Searching for Hazards

[LucaRocks]

So my group will start FH sometime next month, which has gotten me to thinking of a way to help them out.

I gave the dwarf the ability to remove traps from the board (thanks Kurgan for that tip!). And he is pretty strong after going through KK and ROTWL.

So I was thinking ... Did anyone try giving him the ability to detect the undetectable traps in FH? How did it go if you went that route? Was it still challenging enough?

My feeling is to give him the ability to detect the hazard but not be able to disarm it. Like he alone can detect wandering monster traps but can not get rid of them. Heroes could still trip it if not jumped successfully. Kind of creates more suspense in my opinion. And only the dwarf could sense these traps.

I was thinking of extending it to the many "hazard tiles" that don't reveal themselves until too late (slippery ice, ice slide etc...). Again, I would just point out that the square or squares look suspicious or weak etc... if the dwarf searched, keeping it as vague as possible. And they could try to maneuver around it but not completely get rid of it.

This change would help to make the dwarf unique and useful in a way that was different than the barbarian.

Curious if anyone has done sinilar. Please let me know how it went. Feedback is always welcome!

[Kurgan]

This is my homebrew:

I just say something like "you get an uneasy feeling" when searching, but I don't point out the trap. It's still "undetectable." Of course the heroes can also "blind jump" over any square on the board (normal rules like jumping a trap). If you fail, you land on the square, but if there's no trap, nothing happens and you can keep moving, no limit to the # of jumps. Jump two squares at a time (inspired by the draft notes once again) but you have to roll a white shield on 1 combat die or you fail and land on the first square.

As far as Hazards, there's nothing you can do to avoid them EXCEPT buy a Torch from the Armory.. it's 250 gold and each one burns for an entire quest. It can be used to attack for 1 combat die adjacent (and if you successfully hit, roll 1 die for additional fire damage, which can't be blocked unless somehow the target is magically resistant to flames!). But the Torch, while lit, simply lets you ignore any Hazard cards drawn when you search for treasure.

[LucaRocks]

Great ideas there! May have to use them somewhere down the line. Thanks!

[wallydubbs]

I didn't do this exactly with the Dwarf, but I played Frozen Horror with a 5 hero group: Barbarian, Knight Explorer, Rogue & Wizard. The Explorer's Trap Smith ability went off when adjacent to a Wandering Monster trap. He didn't know what type of trap it was, but moved ahead anyway trying to use the action "disarm trap." Well there was no disarmable trap and he was attacked by a monster.

When it comes to the Frozen Horror and Mage of the Mirror you should limit the Wandering Monster to 1. Don't bring out 2 Yetis or 3 Goblins, just 1 will do.

[lestodante]

This is my homebrew:

I just say something like "you get an uneasy feeling" when searching, but I don't point out the trap. It's still "undetectable." Of course the heroes can also "blind jump" over any square on the board (normal rules like jumping a trap). If you fail, you land on the square, but if there's no trap, nothing happens and you can keep moving, no limit to the # of jumps. Jump two squares at a time (inspired by the draft notes once again) but you have to roll a white shield on 1 combat die or you fail and land on the first square.

Unlimited jumps means "smart" players moving all along jumping half the squares and with a continuos dice rolling.

[Daedalus]

That's why a Hero's turn ends after failing to jump a trap, actual or not. You still gotta avoid rolling a Skull.