"Champions" or "Heroes"

[Jalapenotrellis]

Since my group finished the game system, I have been writing little write-ups of the summary of each quest for remembrance and in case my group ever falls apart, I won't have to start all over...can just have newcomers read the history.

Do y'all refer to the players as champions or heroes? According to the game system, we are supposed to refer to them as champions henceforth after quest 14. It just doesn't feel right because there're so many more expansions...

[wallydubbs]

If there was some sort of status or ranking system I might respect the title more. Even though the game is called HeroQuest it doesn't quite dismiss the potentiality of there being others. If I remember correctly from the game system some rewards are given to "any group of heroes". The game system doesn't really specify what a hero is. That title could practically be interchangeable with adventures. The Trial is just a step towards becoming True Heroes, yet they are already practically that in the Rescue of Sir Ragnar.

It doesn't seem as "hero" is as important of a meaning as "Champion", there can be various groups of heroes but you'd think the Emperor can only name a select few as "Champions of the Realm".
Personally I'd hold off the connotation of "Champions" until after Keller's Keep. The Emperor would've been too busy planning a war against Zargon to hold a special celebration in the heroes honor.

If there were other titles the heroes could achieve after other quests they might be worth more. It says once they escape the Ogre Fortress and make it to the surface they will "lead the Emperor's forces", so maybe "General" or "Commander" would be nice as they're able tile hire mercenaries in the next quest pack.

[Pancho]

I use extra Champion levels much like that Wallydubs, allowing useful upgrades for the Heroes to aspire towards.
The names I used are a bit rubbish, but you get the idea;

Basic Champion (10 quests completed
a gift of 300 gold from the Emperor.

Imperial Champion (20 quests completed)
when killing an opponent any excess unblocked skulls can be used on another adjacent enemy. can cast a spell and attack on same turn (as long as spell itself isn’t an attack).

Legendary Champion (40 quests completed)
May use Battleaxe one-handed or attack twice with two single-handed weapons. gains an extra attack die versus Ogre or troll sized monsters. gains extra attack die if using missile weapon whilst stationary. can write one new spell scroll before each quest.

Loretome’s Champion (60 quests completed)
bodyguard, may defend against an attack on an adjacent ally. can search for treasure/traps even when monsters present. once per quest can scout contents of room behind closed door. can stop enemy spell on roll of a white shield (loses action on next turn).

[lestodante]

Basic Champion (10 quests completed
a gift of 300 gold from the Emperor.
Imperial Champion (20 quests completed)
when killing an opponent any excess unblocked skulls can be used on another adjacent enemy. can cast a spell and attack on same turn (as long as spell itself isn’t an attack).
Legendary Champion (40 quests completed)
May use Battleaxe one-handed or attack twice with two single-handed weapons. gains an extra attack die versus Ogre or troll sized monsters. gains extra attack die if using missile weapon whilst stationary. can write one new spell scroll before each quest.
Loretome’s Champion (60 quests completed)
bodyguard, may defend against an attack on an adjacent ally. can search for treasure/traps even when monsters present. once per quest can scout contents of room behind closed door. can stop enemy spell on roll of a white shield (loses action on next turn).

WoW I really like your upgrades, they are well balanced I think. But do they really survive 40 or even 60 quests?

[Pancho]

Survive 60 quests? To be honest I really don’t know. I have had one or two Heroes survive maybe about 35-40 quests way back when we were kids. They were never killed, they just ran out of quests/time to play anymore.
We didn’t have the system described above in place then, it’s a recent invention. But if you think about it, if a player can get through the base game plus KK & RotWL, they are already on 34 completed, and should have enough powers to make ATOH and WOM survivable at least. That would take them close to 50.

Making the highest level of Champion at 60 quests would give a character something interesting to work towards even if they are playing the latest packs such as the US expansions.
It’s probably pretty unlikely for any Hero to survive that long though!
I might end up revising it to something like 7 for Basic, 14 for Imperial, 30 for Legendary and 50 for Loretome’s. I feel like I should also swop the last two Barbarian skills around, as the weapon-handling one is more advanced than the body-guarding, so should come later.

[Spookyhappyfun]

To me, all the players' characters are called Heroes. That's why Mentor found them and why they are undertaking these quests. They seek to help him and the Empire and to defeat the forces of Chaos, so they are Heroes from the start.

After they've completed things, I go with the title of Champions, but I don't bestow it to them until after Return of the Witchlord. If you're following the story into the expansions, then it doesn't make sense to do it after the Main quests if the Emperor is away at Kellar's Keep when you're done, and with my storyline, I have the end of KK going right into RotW with the heroes getting the message about the Witchlord right after they finish with KK. So they don't get back to the Altdorf to see the Emperor again until after the Witchlord is fully defeated.

To me, Champions just means that these are the new heroes who the Emperor (and Mentor) will be relying upon to help save the Empire, just like Rogar and the Champions of old. To hammer that point home, the next quests in my series takes the Heroes to find weapons and items of the old Champions, literally taking up the mantle of Champions like those who came before.

As for abilities, I have a leveling system where they level up about every 5 quests and get to pick from a variety of abilities. By the time they finish RotW, they've already leveled up 7 times, so they have some significant power aside from the weapons and artifacts they've probably acquired. The title comes with gold (not that they necessarily need more at that point), and notoriety (which doesn't really matter stats-wise), but that's about it.

[j_dean80]

My issue with the Hero leveling systems is that it’s already about impossible for the EWP to “win”. So making the Heroes stronger still really makes it an impossibility.

[lestodante]

My issue with the Hero leveling systems is that it’s already about impossible for the EWP to “win”. So making the Heroes stronger still really makes it an impossibility.

Maybe in the basic game and the first two expansions, but I think Ogres can change this....

[wallydubbs]

My issue with the Hero leveling systems is that it’s already about impossible for the EWP to “win”. So making the Heroes stronger still really makes it an impossibility.

Maybe in the basic game and the first two expansions, but I think Ogres can change this....

It is quite possible for the heroes to die in Frozen Horror, especially if you negate all trips to the Alchemist Shop between quests. If they can't get more Healing potions you can potentially wear them down over 7 quests.

However as Zargon (or Morcar) you're re not really supposed to win, Zargon's job is to make it challenging but fun. Yes, you can occasionally get lucky and kill a hero off occasionally but they're supposed to win anyway. You just don't want to make it easy for them.

However it is nice to get little upgrades here and there, the heroes get eager to use their new power.

[j_dean80]

I’m not talking about striving for a TPK. There are a lot of threads on here about what to do about OP Heroes and EWP not even getting off an attack with big bosses.