ADVANCED HEROQUEST — RULES SUMMARY

1. GAME STRUCTURE AND ROLES

Advanced Heroquest is a cooperative dungeon-exploration and combat game with campaign progression.
One player acts as Gamesmaster (GM). All other players control Heroes.

The GM controls dungeon generation, monsters, traps, and treasure.
Hero players control individual Heroes and any Henchmen they recruit.
Play proceeds through expeditions into dungeons.
Multiple expeditions may be required to complete a dungeon or quest.

The overall game alternates between:

Exploration Turns
Combat Turns
Between-Expedition Phases

2. HEROES AND CHARACTERISTICS

Each Hero has the following core characteristics, all rated on a 1–12 scale unless modified:

Weapon Skill (hand-to-hand accuracy)
Bow Skill (ranged accuracy)
Strength (damage potential)
Toughness (resistance to damage)
Speed (movement allowance)
Bravery (tests against fear and panic)
Intelligence (magic and learning)
Wounds (health)
Fate Points (luck and destiny resource)

Heroes may also possess:

Weapons
Armour
Equipment
Magic items
Spell components (if Wizards)

Wounds represent health.
If Wounds reach 0, the Hero is unconscious.
If Wounds drop below 0, the Hero is dead.

Fate Points may be spent to:

Reroll dice
Avoid death
Alter outcomes of events

3. HENCHMEN

Henchmen are non-hero fighters hired by Heroes.

Henchmen move and fight like Heroes
Henchmen cannot search for treasure or secret doors
Henchmen cannot use Fate Points
Henchmen die permanently when killed

Henchmen act during the same phases as Heroes.

4. TURNS AND PHASES

There are two types of turns:

Exploration Turns

Used when no monsters are visible.

Each Exploration Turn consists of:

Hero Player Phase
Exploration Phase
Gamesmaster Phase

Combat Turns

Used when monsters can see Heroes.

Each Combat Turn consists of:

Hero Player Phase
Gamesmaster Phase
End Phase (if applicable)

The game switches automatically between Exploration and Combat based on visibility.

5. HERO PLAYER PHASE (EXPLORATION)

During the Hero Player Phase, each Hero (and Henchmen) may perform one of the following:

Move up to Speed (maximum 12 squares in exploration)
Open or close a door (if adjacent)
Open a chest (if adjacent)
Search for secret doors
Search for hidden treasure
Put on or remove armour

Movement is orthogonal only (no diagonals).
Heroes must stop movement before entering unexplored dungeon areas.

Only Heroes (not Henchmen) may search.

6. EXPLORATION PHASE

If Heroes reach an unexplored doorway, junction, or corner:

The GM generates new dungeon sections using passage and room rules
Dungeon layout is built dynamically
Exploration immediately ends if monsters are revealed

Rooms are categorized as:

Normal rooms
Hazard rooms
Lairs
Quest rooms

Doors, stairs, and room contents are determined during this phase.

7. GAMESMASTER PHASE (EXPLORATION)

The GM rolls a die.

On specific results, the GM may:

Draw dungeon counters
Play traps
Trigger wandering monsters
Introduce ambushes or special events

Dungeon counters are secret resources controlled solely by the GM.

8. DUNGEON GENERATION

Dungeons are constructed from modular sections:

Passages
Junctions
Corners
Dead ends
Rooms
Stairways

Key principles:

Passages are straight unless a corner or junction is placed
Rooms always connect via a shared wall
Doors are always closed when first discovered
Stairs either lead deeper or exit the dungeon

Dungeon sections may be reused if components run out, preserving the expedition map.

9. SECRET DOORS AND HIDDEN TREASURE

Secret doors:

May only be searched for in dead ends or rooms with no visible exits
Each wall may only be searched once
If found, the Hero places the door

Hidden treasure:

Each room may only be searched once
Treasure may be gold or magic items
Searching may trigger GM actions

Failed searches permanently exhaust the location.

10. TRAPS

Traps are introduced by the GM using dungeon counters.

When a trap is triggered:

The triggering Hero attempts to spot it
If spotted, a Hero may attempt to disarm it
If disarming fails or the trap is not spotted, it activates

Trap effects vary and may cause:

Damage
Immobilisation
Environmental hazards

Spotted traps may be avoided instead of disarmed.

11. COMBAT TURNS — GENERAL RULES

Combat begins whenever monsters can see Heroes.

Combat continues until:

All monsters are killed
Heroes escape
Monsters disengage (rare)

Visibility determines whether combat continues.

12. COMBAT TURN — HERO PLAYER PHASE

Each Hero or Henchman may:

Move then attack
Attack then move
Run instead of attacking
Open or close a door instead of attacking

Movement is limited by Speed.
Models cannot move through other models or blocked squares.

Running:

Replaces attacking
Allows increased movement
Limits defensive options

13. COMBAT TURN — GAMESMASTER PHASE

The GM controls all monsters.

Monsters follow the same action structure as Heroes:

Move then attack, or attack then move
Run instead of attacking

Special monster types may:

Open doors
Cast spells
Summon reinforcements
Escape combat

Monster behaviour is entirely controlled by the GM.

14. SURPRISE

When monsters are discovered:

Both Leader and GM roll for surprise
Modifiers apply for certain Heroes and monster types

If Heroes win:

Heroes place monsters
Monsters move one square

If monsters win:

GM places monsters
Heroes lose their first phase

15. HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT

To attack:

Roll a D12
Compare to target’s Weapon Skill
Equal or higher hits

Damage:

Roll damage dice from weapon
Subtract Toughness
Remaining damage removes Wounds

Critical hits:

Cause extra effects

Fumbles:

Cause negative effects

16. RANGED COMBAT

Ranged attacks:

Require line of sight
Have range bands
Use Bow Skill

Certain weapons:

Have minimum ranges
Cannot be used in close combat

17. DEATH AND ESCAPE

If Heroes escape:

No monster loot is gained
Combat ends after visibility is broken

If monsters escape:

They may reappear later via counters

Dead Heroes:

Are removed from play
May be resurrected only by rare effects

18. LOOT AND TREASURE

After winning combat:

Heroes may loot bodies
Gold is distributed by agreement or dice
Magic items are revealed by the GM

Unopened chests persist between expeditions.

19. MAGIC

Only Wizards may cast spells.

Spellcasting requires:

Correct spell components
Successful casting roll
Available actions

Spells may:

Deal damage
Control enemies
Alter the dungeon
Affect movement or visibility

Failed spells may have consequences.

20. BETWEEN EXPEDITIONS

When Heroes leave the dungeon:

Wounds may be healed
Fate Points may be recovered
Gold may be spent
Equipment may be bought
Henchmen may be hired
Random events may occur

The dungeon remains persistent:

Doors reset
Monsters respawn
Dead character monsters stay dead
Looted treasure does not return

21. QUESTS AND CAMPAIGNS

Quests define objectives beyond exploration.

A quest may span multiple dungeons
Quest completion grants major rewards
Campaigns link multiple quests together

Heroes retain progress between quests.

22. GAME END AND PROGRESSION

Advanced Heroquest has no fixed end condition.

The game continues as long as:

Heroes survive
New quests are undertaken

Progression is defined by:

Improved equipment
Increased resources
Survival and success

Pages