HeroQuest — How to Play

Game Objective: Adventure and Glory in Zargon's Labyrinth!

Prepare yourselves, brave adventurers! In HeroQuest, you are not mere players, but legendary heroes summoned by the wise Mentor for an epic quest: to stop the sinister troops of Zargon, the Evil Sorcerer, and restore the Empire's honor. The main objective is simple, yet challenging: each adventure, or **Quest**, has a specific challenge, such as **Quest 1 - The Trial**, where you must find and destroy the loathsome Gargoyle Verag. To win, there is strength in unity! The **Heroes** must work together, exploring treacherous labyrinths, facing terrible monsters, and overcoming hidden traps. Victory is not individual, but collective. Only by completing the **Quest** objective and safely returning to the **stairs** from which they came, can you claim glory and rewards. But beware, Zargon will not make anyone's life easy!

Setup: Unveiling the Secrets of the Underworld

Before diving into the darkness, you need to set up the table and prepare for the adventure! Follow these steps to set up your HeroQuest game:

1. Choose Your Role: One player will be **Zargon, the Evil Sorcerer**, the game master, who will control the monsters and reveal the secrets of the labyrinth. The other players will take on the roles of the **Heroes**: the **Barbarian**, the **Dwarf**, the **Elf**, and the **Wizard**. If there are fewer than 5 players, participants can control more than one Hero.
2. Zargon, Prepare in Silence: If you are **Zargon**, read the **Instruction Manual** and **Quest 1 - The Trial** from the **Quest Book** in silence. Understand the **Scroll Text**, the **Quest Map**, and the **Quest Notes**. Remember, the map and notes are secrets that you will reveal to the **Heroes** at the right time!
3. Open the Game Board: Place the **Game Board** on the table, with the words "HeroQuest" facing you.
4. Distribute Character Cards: Place the 4 **Character Cards** (Barbarian, Dwarf, Elf, and Wizard) face up on the table, so everyone can see each character's starting **Attack Dice**, **Defense Dice**, and **Movement**.
5. Character Sheets: Detach 4 **Character Sheets** from the pad and distribute one to each Hero player, along with a pencil and the corresponding Hero figure.
6. Fill in the Sheets: Each Hero must fill in their **Character Sheet** with their character's starting **Body Points** and **Mind Points**. They can also give their Hero a name!
7. Position the Information Panel: Place the **Information Panel** between **Zargon** and the **Game Board**.
8. Quest Book in Position: The **Quest Book** should be placed between **Zargon** and the **Information Panel**.
9. Separate Game Items: Organize all **doors**, **furniture**, **monsters**, and **floor cards** into 4 groups.
10. Study the Quest Map and Position the Start: **Zargon**, consult the **Quest Map** and place only the items from the starting room (usually the room with the **stairs**) on the board. Remember: DO NOT place traps, secret passages, or reveal treasures yet!
11. Distribute the Cards: Separate the **66 Cards** into 8 piles: **Treasure Cards** (shuffled and face down), **Artifact Cards** (behind the Information Panel), **Monster Cards** (face up, for reference), **Chaos Spell Cards** (behind the Information Panel), and the 4 groups of **Hero Spells** (Air, Fire, Water, and Earth).
12. Dividing Hero Spells: The **Wizard** chooses one of the 4 Spell groups. Then, the **Elf** chooses one of the remaining 3 groups. The two remaining Spell groups go to the **Wizard**. (Suggestion for the first Quest: Wizard takes Fire, Water, and Air; Elf takes Earth).
13. Dice at Hand: Place the **3 white combat dice** and the **2 red movement dice** next to the board, within reach of the players. **Zargon** keeps 3 white combat dice for himself.

With everything ready, **Zargon** reads the **Scroll Text** of **Quest 1** aloud to the **Heroes**, and the adventure can begin!

The Game Turn: Actions, Movement, and Dangers

The order of play begins with the Hero to **Zargon's** left and proceeds clockwise. After all **Heroes** have played, it is **Zargon's** turn. On their turn, each player (Hero or Zargon) performs two actions:

• Moves their figure(s) and performs an action; OR
• Performs an action and moves their figure(s).

You cannot move part of the way, perform an action, and then complete the movement.

The Hero's Turn

As a Hero, you have 6 possible actions, but you can only perform one per turn. Remember, "peeking" and "opening doors" do not count as actions!

Hero Movement

To move, roll the **2 red dice**. The resulting number indicates how many square spaces you can move. Move carefully through corridors (light gray areas) and rooms. You are not obligated to use all movement points.

• You cannot move over monsters, through walls, or diagonally.
• You can move over other Heroes.
• You can only enter rooms through **doors**.
• You cannot share a square with another Hero or monster (except on stairs or trapdoors).

Peeking and Opening Doors: As you move, you can "peek" down a corridor or through an open door to see what is in your line of sight. When approaching a **closed door**, you can ask **Zargon** to open it. **Zargon** will replace the closed door piece with an open one. Open doors cannot be closed again.

The Six Hero Actions

1. Attack:
   • You can attack any adjacent monster (directly next to, in front, or behind).
   • You can only attack once per turn.
   • Your attack strength depends on your weapon (see your **Character Card**).
   • Roll the **white combat dice** according to your weapon. Each **Skull** is a hit.
   • The monster defends by rolling its **Defense Dice**. Each **Black Shield** blocks a hit.
   • If the monster's **Body Points** reach zero, it is killed. Monsters with more than one body point receive **skull floor tiles** to mark damage.
   • Some weapons allow diagonal or ranged attacks (like the **Staff** or thrown **Dagger**).
2. Cast a Spell (Elf and Wizard Only):
   • You can cast a spell against any target you can "see" (straight, unobstructed line from the center of your square to the center of the target, without crossing walls or closed doors).
   • You can only cast one spell per turn.
   • Spells can be cast on yourself, another Hero, or a monster.
   • Once cast, the spell card is discarded and cannot be used again in this **Quest**.
3. Search for Treasure:
   • Can only be done in rooms and if the room is uninhabited by monsters.
   • Verbally declare: "I am searching for treasure."
   • If there is no special treasure (described in the **Quest Notes**), draw a **Treasure Card** and read it aloud. Note down gold coins or potions on your **Character Sheet**.
   • Beware! Almost half of the **Treasure Cards** contain **Wandering Monsters** or **Hazards**!
   • If you find a **Wandering Monster**, **Zargon** places it adjacent to you and it attacks immediately.
   • If you find a **Hazard**, read and follow the card's instructions.
   • **Artifacts** and **Potions** are special treasures. Potions can be drunk at any time (does not count as an action) and can save your life if your **Body Points** reach zero.
4. Search for Secret Passages:
   • Can only be done if there are no visible monsters.
   • Verbally declare: "I am searching for secret passages."
   • **Zargon** will reveal all secret passages in the room or corridor, placing the **secret passage floor tile**.
   • The door is only considered open when you approach it and declare that you are opening it.
5. Search for Traps:
   • Can only be done if there are no visible monsters.
   • Verbally declare: "I am searching for traps."
   • **Zargon** will inform you of the traps' locations, but will not place them on the board.
   • Types of traps: **pit traps**, **false stones**, **spear traps**, and **furniture/chest traps**.
   • If you step on a trap without searching for it, it will be triggered.
   • Once discovered, you can jump over the trap or disarm it on your next turn.
   • Triggering a Pit Trap: Suffers 1 **Body Point** of damage. Inside the pit trap, rolls one less combat die to attack or defend.
   • Triggering a False Stone: Suffers 1 **Body Point** of damage for each **Skull** on 3 combat dice. The square becomes permanently blocked.
   • Triggering a Spear Trap: Rolls 1 combat die. If a **Skull** comes up, suffers 1 **Body Point** of damage. If not, dodges successfully. The trap no longer works.
   • Triggering Chest and Furniture Traps: If you search for treasures before traps, all chest/furniture traps in the room are triggered.
   • Jumping Traps: Spends 2 movement points. Rolls 1 combat die. If a **Skull** comes up, triggers the trap. If not, jumps successfully.
6. Disarm Traps:
   • To disarm an untriggered trap, you need a **Tool Kit** (except the **Dwarf**).
   • Move to the trap's square and roll 1 combat die.
   • If a **Skull** comes up, triggers the trap and suffers damage.
   • If a **White Shield** or **Black Shield** comes up, the trap is disarmed and removed.
   • The **Dwarf** does not need a **Tool Kit**. Rolls 1 combat die. If a **Black Shield** comes up, triggers the trap. If not, disarms it.

Zargon, the Evil Sorcerer's Turn

After all **Heroes** have played, it is **Zargon's** turn. You can move all monsters already revealed on the board. Monsters can also move and then act, or act and then move.

Monster Movement

Monsters do not use dice to move. Each monster's maximum movement is on the **Monster Board** on the **Information Panel** and on the **Monster Cards**. They do not need to use all movement.

The Two Monster Actions

1. Attack:
   • A monster can attack any Hero adjacent to it, once per turn.
   • Roll the monster's **Attack Dice** (see **Monster Board**). Each **Skull** is a hit.
   • The Hero defends by rolling their **Defense Dice**. Each **White Shield** blocks a hit.
   • If the Hero's **Body Points** reach zero, they die.
2. Cast a Chaos Spell:
   • Only specific monsters can cast **Chaos Spells** (see **Quest Notes**).
   • The monster can only cast a spell on a Hero it can "see".
   • A spell can only be cast once per **Quest**. The card is discarded.

Monsters Cannot: Search for treasures, search for secret passages, move or attack diagonally, move over a Hero, move through walls, open or close doors, or share the same square. They also do not trigger hidden traps.

Dead Heroes

If your **Body Points** reach zero and you do not have a **Restorative Potion** or **Restorative Spell** to save yourself, you die and are out of the **Quest**. Your items can be taken by other Heroes in the same room. If there are no other Heroes, the monsters claim your items, which are removed from the game.

You can rename your Hero and play with them as a new character in the next **Quest**.

End of Game and Scoring: The Legacy of Heroes

A **Quest** ends in three ways:

• Hero Success: The **Heroes** achieve the **Quest** objective and safely return to the **stairs**. The final reward is divided among them. Circle the **Quest** number on your **Character Sheet**.
• Voluntary Escape: Players decide to voluntarily return to the **stairs** before completing the objective.
• Death of Heroes: All 4 **Heroes** die attempting to complete the **Quest**.

Between Quests

If the **Quest** was a success and you returned to the **stairs**:

• Your starting **Body Points** and **Mind Points** are restored.
• All **Spells** return to the **Wizard** and the **Elf**.
• You can visit the **Armory** and use your accumulated **gold coins** to buy new weapons and armor (such as the **Tool Kit**, **Short Sword**, **Staff**, **Dagger**, **Long Sword**, **Broadsword**, **Battle Axe**, **Shield**, **Crossbow**, **Helmet**, **Chainmail**, or **Plate Armor**). Remember to subtract the gold spent on your **Character Sheet**!
• You keep the treasures found and take them to the next **Quest**.

If the **Quest** ended in disaster or was unfinished, **Zargon** must modify it before playing it again.

Tips for Winning: Strategies for Success

Here are some tips to help you and your fellow **Heroes** survive and triumph in the world of HeroQuest:

1. Communication is Key: Remember, "United the Heroes