Now that the old MB Games "HeroQuest" trademark has expired,
Issaries Inc has snapped it up and re-branded
Hero Wars under the name that they wanted to use all along. They released the new edition in
Summer 2003, ditching the awful trade paperback format of Hero Wars (
we all told
Greg that was a bad idea) in favour of the industry-standard book format, and a pre-order-only
limited edition hardcover.
Character creation has been streamlined, Community Participation has been fixed, and there's a useful index and appendixes. Sorcery has been renamed Wizardry, the main difference being that Wizardry has a cultural context (there are still lone sorcerors, but the Wizardry section doesn't cover them). Common Magic is added, which is a magic system based on the power inherent in the mundane world. The entire Mystical magic system has been dropped. Greg's current thinking is that anyone with "mystic" powers is lying or deceiving themselves, their power must be from either the Theist, Animist, or Sorcerous otherworld, or is actually Common Magic.
There are many fine examples of the rules, that both show the rules being used, and give the narrator ideas on how to run a game.
The book also marks the beginning of Issaries Inc.'s relationship with Steve Jackson Games, who now handle fulfillment and also provide publicity at conventions and game stores through the Men In Black network.