25 reasons HeroQuest was the best game of the 90’s!

This fantastic article has been wrote by Alabast from RPG Booster

My first experience with roleplaying games was with HeroQuest. I remember trying to play it for years before I finally got my hands on the game. I always saw it on shelves at my friends, but there was never enough time to play, let alone set up the game. When I finally did try the game it changed my perception of games entirely. Here was a game that changed entirely from time to time. A game I could modify myself and make only better with time. It wasn’t long before I got into heavier stuff such as MERP and Mutant Chronicles. But HeroQuest has always been lingering in the back of my mind. So to celebrate that some inspired, amazing people are remaking and releasing a 25th Anniversary Edition, here’s my reasons HeroQuest was the best game of the 90’s!

1. The amazing artwork by Les Edwards




Let us be honest; if anything helped capture the hearts of every kid that saw this game it was the distinct art of Les Edwards. Though certainly of the old school of fantasy illustration, Les Edwards art has a dimension to it that sets it apart from the peers of his day.


HeroQuest was a fantasy role-playing game aimed at kids. I painted the box cover to the main game and several add-on packs. All the characters had been designed previously so I didn’t have a great deal of leeway with interpereting them. Using dice to move little figures around a board seems oddly old fashioned in this age of computer gaming, but Heroquest was very successful. – Les Edwards

2. The Dungeon Master Screen

This was THE Screen I would measure all later dungeon master screens to. The inspired, curved design make all other screens feel square and boring. I remember trying to take on the persona of the depicted, white-haired wizard. When it comes to immersion; this screen rocked!



3. This commercial from the 90’s

Do we need to say more? It will transform you!

4. The epic heroes




They were all cookie-cutter, generic characters. Heck, the barbarian was practically Conan. But being so generic allowed us to put ourselves in the roles of them more easily. The elf could even pass for a female character if you squinted.

5. The furniture



Interior decorating meets medieval fantasy. It was never clear to me if it was Morcar or the orcs that furnished the dungeons so well, but who cares.

6. The exploration



We tried Descent some time ago and I was exceptionally excited for it. Until I realised I could see every treasure and map feature at game set up. No revelations save for a few monsters and randomized treasure placements. HeroQuest did that right; you had to explore the dungeons on your own. And if you were really lucky the DM would change things from the maps in the book.

7. The treasure cards




Searching for treasure was groovy! With the wandering monsters there was a risk, but finding a coin purse or a healing potion was usually worth it.

8. The grand quest!




You were able to bring your characters from one mission to the next, including your hard earned treasure and equipment. It all lead to a final showdown.


9. The greed!

See that treasure chest in the back of the room? Sure, there might be four fimirs between you and it, but nothing would stand in your way. The game would bring out the greed in my friends more than even Monopoly did. But ultimately this is what would lead to the most fun situations. Especially when the treasure chest was trapped.

10. The mini’s

Oh how beautiful they were! We were used to the monotone soldiers of Risk or the lackluster pieces in Snakes and Ladders. HeroQuest brought the world to life

11. The randomness of the map

You’d think that the game would be repetitive with a premade board, but with clever placement of the walls the journey through Morcar’s dark labyrinths were always a fresh experience.

12. Always ready to go!

HeroQuest maps required very little set up. The DM would usually just need five minutes to read through the mission and place a few rocks and a staircase. Compare that to setting up a game of Settlers or Merchants and Marauders. Or.. eh… Risk.

13. The Advanced HeroQuest




The game was so successful that it spawned a sequel. We didn’t play it, but we sure would if we got our hands on it! The sequel had more involved rules compared to the simplicity of HeroQuest. Almost as if it grew up with its audience.

14. The weapon rack




Enough said. If you saw this in a room you knew you’d hit the jackpot! There was ALWAYS a weapon on that thing if you searched for treasures in the room.

15. The equipment cards




If you didn’t find the weapon rack you at least got to go buy equipment between adventures! What other fantasy game includes both shopping AND interior decorating!??

16. The diverse enemies




As with the screen, the enemies of the game had a great mixture of ‘nuisance’ and ‘horrifying’. Fighting goblins and orcs was hard enough, but you better run when the room revealed a Chaos Warrior or heavens forbid; the dreaded gargoyle! Only years later did I learn what ‘gargoyle’ actually meant (I played the game in Norwegian).

17. The spells



You might feel underpowered as a wizard. Until you got to walk through stone! The spells were incredibly powerful and would often save the day. Just like wizards did in the campy fantasy novels you’d read inbetween game sessions. Oh Fizban…

18. Mini Character sheet



Isn’t this the cutest character sheet in the history of tabletop gaming? And let’s be honest; you don’t need much more really.

19. The doors



The attention to detail in the game was amazing: Few other games supply you with open and closed doors for your game board.

20. The expansions




In our hometown we only had one expansion, Kellar’s Keep, but for those in the UK and beyond you’d be able to find up to seven expansion packs.

21. The skulls



Not only were each mini different; the game included little skulls and rats that served no other purpose but to differentiate between two different book shelves.

22. The Amiga video game




Ok, to be honest; this was a horrible experience. A video game should streamline a physical game, but the video games took forever. But it made us love the board game all the more for what it was!

23. The goodhearted nature of the game



HeroQuest was about having fun together. The Game Masters job was to ensure the players were having a great time, not to kill them. His enjoyment of the game came from knowing what trouble laid ahead and giving the players a challenge that ‘almost’ killed them.

24. Reusability



The mini’s were ready to be painted and could easily be transferred to your other favourite games. Who didn’t use the dwarf in their D&D campaign later on?

25. Being creative!



The makers of the game even released a HeroQuest Adventure Design Kit that encouraged players to make their own stories. I never saw that kit, but I did it on my own regardless. I’m sure others did as well. I’d make my own maps, pieces, and even spell and equipment cards. So like we stated earlier; HeroQuest wasn’t just about having fun; it was about using your creativity and imagination. That’s a winning combination and why we believe the game definitely deserves its 25th Anniversary Edition!

I these 25 reasons weren’t enough, we’ll leave you off with a comparison of the old and new editions. If they don’t make you want to play the game you’re most likely on this site by a mistake.

Dont forget to pay a visit to Alabast from RPG Booster !

(Re-) Discover Lemmeron's custom equipment cards for HeroQuest!

We have a lot of talented member at the inn. One of them is Lemmeron.

Some time ago, he made made a deck of custom equipment card for his family for hero quest.

He originally was going to go the print at home route, but being a perfectionist he couldn't handle it when the front of the card didn't line up proper with the back due to home printer duplex mode sucking.

So he went the full photoshop high Rez design and professional print mode.

A summary of my card system :
* utilises the black, green, orange and purple combat dice (see here for more infos)
* all heroes now have different starting dice that serve to differentiate them all. Barbarian higher chance to hit and be hit. Dwarf standard. Elf lesser chance to hit and be hit. Wizard lesser chance to hit and more of being hit.
* magical attack or effects using purple dice.
* equipment cards add to characters starting dice in most circumstances rather than simply replacing them
* dual wielding balanced and fun
* helmet and bracers function changed.
* new armour rules for heavy armour
* artifact cards revamped for new combat dice and system
* artwork attempts to tie in with old school cards but cards are higher quality than the originals (the ones shown are full plastic and so will never wear out)

Comment, like and see more at YeOldeInn here.

Download the cards here.

Plaid Hat Games announces a new miniature skirmish game based on Mice & Mistics universe ! See preview of Tail Feathers !

Soar Into Battle!

Tail Feathers takes place in the story-rich Mice and Mystics world, where valiant mice and their friends brave adventure and battle villainous rats in story-driven scenarios. Tail Feathers situates an innovative head-to-head flight-battle game in the Mice and Mystics universe.

Check out some of the coolest gameplay twists in Tail Feathers below; read the rules linked to on the right for a full description.

Tilting Flight System

At the beginning of each round, players set their birds' tilts, indicating their intended flight direction for the turn. When your bird is activated, it has a chance to adjust its tilt (according to its pilot's skill), and then glides on variable paths in the direction it is leaning. Different birds come with different stats and abilities, and interchangeable pilots with their own unique characteristics and action cards offer immense variability.

Send Ground Troops on Missions

Included ground troop miniatures, as well as the well-loved Mice and Mystics miniatures, aren't left behind, fighting alongside the birds and pilots! Ground troops run across tree branches, float across the battlefield on leaves, and make their way through the air being transported by friendly birds. Send your ground troops on dangerous missions each round, rescuing birds and pilots, attacking target birds, besieging the enemy tree and intercepting other mission teams! But be careful, because a swoop attack on your mission could spell disaster!

Classic Mice and Mystics Flavor

Tail Feathers comes with ten(!) custom Mice and Mystics dice, identical to and interchangable with Mice and Mystics and its expansion. Also returning is the opportunity to collect cheese and spend it for special action cards. And the Mice and Mystics story is back too--four highly replayable and customizable scenarios are built-in which can also be played as a campaign with unit progression.

Big Heavy Buckets of Theme

Send birds into death spirals when they lock beaks with enemy birds! Rattle the opposing pilot to gain an advantage! Avoid the tail feathers that fly around in the chaos! Sail on leaves across the battlefield toward the enemy tree! Set the enemy home nest on fire! Cleverly choose and play unique action cards! Between the inventive mechanics and the incredible art and miniatures, you'll be in the thick of the fight with Tail Feathers.

Order Tail Feathers from PlaidHatGames.com and receive the Mice and Mystics Lost Chapter "Portents of Importance" as well as the related Search Card and Initiative Card (requires Downwood Tales). Pre-order from PlaidHatGames.com and get $15 off the retail price!

Checkout the rules !

Click here to download the game rules.

HeroQuest the Series: Episode 3

Here is Episode 3 of the new video series about HeroQuest!

Machinist's Tool Chest - HeroQuest Box by Whitebeard

I have been admiring the HQ chests that some of the members have built. But I don't have the time to attempt the perfect box (or the skill). Instead I started looking at machinist's tool chest. My objective was to have something that keeps the dust off of my painted miniatures and can be used for quick access during game play. For $65 I think I just about nailed it.

The box looks nice enough. I'll be putting a nice big logo on it later.

The whole thing is felt lined. The top has lots of space for oversized minis (two Reaper dragons, three GW river trolls, three GW spirit host, and two GW chaos warrios are in there. I also have the quest books, manuals, and a few unopened minis. I'll add some foam if I plan to take it anywhere.

The front folds out to reveal 8 drawers. The front piece also slides in and out of the way (not shown).

Two drawers are very large easily fitting all of the furniture into just one of them… so plenty of space to the Twisting Catacombs Kickstarter?

The other six drawers are small and low profile (4 shown here). All of the drawers have no stops on them, so they just slide right out like trays.

I also added furniture felt pads to the four corners on the bottom to prevent scratching my table and floor.

The only things that do not fit in the box (unaltered) are the Armory and Game board. I use a re-printed 30mm game board anyway, so I keep that separate. And eventually I will re-print a slightly modified armory.

You can find this chest on e-bay for about $100. But I found the best price at Harbor Freight at $65 after using one of their 20% off one item coupons. I had never heard of the store before, but I guess they are quite common in the US midwest.

See more and at YeOldeInn's forum !

Heroic Maps releases Pyrringham Village

Starting life as a small farmstead by the side of the road, the village of Pyrringham is little more than a hamlet. Those that call it home though would say it was just the right size. With a small village store and houses for the few families that live and work here, Pyrringham seems idyllic. But things are not always as they seem...

A 20 x 20 village map depicting an a small village or hamlet. There is a village store selling general goods, and a cluster of houses around the road. The houses are furnished simply – a few beds, tables and chests. There is a little space outside where the villagers are able to grow a few crops to bolster their meagre diet.

Ping back at Drivethrurpg.com

Mists of Bilehall - Announcing a New Expansion for Descent: Journeys in the Dark

A strange curse taints everything. It clings to the flesh and lingers within the lungs, a poison that destroys the soul while leaving the body to shamble on. A small settlement of the damned has formed near the border, a collection of unfortunate trespassers now unable to leave the accursed land. You have joined their number, but not their despair. Ready your gear and bolster your courage; your journey into the Mistlands is about to begin.

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce Mists of Bilehall, a new expansion for Descent: Journeys in the Dark!

The Mistlands of Terrinoth have long had a dark reputation. Evil creatures that live nowhere else thrive here and servants of Waiqar the Undying have made their dwelling places within this land of endless fog. Even worse than the evil creatures and monsters that lurk within, the mists of Bilehall have been rumored to have a malignant effect, tainting even the noblest soul once it has ventured within the Mistlands’ borders. Now, tales of an undead horde massing at the border of the Mistlands have led you to investigate what noxious plots have formed in the darkness.

Mists of Bilehall is a new expansion for Descent, and it challenges a small group of heroes to travel into the darkness and danger of the Mistlands. A full, one-act campaign is included in this expansion, chronicling the heroes’ adventures and the dark deeds perpetrated in this misty realm. What’s more, no new heroes or hero classes are included in this Descent expansion: instead, the Mists of Bilehall has been configured to enhance the power of the overlord. To that end, your army swells with twelve sculpted plastic figures – six reanimates, three broodwalkers, and three bone horrors. The very ground may give way beneath the heroes with the introduction of old walls and crumbling terrain, while the evil of Bilehall influences the heroes through the introduction of tainted cards. Even the doughtiest heroes will be hard-pressed to survive in this land of mist and half-truths.



In addition, three new lieutenants join the overlord’s armies in this expansion. For more information on these lieutenants, visit our announcement of the Mists of Bilehall Lieutenant Packs!
Nothing Is Certain


As the heroes make their way through the Mists of Bilehall campaign, they will soon find themselves plagued by uncertainty. Heroes are not welcome in the Mistlands, and the land itself may betray them without warning. New, unstable terrain features are introduced in Mists of Bilehall: old walls and crumbling terrain.



Old walls are additional walls erected in the middle of rooms that block movement and line of sight. More importantly, these old walls are often surrounded by crumbling terrain, which forms tenuous pathways over the hazardous swamps of the Mistlands. When a hero enters a space with crumbling terrain, he may test either Knowledge or Awareness. If the hero passes the test, he continues unharmed, but if the hero fails, the crumbling terrain gives way and plunges the hero into water, sludge, or something far deadlier.

The heroes must also contend with the pervasive, corrosive influence of the Mistlands. To represent this during the Mists of Bilehall campaign, the overlord deals a facedown Tainted card to each hero at the start of each quest. While the hero possesses a Tainted card, his health is increased by two, but when he’s knocked out, he must flip his Tainted card faceup. For example, your Tainted card may be Bad Blood, which forces you suffer a strain every time you recover damage. In addition, while you have a faceup Tainted card, you are tainted and can only recover damage from untainted heroes or heroic feats! While the individual effects of a given Tainted card may vary, you can be sure the toxic effects of the mists have proven deadly to heroes before.
Terrors in the Mist


You'll also gain more tangible threats in Mists of Bilehall alongside crumbling ruins and tainted mists. Three new monster groups and three new lieutenants join the forces of darkness, eager to lend their nightmarish powers to stop the heroes.



You may call upon a horde of reanimates to form a wall against the heroes. These monsters fight best in a solid formation, where they can draw strength from the other undead who stand to either side. Alternatively, you may spread disease and corruption with the terrifying broodwalkers – corpses animated by a massive hive of corpse bugs working in unison, searching for fresher flesh into which they will lay the next generation of their young. You may even sight the legendary bone horrors: living masses of bone that can reach and move with astonishing speed. Only the bravest or most foolish heroes will confront these fast and agile constructs head-on.



Three new lieutenants also join the fight as the heroes move forward into Waiqar’s domain. As the overlord, you can enlist the services of Ardus Ix’Erebus, a master tactician and an undead warrior. Kyndrithul the vampire offers dark sorcery to the servants of the overlord. Alternatively, you may ally yourself with Zarihell, an elf of unknown origins and allegiances, who commands the spirits of the dead wherever they may lie. You can supplement these lieutenants with Plot decks and sculpted plastic figures with their Lieutenant Packs. For more information, visit our announcement of the Mists of Bilehall Lieutenant Packs.
None Escape Unscathed


The mists are already around you, and unnameable monsters creep beyond your sight. The only way to escape is to go forward, into the depths of the Mistlands, and stop the overlord’s evil plot – but already, you feel your noble intentions draining away in the corrupting fog. Can any hero survive what awaits in the Mists of Bilehall?

Look for Mists of Bilehall at your local retailer in the fourth quarter of 2015!

Ping back to FFG.com

Treaty of Champions, A New Hero and Monster Pack Coming For Descent

While a lot of the focus on Fantasy Flight Games might be for their various Star Wars properties, that doesn’t mean they’re not working hard on everything they make. They have just put up a new preview for Treaty of Champions, their seventh Hero and Monster collection for Descent: Journeys in the Dark. If you prefer your adventure board games more fantasy than sci-fi, you may want to check out what you can expect from this set.




Many of the fourteen figures in this set were originally released for the first edition of Descent. But now, if you missed out on that set (or just need the updated cards), they are now getting an update. Of course, this isn’t entirely a re-release. There are the new crow hags, which haven’t been in Descent before.

Of course, more than just minis and stat cards, there are four new quests included in the set, giving you more ways to play Descent.

This set will be available 4th quarter 2015, so just a couple months and they should be out.

Source

Ping back to TGN.COM