HQ: Treasure (ugh)

[ManicMan]

.. okay, okay, HeroQuest still but... this has been bothering me in the background for YEARS, since I was a kid really.. and since it does NOT appear to be in the rules, its more of a 'what are peoples views' then 'what are the official rules'..

When Searching, you can search for either: "Traps and Secret Passageways" or 'Treasure" (well.. the rules say Secret doors and traps, but for some reason, we always said traps and secret passageways...).

IF no specific treasure is stated to be in the room when searching, you take the top treasure card.. fair enough.. now the PROBLEM is what appears to me to be a bit of a fight between 'rule writers/editors' and 'quest designers'. For example: "The Trial" SPECIFICITY states what to do in one room if the character player asks to search ("look inside") the treasure chest.. I never quite figured out if treasure chests should be included in the normal treasure search or not but mostly took it as no because chests are 'special'.. BUT we then get onto things like the Cupboard.. in some missions, it is specially say that it has something inside (Lair of the Orc Warlord in the original quest book) and I'm sure one says speciality that there is nothing inside but I can't remember which mission that is.. and checking, I can't seam to find it.... so that would say sometimes, you should search the bits of terrain that is mostly there to look good, but other times it's just there for looks.. If it's got something special then... is that more of a comment to read to player about when they just search in general in the room for treasure, and chests are a 'special case'.. but then, the rules don't really cover even the chests as something special.. which they appear to be..

so.. what are peoples views on treating treasure searching and furniture? Chests are a special case and give you a 'extra' search (in which case, I guess just in the room is fine, or do you need to be next it it?) or does a chest note kinda override the default search so any search for treasure would search the chest, if it's there.. that kinda makes the most sense and I think what I normally play but.. it's still kinda bugged me.. the kinda more advanced 'lets search the items like the weapons rack etc' specifically is nice but maybe more advanced then intended.. anyway.. peoples thoughts?

 

[symphonicpoet]

^I always took chests and the cupboard and their ilk to be separate and special. If the contents (or lack thereof) are specifically listed. So the search for treasure is a general search of the rest of the room. (Though it could theoretically include looking for secret compartments and false bottoms. Such things do exist, after all.)

 

[ManicMan]

So if separate, you would need the players to specifically ask to search that piece of item? which is fair enough but maybe taxing on some players to remember to do a bunch of searches per room if there is something there.. which is fair enough.. most bookcases (in fact, I think pretty much EVERY bookcase) has nothing but could have something

 

[ManicMan]

Oh, a bit pointless I guess, but Update on the whole issue:
Had the first gaming session with some friends yesterday (meant to take a Camera and probably see about atleast a quick battle report but oh well. Wizard running around opening all the doors in sight ^_^).

I put in that if a room had Furniture in it, That was a separate search then the normal treasure search, So while normal treasure on means you get a Treasure card from the deck, you had to be in base contact with atleast 1 item of furniture in the room to then search all the furniture. If something was written on the quest page (like contents of a chest) then you got something, else you got nothing. While this slightly meant a bit of a slower game, it didn't really do too much so appears to work as a good way of doing that.