Below are some of the most Frequently Asked Questions.  If the answer to your question is not here then, please contact our Admin team.

• OK, I want to give it a try, what now?
• Is the combat safe?
• Is there a Heroquest "code of conduct"?
• What equipment do I need for the event?
• Will the event have catering?
• Where are Heroquest events held?
• What is the game background?
• What are the basic rules?

How do I go about starting a character?

All players will start their first event as a "basic" (also known as novice) character. This a character with an easy to grasp set of skills which will allow you to experience what live role playing and Heroquest is all about, without having to be distracted by too many rules. After playing the character for the first time you will learn additional skills through the expenditure of character points as explained in the low level rules but you will never lose the basic skills.

Can I get help in creating a character?

Yes. Everybody new to Heroquest starts as a Basic character and all have the same skills. This allows you to attend your first event and see what aspects of Heroquest you enjoy the most, before having to decide on what type of character you will play.

As a Basic character you will be able to fully interact with the event, without having to know all the rules. During your first adventure you can get a feel for the sort of character you would enjoy playing and ask the other players or the Heroquest Referees for advice. At the conclusion of your first adventure you will then have sufficient experience points to be able to spend on skills and start to develop your character.

Do I need to learn the rules?

There are an extremely basic set of rules that you should be familiar with; these are the rules for your basic character.

The main area of role-playing where rules are needed is the combat system, which keeps track of the damage received by each player during battles. Each event has a dedicated Player Referee who stays with the party. They will keep track of each combat and help you understand what has happened, advising you on the rules where unfamiliar ones crop up.

What are the low-level rules?

The Heroquest system is a points-based system. All characters start as a Basic, with a fixed set of skills regardless of the eventual race or class. Subsequently characters gain points from going on adventures, typically one point per hour of the adventure. These points are then spent by the player buying skills, powers and abilities for their character. Before a character can begin choosing skills on which to spend their points they must choose a race and a class as described below. The choice of race and class will determine how many points the various skills and abilities will cost you to purchase, e.g. a human warrior is able to gain life points for less points than an elven mage.

A character with between 1 and 199 points is referred to as low level in the rules. In game, your character is a green adventurer who has not yet been accepted by a guild. You live in large barracks with all of the other aspiring guild members and continue to receive training in the fundamentals of adventuring.

Once you've created your character, you will have more skills than you did as a Basic. These skills are fully explained under their descriptions in the Rules section of the website, but often the best way to learn the rules is to play the game.  There are a few important concepts that you should also be aware of:

• Armour Class - Armour class reduces the amount of damage you take from weapons, spells or other sources depending on the type of protection you have. Common ways of getting armour class are by wearing armour, getting a magical skin, or through the dexterity skills.
• Teamwork - Heroquest is a team game. Depending on what character you play you will find yourself playing a particular role within the party. Warriors are generally very good at fighting and so find themselves in the front line, toe to toe with the monsters. Mages on the other hand tend to break if they do this, but they do excel at supporting their comrades with spells or blowing monsters away with magic. No character can go it alone, find ways you can support other members of your group and they will do the same for you.
• Having Fun - Heroquest is a game and should be fun. If there is something which is spoiling your enjoyment of a game then please mention it to the Player Referee at an appropriate moment. If you don't feel comfortable doing this, you can always email us after the event and we will deal with whatever problems you may have had.