Overview

HeroQuest is a fantasy adventure board game where one player takes the role of Zargon (the Evil Sorcerer, acting as game master) and the others play as Heroes exploring a hidden labyrinth filled with monsters, traps, and treasure. Heroes work cooperatively to complete Quests while Zargon controls all monsters and reveals the dungeon. The game is played across 14 sequential Quest scenarios.

Components

• 31 Monsters: 8 Orcs, 6 Goblins, 3 Fimir, 4 Chaos Warriors, 4 Gargoyles, 4 Skeletons, 2 Zombies, 2 Mummies
• 4 Heroes: 1 Barbarian, 1 Dwarf, 1 Elf, 1 Wizard
• 15 Pieces of Furniture (2 tables, 1 throne, 1 alchemist’s bench, 3 treasure chests, 1 tomb, 1 sorcerer’s table, 1 bookcase, 2 racks, 1 cupboard, 1 fireplace)
• 6 Playing Cards: 24 Treasure, 10 Artifacts, 4 Monsters, 7 Air Spell, 7 Fire Spell, 4 Earth Spell, 7 Water Spell, 12 Chaos Spell
• 1 Gameboard
• 1 Quest Book
• 4 Character Cards: 1 Barbarian, 1 Dwarf, 1 Elf, 1 Wizard
• 1 Information Screen (for Zargon)
• 4 Pad of Character Sheets
• 6 White Combat Dice
• 2 Red Dice
• Cardboard Tiles: stairs, blocked squares, pit traps, secret doors, falling block traps, and skulls
• Miscellaneous: candlesticks, bottles, skulls, and rats

Setup

1. Open the Quest Book to Quest 1.
2. Read the Parchment Text aloud to all Heroes.
3. Open the gameboard and lay it on a table. Place the stairway tile on the room with the starting stairway.
4. Zargon sets up the Quest Map behind the Information Screen and places the Quest Book table-side.
5. Tear off Character Sheets and distribute. Heroes fill in starting Body and Mind Points.
6. Place the 4 Character Cards face up. Place the Quest Book on the table.
7. Separate furniture, monsters, and cardboard tiles into groups.
8. Zargon places only the starting room contents on the board.
9. Study the Quest Map (Zargon only).
10. Sort the Cards into piles (Treasure, Artifact, Monster, each Spell type, Chaos Spell). Shuffle Treasure cards.
11. Place 3 white combat dice and 2 red dice near the Hero players; 3 white combat dice near Zargon.

Turn Structure

Play begins with the Hero seated to Zargon’s left, then proceeds clockwise. After all Heroes complete their turns, it is Zargon’s turn.

On a Hero’s Turn

A Hero may move and then perform an action, OR perform an action and then move. Movement is optional; you may perform only an action. You may perform any ONE of 6 actions:

• Attack
• Cast a Spell (Wizard and Elf only)
• Search for Treasure
• Search for Secret Doors
• Search for Traps
• Disarm a Trap

Hero Movement

Roll 2 red dice to determine movement. Move square by square along corridors and into rooms. You do NOT have to move the entire distance. You cannot pass through monsters, move through walls or diagonally. You may pass other Heroes. You may not end on an occupied square.

Zargon’s Turn

Zargon controls all monsters. Each monster may perform one action and move. A monster cannot move past Heroes. Zargon reveals rooms and places contents when Heroes open doors.

Actions

Attack

Roll white combat dice equal to your weapon’s Attack Dice number. Each skull rolled = 1 hit. Defender rolls Defense Dice; each shield rolled blocks 1 hit. Net hits reduce Body Points.

Cast a Spell (Elf and Wizard Only)

Must have line of sight to target (unobstructed straight line). Read the spell card aloud and apply its effects. Each spell may be cast only once per Quest.

Search for Treasure

Declare “I am searching for treasure.” Search the room or corridor section. Draw a Treasure Card. Special treasures described in Quest Notes are found before random Treasure Cards.

Search for Secret Doors

Declare search; Zargon reveals any secret doors in the room. Heroes can then move through them.

Search for Traps

Declare search; Zargon reveals any traps visible from the Hero’s position. Searching does NOT trigger the trap.

Disarm a Trap

Move onto the trap square and roll 1 combat die. Skull = success (trap removed). Shield = failure (suffer trap effects).

Looking and Opening Doors

Moving adjacent to a closed door lets you open it. Zargon then places all contents of that room. A door once opened cannot be re-closed. It can never be locked.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Each Quest has specific victory conditions described in the Quest Book. Generally, Heroes must explore the dungeon, defeat specific monsters, find items, or reach certain locations. The Quest is won when the objective is achieved and all surviving Heroes return to the stairway. Quests may also be failed if all Heroes are defeated.

Heroes gain gold from treasures found during Quests. Between Quests, gold can be spent at the Armory to purchase better weapons and armor.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Hero Unique Abilities:
  • Barbarian: greatest strength, broadword is starting weapon
  • Dwarf: inner strength, disarms traps with special knack
  • Elf: good fighter with some magical arts, begins with 1 spell group
  • Wizard: small dagger, 9 magic spells (3 spell groups), handicapped by inability to wear normal armor
• Body Points: If reduced to 0, the Hero is eliminated for the rest of the Quest. Save character sheets between Quests.
• Wandering Monsters: Zargon may place a Wandering Monster when a Hero searches for treasure and finds nothing special.
• Pit Traps: Hero falls in, loses 1 Body Point, turn ends. Must climb out next turn. May attempt to jump across.
• Falling Block Traps: Ceiling collapses; Hero suffers 1 Body Point damage, turn ends.
• Spear Traps: Triggered by stepping on the trap square.
• Artifacts: Special treasures found in specific Quests; described on Artifact Cards.
• Diagonal attacks using ranged weapons are allowed. Monsters cannot attack diagonally with melee weapons.
• Treasure Card gold and potions ARE returned to the deck; “bad” Treasure Cards are NOT returned.

Player Reference

Hero	Attack Dice	Defend Dice	Body	Mind	Starting Weapon
Barbarian	3	2	8	2	Broadsword
Dwarf	2	2	7	3	Short Sword
Elf	2	2	6	4	Short Sword
Wizard	1	2	4	6	Dagger

Combat Dice Results:

• Skull = Hit (attacker scores) / Monster hit
• Shield = Block (defender) / Hero defense
• Black Shield = Block (monster defense only)

6 Hero Actions (one per turn): Attack

Cast Spell

Search Treasure

Search Doors

Search Traps

Disarm Trap