D&D General Now That We Have HeroQuest, Do We Need D&D?

[Willie the Duck]

Right. I can agree with customized characters, deeply personal or epic stories. But what I'm getting at is the dungeon crawling, one-shot type of adventures. It seems like this is a more streamlined, faster-paced way to handle those types of experiences.

two different concepts with similar aesthetics. Yes, we need D&D. We've had Descent for almost 20 years, and the D&D board games from WOTC and Wizkids. Why is this even a question?

We've had dungeon-crawling board games since at least Dungeon!, if not earlier. Also dungeon-crawling computer games like Colossal Cave, DND, Dungeon, and Zork. Most of them did the dungeon-crawling and combat parts of a D&D-esque game quicker and easier than tabletop pretty much from then on (other aspects of play-ease like getting them to load, not crash, and understand your commands... sometimes not so much). My point is -- pretty much from day one (or at least day two), tabletop gaming was something one did if and only if 1) one wanted something more from the experience (imagination, character, easy customizability, etc.), or 2) you actually enjoyed some part of the process that these games remove or automate. You like rolling the dice, or counting up weights, or mapping the dungeon, or whatever else.

 

[payn]

True. I speak in clickbait. My wife jokes that when I start a story, I should just begin with "Number 4 will shock you!"
The actual discussion I was going for is "what types of games does HQ do better than D&D?" and "what can DMs learn from HQ?" Neither of which are engaging thread titles and are wordy. We are ending up touching on the same topics anyway, even though we haven't gotten to the second question yet. (Read on to Page 5 to see how that one is answered - you won't believe it!)

I laugh when I read these because I can totally predict all the post taking it literally.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

D&D is "hardcore" and HQ is relavitely "casual". HQ is perfect for children who aren't ready for complex rules, but also people who aren't tried yet.

 

[Eric V]

D&D is "hardcore" and HQ is relavitely "casual". HQ is perfect for children who aren't ready for complex rules, but also people who aren't tried yet.

I originally read this as "who aren't tired yet," and it made perfect sense to me, at 46 with a bedtime closer to 9.

 

[Composer99]

Dare I say, using HeroQuest as a basis with minimalist mechanics for out of combat stuff layered on to the game could juuuusst about work for a barebones dungeoncrawling RPG?

(I mean, personally I wouldn't care to play HeroQuest that way, but I could see that being a way to kitbash something more out of the game.)

Also, I may have to put HeroQuest on my Christmas wish list.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Lighter than D&D? Certainly.

I understand your perspective but when clearing one room in the Gloomhaven board game can take 2+ hours with very rigid rules, I’m going to have to disagree that it is lighter than 5e D&D. Then again, maybe I’m confusing ease and fluidity with lightness.

TL;DR: I’ll take the 5e play loop over Gloomhaven’s strict mechanics in the battle of lightness any day.

 

[schneeland]

I enjoyed playing HeroQuest back in the day, but I don't think there was any clear path to D&D for me from there. I was into fantasy stuff before and we just played for a while and then just stopped. Video games were way more interesting (and also ended up being the thing that did pull me into TTRPGs).
I thought about buying the new version, though, as I remember HQ as a nice, lightweight dungeon crawler (with somewhat broken rules). However, the new look doesn't really cut it for me - if used copies were less expensive, I'd probably just get the old game.