HQ25 - Artifacts

[knightkrawler]

...bonus points if you yell LIGHTNING BOLT!!! every time it arcs?

Or rather something consistent with the Birtish TV ad: "Loitning Bowlt!"

[Anderas]

Ok, so we have:

* Kobold Trickster Spells (at least 6 cards)
* Artifact Loitning Bowlt (1 card so far)
* The other artifacts in late game ( 4 cards I suppose)
* The cultist use the normal chaos spells so no extra cards here

That's 11 more cards so far. If we apply the same process like for the monsters, we are not ready for the 30th anniversairy of our game. As I run out of time in January very abruptly (will have to go back to work); I would like to finish those cards as quick as possible.

[Count Mohawk]

I wouldn't worry too hard about the Artifact cards; finding art for magical weaponry and stuff is comparatively much easier than finding art for creatures and for 'dynamic' spell imagery.

However, maybe we can sort out the full set of Artifacts for HQ25 so that we can start work on finding appropriate artwork for it?


Is this a sufficient slate of Artifacts, or do the Heroes deserve a couple more for completing this Quest Pack?
Anderas, does the "magic red cloak" in the Beastman arc have any effects other than enraging the "invincible" Minotaur in Q13? We don't have any Wizard's Cloak analogues in HQ25 yet and the Wizard will probably be wanting one...

[Daedalus]

The Kobold Trickster spells could be optional or not as we prefer. It looks like we should make six because of the interest and work already put in. Six swamp spells also need to be done. Their alternates could be done without artwork, or left for later.

Voting favored more alternate spell sets, but that work can also be deferred as the pack can work without them. Those spell sets include Cultist and Beastman spells.

I see the Artifact Cards growing in number a bit beyond the special four. The idea is to create some original alternates--a Robe of Shadows for the Wizard, a different and better Orcsbane (for Kobolds?), etc.

Some equipment cards might also be used. A black powder keg, for example.

Do we want a few extra Treasure Cards? Also, some Slough tiles are needed.

[Anderas]

I would love to include the dazzling gemstone as treasure card. There were two or three more ideas like that floating through the forum over the years, Mohawk recently posted one.

I would just include those great ideas. That's creativity and community, and few work, all at the same time.

[Count Mohawk]

I see the Artifact Cards growing in number a bit beyond the special four. The idea is to create some original alternates--a Robe of Shadows for the Wizard, a different and better Orcsbane (for Kobolds?), etc.

Some equipment cards might also be used. A black powder keg, for example.

Well, let's see... what were the original 10 artifacts again! Ah yes:

• Borin's Armor
• Elixir of Life
• Orc's Bane
• Ring of Return
• Spell Ring
• Spirit Blade
• Talisman of Lore
• Wand of Magic
• Wizard's Cloak
• Wizard's Staff

Of these, we can re-use the Elixir of Life whole-cloth, and we have good replacements for the Wizard's Staff and the Wand of Magic so far.

There are two Artifact weapons, both of which provide bonus effects against certain types of monsters (Orcs for Orc's Bane, Undead for the Spirit Blade). We probably should have a Koboldslayer weapon; I believe cynthia suggested a broadsword artifact that allows the ability to "roundhouse" against all adjacent monsters, albeit at a reduced attack value. As for the Spirit Blade, we could probably consider the matter closed since we have a Hammer of Vengeance somebody invented, which rolls more dice against sturdier monsters, thus making it a sort of "Gargoyle-slayer". (In the image file I included above, I capped the weapon at 5 attack dice so as not to break the game if somebody comes up with a 6-defend monster later (or the 7-defend Minotaur brothers in Q17... hm, i may have to roll that one back a little)

There are also two Artifact armors. Borin's Armor, of course, is the iconic "best in class" armor that may or may not be wearable by the Wizard, depending on which side of the pond you inhabit. This one may not need to be included or replaced. On the other hand, we definitely need a Wizard's Cloak expy, because the Wizard needs as many defense dice as he can get and without the Cloak he gets stuck on 3 (or 2! if there aren't any Bracers available). Daedalus's proposed Robe of Shadows would be a good inclusion, and the only reason I don't go there immediately is that I want to confirm whether or not the "magic red cape" used to lure the Minotaur in Q13 has any powers other than making it mad.

Finally we have a few assorted magical aides. The Spell Ring and the Wand of Magic both assist magic users with spellcasting, the Talisman of Lore adds 1 Mind Point so the Barbarian doesn't roll over and die to Sleep or Command effects, and the Ring of Return allows one get-out-of-jail-free escape from a Quest. The "four Artifacts" set probably provide a sufficiently wide set of effects so we don't need to include these as such, although there's definitely room for a couple more 'lesser' artifacts. I may have to reread some older threads to see what was suggested for more ideas...

[Daedalus]

I would love to include the dazzling gemstone as treasure card. There were two or three more ideas like that floating through the forum over the years, Mohawk recently posted one.

I would just include those great ideas. That's creativity and community, and few work, all at the same time.

Sounds good. Hopefully more can be found, and we can make some as well so that there are both positives and negatives. I'd like to see at least four, but no more than eight. A couple repeats would be okay.

[Anderas]

I think this was a great summary Mohawk. Until now the cloak is just driving the Minotaur mad but we can add another effect to it, why not. After all you go through that sneak-in-fight-out quest to get it, so it might have an appropriate effect written on the card.

[Count Mohawk]

I would love to include the dazzling gemstone as treasure card. There were two or three more ideas like that floating through the forum over the years, Mohawk recently posted one.

I would just include those great ideas. That's creativity and community, and few work, all at the same time.

Sounds good. Hopefully more can be found, and we can make some as well so that there are both positives and negatives. I'd like to see at least four, but no more than eight. A couple repeats would be okay.

Well, the standard Treasure deck is 24 cards, so if you add 6 more that makes it an even 30. Seems legit to me.

[knightkrawler]

I would love to include the dazzling gemstone as treasure card. There were two or three more ideas like that floating through the forum over the years, Mohawk recently posted one.

I would just include those great ideas. That's creativity and community, and few work, all at the same time.

Sounds good. Hopefully more can be found, and we can make some as well so that there are both positives and negatives. I'd like to see at least four, but no more than eight. A couple repeats would be okay.

Well, the standard Treasure deck is 24 cards, so if you add 6 more that makes it an even 30. Seems legit to me.

An EU treasure deck is 25 cards. Doesn't matter, though.