The game needs more armor options. or better yet: More gear

[cynthialee]

After printing off a bunch of weapon and armor cards and the counting the results I have come to the conclusion that there needs to be more armor options. So any ideas?

Mine:
Padded Armor
This bulky armor provides 2 Defense dice but removes a point from movement.
This armor may not be combined with Bracers, but may be combined with Shield and Helmet.
Not usable by Wizards (or Rogues)

Light Helmet, Bracers, Breast Plate and Greaves.
You need 3 of these 4 cards to get a +1 Bonus to Defense. {Not usable with Plate or Chain.}

Scale Mail
+1/+2 Defend {Against Missile Weapons this armor provides an extra Defend Dice}

Hardened Leather Armor
+1 Defend {Against Bludgeoning Weapons this Armor rolls 2 Dice.) Not combinable with Greaves, Bracers, Cloaks, but may be combined with Helmet and Shield.

Rings of Defense
+1 through +5
Some Rings may not be as groovy as all that.
Say a Ring of Defense from Goblins only allows you to roll its' +1 bonus when attacked by Goblins. Ring of Missile Protection +1 Defend against any missile attack.

Ring of Questionable Merit
This Ring Allows a Hero to roll +3 On Defend rolls, but it causes the wearer to sacrifice 5 points of movement every time the defender gets into combat.

Ring of Meh
This ring adds a +1 to Defend, but causes a -1 on all Attack Rolls.

[Count Mohawk]

What you're asking here is two separate questions, I think. Armor in HeroQuest has two main qualities: what type of physical armor piece it is, and what effect it has in-game. The first is easy. Fantasy armor is well-documented in what kind of equipments it can be segmented into:

• Helmets: Helms, Hats, Crowns, Masks
• Pauldrons: Shoulderguards, Epaulets, Spaulders
• Armor: Plate, Vest, Tunic, Cuirass, Chestguard
• Robes: Cloaks, Capes, Mantles, Shrouds, Drapes
• Bracers: Vambraces, Armguards, Wristguards, Cuffs
• Gauntlets: Gloves, Hands, Warfists
• Shields: Bucklers, Heaters, Aegis (or whatever the plural of 'aegis' is)
• Belts: Cords, Waistbands, Girdles, Sashes
• Greaves: Leggings, Legguards, Skirts, Kilts, Pants
• Boots: Sandals, Shoes, Sabatons, Treads

The second aspect of armor is the bonus it provides. Most armors from the base game grant additional Defend dice; only the Shield (which takes up one of your hands) and the Plate Mail (which is heavy) offset these bonuses with penalties. We have several topics already on how to add finer granularity beyond just adding integer numbers of dice, so I won't rehash that here.

From my own armory, I have a set of Iron Gauntlets as a more expensive alternative to shields. They allow their user to keep both hands free for two-handed weapons, but make Disarming Traps more difficult (Toolkit users need a White Shield, while the Dwarf needs anything but a White Shield).

[cynthialee]

Pauldrons of Epic Questing
These Epic Looking Paulrons are an upgrade to a warriors already existing pauldrons that came with their plate armor or chain mail. When worn they will help the Hero appear more awesome than they actually are, thus encouraging Henchmen to associate themselves with the Hero. In game effect: -10 Gold coins to the cost of hiring a Henchman.

Shield of Minimal Effect
This shield is kind of a piece of crap. It is a large mesh of heavy gauge wire in a metal frame. Against piercing weapons it receives no bonus but against bashing blows the shield provides +2 Defend dice.

Shield of Dragon Scales
This shield provides +1 Defend and +2 Defend against Fire based attacks.
If a dragon see's a hero with this shield type, expect the hero to be the dragons prime target. I mean come on...how dare you use a sentient creatures hide for your protection!? It is an abominable act!

Halfling Shield
This is when you grab the Halfling and use him for a shield. Only a warrior with 6 or more Body Points may make this move. The Hobbit must be adjacent to the warrior. Halflings provide +1 Defend dice, but this dice must be rolled separate and if a black shield is rolled the Halfling bites you for a Body Point.

[Anderas]

I have a problem if these options mean the Hero maxes out with more than 5 or 6 standard dice, and if the rules are complicated.

For example i would love this kind of shield that has two horns on the top, so it is able to catch blades and disarm your enemy. Alternatively, you could start a feint with your sword and ram the horns into your enemy as long as he was looking at your feint. It was in use, documented so.
However, for these kinds of cool abilities, you'd need fights that last more than one round; a combat system that allows for some fine things like actions from before having effect on the turn after, and in the end it gets complicated and needs too much time. Nevertheless, if someone has ideas for such ideas and tactics, i would love it.

If you don't do that kind of detail, you can just add dices (colored or not), and then quickly you are beyond my taste of five or six defense dice.

I like your halfling! The halfling doesn't like it.

[torilen]

Here are my additions. I created something for casters...a cast check, if a wizard or elf wants to
wear armor AND still attempt to cast spells. This can simply be ignored, and just not allow wizards
or elves to wear certain armors and cast.
I also have on there an action penalty - this would apply to my house rules for climbing, swimming, jumping, etc.
This can just be ignored, as well, if desired.

armor expansion picture.jpg

[torilen]

Here are a lot of my treasure and artifact additions, as well, if you don't have them yet.
I've got a number of shields and other protective items mixed in these. The first one should
have dragon scale shields.

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=1201

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=1203&p=12421#p12421

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=1208&p=12441#p12441

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=1317&p=14549#p14549

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=1509&p=16636#p16636

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=1614&p=30794#p30794

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=1738&p=20911#p20911

[cynthialee]

I try and keep them to 6 and below but I have no issue with special conditions allowing for more dice. I have like 15 normal dice, 4 purple and 2 orange. (I think I messed up and gave my Black Dice set to my brother...)

[clmckay]

Here's what I'm using at present. I use the color dice to differentiate a bit.

For the Wooden Shield/Leather Helmet, on the actual cards I changed to wording to if both are being used re-roll a Skull.

[cynthialee]

High Quality Shield
+1 Defend
Special: The first Black Shield in a Defend Roll counts as a White Shield.

Magic High Quality Shield
+2 Defend
Special: The first two Black Shields on a Defend Roll count as White Shields.

[Anderas]

Spiked Shield:
+1 white Defense Die.
If your enemy rolls no skull, you may immediately attack with 2 white dice. Your enemy can defend normally.