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The Hero's Journey: Second Edition

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The Hero’s Journey Fantasy Roleplaying, Second Edition is a fantasy roleplaying game that blends classic tradition and modern game design to bring you an experience where players take up the mantle of heroes in a world of danger and magic inspired by classic fairy stories and timeless fantasy literature.

Whether you’re taking a Knight clad in shining armor astride your grand steed, a cunning Burglar hoping to use your silver tongue to flatter a terrifying Elder Wyrm while your friends slip away, or a dedicated Yeoman who has given your heart and soul to defend the good and true people of the world from the strange dangers of Fairie and beyond, The Hero’s Journey, Second Edition creates a gaming experience firmly rooted traditional western folklore where the player characters are more than just sword-swinging mercenaries looking to kick in the door, kill the monster, and claim the loot. In The Hero’s Journey, Second Edition, they are all that stands between civilization and the unimaginable dangers just beyond the wild…

Why A Second Edition: It its original edition, The Hero’s Journey Fantasy Roleplaying was explicitly designed to be compatible with Swords & Wizardry: White Box and similar games. While this new edition is still rooted in that classic rules set,extensive changes have been made to almost every element of the game in order to further evoke and emphasize the tone and theme of the game. In addition, more modern elements of game design have been seamless incorporated to keep play fast and simple. Some example changes include, but are not limited to…

New LineagesIn addition to traditional fantasy lineages like Humans, Dwarves, and Elves, players will also have the option of playing the strange and obfuscated Changeling: A fey creature left as a replacement for a child stolen at birth and raised among mortals.

New Archetypes: The original edition of The Hero’s Journey featured thirteen classes. This edition has been streamlined to keep the focus on classic, folklore-infused fantasy and now features only eight classes: the charming Bard, the clever Burglar, the noble Knight, the rugged Ranger, the swashbuckling Swordsman, the stern Warrior, the enigmatic Wizard, and the stalwart Yeoman.

New MonstersEvery single monster in The Hero’s Journey, Second Edition has been given a complete overhaul to bring them more in line with folklore, fairy tradition, and classic fantasy literature. For example: Kobolds, commonly known as yipping dog-lizards to many fantasy gamers, are now strange and diminutive elementals that appear old men fading into the stone as they guide and waylay underground travelers. Several new monsters are also introduced, like the savage draconic Lindworm, which craves the taste of flesh and whose wrath can only be undone when its impenetrable scaled armor is peeled away layer by layer. There is no such thing as a “stock” monster in The Hero’s Journey, Second Edition.

New Spellcasting: The traditional Vancian magic system which previously appeared in The Hero’s Journey has been drastically overhauled. Now Wizards may cast any spell they know and each spell has a myriad of different potential effects! In addition, particularly brave and reckless arcanists may Tap the Essence and sacrifice their own body when they are otherwise unable to cast a spell. Instead of being a stock list of spells found in so many other classic fantasy RPGs, these spells have been modified and re-written to fit the tone and feel of The Hero’s Journey.

Myth Points and Magic ItemsUnlike many traditional fantasy role-playing games, characters in The Hero’s Journey, Second Edition acquire magic items by performing heroic deeds that become inexonerably tied forever to the weapons, armor, and strange trinkets they carry on their adventures. As characters progress and grow, they earn Myth Points, which can be spent to create unique magic items specifically tailored by the player to their individual character instead simply finding a “better sword” in the next treasure hoard. Magics grow and develop alongside a character, becoming an important part of their legend.


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Reviews (5)
Discussions (33)
Customer avatar
Jim M March 15, 2023 12:11 pm UTC
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What sort of license is this published under? Creative commons?
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Zachariah K May 18, 2023 10:29 pm UTC
PURCHASER
It's OGL.
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Christopher V January 12, 2023 11:55 pm UTC
PURCHASER
I still have every intention of purchasing a print copy of this, but with the recent OGL news I am wondering what we have to look forward to in regard to The Hero's Journey 2E (and White Star Galaxy Edition) and its relation to the OGL?
Customer avatar
Neil A October 10, 2022 3:38 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Quick question- how do you make an ability roll ? Is it (the usual) d20, roll under ability score ?
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Jason D September 04, 2022 10:57 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Any chance there will be more books/supplements released?
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James S September 16, 2022 4:36 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Absolutely. Covid slowed things up a bit, but there's plenty more in the future for THJ! Check out the blog at https://theherosjourney2e.blogspot.com/ for news, free exclusive content, and updates.
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William L August 26, 2022 7:18 pm UTC
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Print-friendly version please?
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John C May 02, 2022 11:44 pm UTC
PURCHASER
No multi-classing, then? My elf cannot be a fighter-wizard?
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James S June 03, 2022 3:38 pm UTC
PURCHASER
That is correct. However, all elves in THJ can use longswords, short swords, long bows, and short bows. So you can still be a sword-wielding elf if that's your bag!
Customer avatar
Joe C October 06, 2021 10:36 pm UTC
Intrigued in this one.
What were those missing character options.
Sadly never bought the first edition ?
White Box is a great system for tweaking so adding things is not a problem.
Fairly Curious to know what you decided axe.?
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John B September 03, 2021 6:02 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Hi James! Just finished a first read and the game looks great! I have a question about experience, though. It looks like the maximum experience for completing an adventure is roughly 1,000 experience points, give or take two hundred points. A knight requires 640,000 experience points to reach 10th level or roughly 640 adventures. I'm a dedicated GM, but if my group plays once a week for 52 adventures a year, that is about 12 years of real time to make it to 10th level. That said, are there additional things for which you award experience, or are there awards you permit players to repeat? I like a slow progression as much as the next guy, but that is REALLY slow. :-) Yes, I could fudge this myself, but I am curious to hear your thoughts on this.
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James S September 04, 2021 4:28 am UTC
PURCHASER
Hey John! Thanks for reaching out and I'm glad you're enjoying the game! Your observation is not incorrect and is intentional. An implied subtext of THJ2e is that a major hero would be someone of 4th level or higher, with 10th level characters being recognized icons of an entire age. While you can, by hard numbers, earn around 1000 (typically between 500 - 1500) per session of play that does make for a looooong progression to "max level." This can be mitigated by XP bonuses for high attributes, which can rack up to +20%.

The general intent is that players will have their characters hit that "sweet spot" that balances character proficiency and challenging play (typically between 4th - 6th level) fairly quickly and then hang in that region for a long, long time. Figures like King Arthur are an example of a 10th level character - there are darn near an infinite number of stories told about Arthur and he is a well-known mythic figure 1000+ years after he existed. That is what it means...See more
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John B September 04, 2021 3:38 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Thanks, James!
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Jonathan S March 11, 2021 2:01 am UTC
PURCHASER
Probably should have asked this BEFORE purchasing. At any rate, I've read the reviews here regarding updates to the PDF and what not, and I'm wondering if the POD version I've purchased is the updated PDF or is it a separate untouched version with old verbiage specifically for POD?
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Alan B March 11, 2021 3:10 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
The POD should always match the latest iteration of the PDF!
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Customer avatar
Alan B March 11, 2021 3:11 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
I realize that was unclear:

When you buy the POD, it should always match that iteration of the PDF.

Obviously, if we update the PDF, your POD does not update. We haven't made any updates since March last year, so if you bought it at any point after that, you should be set.
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Jonathan S March 12, 2021 1:43 am UTC
PURCHASER
Fantastic! I just wanted to make sure the POD was the latest edition of the PDF. So, my wording definitely could have been better! LOL

Thanks for everything!
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Eric B January 22, 2021 5:45 pm UTC
PURCHASER
1. When a character reaches their max level, say 4, what are their options from then?
2. It seems like the only way for a character to raise an attribute point is from leveling up I think to 3 or 7. Both milestones allow you to add 1 to an attribute of your choice. Am I missing any other moments that this can happen?
3. I have a player that really would like to be a gnome wizard but the roll to meet the requirements is not common. Is a wizard something you work toward (leveling bard possibly to max then changing class, if that's even a thing) or did I read the books wrong on this?
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James S January 27, 2021 3:44 pm UTC
PURCHASER
1. Whether or not a character can progress beyond the listed lineage level is the purview of the Narrator, though optional ideas are provided in The Hero's Companion.
2. You are correct, mostly. Yeoman get more attribute increases as they level than other classes, and there are a few heirlooms that allow a character to increase an attribute.
3. Wizards are intentionally rare to keep magic exotic and wondrous. That's why the requirement is so high. Feel free to either allow the character to begin play with an Insight of 15, or devise whatever method you desire to facilitate the fun at your table.
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Charles B August 10, 2020 12:08 am UTC
PURCHASER
The price point is quite high at $39.99 (which doesn't even include the PDF). The Delving Deeper compendium is much more complete for FREE from Drive Thru, or less than $5.00 in printed version (Lulu). The combat example talks about orcs, but no orcs are included in the "menagerie". For a book about epic quests to recover heirloom treasures, the rules for overland/wilderness travel and exploration are pretty sparse.
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Zachariah K January 20, 2021 6:21 pm UTC
PURCHASER
In Tolkien, orcs and goblins are the same race. The Hero's Journey is inspired by Tolkien and other 20th-century classics of the high fantasy genre.

This game is completely different from Delving Deeper. THJ is NOT intended to be a white box dungeon fantasy game. If that is what you want, by all means, Delving Deeper is a good option. As is Swords & Wizardry. But The Hero's Journey is its own thing.
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Krzysztof C July 25, 2020 7:50 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Digging it like a greedy dwarf! Question: what's the recommended ruling for a character reaching their Lineage-mandated level limit?
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Krzysztof C July 29, 2020 8:59 am UTC
PURCHASER
Got the Companion, question answered ;) Don't know if I'll use it wholesale, but I'll be sure to lift some elements to my other OSR campagins!
Customer avatar
Brian S July 09, 2020 9:18 pm UTC
why get rid of the attributes? Way too many changes in my opinion.
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July 04, 2020 8:59 am UTC
PURCHASER
Can somebody tell me how the Warriors "A Greater Valor Against Lesser Foes" rule works? The rule first says one attack per level and immediately afterwards one EXTRA attack per level - which is it? Also I cannot wrap my head around the following example which doesn't seem to match the rule.

Also is this only for melee attacks?

Thanks,
Simo
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Neil A June 25, 2020 3:36 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Sorry, another quick question. A helmet is listed in general equipment and not classed as armour. Is there any reduction benefit through purchasing one ?
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Neil A June 22, 2020 2:50 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Quick question- where de orcs at ? There are goblins, but no orcs. Can we have orcs please.
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James S June 22, 2020 3:22 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Because The Hero's Journey is firmly rooted in British mythology and Fairy Tales, orcs were omitted. From a more mechanical standpoint, they are almost statistically identical to goblins so it felt like a bit of a waste of page space to double-dip for what was, rules wise, essentially the same creature. Given the myriad of fantasy RPGs that feature orcs in some capacity, it should be easy enough to import them if you'd like to use them in your game.
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Charles B August 10, 2020 12:25 am UTC
PURCHASER
Then why the reference to them on page 117: "But even a 10th level character is only a few steps from death. While they might be able to handle the spears and arrows of some blood-thirsty orcs,..."

In the first edition, the Goblins are inferior to orcs in every stat, Less armor, less reduction value, no base to hit bonus, fewer hit dice, worse attack, slower movement, etc. I have already made my own Menagerie Supplement, and have included Orcs. Here is what I came up with (the text is from THJ First Edition, by James Spahn, per the OGL):
Orc
Defense: 10 Endurance: 6 Reduction Value: 2
Attack Modifier: +1 Attacks: By Weapon
Special: None
Move: 4 Saving Throw: 19 Despair Rating: 2
Orcs are stupid, brutish humanoids that gathering tribes of hundreds. Most are subterranean dwellers, and fight with a -1 penalty “to hit” in sunlight. They typically carry small shields and wear ring mail armor. Occasionally, war-bands or even entire tribes of orcs...See more
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Charles B August 10, 2020 12:27 am UTC
PURCHASER
By the way, where did you find Stirges in British Mythology and Fairy Tales (I am curious)?
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christopher B August 14, 2020 8:03 am UTC
PURCHASER
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strix_(mythology) Make sure you scroll down, Strix, Striges, Stirges yada yada been around awhile in various cultures all over Europe.
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christopher B August 14, 2020 8:08 am UTC
PURCHASER
I think the author was quite literally using the orcs and goblins interchangeably much as Tolkien did. Mckiernan did it as well in his own terms. Heck, even Warhammer lumps them together as greenskins. Just my two cents anyway. Again, Tolkien was a heavy influence and used them pretty freely. To me they were all pretty much goblins except the Uruk Hai but I do not claim to be a Tolkien scholar or anything.
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Product Information
Platinum seller
Author(s)
Rule System(s)
Pages
220
Publisher Stock #
BRG-001
File Size:
8.68 MB
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File Last Updated:
March 23, 2020
This title was added to our catalog on February 10, 2020.