HeroQuest and Hero Quest - Swordmaster of Hoeth

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THE SWORDMASTER OF HOETH

Adapted from the Warhammer Profession The Sword Master Of Hoeth by J. Thorne

Swordmasters are the hands of the High Loremaster of the White Tower Of Hoeth. These Elves are sent out by the High Loremaster to search the world for knowledge and powerful magic items to add to the collection of the White Tower. The Swordmasters train all their lives with swords and are able to wield them much better than their regular Elven kin, but to the neglect of the study of other weapons. Swordmasters have also neglected their training in the Magical arts, and so can cast fewer spells than a regular Elf, but because of their hard training are typically tougher.

Race:
Swordmasters of Hoeth are always Elves.

Starting Equipment:
Weapon - Short Sword
Armor - None
The Swordmaster may wear any armor that an Elf or a Barbarian may wear.

Stats:

Movement		2 Red Dice
Attack		2 Dice
Defend		2 Dice
Body Points		7
Mind Points		3

Training:
The Swordmaster may train at the Heroes Guild as an Elf to increase his stats (see the Advancement Page for more information).

Special Rules:
Swordmasters never use any magical weapon or armor they find. Instead they save the items to give to the Loremaster to store in the White Tower of Hoeth. Any spell scroll or potion may be used, though. The use of any other magical item is up to the discretion of the Game Master.

Swordmasters disdain the use of shields, and never carry one. A Swordmaster will discard any shield he finds unless it is magical.

Swordmasters have trained long and hard using the Great Two-Handed Elven Sword, and will feel most comfortable using one of these weapons. A Swordmaster may roll 5 attack dice when using this type of sword. One may be purchased from the armory for 800 gold coins. An alternate idea may be to have the Blacksmith at the armory tell the Swordmaster that he cannot make such a sword, but knows where one might be found... (a quest idea!!).

Swordmasters have trained in the use of swords, and will never purchase any other weapon, including Bows and other range weapons. The only time they will use one is if their weapon is destroyed in battle. If this occurs and no sword is to be found, they will use whatever weapon is available, although they will roll one fewer attack dice than normal for their weapon because of their lack of training.

Swordmasters have trained so intensely with the use of swords that they have neglected their training in the Magical Arts. A Swordmaster starts questing with the ability to learn only two spells for the quest, instead of the normal four that an Elf begins with.

The Swordmaster is trying to find new artifacts and knowledge to give to the Loremaster of Hoeth. He will want to explore an entire quest level before going to the next one. He will try to convince the others to accompany him by telling them that there is more gold to be found. If the others want to leave the current level and go on before it is fully explored, he will stay and explore by himself if needed.

The Swordmaster keeps a notebook of his explorations. In between quests he may visit the Shrine of Hoeth, where his notebook is shown to the Loremaster by magical means. When the Swordmaster does this, roll one red die and consult the following table:

Die Roll	Outcome
1-2	Nothing new was learned.
3-5	The Loremaster finds a few points of interest, and rewards the Swordmaster with gold. Roll one red die and multiply by ten for the amount of gold awarded.
6	The Loremaster finds the answer in your notebook to a question that he has been puzzling over for a long time. You may draw two treasure cards (if a wandering monster or trap card is drawn, you may redraw until a treasure is found).

Finding a magical treasure or artifact will so please the Loremaster that he will allow the Swordmaster to draw three treasure cards (once again, if a wandering monster or trap card is drawn, you may draw again).

Skills:
The Swordmaster begins questing knowing the skill of Ambidextrous. The Swordmaster may use a weapon in each hand. Each weapon must be usable in only one hand, and any extra long weapon that allows the user to reach into an extra square, such as a halberd or a spear, cannot be used with another weapon. If the Swordmaster has a weapon in each hand, he does not have a free hand to use a potion. To do so, he must either drop a weapon, in which case it cannot be picked back up until the current combat phase is over, or else spend a turn sheathing a weapon, during which no attack can be made. If the Swordmaster is using two weapons and loses all his Body Points and must drink a potion in order to survive, a weapon of his choice is considered dropped. This skill is always in use with the Swordmaster (whether he is using two weapons or not) and may be used at the same time as any of the skills learned below.

In addition he may learn these skills at the Heroes Guild for a cost of 3000 gold coins. The Hero then rolls two red dice, and learns the skill corresponding to the number rolled. If the Hero already knows that skill he should roll again.

A Hero can use only one skill can be used per turn. Some can last for more than one turn. If a Hero is using one of these skills, he may not use another skill until the first wears off.

2 - FLIP:
As a part of his movement the Swordmaster may flip over a square, passing any obstacle (i.e. monsters, pits, traps). Flipping over a square counts as only one square of movement.

3 - KILLING BLOW:
Once per quest level the Swordmaster may attempt to make a Killing Blow against a single monster. Roll one red die, on a roll of 5-6 the Killing Blow has successfully destroyed the enemy.

4 - BLADE WALL:
Once per quest level the Swordmaster may begin to spin and twirl his sword so fast that it becomes almost impossible to hit him. The Swordmaster gains three defense dice against all attacks, including missile shots. This skill lasts until the end of the current combat phase.

5 - HERBLORE: This is another area that the Swordmaster has trained better than the Elf. He may use this skill on any Hero, including himself. Roll one red die for effects:

Die Roll	Outcome
1	No Effect.
2-4	2 Body Points Healed.
5	3 Body Points Healed.
6	All Body Points Healed.

This skill may be used once per quest level.

6 - MULTIPLE BLOWS:
Once per quest level the Swordmaster may make one extra attack with a normal sword, or two extra attacks with his Great Sword.

7 - PRESSURE POINT:
Swordmasters have trained in knowing their enemies weaknesses, including which points to squeeze to cause temporary paralysis. This skill may only be used by a Swordmaster with a free hand - he cannot be using two weapons or a two-handed weapon. By trading one attack die, he may use the skill to take away one of his enemies defense dice. The Swordmaster may trade more than one of his attack dice, but may not trade them all. Each attack die traded removes one defense die. This skill may only be used on one enemy at a time.

8 - SIDE STEP:
This skill allows the Swordmaster to avoid a blow from a single enemy, avoiding any skulls rolled by that attack. This skill may be used once per quest level.

9 - CORNER:
If an enemy adjacent to the Swordmaster is within two squares of a corner, and the squares are empty, the Swordmaster may attempt to back his enemy into it. The Swordmaster rolls one red die. On a roll of 5 or 6 move the enemy into the corner, and the Swordmaster next to him (this does not count towards the Swordmasters or the enemy's movement). The Swordmaster may make his normal attack now, and the monster rolls one fewer defense dice because it is cornered.

10 - HYPNOSIS:
This skill allows the Swordmaster to enter a self-induced hypnotic trance and heal himself. This skill may only be used if there are no monsters in the same room or corridor as the Swordmaster. Entering the trance takes one turn, during which the Swordmaster may do nothing else, including defending himself. Roll 1 red die to see how many Body Points are regained from the trance. The Swordmaster may not go over his maximum amount of Body Points with this roll. This skill may be used once per quest level.

11 - HAZARD FINDER:
This skill allows the Swordmaster to try to detect all traps on a board. It may only be used once per quest level. Roll 1 red die to determine the outcome of the search:

Die Roll	Outcome
1	You accidentally touch a hidden lever during your search, and a hidden blade swings down on you. Roll 3 attack dice to determine damages.
2-5	Nothing.
6	You are able to detect all traps on the current board.

12 - PARRY:
This skill allows the Swordmaster to parry an incoming blow. When an enemy makes a successful attack against him, he may roll 1 red die. On a roll of 1-4 the Swordmaster takes the damage as normal. On a roll of 5-6 the blow is turned and it causes no damage. If the Swordmaster is using two weapons he turns the blow on a roll of 4-6, and if the Swordmaster is using a Great Sword he turns the blow on a roll of 3-6.