HeroQuest rules questions

[Sjeng]

Hello! My girlfriend bought me a set of HeroQuest for my birthday (4th july), but as we both couldn't wait, we started playing yesterday :P
We played the Maze and the Sir Ragnar quests. I have the Dutch original version, so there might be differences with the USA/UK version.
Some questions came up, that I couldn't find in the rulebook:

- In the Maze, I started with 4 characters in all 4 corners of the board. If I would start my turn with searching for hidden traps and doors, how far would I be able to see them? All the way through the corridor to the other side of the board? (assuming there are no cave-ins)

- When do I spot a normal door? From same corridor, or when directly next to it in passing? or 1,2,3 squares removed?

- Does the Fire of Wrath spell overrule the rule that you can only cast a spell on a monster you can see? (after the alarm went of in the Ragnar quest, all doors opened and all monsters were placed on the board. Could I have used it then? And does the same go for the Genie spell?)

- There was more, but I'll post it later if it comes to mind...

[MortiS-the-Lost]

Sjeng wrote

- In the Maze, I started with 4 characters in all 4 corners of the board. If I would start my turn with searching for hidden traps and doors, how far would I be able to see them? All the way through the corridor to the other side of the board? (assuming there are no cave-ins)

yes as far as you can see without walls or cave-ins blocking your 'line of sight'

Sjeng wrote

- When do I spot a normal door? From same corridor, or when directly next to it in passing? or 1,2,3 squares removed?

Again, from any distance as long as the door is in your line-of-sight

Sjeng wrote

- Does the Fire of Wrath spell overrule the rule that you can only cast a spell on a monster you can see? (after the alarm went of in the Ragnar quest, all doors opened and all monsters were placed on the board. Could I have used it then? And does the same go for the Genie spell?)

yes, correct on both accounts

[Sjeng]

So basically, my line of sight is unlimited? If I'm in a hallway, that goes on for miles in a straight line with a wall to the left and right, I can see ALL doors in these walls?
Well, that makes things much easier lol, we only placed doors when I was within 2 squares of it :D

Oh and another question just came to me:
- If I'm in front of a door, and I choose to open it, do I see all monsters/furniture/doors in that room beyond the door I just opened, or could a monster hide in a corner to the direct left or right of said door?
I imagine my line of sight being V-shaped, when I'm still standing outside of the room. Or do you kind of "poke your head in" and look around when you open a door?

- And imagine I'm still in a hallway (or a room) and I'm in front of a door to another room, which I open, but I don't go in. I check for hidden traps and doors at that point, do I only spot traps/doors in the hallway or room that I'm actually standing in, or can I see traps/doors through the opened door in the new room as well? (I though not, but just to be sure).

I really enjoyed that game last night :D
Tomorrow we're going to go shopping for paints and brushes.

[MortiS-the-Lost]

Sjeng wrote

Oh and another question just came to me:
- If I'm in front of a door, and I choose to open it, do I see all monsters/furniture/doors in that room beyond the door I just opened, or could a monster hide in a corner to the direct left or right of said door?
I imagine my line of sight being V-shaped, when I'm still standing outside of the room. Or do you kind of "poke your head in" and look around when you open a door?

Well the rulebook says to layout all the contents of a room once the door has been opened, again this a lot easier on you as the GM as you don't have to worry about which corners of the room have been seen

Sjeng wrote

- And imagine I'm still in a hallway (or a room) and I'm in front of a door to another room, which I open, but I don't go in. I check for hidden traps and doors at that point, do I only spot traps/doors in the hallway or room that I'm actually standing in, or can I see traps/doors through the opened door in the new room as well? (I though not, but just to be sure).

In my games I allow Heroes to search a room for Traps from the doorway, this means they have a chance of detect a Trap that is right in front of a door which would otherwise be unavoidable, because you'd have to enter the room to search for Traps and thus get caught by the Trap in front of the doorway. The room they wish to search for traps must of course be free from monsters as usual.

To search for Secret Doors or Treasure however the Hero must be in the Room  

[Sjeng]

Great, thanks! makes sense.

[guzzi]

- Does the Fire of Wrath spell overrule the rule that you can only cast a spell on a monster you can see? (after the alarm went of in the Ragnar quest, all doors opened and all monsters were placed on the board. Could I have used it then? And does the same go for the Genie spell?)

Both of these spells say"anywhere on the board", so, literally, thats the way to use 'em. I always felt that the monster on the receiving end is a bit "under the cosh", that's why I give my Super Monsters at least 4 body points. The AHQ rules give the Wizard a "Spell Book", in which he can learn & buy more spells as he progresses. I do the same with my Solo game, he (she in my case) can buy multiples of the standard HQ spells. The two mentioned above are the most powerful, so I set the costs at, normal line-of-sight, 150 Gold, FofW 200, Genie 500.

[Sjeng]

That sounds great! Could you post your rules perhaps? A spellbook is an awesome idea, because, frankly, I think some spells are pretty useless, and you can only use the good ones once...
There's only TWO healing spells you can use... So if a quest is long, I always need more healing.

[guzzi]

The AHQ spell book gives the Wizard 4 spells to start, then he can buy more as the Quests progress. He picks up gold on the way, and adds to his Spellbook. I just do the same, in my Solo game, using the four HQ sets of spell cards. I started with all the cards, as you say, some are a bit naff. In one of the HQ add-ons, is a list of Potions the Heroes can buy, some of these can heal. I guess if you are playing HQ from scratch, play by the rules, search for treasure where you can, and turn up some healing potions! Bear in mind, the Heroes don't always win!

[Sjeng]

Aha, so I can keep potions I find during a quest? I think I read somewhere some items cannot be taken to the next quest...

[MortiS-the-Lost]

Sjeng wrote

Aha, so I can keep potions I find during a quest? I think I read somewhere some items cannot be taken to the next quest...

Yes in the original game you weren't supposed to keep Potions between Quests, this is because they needed to be returned to the Treasure Deck before you can start another game - however the expansions for the American version of the game allowed Heroes to buy Potions from an Alchemist's Shop between games when they bought new Weapons and Armour.

Most groups use the house rule that you can keep Potions between games, but you must write down what Potions you have on your Character Sheet rather than keeping the Treasure Cards

If you use this house rule (which I recommend you do) it's handy to make a reference sheet of the rules for the different types of potions so players can look them up in-game if they don't have the card without you having to look though the Treasure Deck for the right card - the simplest way to do this would be to take all the Potion Cards out of your Treasure Deck and put them together on a photocopier or scanner and make a copy onto one page

[Sjeng]

Right, so my elf found a health potion +4 yesterday in a cupboard, while out to slay the Orc leader that had kidnapped Sir Ragnar. My barbarian had taken some damage, so I was wondering if, instead of using my precious healing spell on him, it was possible to give the barbarian the potion (when both are in the same room, or even next to each other perhaps).
We decided not to (my fiancee is a very strict GM ) so I used my spell instead.
But I did write the potion down on my character sheet to take it along on my next quest.

I also found a spear card with the dwarf, which he also saved for the next quest (as I found it at the end anyway).

We'll see how that all goes, and if I become too overpowered, I'll revert to bringing only potions and gold to the next quests.

[guzzi]

We play you can give your potions to a friend! I think its down to your own House Rules as Mortis says. I never saw much point in throwing the spear, and maybe losing it. Better to keep it for diagonal attacks. Any weapons or other kit you find, you keep until death!

[MortiS-the-Lost]

Like Guzzi's group, we also allow Heroes to pass and swap items between them if they are in base contact (adjacent squares)  this counts as an action for the Hero giving the item (meaning they cannot fight or a cast spell in the same turn)

as for keeping weapons your Heroes find between games - yes you are supposed to in the main rules, think about the Quest for the Spirit Blade or buying new weapons between games, the same should apply to any weapons you've found on a weapon rack, in a chest or else-were (do remember however that you cannot take the weapons off dead monsters unless the Quest Text states otherwise!)

[Sjeng]

More questions after another succesfull quest ^^

Does disarming a trap with my dwarf count as an action? I presume so, but I'd thought I'd ask to be sure.

Another strange thing: the Stone Skin enchantment states (translated from Dutch) that "on the (target) hero's next TURN, he may roll 2 extra defense dice". But I never use defense dice on MY TURN. Only on Morcar's turn... So I presume the card should read: "On the GM's next turn, if the enchanted hero is attacked, he may roll 2 extra defense dice", and after that turn it is discarded, whether the hero was attacked or not. Right? I found that card very unclear.

[MortiS-the-Lost]

Sjeng wrote

Does disarming a trap with my dwarf count as an action? I presume so, but I'd thought I'd ask to be sure.

yes disarming a trap is an action

Sjeng wrote

Another strange thing: the Stone Skin enchantment states (translated from Dutch) that "on the (target) hero's next TURN, he may roll 2 extra defense dice". But I never use defense dice on MY TURN. Only on Morcar's turn... So I presume the card should read: "On the GM's next turn, if the enchanted hero is attacked, he may roll 2 extra defense dice", and after that turn it is discarded, whether the hero was attacked or not. Right? I found that card very unclear.

I believe this is case of poor translation; the English card reads:

"this spell can be cast on any one player. That player may then throw two extra combat dice in defence, until the spell is broken. the spell is broken when that player is wounded. The spell is discarded"

 
Poor wording I'll grant you but the gist of it is that the effected hero gets to roll 2 extra combat dice when he defends until he takes damage, at which point the spell is broken

[Nuadha]

Yeah, if it was only for one round and required your action to cast it, it would be a poor spell.      

[guzzi]

Another strange thing: the Stone Skin enchantment states (translated from Dutch) that "on the (target) hero's next TURN, he may roll 2 extra defense dice". But I never use defense dice on MY TURN. sais Sjeng. Assuming you play a Hero at some stage, you MUST roll Defence Dice at your turn if attacked by a monster?

[Sjeng]

guzzi wrote

Another strange thing: the Stone Skin enchantment states (translated from Dutch) that "on the (target) hero's next TURN, he may roll 2 extra defense dice". But I never use defense dice on MY TURN. sais Sjeng. Assuming you play a Hero at some stage, you MUST roll Defence Dice at your turn if attacked by a monster?

But I never get attacked on MY turn, you see ;) only on Morcar's turn.
And Mortis even explains it to be more powerfull than I thought: the spell is broken when the hero actually takes damage, and loses a body point. I thought it was broken as soon as I needed to use it (as in: Morcar's minion rolls at least 1 skull).

I've read some English cards, and the Courage spell is basically the same, but also reads very differently in Dutch. Those two spells are a lot more powerfull than I thought they were.

edit:
Well, I just downloaded a Dutch PDF of all the cards, and compared them to MY Dutch cards, and apparently there's a difference in Courage and Rock Skin. My version states it's effect lasts one time only, so one attack or defense roll.
The Dutch PDF (as well as the English cards) state what you said, nicely translated, that they last as long as the spell is broken. Wow. BIG difference. But I think I'll only start using the more powerfull rule when the game requires it. It's pretty easy up 'till now (quest 5).

[uncle phil]

You probably know this already, but the UK english rules and the US english rules are different, which may account for some of the dicrepancies you see. Name of the GM was different for some unexplained reason, and in the US version some of the monsters have more than one body point , for example. There may be other differences in the spells etc

[Sjeng]

uncle phil wrote

You probably know this already, but the UK english rules and the US english rules are different, which may account for some of the dicrepancies you see. Name of the GM was different for some unexplained reason, and in the US version some of the monsters have more than one body point , for example. There may be other differences in the spells etc

Yes, I knew that, but I assumed the Dutch version was a translation of the UK version. @Mort: did you post the US version?
Perhaps with the 1 bodypoint rule, the spells were toned down a bit?