Custom Progression w/ Penalties for Dying

[chaoticprime]

Hello all, my name is Wes Falls, this is my first post, and I have loved this game since I was a kid. I got the original game when I was nine, and my father burned it because he said it was Satanic. So I got a new set, and kept it at my friend Louis' house.

I have begun a new campaign of Heroquest, and I intend to run my players through the whole mess. I wanted to design some rules for character growth, but only in simple ways that would not affect the game too greatly. Here is what I came up with, it is quite simple to implement and keep track of.

Custom Experience System

What you'll need:
> 40+ chits or tokens for use as Victory Markers (I use 20mm transparent blue chits)
> 4 chits or tokens for use as Dead Hero Markers (I use these these, http://www.litko.net/products/Crossbone ... dR92fy2cU_)
> 40+ chits or tokens for use as Body Point Markers (I use these, by the way http://www.litko.net/products/Heart-Tok ... RdRimfy2cU)

The number one thing is that I do not use the character record sheets that came with the game. I find them cumbersome. Also, I advise printing out sets of the Equipment cards.

Using Chits or Tokens for Body Points
Body Points are represented by Body Point Markers. Each Hero begins with the amount listed on their Status Card. The amount listed on the card is also your absolute minimum, and cannot be made lower by Dying (see below). Have each player lay out, or stack up, the markers on their Status Cards. When a Hero receives damage, remove a corresponding number from the Card, but do not remove them from that player's inventory of game play items.

Increasing Body Points though Victory
When a Hero defeat an enemy, the hero is given a number of Victory Tokens equal to that monster's Body Points. Heroes gain 1 additional maximum Body Point when their total number of Victory Tokens equals one plus their total Body Points. The change is effective immediately, and the Hero receives the new chit at once. That player then returns all Victory Tokens to Zarkor.

(Optional): A Hero with low Body Points will gain bonus Victory Tokens for defeating enemies. If a monster's Attack Dice are greater than or equal to a Hero's current Body Points when that player defeats it, one extra Victory Token will be awarded.

The Death Penalty
When a hero runs out of Body Points and dies, place a Dead Hero Marker on the map tile they died on. That player then returns all held Victory Tokens, and all Equipment and Money held by the character will be taken away. The unarmored Hero will have 1 Attack and 1 Defense Die. That player also loses one Body Point, permanently (down to their minimum amount shown on their Status Card).

That player then begins play on their next regular turn, from the Quest's starting point. If that Hero manages to travel safely back to their Dead Hero Marker, they will regain all of their lost equipment, but not lost Victory Tokens or reduced Body Points. Furthermore, each time the players rolls red dice for movement, they must also roll one combat die for every Dead Hero Marker on the board. If the player rolls a black shield, spawn that Quest's Wandering Monster just outside the last doorway the Hero passed through. If the hero should be destroyed again, their original Dead Hero Marker remains unchanged, but they will lose another permanent Body Point (if possible). When the player reaches their Dead Hero Marker, they immediately regain dropped gold and equipment.

Just because I have not personally encountered game-difficulty-sabotaging effects from this system does not mean they do not exist. I used this earlier this very evening, with a group of two Heroes. Throughout the first three Quests, they each gained two extra Body Points. By the end of Quest 3, however, one Hero was destroyed and lost a Body Point, with the other hero losing both.

Also, I have players use Zip-Lock sandwich bags to store their Equipment Card, Money, Body Point Markers, and Victory Markers in.

I should also point out how I handle money in the game. We use poker chips that have been painted using textured metallic spraypaint. There are three varieties--bronze, silver, and gold. Each one represents a value of what the game describes as 'gold coins.' Their values are thus: bronze = 1 gold coin, silver = 5 gold coins, and gold = 20 gold coins.

Well, that's basically everything. Please let me know what you think, or if any of this is redundant with anything already designed by someone else. I would also be glad to accept advice anyone else may have for making this system better.

[Sjeng]

Hi and welcome to the Inn!!

I got the original game when I was nine, and my father burned it because he said it was Satanic. So I got a new set, and kept it at my friend Louis' house.

This made my jaw drop... I don't even... I'll refrain from saying what I think, because it's your father, and I don't want to offend anyone. But really? Very 'Murican

Nice first post! I hope to see more of your posts here, and always, always post pictures of your games and painted minis
You'll find plenty of resources here for your games

[knightkrawler]

I got the original game when I was nine, and my father burned it because he said it was Satanic.

That is so... I'm trying desperately to not comment this as I involuntarily offend people quite frequently, especially in written form,
so, no, I won't comment this.

So, just a warm welcome from me to you..

Great first post, I intrinsically like all houserules for the sake of them, you know.
Keep at it!

[mako-heart]

That is a awesome advancing system i love the idea of real coins for players! Welcome to the Inn!

[Daedalus]

I got the original game when I was nine, and my father burned it because he said it was Satanic. So I got a new set, and kept it at my friend Louis' house.

Glad ya survived the fires of hell, chaoticprime!

This made my jaw drop... I don't even... I'll refrain from saying what I think, because it's your father, and I don't want to offend anyone. But really? Very 'Murican ...

Perhaps, perhaps not. Chaoticprime's fav Evil Sorcerer is Morcar, not Zargon. Maybe it was "Fire of Wroth!", not "Fire of Wrath!"

Glad Louis was there to pick up the slack, wherever the locale. The fact that the game endures and was taken up again today serves as a nice counterpoint to this unfortunate event.

[Goblin-King]

I got the original game when I was nine, and my father burned it because he said it was Satanic.

I'm sorry! I can't stop laughing! This is the greatest introduction ever!

I'll read the rest of your post later... And welcome to the inn

[Goblin-King]

Well the one big flaw I see in your system is that you have to deal a killing blow to earn exp.
That means no exp for supporting. The wiz get squat for using utility spells. Or for soaking up damage if there are multiple monsters. This method also promotes individuality. It's tempting to just ditch the party and go killing by yourself.
I understand why you've made it this way. It's the easiest way to track who gets exp. Kills = Exp.

But how did it in fact work out for you? Did the barbarian speed ahead or did the heroes level evenly?

[chaoticprime]

I got the original game when I was nine, and my father burned it because he said it was Satanic.

That is so... I'm trying desperately to not comment this as I involuntarily offend people quite frequently, especially in written form,
so, no, I won't comment this.

So, just a warm welcome from me to you..

Great first post, I intrinsically like all houserules for the sake of them, you know.
Keep at it!

I am very difficult to offend. I also have a problem with people misreading my words and interpreting them to be insults.

[chaoticprime]

Well the one big flaw I see in your system is that you have to deal a killing blow to earn exp.
That means no exp for supporting. The wiz get squat for using utility spells. Or for soaking up damage if there are multiple monsters. This method also promotes individuality. It's tempting to just ditch the party and go killing by yourself.
I understand why you've made it this way. It's the easiest way to track who gets exp. Kills = Exp.

But how did it in fact work out for you? Did the barbarian speed ahead or did the heroes level evenly?

The Barbarian was too afraid of dying, after the first time, and hung back afterwards. The Wizard gained XP in bursts, and because of his low starting Body Points, actually leveled up twice in one Quest. The only incentive to gain exp is more Body Points, and the Barbarian soon learned that when he was killing everything, it left him little opportunity to Search, so he was at the mercy of the other characters to give him back lost Body Points with Potions. The Barbarian's 11 Body Points evaporated rather quickly when he tried to solo four Chaos Warriors, and he wound up running away like a ninny.

[chaoticprime]

Maybe the Wizard and Elf get a point of EXP whenever they cast a spell? Makes sense--its depletion of resources.