HeroQuest Player's Handbook

Gnome Characters

Gnomes are quiet forest dwellers and close friends to the WoodElves. They are little people, but this size belies their speed, agility, and tenacity in the face of danger.

✦ Racial Trait — Natural Evade

Gnomes have a high natural defend roll due to their quick, evasive reflexes. This "Natural Evade" stacks with armor. They also roll one combat die each time a directional spell is cast at them; on anything but a skull, they have dodged the spell entirely.

Assassin Neutral • Light Proficiency

You are the Assassin, a creature of stealth and shadow. Quiet and deadly, you are one in the ranks of "The Brotherhood of the Owl" — a secret underground organization of killers secretly employed by the Emperor. Seen by others as secretive and suspicious, your skills are greatly valued by your comrades.

Special Abilities

Coup De Grace Your instinct for killing has made you highly efficient. If you strike an opponent and do enough damage to bring them down to one Body Point, you may declare a coup de grace and finish them off instantly without rolling any dice. Your opponent has no defense.
Skullduggery Your knowledge of poisons allows you to gain the upper hand in combat. Once per scenario you may declare your weapon poisonous. For the next 3 turns, any creature hurt by your weapon will continue to lose 1 Body Point per round until death. There is no antidote.
Attack Dice2
Defend Dice4
Body Points6
Mind Points3
Feat of Strength8
Feat of Dexterity15
Starting ArmorNatural Evade
Starting WeaponsDagger
Warrior Good • Light Fighter

Light, quick, and agile, you are a brother to the Elves. You have seen the peaceful, quiet life of your fellow Gnomes threatened and have decided to join the fight. Your soft-spoken manner and big heart endear you to your comrades, but the fierceness with which you fight demands respect from your enemies.

Special Abilities

Light Footed Due to your small size, you may pass over unsprung floor traps without setting them off. Roll one combat die each time you step on one — on anything but a black shield, the trap is not triggered and you continue your turn as normal.
Tenacious Typical of your race, you show great tenacity in the face of terrible odds. If damage from a trap or attack would lower your Body Points to zero, once per game you may reset them to one instead.
Attack Dice1
Defend Dice4
Body Points7
Mind Points2
Feat of Strength9
Feat of Dexterity14
Starting ArmorNatural Evade
Starting WeaponsDagger
Mystic Good • Non-Proficiency

You are a Mystic, a Gnome born with natural magical powers. Seen as a shaman by those of your clan, you have the ability to cast spells. While you don't look intimidating, your quick blade and Wild Magic more than make up for what you lack in brawn.

Special Abilities

Wild Magic You may cast 28 Manna Points of Magic (or [1D4 × 10], whichever is higher) from either the Faerie Spells or the Elemental Spells. The nature of magic in Gnomes is unstable, often manifesting in massive surges of wild power. Each time you cast a spell, roll 2D6:
RollResult
1–3No effect — spell cast at normal manna cost.
4–6Surge — spell cast at ½ the manna cost.
7–9Power Surge — spell cast at no manna cost.
10–12Wild Surge — spell cast at no manna cost and its effects are doubled.
Light Footed Due to your small size, you may pass over unsprung floor traps without setting them off. Roll one combat die each time you step on one — on anything but a black shield, the trap is not triggered and you continue your turn as normal.
Attack Dice1
Defend Dice3
Body Points6
Mind Points4
Feat of Strength7
Feat of Dexterity10
Starting ArmorNatural Evade
Starting WeaponsDagger
Rogue Updated Neutral • Light Proficiency

A braggart and an egotistical busybody, you are constantly looking for adventure — or trouble, whichever comes easiest. You laugh as you fight, and your bravado makes it hard for anyone not to like you. You've decided to join the fight in hopes of gaining treasure, or to alleviate boredom... or maybe both.

Special Abilities

Weapon Mastery You fight with two weapons, using your primary to attack and your secondary to parry. You also have the option to attack twice instead of parrying; however, when you do this, you lose an equal number of combat dice in defense.
Light Footed Due to your small size, you may pass over unsprung floor traps without setting them off. Roll one combat die each time you step on one — on anything but a black shield, the trap is not triggered and you continue your turn as normal.
Attack Dice2
Defend Dice5
Body Points7
Mind Points3
Feat of Strength10
Feat of Dexterity14
Starting ArmorNatural Evade
Starting WeaponsShortsword & Dagger
Scout Updated Good • Light Proficiency

You are one of the finest scouts in the Emperor's army. A friend to the WoodElves and a dweller of forests since birth, you are a survivalist and a natural tracker. You have seen the forests you love threatened by Chaos Magic, and have decided to join the fight.

Special Abilities

Sharp Eyes Your remarkable training and vision allow you to see any traps within 5 spaces (line of sight) when you end your move. You do not detect traps while moving or mid-move.
Tenacious Typical of your race, you show great tenacity in the face of terrible odds. If damage from a trap or attack would lower your Body Points to zero, once per game you may reset them to one instead.
Attack Dice2
Defend Dice4
Body Points8
Mind Points3
Feat of Strength9
Feat of Dexterity14
Starting ArmorNatural Evade
Starting WeaponsBoomerang
Thief Updated Neutral • Light Proficiency

You are a master of sleight of hand and a con artist extraordinaire. A black sheep among your people, you are almost as nimble and light-footed as you think you are. You're in this fight for the money and the adventure, plain and simple.

Special Abilities

Sneaky Your profession requires that you be quick and silent. You can sneak past spaces with monsters by rolling anything but a black shield per each monster in your path.
Backstab The Thief may attempt to sneak up on an enemy and perform a backstab. Roll one combat die to sneak: if approaching from behind or the side, you must not roll a black shield; if approaching from the front, you must roll a skull. If you successfully sneak up and attack, the enemy may not defend.
Attack Dice2
Defend Dice4
Body Points7
Mind Points3
Feat of Strength9
Feat of Dexterity15
Starting ArmorNatural Evade
Starting WeaponsDagger

✦ Footnotes

*(1) I see the Assassin as a hired hit man who will work for whoever has the best price — not really evil, not really good, so I made him Neutral. I also merged this character with my Gnome. Note: a "Light Proficiency" character can use anything a Non-Proficiency can use, plus the following: Claws, Shortswords, and Hatchets.

*(2) "Tenacious" is from Mr. Fraser's Dwarf.

*(3) The Gnome Rogue is a combination of my Gnome and the Mercenary character on Karnov's page. Note: a "Light Proficiency" character can use anything a Non-Proficiency can use, plus the following: Claws, Shortswords, and Hatchets.

*(4) This is a combination of J.D. Fraser's Scout and my Gnome.

*(5) I've altered this character several times now — he bears almost as little resemblance to J.D.'s Thief as he does to my Gnome. I've also altered the "Backstab" ability. See the Human Thief for clarification.