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ISS2001 HeroQuest Core Rules (2009)


Core Rules

Anything you can imagine, you can play…

HeroQuest is the innovative, dynamic, and flexible rules engine by Robin Laws, suitable for play in any genre or setting. It present a simple and flexible system that allows Game Masters to make decisions the way authors and screenwriters do when creating novels, TV episodes and movies. HeroQuest encourages creative input from your players, resulting in an exciting, unpredictable narrative created through group collaboration. Its resolution methods and scalable character levels make it equally suited for any genre, from epic fantasy to satirical soap opera. Whether your next game idea draws on horror, war, westerns, martial arts, pulps, cyberpunk, cliff-hangers, giant robots, super-powered heroes, space opera, cop action, corporate intrigue, furry animals, swashbuckling adventure, Greek tragedy or even drawing room comedy, HeroQuest can handle it! You can even use HeroQuest to emulate a musical – although it won’t do the singing or dancing for you.

  • Completely rewritten by the original designer, this new edition opens and details running the core system for any genre.
  • What’s in this book?
  • This book contains everything needed for play:
  • Character Creation – describe your character and get playing in minutes.

Overcoming Obstacles – handling conflict, be it with swords, words, gangs, or armies. Playing Stories – how to vividly run your adventures in engaging and creative ways. Narrating – the secrets for balancing the give and take between narrators and players. Followers and Support – how your sidekick, followers, horde, army or community help. Creating Genres – details for creating and detailing your own game world.

Gaming in Glorantha – a separate section on applying HeroQuest to Glorantha.

Quick Reference – so you don’t have to hunt for the information you really need.


Credits

  • Author: Robin D. Laws
  • With: Jeff Richard, Ian Cooper, Lawrence Whitaker, and David Dunham.
  • Project Manager: David Dunham Project Assistance: Simon Bray, Ian Cooper, Mark Galeotti, Neil Robinson, Darran Sims, and Graham Spearing
  • Cover Painting: Jon Hodgson Interior Illustrations: Bernard Bittler, Simon Bray, Frederic Chenier, Dario Corallo, Gene Day, Marian Gutowski, William McAuasland, Regis Moulin, Mike O’Connor, Manoel Magalhães, Walter Moore, Duck Nicolson, Pierre Le Pivain Jean Luc Sala, Markku Silvennoinen, Darran Sims, Hiroki Tomoyuki and Keiko Yamato.
  • Art Direction: Simon Bray, with assistance from David Dunham
  • Copy Editing: Jeff Edman
  • HeroQuest Logo: Darran Sims
  • Layout: Rick Meints
  • Playtesters: Benedict Adamson , Simon Bray, Pam Carlson, Matthew Cole, Richard Crawley, Brian Curley, Lori Ann Curley, Michael Kindt Dalzen, Andy Dawson, Mike Dawson, Alexander Dotor, Colin Driver, Nick Eden, Christian Einsporn, Stephen Elves, Mark Galeotti, Sven Grottke, Viktor Haag, Rob Helm, Shane Ivey, Guy Jobbins, Chris Kantzer, Paul King, Fabian Kuechler, Christian Kühnemund, Chris Lemens, Claudia Loroff, Jamie MacLaren, John Marron, Kevin McDonald, Newt Newport, Mike O’Connor, Kevin Pezzan, Darcy Phipps, Christine Reich, Jamie Revell, Glenn Ritchie, Roderick Robertson, Mike Rowe, Charlotte J. Rucks, Dana Schack, David Scott, Darran Sims, Russell Sims, Stewart Stansfield, Darren Staples, Brian Stewart, Erik Weissengruber, Paul Wiesner and others.
  • Publication ISS 2001.
  • First Printing July 2009.
  • ISBN# 978-0-9777853-2-2
  • System: HQ2

HeroQuest Core Rules Book PreviewDownload

2008 Continuum Preview cover
(Glossy plastic cover sheet causing poor quality image)
2008 Continuum Preview credit page

  • HeroQuest 2 Character sheets
  • HeroQuest 2 Cheat sheet
  • Review of the HeroQuest 2 Core Rules

Related Pages

  • ISS2002 Sartar, Kingdom of Heroes (2009, 2012)
  • ISS2003 Sartar Companion (2010, 2012)
  • ISS2004 Pavis: Gateway to Adventure (2012)
  • Return to Apple Lane (2009)

2009, HQ2, Robin Laws

Page Last updated: 2025-04-21 11:14:25

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