[Solo quest][Wizard] The Magic Trial

[ClemGrt]

This is a Repost of my Blog content
The Wizard is the most difficult hero to play for young players. It requires to fully read and understand each spell to build a real strategy during the game. Thus it is often poorly played by the youngest players. That is the reason why I've built this quest.
Its purpose is to teach them the use of all the spells available in the game (Water, Fire, Earth and Air but also Protection, Detection and Darkness from the extension).
This quest is designed as a succession of riddles where the right spell must be used at the right moment... Yet their might be several solution to solve it.

Please try this quest and give your feedback in comments. I would be particularly interested in reading any clever trick your players found to reach the end of it...



Now refer to the following chart to show how far your player went : 19 is the exit, X is the dead-end room and Y is the bonus room. Please comment with your score...

[lestodante]

Thanks, I agree, the Wizard needs a boost to be appreciated by the younger players.
I will have a deeper look later, it seems interesting.

[lestodante]

OK... just had a deeper look at it and my question is: did you playtested it? I think the first room (marked with Y) is already a massacre! A wizard facing 8 Orcs by only using Water spells? Not sure he will survive.
Even if Veil of Myst is used he will ends his turn in the room with the Chaos Warlock leaving the door on his back opened and the Orcs will be free to enter and masscre him while he is occupied against the Sorcerer.
Also I noticed the quest it is a forced road with no alternative roads except for the bonus room, so I understand the logic that each number reveals a new group of spells but I think it would be easier to list all the notes in the same order of the rooms explored by the Wizard.
Anyway I think there are too much monsters, especially in the corridor with 6 chaos warriors and also I can see two rooms with 8 Fimirs each (I really hope he will not use Veil of Mist or Invisibility before).
So if the idea was to help the youngers to be interested in the Wizard, it may results in the opposite situation, a fast death of the player and he still wants to be the Barbarian "because he is stronger"!
I definetely recommend a revision but the idea is ok and would try to develop something similar too.

[Stig]

Such a great idea, and love the intro quests for kids on the blog! My one is two now so I’m looking forward to using them.

For the wizard quest as a training quest why not allow each spell to be cast 3 times? That way the wizard will likely have the spell they need at the right time. Afterwards you can talk about which alternative spell could have worked. Then try with 2 of each spell etc. It seems like the screw ups would be lethal - most likely they will make a wrong decision, so the learning would take place in the context of having failed, which is less fun than having just succeeded. Maybe design it so using the correct spell is the optimal thing to do and not the only thing to do in the given situation.

Such a great concept of creating quests that focus on teaching one aspect of gameplay. Super way of introducing the game to younger years

[ClemGrt]

Thank you for having a look at it and answering.

OK... just had a deeper look at it and my question is: did you playtested it?

Yes I played it (unfortunately just once) and the kid could reach room 8.

I think the first room (marked with Y) is already a massacre! A wizard facing 8 Orcs by only using Water spells? Not sure he will survive.
Even if Veil of Myst is used he will ends his turn in the room with the Chaos Warlock leaving the door on his back opened and the Orcs will be free to enter and masscre him while he is occupied against the Sorcerer.

As it is a training quest, I would recommend to allow the player to close the door in his back. Yet, I do understand that it is not possible in normal play. So I'm considering changing a bit this room (I already have an idea)...

Also I noticed the quest it is a forced road with no alternative roads except for the bonus room, so I understand the logic that each number reveals a new group of spells but I think it would be easier to list all the notes in the same order of the rooms explored by the Wizard.

I think you are right on this, I first considered gathering them by theme but, maybe just in chronological order could be better.

Anyway I think there are too much monsters, especially in the corridor with 6 chaos warriors

These are supposed to be blocked by the Stonewall the time the player runs away

and also I can see two rooms with 8 Fimirs each (I really hope he will not use Veil of Mist or Invisibility before).

Invisibility is key here

So if the idea was to help the youngers to be interested in the Wizard, it may results in the opposite situation, a fast death of the player and he still wants to be the Barbarian "because he is stronger"!
I definetely recommend a revision but the idea is ok and would try to develop something similar too.

Thank you for your feedback on this quest, I'll try to improve it

Such a great idea, and love the intro quests for kids on the blog! My one is two now so I’m looking forward to using them.

For the wizard quest as a training quest why not allow each spell to be cast 3 times? That way the wizard will likely have the spell they need at the right time. Afterwards you can talk about which alternative spell could have worked. Then try with 2 of each spell etc. It seems like the screw ups would be lethal - most likely they will make a wrong decision, so the learning would take place in the context of having failed, which is less fun than having just succeeded. Maybe design it so using the correct spell is the optimal thing to do and not the only thing to do in the given situation.

Such a great concept of creating quests that focus on teaching one aspect of gameplay. Super way of introducing the game to younger years

Thnak you for your answer, allowing the player to cast several times the same spell might be a good idea yet It would jeopardize the chronological order of the quest and that concept of "riddles".
Yet the idea of succeeding versus optimal solution looks very interesting but maybe quite tricky to implement...

[Pancho]

This is a reallly great idea to help a young player learn the ways of the Wizard. I really like it that nearly every room is only survivable if the Wizard uses a suitable spell. I wouldn’t change that concept (I think it works provided the Evil Wizard gives some advice/help to the child), or allow multiple uses of a spell, but I would alter the number of monsters in some rooms.

Consider that most players won’t have 8 fimirs or 6 Chaos Warrior in their collection anyway. 4 Chaos Warrriors in the corridor is more than enough to encourage a flight rather than fight response. Also 8 goblins rather than 8 Fimirs will do the trick I think.

[ClemGrt]

This is a reallly great idea to help a young player learn the ways of the Wizard. I really like it that nearly every room is only survivable if the Wizard uses a suitable spell. I wouldn’t change that concept (I think it works provided the Evil Wizard gives some advice/help to the child), or allow multiple uses of a spell, but I would alter the number of monsters in some rooms.

Consider that most players won’t have 8 fimirs or 6 Chaos Warrior in their collection anyway. 4 Chaos Warrriors in the corridor is more than enough to encourage a flight rather than fight response. Also 8 goblins rather than 8 Fimirs will do the trick I think.

V2 of the map on way

[ClemGrt]

Here it is : https://revivingheroquest.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-magic-trial-v2.html

[Maurice76]

This version looks better, but I wonder about the resurrection of the Elf? How is the Wizard supposed to do that? There's no spell in his arsenal that allows for this, nor is there any item available in the dungeon to do that.

Also, the fight at the start with the Barbarian: I would increase the power of the monsters and have the Barbarian tell the Wizard that they won't be able to hold them off for much longer before they need to make a run for it, so the Wizard best move on as soon as he can. He says he will try to lure the monsters along with him. Don't allow the Wizard to attack the monsters in any way - even after he passed them and would be able to attack them in the back. What you could do, is that once the Wizard has passed the horde, on the next EW turn the Barbarian and his minions will run off to the stairwell where the Wizard started, luring the monsters with them. Move them all one by one to the stairwell and remove them from the board once they're there. Don't roll any combat dice for the participants of the fight, don't alter hitpoints of any of them.

Not sure about the room with the Dwarf and the Undead, though. Do you want the Wizard to assist there? Do you want to have the Dwarf tag along once all Undead are defeated? I think you need to consider that room in a bit more depth, as for what it means for the player, what he can do there and the consequences of those actions. As an idea, you could place a tomb there or something, that keeps spawning Undead. Like with the Barbarian, the monsters and the Dwarf should not lose any hitpoints, just randomly remove one Undead next to the Dwarf each player turn, as if the Dwarf killed it. The Dwarf will then tell the Wizard to move on and he will hold the door against the Undead for as long as he can, so the Wizard won't be attacked in the back. Still, though, what purpose does the room have for the Wizard? What can he gain or learn from that room? Right now, there's nothing for him.

[ClemGrt]

Thank you for your answer.

This version looks better, but I wonder about the resurrection of the Elf? How is the Wizard supposed to do that? There's no spell in his arsenal that allows for this, nor is there any item available in the dungeon to do that.

Actually, when I have downloaded resources for HQ and I have a version of the Djinn Spell where he can revive a hero (found here) but you are right, here on Ye old Inn, it is not the same spell... And I can't remember what was the original one...

Also, the fight at the start with the Barbarian: I would increase the power of the monsters and have the Barbarian tell the Wizard that they won't be able to hold them off for much longer before they need to make a run for it, so the Wizard best move on as soon as he can. He says he will try to lure the monsters along with him. Don't allow the Wizard to attack the monsters in any way - even after he passed them and would be able to attack them in the back. What you could do, is that once the Wizard has passed the horde, on the next EW turn the Barbarian and his minions will run off to the stairwell where the Wizard started, luring the monsters with them. Move them all one by one to the stairwell and remove them from the board once they're there. Don't roll any combat dice for the participants of the fight, don't alter hitpoints of any of them.

The idea here is just to tell the player he has to go through, not to play the fight...

Not sure about the room with the Dwarf and the Undead, though. Do you want the Wizard to assist there? Do you want to have the Dwarf tag along once all Undead are defeated? I think you need to consider that room in a bit more depth, as for what it means for the player, what he can do there and the consequences of those actions. As an idea, you could place a tomb there or something, that keeps spawning Undead. Like with the Barbarian, the monsters and the Dwarf should not lose any hitpoints, just randomly remove one Undead next to the Dwarf each player turn, as if the Dwarf killed it. The Dwarf will then tell the Wizard to move on and he will hold the door against the Undead for as long as he can, so the Wizard won't be attacked in the back. Still, though, what purpose does the room have for the Wizard? What can he gain or learn from that room? Right now, there's nothing for him.

Here are two possibilities : the Wizard can either help the Dwarf to fight the undeads (using the holy water for instance) or run away... Another solution could be that he had cast the divination spell to see that there is nothing valuable in the room...