 could follow the Wizard to the revolving room. I see you directly copied the revolving room note from RotWL. That note doesn't state if a monster must roll a die to see which door he may leave the room by. Do you intend that trailing Dark Warriors ignore the random roll and simply follow the Wizard through the door he exited by? (RAW works here.) If you instead want them to also roll for the room to revolve, you'll need to change ". . . when the Hero attempts to leave . . ." > . . . when the Hero or a monster attempts to leave . . .

I think growing up I always assumed everyone rolls. May try to clarify or leave it to EWP as the RotWL would have already been played their way.

In Room A, do you suggest using the mirror tiles from the EQP for the magic mirrors? What should be used for the beds? The best I could do with the Inn resources is this bed paper model from the Agin's Inn Historical Archive.

The Quest Pack Notes have a section listing additional components needed including the other Quest Packs. The EQP has the mirrors (just ignore the picture in mirror side). For beds I have some from Zealot that are great. If someone created a page for tiles and furniture I would be more than grateful.

The Quest objective, finding the books, is only accomplished by searching for treasure at the space marked with an "X." This breaks from the standard rule which would otherwise reveal the Quest Treasure from any space in Room F. As the Wizard player is likely to assume one search should be sufficient, I think this note should somehow hint that multiple searches may be needed. Perhaps after the first failed search for treasure, M/Z should tell the Wizard "The library's collection is vast--perhaps the books you seek are further along in the shelves."
It's a matter of preference, but this Quest requires two Game Systems to play (+2 bookcases and +1 open door.) A door could be swapped in from an explored area, but the extra bookcases shows the need for HQ furniture tiles or paper models. Maybe someone will create them for the galley one day. . . .

I assumed it would be understood by the EWP that the Wizard needed to search multiple times. May try to clarify. Again with the additional components the notes section will have them listed. I felt 2 bookcases wouldn't represent a grand library. I myself have several additional bookcases on hand but I know most people would not. Leaving off 2 wouldn't hurt the Quest much if the person did not have extra.

[Daedalus]

In Room A, do you suggest using the mirror tiles from the EQP for the magic mirrors? What should be used for the beds? The best I could do with the Inn resources is this bed paper model from the Agin's Inn Historical Archive.

The Quest Pack Notes have a section listing additional components needed including the other Quest Packs. The EQP has the mirrors (just ignore the picture in mirror side). For beds I have some from Zealot that are great. If someone created a page for tiles and furniture I would be more than grateful.

See below for a furniture option. When the Quest Pack is posted in Board index ‹ HeroQuest Rooms ‹ HeroQuest Additions ‹ Quests and Quest Packs, I'll be sure to add available links in the OP (when I get the time.) It's not a page, but it should help downloaders.

. . . It's a matter of preference, but this Quest requires two Game Systems to play (+2 bookcases and +1 open door.) A door could be swapped in from an explored area, but the extra bookcases shows the need for HQ furniture tiles or paper models. Maybe someone will create them for the galley one day. . . .

I assumed it would be understood by the EWP that the Wizard needed to search multiple times. May try to clarify. Again with the additional components the notes section will have them listed. I felt 2 bookcases wouldn't represent a grand library. I myself have several additional bookcases on hand but I know most people would not. Leaving off 2 wouldn't hurt the Quest much if the person did not have extra.

I get wanting more than two bookcases for your library. Maybe some links to brsathler's paper models in the forum Gallery could help those without the extra furniture.

[Anderas]

I just calculated the "Running the Gauntlet" quest for playing with the wizard only, assuming he has the spirit blade and borin's armor. (3 Attack, 4 Defense)
Still, it is absolutely deadly.

He will lose in average 16.5 Body Points.

Playing it with the Barbarian and the Wizard together, they lose 11.2 Body Points. That's hard but doable.
I guess, as a solo quest, it is a quest one should try several times. If you avoid the hard pathways the second time around, it can be done.

[j_dean80]

I just calculated the "Running the Gauntlet" quest for playing with the wizard only, assuming he has the spirit blade and borin's armor. (3 Attack, 4 Defense)
Still, it is absolutely deadly.

He will lose in average 16.5 Body Points.

Playing it with the Barbarian and the Wizard together, they lose 11.2 Body Points. That's hard but doable.
I guess, as a solo quest, it is a quest one should try several times. If you avoid the hard pathways the second time around, it can be done.

There's no Spirit Blade or Borin's Armor in the NA.

[Anderas]

Is it assumed that he has some mercenaries with him?

[Daedalus]

Good point about the difficulty of Running the Gauntlet. There wasn't a lot of (any?) playtesting after the first two expansions of Hero Quest. I believe j_dean80's Quest order put this Quest after all of the expansions but before the BQP, which should allow Mercenaries. However, this Quest Pack is also set for a beginning Wizard to play the first three Quests solo. It sounds like a reasonable suggestion to provide some help. Perhaps a starting gold award of 250 gold coins to purchase gear and mercenaries would be appropriate.

More Quest comments:
Quest 3 In the Parchment Text, I'd change ". . . then find the exit" > then find a way further into the tower.
In Room C, the Wizard needs more warning that the Pit of Chaos is a great danger to him. Quest 5 of WoM warned as much in the Parchment Text, so I'd recommend you add something similar.
In Room D, the page of Loretome grants the wisdom to cast a fourth spell set--cool. Perhaps this wisdom was won from the Cabiri and reclaimed by reading the page of Loretome, along with the memory of being transported magically to the tower. Also, I'd make Room D part of a mandatory route to the capture room. Otherwise, it's possible to skip this room and the Wizard wouldn't gain the page to fulfill the first Quest objective.
In Room E, the Chaos Sorcerer is offset in the magic circle, unlike what is stated in the note. I'd change ". . . standing in the middle of the Circle of Power" > . . . standing in the Circle of Power.
In Room F, the Quest is ended with a great magical trap--very nice. As the Hero has a page of Loretome, it might be interesting to have it now reveal that the Wizard had been transported by Zanrath to capture and entomb him for a nefarious purpose. The page should now be reclaimed by Zanrath, I think. All of this would require more text and moving note B to the left margin, however.
Quest 6 I think the Parchment Text should specify a Quest objective to kill Boroush.
Quest 7 Wow, what a different Quest--very magical! This Quest has some unfamiliar monster icons. I think I recognize a troll and Skaven. I imagine they are part of a monster page at the end of the Quest Pack.
Normally if a Hero is defeated, his gear may be recovered by his comrades. However, a Hero defeated by Heroes of Chaos is forever lost to Chaos, including all his gear. That seems like a stiff penalty for a Quest that sets a large number of tough opponents against the Heroes with no option for finding potions. Perhaps if a defeated Hero's gear is picked up by another Hero in this Quest, the Hero who is lost to Chaos renounces those items and they may be kept by the claiming Hero.
In Room B, must a Hero of Chaos still attempt to mimic actions as much as possible? For instance, if a Barbarian attacks the wrong Hero of Chaos in error, is the Barbarian of Chaos required to uselessly attack the wrong Hero as well? Since Spellcasters are free to cast upon any target, it seems like crossing the mirror changes the mimic rule. It's that, or only mimicking actions, not targets, is what the rule intends.
A cruel Morcar/Zargon can have the Chaos spellcasters immediately damage the Chaos Barbarian or Chaos Dwarf with spells, thus reducing the Barbarian and/or Dwarf to zero Mind Points. Does he go into "shock" (as in the EQP and BQP) or is it bye-bye Hero, hello Chaos?

[j_dean80]

Is it assumed that he has some mercenaries with him?

To start Quest 1 it would break the theme to have a mercenary with him. Hopefully he finds the Barbarian quickly

[Anderas]

Ok, here a little breakdown for "running the gauntlet":
* Take into consideration that the Wizard has two healing spells, so he can take a loss of 6 BP before starting to be "damaged"
* If he has the Spell ring, he may even lose 9 BP before counting as "damaged"
* He uses Rock skin
* The Wand of Recall (top right corner) hopefully helps a little bit but is not calculated at all
* I corrected a little calculation error

Top left corner (C an D) cost 4.4 BP: Likely it's a bit less because the Fimirs attack later than normal.
Lower left corner (Gargoyle, Barbarian) cost 3.5 BP, mainly because of the Gargoyle.
Top right corner (B and Mummy) cost 2 BP
Lower right corner (Zombies, Chaos Warrior) cost 4.2 BP without Barbarian; 3.7 with
The Wandering monsters take 2.2 BP ( i said he draws three of them)
The traps take either nothing if he is careful, or they take 1.5BP. I didn't include them.

He will lose 14.7 BP (still i calculated 3 AT dice... oh no! my bad, sorry... 2 AT --> 25BP loss, 1 AT --> 59 BP loss )

Consider adding potion of healing in the treasure chest, top left corner and let him have something for the 2 or 3 AT dice. That would make it hard but ok.
There is for example Knightkrawlers idea of giving him a wizard some reuseable fireball staff.

[Daedalus]

Comments for the last Quests:

Quest 8 This Quest looks really tough with 2 fights against opponents nearly equal to the Heroes, plus a third stiff fight. I see the last few Quests of the BQP as something comparable. I haven't played that expansion, but others have said it is very tough and shows lack of playtesting. I think it would be a safer bet to reduce the Elite Chaos Knights a bit. I'd also suggest reducing the Elite Chaos Warrior Wandering Monster from two to one in this and the other ending Quests. This reccommendation is also based on other players' opinions of the BQP. Of course, if you want an extra-tough, push-your-luck Quest with some real killing potential, your set.
Quest 9 In Room B, the rules for opening coffins must be referenced in Quest 4. Why not reproduce them in this note, as you have the space?
In Room F, Skaven spells are mentioned. Perhaps you plan to include them as a PDF, but if not, where can the be found?
Quest 10 I like seeing those trapdoor tiles from the HQ Marvel Winter Special being used for sewer entrances--nice touch.
There are a couple of pit traps lined up both consecutively and adjacently in the outer corridor--very interesting. Perhaps some guidance on how to handle them would help. Would jumping the first trap successfully automatically trigger the second trap, or could the jumper immediately roll a second jump attempt and possibly clear both traps unharmed (my preference)?
In Room B, I see you used Ron Shirtz's Treasure Hoard tile--very nice. It looks like it will be necessary to trim it down to size. Do you plan to include that info on the tiles page, or will you leave it for the downloader to figure out?

[j_dean80]

Ok, here a little breakdown for "running the gauntlet":
* Take into consideration that the Wizard has two healing spells, so he can take a loss of 6 BP before starting to be "damaged"
* If he has the Spell ring, he may even lose 9 BP before counting as "damaged"
* He uses Rock skin
* The Wand of Recall (top right corner) hopefully helps a little bit but is not calculated at all
* I corrected a little calculation error

Top left corner (C an D) cost 4.4 BP: Likely it's a bit less because the Fimirs attack later than normal.
Lower left corner (Gargoyle, Barbarian) cost 3.5 BP, mainly because of the Gargoyle.
Top right corner (B and Mummy) cost 2 BP
Lower right corner (Zombies, Chaos Warrior) cost 4.2 BP without Barbarian; 3.7 with
The Wandering monsters take 2.2 BP ( i said he draws three of them)
The traps take either nothing if he is careful, or they take 1.5BP. I didn't include them.

He will lose 14.7 BP (still i calculated 3 AT dice... oh no! my bad, sorry... 2 AT --> 25BP loss, 1 AT --> 59 BP loss )

Consider adding potion of healing in the treasure chest, top left corner and let him have something for the 2 or 3 AT dice. That would make it hard but ok.
There is for example Knightkrawlers idea of giving him a wizard some reuseable fireball staff.

Perhaps a potion of healing and a magical throwing dagger would suffice. Remember the Wizard can put monsters to sleep or blast them with firestorm (hopefully saves it for the Gargoyle). Several monsters won't even get near him.