EQP: The Mage of the Mirror Remake Main Thread!

[Kurgan]

Edited by HispaZargon: In order to harmonize with other similar discussions, thread tirle has been updated. Original thread title was "EQP: Mage of the Mirror Remake Official Thread! 01/15/2023". Sorry for the inconvenience.

Edit: The official release date for this product changed... originally it was February, now it's Jan 15th, but over the past month people have been reporting getting their copies early (both in the UK and the US now). Several sites still list it as "pre-order." Various unboxings are all over youtube now as well as lots of pictures posted in various places.

So we finally have some more info on the release date for the remake Mage of the Mirror expansion (they dropped the "Elf Quest Pack" title from 1992) from Hasbro (expected to be a retail release like the Frozen Horror remake)...

https://hasbropulse.com/products/avalon-hill-heroquest-the-mage-of-the-mirror-quest-pack

Big thanks to the Facebook Group for posting the info, as well as LowFatYoda and domymontalto from the HeroQuestFans discord for sharing the images and alerting us!

Please post any other info, unboxings, etc. here!

Many of the monster cards, spells and artifacts have been seen via the GenCon display, and everything seems identical to 1992, with the notable exception of the Ogre having half the Body Points of the original monster.

We of course know that this will come with the Male Elf (a brand new sculpt not previously seen before -- in fact he is based directly on the 1992 cover art!) and new bonus furniture not included in the vintage version (as revealed at GenCon). There are also double the number of (monster) Elf Archers and Elf Warriors... to allow for male and female variants of these characters. The new box art shows the 2021 Game System (female) Elf, which is also reflected on the new "Elf Spell" cards.

Among the bonus plastic furniture is a surprise... the return of plastic door bases (to have a cardboard piece inserted into them!). There are only two of these, intended for the "mirror" which changes in the game.

Colors can be notoriously hard to tell in some of these pictures, but the Ogres appear to be a gray (rather than cornflower blue as in 1992), matching the gray of the furniture pieces. The Giant wolves have an oval plastic base that takes up two squares and the monster is more raised up vertically, so it doesn't hang over the base as much as the original did.

The artwork shows a much more youthful looking Sinestra this time (with the much longer elven ears this remake is known for).

We know from GenCon also that the Ogre body points were lowered from 10 to 5 on the monster card for this enemy.

$44.99. Pre-order shipping approximately Feb 1, 2023.

Product Description
Estimated ship date subject to change, items may ship earlier or later than anticipated without notice
Payment will be collected once item is ready to ship

In this The Mage of the Mirror expansion to the HeroQuest adventure, you’re challenged to confront the diabolical archmage Sinestra and save the kidnapped Princess Millandriell! As a courageous Elf, will you survive the perilous solo quests to prove your strength and valor? You must recover a legendary sword, free two of the Queen’s attendants, and navigate safely through a treacherous maze. Only then will your fellow heroes join you to pass through the mirror to the Realm of Reflection and try to free the princess. Immerse yourself in the fantasy with 10 daring quests, stunning artwork, 33 detailed miniatures, and full-color tiles. (Requires HeroQuest Game System to play. Sold separately.) This game has limitless replayability, and you can also create your own quests and stories. Gather friends together for an exciting night of tabletop gameplay in an epic battle of good and evil. The game is for 2-5 players, ages 14 and up.

Includes Quest Book featuring 10 quests, 33 finely detailed miniatures, 2 mirror stands, 35 game cards, cardboard tile sheet, and game guide.

EXCITING EXPANSION PACK: Expand your HeroQuest Game System with The Mage of the Mirror Quest Pack. (Requires HeroQuest game system to play. Sold separately.) For 2-5 players, ages 14 and up
THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES: Rescue the Princess—and Realm—from evil! The cards and Quest Book in this fantasy-filled Heroquest expansion feature artwork that immerses you in the perilous adventure
ADD TO YOUR COLLECTION OF MINIATURES: This tabletop board game expansion comes with 33 detailed unpainted miniatures: elven-themed furniture, Elf hero, Evil Archmage, Ogres, Giant Wolves, and more
INCLUDES 10 THRILLING QUESTS: The Mage of the Mirror expansion features 10 quests, as well as full-color tiles and 35 game cards, set in an elven world of monsters, traps, and mind-altering spells
ENDLESS REPLAYABILITY: Delve deeper into the HeroQuest world with this expansion pack that adds to the game’s replayability. Players can also create their own stories and design their own quests

Ages 14 and up
For 2 to 5 players.

[Here was the old thread discussing possible errata... https://forum.yeoldeinn.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=6099 ]

33 miniatures (including furniture), plus 2 "mirror stands" (in gray, looking very much like the old door bases from the classic game system). So all minis accounted for...

Based on the photos... all the designs are new, none of them are just like in any previously released remake pack (note here I'm referring to plastic models, some of the tiles are recycled from previous remake sets):

Red:
1 male elf

Pastel blue (a more greenish tint than the blue used for the Frozen Horror figures):
2 Male Elf Archers
2 Female Elf Archers
2 Female Elf Warriors
2 Male Elf Warriors
3 Giant Wolves
1 Elven Archmage (Sinestra)

Gray:
4 Ogres
4 Portcullis doors
1 Iron entrance door
1 Tomb (with removable lid once again)
1 Fireplace

Brown:
1 Wooden exit door
1 Weapons Rack
1 Alchemist's Bench
2 Bookshelves (matching sculpts)
3 Treasure chests
1 Throne

Cards (35 total.. all elements from the 1992 version are accounted for with only one question):

1 Hero Card (Elf)
4 Monster Cards (Ogre, Elf Warrior, Elf Archer, Giant Wolf) <--- one image mistakenly shows five and no hero card
8 Elf Spells (Hypnotic Blaze,... )
4 Treasure Cards (Potion of Air Walk,... )
6 Artifact cards (Ancient Staff, Bone Wand, Elven Boots, Elven Bow of Vindication, Elven Bracers... ) there are only 6 cards shown in pictures... (backs)
7 Dread Spells (Werewolf Curse, ...)
4 Equipment cards (the 4 "Alchemist Shop" potions)

Tiles... so not all of them are shown in the picture (double-sided tiles in this pack, similar to FH). The huge wall tile and matching floor to create that room are in there.
The mirrors are cardboard inserts into the door bases. Many skull tiles as you'll need them in a set like this. There's an extra staircase and extra double blocked tiles that you can't find elsewhere except in the GS box. Wonder if they will have the same "alternate designs" on the back of these? They could be solid black/white like KK/ROTW but I think they would be the same or brand new. Will we get a mystery tile with this set? Frozen Horror didn't get one. Some are hoping for "the lost boot" to make a return.

Edit: Corrected a few typos I missed from way back (2/3/24)!

Edit: I previously thought the Elven Bracers might have been missed but the card was shown at Gencon (although only the text on the Ancient Staff could be seen with the rest being underneath, with only the titles visible).

Update 12/22/22:
The Ogre miniatures are now gray (instead of dark blue) and the male Elf hero is red (with a new hero card, same stats), while the remaining character figures are a light greenish color (not pastel blue like Frozen Horror), meaning they are all now a different color than the 1992 set. Plastic furniture is included as we know (which is not a complete replacement for the Game System furniture and no special rules are given for their use... they are provided simply for variety and for painting if you choose) and is either grey or brown as expected. Door bases that take slots for cardboard exist for the two "Mirrors."

Stylistically it is worth mentioning that the Ogres in this pack seem based much more on the "Ogre Chieftain" design from the EU exclusive "Against the Ogre Horde" than the 1992 EQP. Likewise the male elf is a new sculpt based upon the 1992 cover artwork (depicting a male elf with a curved sword and spiked shield). The back cover of the new quest book depicts the same Elf, but the box cover depicts the remake (2021) style female elf wielding the same sword and shield. The ogres on the cover resemble the new design but carry some weapons different from the actual figure (all four ogres are the same sculpt). The female versions of the Elf Archers and Elf Warriors (monsters) are mirror images, holding their weapons in the opposite hand of their male counterparts and there are an equal number of them. I could imagine homebrewers using these as mercenaries or other types of allies in their own adventures (if not additional monsters to make the already difficult quests even more of a gauntlet to get through).

We have now seen the inside of the Questbook thanks to alert UK fan SteveSR2000. The content is virtually the same as the EQP released in 1992, with the usual word substitutions from previous installments of the remake, and a few minor sentence rewordings that don't change meaning and the following changes (SPOILERS):

1) The introductory pages indicate that "Elven Riches" are found for the first treasure searcher to a room that has an otherwise unmarked (with treasure in the notes) Treasure chest. It turns out this rule clarification was not needed since the previous unmarked chests (in Quest 1, 2 and 7) are given specific treasures in the quest notes.

2) The Elven Bracers are found in Quest 1. Previously this artifact card was never given in the campaign and this really helps the solo Elf. The Elven Chainmail Armor now clarifies it can be used with a helmet and/or shield but no longer says it can't be used by the Wizard (either implying it can only be used by the Elf though these exact words are not used... OR it can now be used by the Wizard as well as any other hero like before).

3) Quest 2 adds 200 gold coins to the final chest where previously there was no reward.

4) Quest 7 adds 500 gold coins to the previously unmarked chest.

5) Name changes: "Moonsilver" is changed to "Lunarium." "The Avenger" is renamed "The Sovereign Sword." The two part Quest 9 & 10 is renamed from "the Hidden Realms" to "Silvermaine's Lair." The Alchemist Shop's "Potion of Restoration" has been renamed to "Potion of Superior Restoration." Considering that the pack recommends owners of other expansions use the Alchemist Shops from those packs with this one, this was probably done to help differentiate it from the other Potion of Restoration from Kellar's Keep/Return of the Witch Lord. The expansion itself removes "Elf Quest Pack" (just as the Frozen Horror removed "Barbarian Quest Pack" from the box title, though we all know what they mean!).

6) The introductory pages mention that if Mercenaries are available to you, they can be hired in the group quests. The phrase "such as if you own the Frozen Horror expansion" (which has 12 mercenaries, double the number of the 1992 BQP) implying that there may be other packs that include mercenaries in the future (perhaps the release date unknown but upcoming 'Rise of the Dread Moon?'). The two extra sex-swapped Elven Warrior/Archer figures are not explained, so presumably they are just there for variety/homebrew. Presumably the Frozen Horror mercs will be available quests 4-9 once the Companion App adds this pack.

7) As previously known, the Ogre monster card indicates he has 5 Body Points instead of 10 like in 1992. No further references are made to any changes in monster stats in the Questbook.

No other gameplay changes were noted (like the Frozen Horror remake, no more "Mystery Tiles" were noted, though there seem to be extra Skull tiles including possibly tiles that have the same image on both sides as filler). If I missed any changes, please add them to the thread and I'll update this page!

Update: HasbroPulse page is now saying January 15th for the official release date, changed from February 1st. Several other retailers are saying "January." This new date lines up with Amazon (US) saying Dec 28th-Jan 19th. KaPowToys (UK site) is sold out currently, but UK fans (including SteveRS2000) have gotten copies already in the past week.

[Kurgan]

Images courtesy of Hasbro's own page.

[HispaZargon]

English and German editions of EQP already confirmed through internet as far as I know.

I guess in other languages will be also through upcoming days... not officially confirmed by now how this questpack will be titled in Spanish.*

* The non official classic fanmade translation here in the Inn was incorrectly translated to Spanish as "El Mago del Espejo", bu I hope Hasbro will translate it as "La Maga del Espejo", the correct translation. If not, it will directly go to the Errata List thread!!!

[Kurgan]

Ah, the Mirror Mage as opposed to the Wizard of the Mirror... good catch (my knowledge of Spanish is lacking).

I have learned that in some editions the Elf is referred to as a "Troll!"

[Eudoxio]

The Back of the Box of the German Version, from the EU Pulse web, is different to the English one :O

[Kurgan]

Great!

So the new furniture set doesn't include any new Tables, Cupboard or Torture Rack and no open doors.

I was hoping that the Ogres would be dark blue again, oh well (gray is more generic if you're not painting it). While I like the look of the Ogre, it's too bad they didn't give them some variants in their weapons as depicted on the cover (maybe in the next pack...).

The picture almost makes those tiles look much thicker...


I see what you mean about the German edition.. that's more what I would expect to see in the finished version, the box contents clearly explained on the back with pictures rather than just big art of the bad guy (as cool as that looks).

[Kurgan]

35 cards, so the same as the 1992 edition (30), with the addition of a hero card for the male elf and the four Alchemist Shop potions for this pack (Equipment) in keeping with the conventions of the remake series.

And I assume eventually like the FH hero variant, the new male Elf will be added to the Companion App along with the quest book, eventually...

Still waiting on the Frozen Horror's PDF at Habro Customer Care, but eventually both should be posted there (if not on the same product page I suppose).

[Kurgan]

Encarmine our friend over at AH, has confirmed that the Ogres in this set are intended to be Gray.

[Kurgan]

Errata for this set?

...
Recovery from "Shock" state possible. Bring your Mind Points above zero and that character recovers.

This one was addressed in "Into the Northlands" and since Mage of the Mirror uses the same "shock" rule with zero mind points, I would assume that's already taken care of.

Further suggested fixes/clarifications: (condensed and revised based on what I posted back in April in the other thread)...

Blind Trap Jumping Mechanic and Double Jumping:
This is not accounted for in the 1992 edition, but in the DRAFT NOTES (thanks LucaPaschi) it was stated that they were planning to allow heroes to jump ANY square so long as they had enough movement to come out on the other side of it, even if it had not previously been identified with a Trap search as a "dangerous" square.

The idea with this would be that finally Heroes would have some defense against traps on the opposite side of an open door. They would roll just like jumping any other trap square (rolling a skull means you land on the square and take any consequences... if none, then continue movement).

The DOUBLE JUMP is where a Hero wants to leap over TWO squares (regardless if they are known to be "dangerous"). A hero must roll 1 Combat Die, and must roll a White Shield to succeed. As long as he has enough movement, he'll land safely two squares away in the direction indicated. If anything else is rolled, then he lands on the first of the two adjacent squares to be jumped, taking the consequences. Movement continues normally if it was a safe square after all.

Spoilers, but many of the EQP quests have two traps on the opposite side of a doorway, implying they built the quests with these unused rules in mind!

The Solo Quests have extreme difficulty, so hopefully an "Into the Northlands" style prelude quest is made to ease the unequipped beginner hero into this adventure (with animal companion!). I have speculated ever since seeing the extra Elf figures in this pack that perhaps these could be used as hirelings? Or maybe captured prisoners that can be freed that will aid the solo Elf in the early adventures?

The Warhorn of Command from Into the Northlands could be implemented to give a lowered retainer fee for these mercenaries. If the owner of Mage of the Mirror also owns Frozen Horror, what about allowing the heroes to hire these mercenaries between quests as well? Or will there be a restriction against this?

The Elven Bracers are never found or acquirable in the regular quest book. Would this be available in a special bonus quest or placed inside one of the many unmarked treasure chests? If not it ought to be a reward for completing Solo Quest 3.

A note should be added to recommend the Elf pick the Earth or Water spells if starting from scratch since they will probably NEED the extra healing ability.

Clarify... are the Ancient Staff, Elven Boots and Elven Chainmail only intended to be used by the Elf? The latter (which has no card) even clarifies that it can't be used by a Wizard, implying the Elf could give it to another hero (or another hero could claim it if the Elf leaves it behind by dying). These cards mention the Elf but don't say "may only be used by an Elf" as the Elven Bow of Vindication and Elven Bracers say. The Elven Bracers are a magical artifact (that grants a boost to body and mind points) rather than armor (defense bonus), so are different than regular "bracers" so should not interfere with other types of armor. Even so, would the rules allow the Elf to wear "Elven Bracers" over the top of regular "Bracers" (equipment)?

In Quest 2, how are the "Attendants" meant to get back to the entrance of the quest? There are no monsters left to oppose the heroes and there is no mechanic given (no figure or tile represents them... are they being carried by the Elf?). Originally these characters were relatives of Terellia (and dead), so the macabre ending was to carry a chest full of their remains back to the entrance at a reduced pace of movement. This was later changed to them being alive, so what are they doing? Is there anything to do in this "slog back to the door"?

Quest 1, the very first chest you find is unmarked. It should probably contain at least one Potion of Healing (+4 or 1d6) if not two. Alternately it could be another weapon or piece of armor. The Barbarian gets lots of armor & weapons early in his solo quests while the Elf is given very little, so here's another opportunity.

Quest 4: has an empty room just north of where the group starts and is very likely to face an extreme battle with 10 BP worth of monsters right away (forcing them probably to use up most of their healing). I would place a treasure chest in this room and put some healing potions or some Spell Scrolls inside to make the rest of the quest more survivable. Have the Weapons Rack contain something more than broken pieces, perhaps another Equipment pick at least for the first hero who searches.

Quest 7: features a heavily guarded but unmarked Treasure Chest once again. It should contain another Elixir of Life, a couple of healing potions or spell scrolls after a massive fight like this.

Quest 9: clarify that Sinestra has to flee (taking at least 3 turns) from her Start into the room to the northeast to be able to use "Re-animation" spell since there are no undead to raise anywhere else other than the room with the stairs which is even farther away. If the secret door was never opened, allow Sinestra to be able to open it to bring the undead into the fight.

Clarify whether the Elven Cloak of Passage (Treasure Card) is meant to allow a hero trapped inside solid rock to escape or if he still dies if he just ends his movement there but has another "use" of the cloak left. Also clarify whether Elf Spell "Twist Wood" can weaken the weapons of other enemies like Ogres, "Dread" Warriors or Abominations (Chaos Warriors or Fimirs in the original) if we presume their armaments are made partially or mostly of wood.

[HispaZargon]

35 cards, so the same as the 1992 edition (30), with the addition of a hero card for the male elf and the four Alchemist Shop potions for this pack (Equipment) in keeping with the conventions of the remake series.

As a difference with classic EQP, one of the pictures shows 5 monster cards instead of 4, so maybe they have included one extra card for Sinestra like Frozen Horror card? I guess it is a misprint of the picture and it will include 4 monster cards + 1 character card for the male eĺf, instead of 5 monster cards.

In addition, the new pictures only show 6 artifact cards instead of 7... maybe Elven Bracers card from classic EQP has been finally discarded because it did not appeared anywhere in the questbook?