How Many HeroQuest Expansions Are There? The Complete Guide
Every official HeroQuest expansion ranked, reviewed, and explained — plus the best order to play them.
There are 11 official HeroQuest expansions available for the 2020 Avalon Hill edition. They are: Kellar's Keep, Return of the Witch Lord, The Frozen Horror, The Mage of the Mirror, Against the Ogre Horde, Wizards of Morcar, The Prophecy of Telor, Spirit Queen's Torment, Rise of the Dread Moon, Jungles of Delthrak, and Crypt of Perpetual Darkness. All require the HeroQuest base game to play.
HeroQuest is one of the most beloved dungeon-crawling board games ever made — and one of its greatest strengths is the sheer amount of content available beyond the base game. Since the 2020 revival by Avalon Hill, the expansion library has grown steadily, giving players dozens of additional quests, new monsters, new mechanics, and new challenges to conquer.
Whether you've just finished the base game and aren't sure what to get next, or you're building a complete HeroQuest collection from scratch, this guide covers every expansion — what it adds, how hard it is, and whether it's worth buying.
HeroQuest fans consistently report that finishing the base game creates an immediate urge to continue — and the expansion library ensures the adventure never has to end.
The Complete List of HeroQuest Expansions
Difficulty Guide — Which Expansion Is Right for Your Group?
Return of the Witch Lord
The Prophecy of Telor
Rise of the Dread Moon
The Mage of the Mirror
Jungles of Delthrak
Against the Ogre Horde
Spirit Queen's Torment
Crypt of Perpetual Darkness
What Order Should You Play the HeroQuest Expansions?
There is no single required order — but there is a recommended path that gives your heroes the best progression and narrative experience:
- 1HeroQuest Base Game — always start here. 14 quests, learn the system, build your heroes.
- 2Kellar's Keep — the natural first step. Same difficulty level, narrative connects directly.
- 3Return of the Witch Lord — completes the original trilogy. A must for narrative satisfaction.
- 4Wizards of Morcar or Mage of the Mirror — introduces new mechanics without overwhelming difficulty.
- 5The Frozen Horror or Against the Ogre Horde — now your heroes are ready for a serious challenge.
- 6Remaining expansions — in any order you prefer. Each stands alone well.
Do You Need All the Expansions?
Absolutely not — and that's one of HeroQuest's greatest strengths. Each expansion is completely self-contained. You can buy one, play through all 10 quests, and stop there. Or you can build up a full library over time.
If you can only buy one expansion, make it Kellar's Keep. It's the most seamless continuation of the base game experience and the one most HeroQuest fans recommend first.
If you want to build a collection, prioritize the ones that introduce new mechanics — Wizards of Morcar and The Mage of the Mirror — as they add the most variety to how the game plays.
New to HeroQuest? Start Here: HeroQuest First Light
Before diving into expansions, it's worth knowing that HeroQuest has a dedicated entry point for younger players and complete beginners: HeroQuest First Light. This is a standalone game — not an expansion — designed to introduce the HeroQuest experience to kids and families who aren't ready for the full base game.
Simpler rules, shorter quests, and a more accessible difficulty level make First Light the perfect way to bring younger players into the HeroQuest world. Once they're ready for more challenge, the full HeroQuest base game and its expansions are waiting.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. All HeroQuest expansions require the HeroQuest base game to play. The expansions use the board, dice, hero figures, and furniture from the base game — they only add new quests, monsters, and cards.
The 2020 Avalon Hill expansions are designed for the 2020 base game. While the core gameplay is very similar to the original, the component sizes and card formats differ, so mixing old and new editions is not officially supported.
Each expansion contains 10 new quests, compared to the 14 quests in the base game. With all expansions, you have access to over 110 quests in total.
Crypt of Perpetual Darkness is widely considered the hardest, thanks to its limited visibility mechanics. The Frozen Horror and Spirit Queen's Torment are also notably more difficult than the base game.
For most players, Kellar's Keep is the best starting point. For veteran players, Wizards of Morcar is often cited as the most strategically interesting.
⚔️ Bottom Line
With 11 expansions and over 110 additional quests, HeroQuest offers one of the richest campaign experiences in board gaming. Start with the base game, follow with Kellar's Keep, and let your heroes grow from there. Every expansion adds something different — new settings, new mechanics, new threats. Whether you buy one or all of them, you're in for dozens of hours of dungeon-crawling adventure.
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