I'm on vacation. I had some bucks. I went to the local comics/game shop and browsed the used/discounted stuff as I'm a terribly poor cheapskate.

Lo and behold, I stumbled upon the Deluxe Hero Wars boxed set. It was opened, but in absolutely perfect condition. The only indication it wasn't used was the fact that there was no plastic wrapped around it. Now, this is a 40 buck package....

I got it for 20! I love it.

But that's an aside. The point is, I've been hearing about the game for so long and now I finally get the chance to read it.

Its big. And detailed. And the approach is fresh and accessible. To be able to present something this scale and not frighten me away is a great achievement in itself.

Now, I'm still reluctant to play it. There is a LOT of stuff here and this is only the basic books (HW book, Narrator's book, and the prose book). I know that the game is set up so that you only have to understand one culture in order to play it but its still going to be a big investment of time and engery.

The funny thing is, I love this stuff. Love it. The mythical approach is killer. The artwork is great. The game is well-written and easy to understand. I'll probably read the whole set ten times before I ever play it.

Just wanted to get that off my chest.

P.S. I also saw Dying Earth and Rune at the shop. I know Dying Earth is cool and I plan to swipe it soon. What about Rune? Anyone have any experience with it? These are all Robin Laws games.

To be perfectly honest - and I'd hate to get a discussion about this going here - I found Rune to be somewhat of a let down. The idea is fresh, but there were alot of things that turned me off about it. The Ars Magica ruleset seems a bit tedious to me, and the setting material left me wanting.

To relate this somewhat back to Hero Wars, I must say that you got a good deal. I paid the full forty for it, and I don't feel like I wasted a dime. I'm eagerly anticipating the hardback, though, as I'd like to have all the rules for the basic game right there in one book, as opposed to spread out like it currently is.

Take care,
Moose

James,

Since you got the Deluxe for so cheap, you might want to roll the savings into the Glorantha book, which is probably the only other book you "need." I think you'll find it rewarding, and can only envy a newcomer to the setting who actually has it all laid out for him. Unlike me, who had to cull and suffer and search and cross-reference to gain any shred of understanding of the material.

After that, if you're still bitten by the bug, the books Thunder Rebels and Storm Tribes provide anything one could imagine for running Orlanthi characters in Dragon Pass. They aren't crucial for play, but they certainly add (in the sense of providing meat for play) immense depth.

Best,
Ron

I saw at least 3 other books on the used shelf. I can't remember what the titles were. I am planning on nabbing them soon. Stuff moves really, really slow off the shelves of that place. There are still games in the store that were there when the place opened 5 years ago. Apparantly the only stuff that sells reliably are D20 and White Wolf.

Like that's a big surprise. Cattle call! Sheep to the herder!

Later
James V. West

P.S. I'll chime in when I read some more.

I got it for free. Why' Because the folks at Issiaries ROCK! :smile:

Actually I am setting up a lot of demo games in a local club and that was one of the donations.

Love it so far.