Japanese HeroQuest: Card Translations

[Malcadon]

Now, explain me this. To my knowledge this is the meaning of these words:
- Horde = a group/army/mob of people/monsters (Ogre Horde)
- Hoard = a treasure pile, collection (Treasure Hoard)
Why are they mixed up so often?

I did not know why you posted that when I first read it, until I was referencing the Treasure Cards not too long ago. I made the correction.

[knightkrawler]

Got a niggle for ya. I'd replace instances of May only be used by a (specified Hero) to May only be used by the (specified Hero).

Well, the UK originals use merely May only be used by Wizard, e.g.
No "a", no "the". Seemed odd to me.

[Sjeng]

I chose to use "a". I had thought about using "the" on my cards, but you don't always have the same wizard/dwarf/elf/barbarian (at least we don't). So using "a" instead leaves you free to use a different barbarian mini or a different kind of wizard, etc. It's more generic, and I prefer it that way.

[Daedalus]

Niggle removed. I guess my NA familiarity got in the way somehow, and I referenced the wrong cards. Makes me think I should be sleeping more and posting less.

[Sjeng]

Equipment Cards done:

Sjengs Equipment Cards JP v1.0.pdf

and original, unedited artefact cards done as well:

Sjengs Artefact Cards JP v1.0.pdf

Just wanted to add that the edited version of the JP cards are found here.

[AerynB]

Potion of Healing
This small bottle contains a potion of healing. You may drink the potion at any time instead of moving. It will restore up to four lost Body points. The card is then discarded.
Cost 200 gold coins

Any particular reason why you're making the Equipment potion card restore 4 BP instead of only 2 which is written on the Japanese cards?

Wandering Monster
As you are busy searching, a Zombie stalks up on you and attacks. The Evil Wizard player may place the monster in any square next to you. The Zombie attacks immediately and you may not defend yourself against this attck. Then, the monster flees immediatly. Return this card to the treasure pile.
[I don't know if the monster just uses its movement points to get away from the Hero or if it's taken from the board after its attack.]

Leveling up is possible in the Japanese rules after Quest 4. There is a non-refundable fee, however. It's possible that the Wandering Monster disappears so that players don't spend hours in the dungeons searching for treasure, getting a Wandering Monster card, and then getting the reward for defeating it and thereby getting more gold than they're sorta supposed to during normal play of the quests.

Holy Water
Discarded and forgotten in a corner of the room you find a vial of holy water. You may use th holy water instead of attacking. It will kill one undead creature (Skeleton, Zombie, or Mummy) immediately. The card is then discarded.

The Japanese card also specifies that the Hero does not get the gold reward for defeating a monster with holy water (I think).

Fire of Wrath
This spell may be cast on any one monster or player, anywhere on the board. It will seek out your enemy and inflict two Body points of damage. The victim may throw one combat die. If he rolls a shield the damage is reduced to one Body point. The spell is then discarded.

You might need to specify that the target needs to roll its appropriate shield -- black shields for monsters and white shields for Heroes -- instead of the vague "a shield," possibly confusing players that they have a 50/50 shot of reducing the damage.

Pass through Rock
This spell may be cast on any one player. That player may then move through walls when he next moves. The player may move through as many walls as his movement will allow. The spell is then discarded.

It seems that in the Japanese there is an added restriction to this spell. Players cannot move to spaces that are "unknown" or "unexplored." Possibly aiding Heroes from accidentally stopping in "solid rock" and dieing, since keeping your Hero alive throughout from quest to quest is a major component of the game.

Swift Wind
This spell will be cast on any one player. That player may move to any one space in his line of sight the next time he moves. The spell is then discarded.

The Japanese does not really specify "line of sight" for this spell. You really can go to any space on the board, as long as it has already been explored, like the Pass Through Rock spell above. I guess they didn't want players choosing to materialize in solid rock and then end up dead.

[AerynB]

They sure have a lot of differences. a 3 dice diagonal shortsword? lol.
And many class restrictions too.

Kinda like the Japanese shortsword is a blend of the EU shortsword picture and the NA longsword stats.
Same with the broadsword, I think. EU broadsword picture and NA battle axe stats.

I like the class restrictions. Makes it so can't be as powerful as . There's definitely a choice when players want to choose which Hero to be.

There are a number of issues that needs to be address:

• Can the Elf and Wizard can keep using their Intermediate Spells after Quest #8? (see Hero Cards, above)
• Dose the Intermediate attack spell attack at range, melee or both? (see Hero Cards, above)
• Dose the Ball of Flames spell allow for a defense roll? (see Fire Spells, below)

I believe the Elf and Wizard can still use Intermediate Magic after Quest 8 (and Beginner Magic for the Wizard after Quest 3). In the rulebook, the 14 quests are divided into Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. If something is a rule in the Beginner Quests, it's still a rule in the Intermediate and Advanced Quests, such as opening treasure chests or doors being a free action as long as you're standing in front of them. So I think it's safe to say that the Wizard can still use the First Aid spell in the later quests. Also, note that in the rulebook on page 12, the Elf must choose which intermediate spell to learn before each quest, either Recovery or Holy Flame. I think this is also true for the Advanced quests. He gets 1 elemental spell group plus 1 of the intermediate spells.

On page 11 of the rulebook, it discusses Beginner Magic as well as Magic in general. I think the default rule is that you can only cast spells on targets you can "see." Therefore, if a spell specifically says any monster or square or target on the board, that's the exception to the rule of any monster, square, or target you can "see."

I don't believe the target gets a defense roll for Ball of Flame. It's worth noting how erratic it is. You could roll 3 skulls (1 in 8), 2 skulls (3 in 8), 1 skull (3 in 8), or none (1 in 8). Though, that does mean you have a 50/50 shot of rolling at least 2 skulls and taking out a 2BP monster in one shot -- which is the only way to kill a multi-BP monster in the Japanese rules (killing it in one shot, I mean). At least with Fire of Wrath you're guaranteed 1 BP of damage and maybe 2BP (monsters of course only have a 1 in 6 chance of preventing that other 1BP of damage).

Got a niggle for ya. I'd replace instances of May only be used by a (specified Hero) to May only be used by the (specified Hero).

I'm also confused about the Flame Axe damage of 4 combat dice. The Inn EU Equipment card files show a regular Battle Axe having 4 combat dice, as well. (I do remember seeing a Battle axe with 3 Attack dice, however. Can't find it now.) Seems like the Dwarf has been shorted again!

I kinda agree with this niggle. I like the phrasing with "the" instead of "a" too. I also like using, um, positive phrasing like, May only be used by Barbarian, Dwarf, instead of May not be used by Elf, Wizard, but that's probably because I think the Japanese rules feel a lot like a video game I like to play, which coincidentally also came out of Japan.

And actually the Dwarf didn't get shorted by the Flame Axe only having 4 combat dice. He's not allowed to use the other weapon with 4 combat dice, the Broadsword, so this is his chance to have a 4-combat dice weapon.

edited to put all these responses into one post so you all don't think I'm trying to pad my post count.

[Bob-Bob]

Say uh...sorry to bump such an old thread, but I actually know somebody who is very fluent in Japanese and can help proofread most of the text in this thread to allow for even more accuracy. If that's ok with you guys, that is.

[TMU]

Go ahead, any help is appreciated!

[Malcadon]

...that's probably because I think the Japanese rules feel a lot like a video game I like to play, which coincidentally also came out of Japan.

I felt the same way when translating the cards. That is, each weapon and spell by grade felt like upgrades in a videogame in that weapons only feel their they are just their to be better then what you had before, and there are no rules to limit their use (e.g. two-handed weapons to prevent shield-use; Platemail armor lowers movement) beyond (tight) restrictions on what the Heroes can or cannot use. Yes, the western rules are kind of like that, but they had side-effects to make them more interesting — especially Artifacts like the Spirit Blade and the Orc's Bane, that can effect different monster types in different ways. The Japaneses Artifacts, or "Legendary Weapons", are just the most powerful weapons in the game with no special rules to set them apart from normal weapons — they are all just generic +1 swords!