Ye Olde Inn

I'm a little confused about the role of daggers in HeroQuest. Yes, yes, so the Wizard starts with one and it gives him a single attack dice. "Aha!" I say, doesn't the Wizard attack with a single dice when unarmed? So what's the purpose of the dagger? Obviously, it can be thrown, but only once, which hardly makes it seem worth it. ...come to think of it, why limit the dagger to a single throw? Are our heroes so in need of glasses that they can't be bothered to pick up a dagger from the corpse of an enemy that they've just popped off with it?

Please, share your thoughts and things that you've done in your games to make the dagger make a bit more sense!

I'll direct you to some previous topics on the subject

viewtopic.php?f=38&t=1174&p=11969

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=1265&p=13487

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1734&p=20821

The 1 attack from the Wizard IS the dagger in my opinion.

Usually, daggers are the Wizard's instant range attack.
Combined with Strength potions or/and Courage spell, is like he's using a crossbow and these combinations have fun.
Each dagger costs only 25gold and i believe it's not a big problem for the Wizard because for 14 quests he spends no gold (even for staff, if he's patient).
He can also earn more gold for daggers by borrow his gold to other players with about 20% interest, why not?
I personally enjoy the game with my wizard while carrying some daggers, just in case.

Thanks for finding those for me Sjeng! I suppose that I probably could have made better use of the forum's "search" function before asking my question.
I will say that I'm very tempted to use the rule where daggers are recoverable on a black shield.

Sotiris wrote:Combined with Strength potions or/and Courage spell, is like he's using a crossbow and these combinations have fun.

You know, that's an interesting point that I had never considered! I'll be sure to give that as a hint to the wizard in my group during our next session.

Hopefully the combination of the two won't turn my wizard into a dagger-wielding maniac...

Kind of hearkens back to Dart throwing fighter in D&D but seems reasonable for a 1 burst trick for a wizard.

Maciste wrote:I'm a little confused about the role of daggers in HeroQuest. Yes, yes, so the Wizard starts with one and it gives him a single attack dice. "Aha!" I say, doesn't the Wizard attack with a single dice when unarmed? So what's the purpose of the dagger?...

Please, share your thoughts and things that you've done in your games to make the dagger make a bit more sense!

Another way to justify the dagger is to nerf unarmed attacks. By allowing monsters to defend against unarmed attacks with white shields, the 1 Attack die of a dagger will prove more lethal in comparison.

Just noticed in another thread by you that you always allow monsters to defend with white shields. Another unarmed attack nerf is to require a Wizard to roll a black shield to score a hit. The Elf and Dwarf require a white shield, while only the Barbarian continues to hit with a skull.

My new throwing rules:

Javlin, Spear, Hammer - Damaged on a white shield, broken on a black shield.
Knife, Great Spear, Great Hammer - Weakened on a white shield, broken on a black shield.
Hand Axe, Elvin Spear, Dwarven Hammer - Weakened on a white shield, damaged on a black shield.

Weakened equipment can still be used but roll a combat dice every time it's used (not just thrown). On a white shield it gets damaged and on a black shield it breaks. Damaged equipment can't be used but can be repaired. Weakened and damaged equipment can be repaired for half their sale value. Broken equipment can't be repaired.

This makes my equipment prices work a lot better as well.

Daedalus wrote:Another unarmed attack nerf is to require a Wizard to roll a black shield to score a hit. The Elf and Dwarf require a white shield, while only the Barbarian continues to hit with a skull.

I like that!

Sjeng wrote:I'll direct you to some previous topics on the subject

viewtopic.php?f=38&t=1174&p=11969

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=1265&p=13487

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1734&p=20821

The 1 attack from the Wizard IS the dagger in my opinion.

Nice try Sjeng, but we love us a good discussion on daggers!

Basically they are only used for throwing by the other wise ill-equipped wizard.
The daggers breaking? Thematically it doesn't make sense. It is purely a mechanic for gameplay.
If they were reusable they would have to be much more expensive and everyone would always get them.

Let me put it in another way. If you could buy one-use spell-scrolls for 25g that made you shoot a 1 energy bolt... Wouldn't that be all fine?
This subject would never come up again if the item was a spell-scroll!

Goblin-King wrote:Let me put it in another way. If you could buy one-use spell-scrolls for 25g that made you shoot a 1 energy bolt... Wouldn't that be all fine?
This subject would never come up again if the item was a spell-scroll!

That is a very good point!

Goblin-King wrote:The daggers breaking? Thematically it doesn't make sense. It is purely a mechanic for gameplay.

Thematically it still makes a lot more sense than a one use dagger/knife.

Goblin-King wrote:If they were reusable they would have to be much more expensive and everyone would always get them.

Let me put it in another way. If you could buy one-use spell-scrolls for 25g that made you shoot a 1 energy bolt... Wouldn't that be all fine?
This subject would never come up again if the item was a spell-scroll!

That is a good point, but even just 25gp is overpriced for a one use, one combat dice ranged attack.