What order should the quest packs be played?

[wallydubbs]

I'm not sure why you'd put First Light before New Beginnings. If Ragnar hasn't been rescued since Quest 2 of the main Game System, it kinda throws it off.
Also, why put Dark Company between Into the Northlands and Frozen Horror?

[HispaZargon]

I recently posted a new video podcast on my YouTube channel talking about the official play order of the classic expansions of HeroQuest (EU & NA).

Here you have the link for anyone interested, I hope you will like it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReCh4wj-TZU

Hispa's_Thoughts_Podcast_04_v2_LR.jpg

[SirRick]

I recently played through all of CoPD with new heroes (Berserker, Elf, Explorer, Wizard) and got through it fairly easily. It was on the app of course, which makes things a bit easier, but for experienced players it should be a decent challenge with a human Zargon. While there is a lack of the normal artifacts you would find in the GS or FL, you still find decent treasures and gold. Enough to properly outfit your party.

That being said, I don’t really see why AH insists CoPD is last to take place in their suggested quest order. If it is last in order it means Mentor and his Heroes have been defeated or are nowhere to be found. Zargon and his forces would not allow the heroes who have been troubling him for so long to roam freely about town, fully armed, and there is no mention anywhere of Mentor at all.

I would argue this could be one of the first quest books to take place, shortly before the GS and FL. The story claims Zargon’s army crashed over the southern regions. These regions could be the lands Zargon is conquering and occupying on his way to the “Realm” which is further South still. The end of the GS tells of a great battle as Zargon’s forces cross into the realm. The town featured in CoPD could be some random town that was invaded as Zargon’s army was advancing South just before the GS takes place. The heroes of this particular quest book could just be local mercenaries who have stayed out of trouble and have been performing various odd jobs and tasks for locals or even for Zargon’s own forces (like delivering supplies or something) just to get by. This could explain why Mentor is not mentioned at all, and why these particular heroes are not arrested immediately while wandering around town.

Those are my thoughts on the matter. I know everyone has their own head cannon, but this makes the most sense to me. Since AH still places it last, it could very well be their intention that Mentor and his Heroes fail and ultimately defeated/captured/destroyed before this quest pack takes place.

Regardless, I did find this quest pack enjoyable to play through. I recommend new heroes, otherwise it would be one of the easiest quest packs with fully equipped characters.

[HispaZargon]

Very cool interpretation, SirRick. I absolutely agree about CoPD may fit much better before the GS from a narrative standpoint.

[wallydubbs]

Crypt of Perpetual Darkness isn't really a difficult quest pack, and Sir Rick's assessment is correct, this COULD be treated as a starter pack for a whole separate group of heroes not affiliated with Mentor and the main group of heroes.
The quest pack isn't too difficult, I actually find it easier than First Light. My only issue is that Crypt of Perpetual Darkness is inconsistent in location and storyline:
- The heroes hometown is under siege, but instead of fending off the invaders they take up a quest to follow a myth. Their priorities are in the wrong place.
- After the first 2 quests the heroes travel to a swamp, followed by an underground human city that was swallowed by an earthquake that's in a mountain that leads to a crypt that just happens to have a Dragon at the end of it.
- All of this stems from a gnome that happened to find a map, who has randomly chosen these 4 heroes to help him.
- The heroes take over the quest so they can find the artifacts so not to fall into Zargon's hands. But when they finally get to the Crypt it's already inhabited by the same type of monsters that were attacking the city... So why hasn't Zargon heard about this place.
- The immortal Death Knight, Kedrick Gilbane doesn't seem to pose any threat. He's been living in this Crypt with his Dragon for over a century and has made 0 attempt to wage war against the realm or cause trouble. The heroes are invading HIS home.

The story also ends on a "To be Continued" note that I don't think will come to fruition. The only other tower mentioned in HeroQuest is the the online quest Dread on the Horizon and Tower of the High Mage in Wizards of Morcar, but I don't think these any of these are Onyx Towers.

[crystlshake]

I agree on Crypt feeling off with it's topography. I wonder if some modifications had to be made due to budget or space. Logically I think those locations could exist in the same general area, at least a lot better than stacked on each other. If they were spaced out a bit with some kind of scene transition or trek after finding the clue you need I think it would feel better. I hadn't caught that part about the town ;p. Maybe a few homebrew modifications for that would help. I think the sunken city thing was a cool idea that could be explored more for a repeated location, maybe delving into different parts looking for antiquities or historical information. Perhaps the earthquake wasn't natural and that can lead to something else.

I think there is an Onyx tower on the tower of elements, but what I remember of the 'to be continued' wouldn't fit. It's a cliffhanger or a hook for original content for sure.

I hadn't noticed the lack of Mentor or how the party are stirring up trouble more than helping. Maybe the party are not working for Mentor at all, either as independents or for the other suggested reasons. Though if they stirred up trouble with the death knight and the dragon and didn't take them out, I would wonder if they were working for Zargon instead.

[manaknight14]

Despite whatever reasons Avalon Hill have offered in the past, I think the reason they keep shoving CoPD to the end of the quest sequence is just because of its semi-cliffhanger ending and not anything to do with difficulty level or (in)consistency with the events of other quest packs. I would bet that there are at least some internal conversations at Avalon Hill about having Joe Manganiello write another quest pack to pick up where CoPD leaves off. Some people at GenCon last year claimed they asked him about the possibility and were met with AH staff telling Joe not to answer the question.

[Vorimir]

Any new expansion would be (probably) good news but COPD was subpar. Joe Manganiello posibly working in a new one only gives me mixed fellings.

[Kurgan]

Despite whatever reasons Avalon Hill have offered in the past, I think the reason they keep shoving CoPD to the end of the quest sequence is just because of its semi-cliffhanger ending and not anything to do with difficulty level or (in)consistency with the events of other quest packs. I would bet that there are at least some internal conversations at Avalon Hill about having Joe Manganiello write another quest pack to pick up where CoPD leaves off. Some people at GenCon last year claimed they asked him about the possibility and were met with AH staff telling Joe not to answer the question.

Yeah that was me who asked. It seemed like a very staged answer, but not a super in your face wink and a nod "most certainly it will happen" kind of way. More like Joe was just making sure everybody understood that he couldn't give any answer.

Doug had earlier reinforced that at a company they are looking for "insights" that Avalon Hill picks up from seeing people talking about stuff excitedly online. If it seems like a trend towards fans wanting something they'd be willing to pay for, then they can push that to the higher ups who approve such projects for next time.

[SirRick]

I really do like that the people involved from AH seem to care about this game and are really trying to do what they can, given difficulties such as lay offs and stuff earlier. They are keeping the game alive. Some of the new stuff they came up with is a little on the safe side, but its understandable after how brutal FH and MotM can be. However, I am really proud of the work they did for RotDM, JoD, FL, and WoM. After we finally got WoM, I am really excited to see what comes next.