Please explain card sleeves

[Blackthorn]

Why would I want to sleeve my HQ cards? Can they still be shuffled if they are sleeved? Do most folks do this to their games?

[Goblin-King]

Why: Even though we are adults who knows how to take care of stuff, handling cards will inevitably get them worn and fuzzy.
The HQ cards, and especially those from the expansions, are rare and out of production. It only makes sense to protect them by sleeving them.

Shuffled: Yes. It's a little harder of course, but not a problem at all. Unless you generally have a problem shuffling cards!

Folks: I do believe many do this. My guess would be around 50/50 depending on how serious people are with collecting and painting and stuff.
I imagine the people who don't use sleeves generally only own the base set, don't paint and don't see HQ as a hobby, but just another game on the shelf.

[Blackthorn]

Okay, that makes sense. What type of sleeves fit HQ cards? I did a quick search but did not find a definitive answer.

EDIT: Never mind, I found the answer

[LordZeke]

I would argue shuffling is actually easier, they just slide past each other and you don't bend the cards!

Sleeves are really nice for games where a lot of shuffling is required, or if you are making your own cards, the sleeves give them a little more thickness.

[Blackthorn]

I just ordered three packs of sleeves for the Game System and the Barbarian & Elf Quest Packs. That's 126 cards!

[Sjeng]

I've printed all cards I made and downloaded and laminated them. Stored my originals.

[torilen]

That would be my suggestion to anyone who views HQ as a hobby - print off the cards yourself, and store the
originals.

Me personally...my game never gets play time anyhow, and the board is a bit bent now, and a lot of the minis
are missing arms or weapons or such. And I am missing some pieces any way. SO...my set isn't much for the hobby
end of things, though I would still do this if I ever find a group to play with.

I do see HQ as a hobby - all rpg is a hobby to me...in the sense that I analyze, add to or take from, and try to better
what is out there.

[Blackthorn]

I view HQ as a hobby, but not enough to print replacement cards and store the originals. I'm also kind of a purist in that I don't add many house rules and I like the miniatures unpainted. I am planning to recreate a quest that I made 20 years ago that includes a thief who steals the heroes belongings and stashes them in a hidden room.

I guess I don't like the idea of things become so collectable that they can't be played with. I am a musican and I own some vintage and custom built instruments that I play and take on gigs. I hate to see these things become museum pieces that sit in a glass case and never get used they way they were intended. I guess I feel this way about my collectable board games as well.

[Goblin-King]

I view HQ as a hobby, but not enough to print replacement cards and store the originals. I'm also kind of a purist in that I don't add many house rules and I like the miniatures unpainted. I am planning to recreate a quest that I made 20 years ago that includes a thief who steals the heroes belongings and stashes them in a hidden room.

I guess I don't like the idea of things become so collectable that they can't be played with. I am a musican and I own some vintage and custom built instruments that I play and take on gigs. I hate to see these things become museum pieces that sit in a glass case and never get used they way they were intended. I guess I feel this way about my collectable board games as well.

I feel pretty much the same way. I play with my rare stuff too, and don't add new content except quests.
However I do paint my minis. I feel they are meant to be! But I can absolutely follow why you as a purist don't paint them.

[Blackthorn]

The sleeves arrived today and the fit is pretty good. There is about an extra millimeter around the edges and maybe 2 mm at the top. I'm going to go ahead and use them on all of my HQ cards. These are called Fantasy Flight Supply "Standard American Board Game Size" or "Green" series in case you want to look for them locally. I've also ordered a pack on the "Mini European Board Game" or "Red" series sleeves for the small artifact cards from Kellar's Keep and Return of the Witch Lord.