Ye Olde Inn

My girlfriend (aka Miranda the Elf in my 'Saturday Night Dungeon' posts) had an idea for a new house rule after we played Quest 5: Melar's Maze last night. When heroes find themselves trying to cover some distance on the board but they keep rolling small numbers, the game grinds to a halt. When there are no monsters on the board, there's not much for Zargon to do. We found ourselves in such a situation last night and spent at least three turns around the table with my heroes rolling and , and me as Zargon with nothing to do.
I have read, here and elsewhere, some people complain that rolling for movement is one of the weaker mechanics of the game, especially when Zargon's monsters do not roll and have a set amount of movement they can make. While I like rolling for movement during the normal gameplay, it can be a drag during those times when there are no monsters, most traps have been sprung or disarmed, and the heroes just need to get to the other side of the board.
So, my girlfriend's proposed house rule: If a hero begins their turn in a hallway, and there are no monsters present, the hero may roll one extra movement die instead of taking an action.
I think it's pretty fair. It can't be done if the hero starts in a room and, obviously can't be used just to outrun a monster. Additionally, it is only one extra movement die, so it doesn't necessarily make Swift Wind completely useless. It really shouldn't even come into play unless the game is starting to drag anyway.
What do you folks think?

Actually I added another action:
Run
You can move three squares more.

It is an action, so it excludes fighting or searching or casting by it's very nature.
It is a set bonus so you save the time for the additional roll.
It is not too much so the total distance normally stays well in the limits of human possibilities.
It can be combined with swift wind, so you roll 4d6 and take the run action in addition.

I did not put any more restrictions. Why. If there are Monsters the heroes never even think about running. and the Monsters can use the run action, too, so it wouldn't help.

You and your Girlfriend, on the other hand, you should use a kind of EWP Deck. You'll see how the movement roll suddenly becomes important.

I agree wholeheartedly with the Run action and have been intending to use that as a houserule for my homebrew version.

I am currently creating a list of house rules that I use in my games and;

#2. Heroes have fixed movement of 6 squares as standard but can declare a 'Rapid Move' action at the start of their turn moving an additional dice worth of space instead of making another action.

Incidentally the Potion of Speed allows you to make a 'Rapid Move' action rolling 2 dice for movement until you roll a double after which it stops working.

I'm a pro for movement rolls. I like the idea of sacrificing an action to sprint, I will add this to mine. The fixed movement varied for character class plus 1d6 works too. Some quests arn't as well designed as other to counter for low movement rolls but remember, a low fixed movement would be worse. The ability to roll higher than 6 speeds things up.

In my Spiced Up Edition we have Chaos Tokens, the EWP will welcome Heroes rolling low and will likely laugh in the face of those roles. Here's the extract from my write up.

Chaos Tokens - From Advance HeroQuest
The Evil Wizard Player draws a token using the ‘Rotation’ and/or ‘Egg Timer’ rules. Once drawn the EWP can look at the token but keeps it secret from the Heroes. A token can be activated at various moments throughout the Quest. To activate, the EWP calls out its name, reveals it to the Heroes and implements the effect. Multiple tokens can be held but only one activated at a time, discard after use.

Chaos Tokens - Activate - Effect
Ambush - When a Hero re-enters an emptied room or corridor - Replace the monsters of that room or corridor, excluding characters.
Character - When a room is revealed - Place a Character into the newly revealed room.
Escape - During a Heroes turn - Move 1 Monster up to its Move value away from the Heroes.
Fate - During combat - Reroll any 1 Monsters failed CD in attack or defence.
Trap - When a Hero opens a door* - Same as Spear Trap.
Wondering Monster - During a Heroes turn - Same as Wondering Monster Treasure card.

*I want to add this to search but the potential of 2 traps been sprung is too strong, also needs minimal wording for the table on the write up, what do you think?

Rotation - At the start of the EWP phase, if no monsters are in play and non were revealed that turn.

Egg Timer - Every time the Heroes take longer than 2 mins to complete a round. Increase decrease accordingly… 30s/Hero in play.

I also have, sacrifice a movement dice for a bonus action, Change Weapons, Give, Climb, Peek/Listen, Test of Mind etc

Roll double 1's Hazard/trip, roll a skull, take 1 wound. A dungeon/lair is dangerous. Heroes will want to spend as lil movement rolls in a Quest as possible. That Hero desperately clinging on to life, 1BP, trying to exit or escape the dungeon. The last thing you want is to trap your foot and stumble, be hit by a hazard, especially when so low on energy and badly wounded.

Can you tell I get too excited when people start talking game mechanics, lol!

lucasdp wrote:I have read, here and elsewhere, some people complain that rolling for movement is one of the weaker mechanics of the game, especially when Zargon's monsters do not roll and have a set amount of movement they can make.

That is what makes the game perfect, with fixed movement on both sides, you'd always know you can catch or escape a monster. 1 being fixed and the other not creates the suspense.

Thematically a monster would know it's habitat so likely always be able to move its move. Mechanically the EWP rolling for every monster would take longer. I think they made the right choice. With a fixed movement +1d6 you can always escape the mummy, it's no threat.

Double dice for Heroes and fixed for Monsters it is. The only other choice would be like Zombicide.

I also play with the house rule that you can roll an extra movement die at the cost of an action. It works out well!

Here are also a couple of homebrew equipment items that add a base movement, rather than giving it out free from the start:





Together, along with the minimum roll for movement dice (snake-eyes, 2), a hero would have 6 movement minimum.

A Hero with a longsword and a torch, helmet, chainmail and boots would be relatively well off, with 3 attack dice, 4 defend dice, and a minimum movement of 6, but an average of 11 movement (2d6 average = 7) + 2 torch, + 2 boots

Also, we house rule that the Plate Mail only subtracts a single movement square from your total roll, not an entire die, so if a Hero had that as well, it wouldn't be a huge disadvantage.

I have the rule that if there are no monsters, no pits/traps to jump, no time-based rules, all of the players can go anywhere they have previously been if it is more than a couple of dice rolls away. Saves a lot of time. If there are arguments over who stands where before the game properly recommences (such as exploring a new area) then the players roll off to see who picks first.

Great suggestions, gang! I still think it's so interesting how individual house rules develop, and it's fun to see how each of us addressed this issue.
I'll consider these suggestions, mull it all over, and see what works best for my group.

My spouse (Sevan) is constantly rolling movement dice with results in the 2-5 squares range so consistently they have been lobbying me to make the rule be that the hero may move 5 places or risk it and roll the dice.
I have been considering it but haven't tried the rule out yet. I suspect with the past dice luck I have seen Sevan have to deal with that they would always go for the 5 move.