Errata & FAQ

Got Questions or Found Something Strange? 👀

No game is ever perfect — and that’s part of the adventure. This page gathers all errata, clarifications, and frequently asked questions related to the games I’ve published.

If something in the rulebook didn’t make sense, if you spotted a typo, or had an unusual situation while playing, check here — chances are, you’re not the only one.

And if you don’t find the answer, I’d love to hear from you. I care deeply about your experience with my games and I’m always open to questions, suggestions, and feedback.

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Monsters & Heroes – Complete FAQ (2025 Edition)

1. Core Gameplay

Q1.1 How do movement points work across different terrains?
Roll 1d6 at the start of your turn. Each hex you enter costs the listed movement value (Plains 1, Forest 2, etc.). Subtract costs until you reach 0. Example: you roll 4, enter forest (-2) and plains (-1), leaving 1 point for one more plains hex.

Q1.2 What happens when I revisit a hex?
Halve the normal movement cost (round up). Roll 1d6 on entry: 1-2 = minor encounter (Random Encounters table), 3-6 = clear.

2. Dungeon Exploration

Q2.1 How do I place doors or exits in rooms?
Choose any wall that makes narrative sense—flexibility is deliberate. Sketch a quick map if you need spatial clarity.

Q2.2 Do I roll encounters every time I return to a room?
Yes. Re-rolling keeps tension high. If it feels repetitive, adopt a “first revisit only” house rule.

3. Combat Basics

Q3.1 How do heroes attack?
Roll 1d20 + Strength or Agility modifier (weapon dependent). Meet or beat the monster’s DC to hit, then roll the weapon’s damage die.

Q3.2 How do enemies attack the hero?
Each monster rolls 1d20 against its own listed Attack DC. If it meets or exceeds that DC, it hits and rolls its damage.

Q3.3 How is a hero’s Defense Value (DV) calculated?
For simplicity, a hero’s DV is 10 + Agility modifier. You may add situational bonuses (cover, the Defensive Shield skill, creative uses of terrain) if it enhances the story.

4. Weapons & Damage

Two Combat Rhythms — pick one per fight

Monsters & Heroes supports two equally official ways to resolve damage. Choose one rhythm at the start of each fight and don’t mix them mid-combat.

• Standard (Cinematic) Mode.
  Roll d20 to hit, then roll your weapon’s damage die and subtract it from the enemy’s HP. This is the same flow taught in the guided missions, which is why you’re asked to write down your weapon’s damage on your hero sheet.
• Fast (Solo) Mode.
  Skip rolling weapon damage. Use the creature chart’s fixed HP reductions instead:
  Hero’s Damage (HP reduced) and Monster’s Damage (HP reduced). This keeps solo play quick and consistent.

Rule of consistency: Use Standard or Fast for the entire fight. You can switch rhythms between different encounters as you like.

Hero	Weapon	Damage
Elora (Elf Archer)	Bow & Arrow	1d6
Dorn (Dwarf Warrior)	Double Axe	1d8
Mira (Human Sorceress)	Magic Scepter	1d6¹
Theron (Halfling Rogue)	Short Sword	1d6
Garrick (Paladin)	Long Sword	1d8
Lunara (Druid)	Scythe	1d6
Rolan (Bard)	Daggers	1d4 each
Kael (Dark Mage)	Staff	1d6¹
Zara (Amazon Warrior)	Halberd	1d8
Bran (Barbarian)	Mace	1d8
Vael (Shadow Ranger)	Bow & Arrow	1d6
Lyra (Priestess)	Staff	1d6¹

¹ Magic Scepters and Staves function as simple melee weapons (1d6). Any spell-like flourish you narrate is descriptive only unless you later use a dedicated spell-casting supplement.

Note: If you are using the Fast (Solo) Mode, apply the chart’s fixed HP reductions and ignore the damage die for that fight.

5. Shields & Defense

Some heroes start with shields. Their benefit is narrative and situational: blocking arrows, bracing a doorway, etc. The Defensive Shield special skill grants a mechanical +1 DV and can stack with any situational bonus you deem logical. Feel free to interpret shield use creatively; you are the Game Master.

6. Multiple-Enemy Encounters

When a table spawns more than one enemy of the same type, all share identical stats. Roll 1d6: 1-3 = 1 foe, 4-5 = 2 foes, 6 = 3 foes. Tactically, eliminate the lowest-HP target first to reduce incoming attacks.

7. Skill & Attribute Reference

Strength: melee, lifting, forcing doors
Agility: ranged attacks, stealth, dodging traps
Wisdom / Intelligence: puzzles, lore, magic flavor
Charisma: NPC interaction, persuasion
Constitution: resisting poison, enduring hardship
Perception: spotting clues, ambush detection

Choose the attribute that best matches the task; roll 1d20 + modifier against a sensible target number.

8. Shields, Optional Tactics (For Advanced Play)

If you prefer a crunchier style, treat shield bonuses as follows:

Small Shield = +1 DV • Shield = +2 DV
Add the bonus to 10 + Agility mod to form the hero’s DV. This layer is purely optional.

9. Tutorials & Learning Path

New to solo RPGs? Play the five guided adventures in sequence. They introduce exploration, combat, dungeon crawling, and narrative choices step by step.

10. Points of Interest – English Guide for Distant Frontiers

These locations are part of the official map of Distant Frontiers (Fronteiras Distantes), the world where Monsters & Heroes takes place. Since the game was originally written in Brazilian Portuguese, here is the official English translation of all major Points of Interest on the map — keeping the original tone where appropriate and translating only the descriptive names for clarity and immersion.

Monsters & Heroes – Official Translation Reference

#	Original Name (PT-BR)	English Name	Map Location Description (EN)
1	Domínios Tharuk	Tharuk Domains	Mountain range in the north-central region (dragon atop the peaks)
2	Ruínas Tharuk	Tharuk Ruins	Northernmost ridge of the same mountain range
3	Vila Draco	Draco Village	Southwestern slope of the Tharuk Domains
4	Monges Tsur	Tsur Monks	Hills northeast of the mountains, just before the Great Forest
5	Feiticeiro Negro	Black Sorcerer	Isolated tower on the far northeastern cliff
6	Ashendale (capital)	Ashendale (capital)	Large city in the north-central region, beside the main river
7	Floresta dos Elfos	Elven Forest	Dense forest in the east-central region
8	Ruínas dos Druidas	Druidic Ruins	Deep within the Elven Forest, just south of Ashendale
9	Fortaleza de Dunain	Dunain Fortress	Southeastern foothills of the forest, near the first mountains
10	Catedral do Conde	Count’s Cathedral	Northern plateau, between dunes and river
11	Dunas Silenciosas	Silent Dunes	Sandy stretch in the west-central area, just below Draco Village
12	Castelo Waldenleigh	Waldenleigh Castle	Central-west inland area, near the river flowing to the Sea of Serpents
13	Doom	Doom	Small village southwest of Waldenleigh Castle, near the coast
14	Deserto de Kharun	Kharun Desert	Vast desert in the central-west region, bordered by the river to the east
15	Rocha de Balin	Balin’s Rock	Coastal cliff in the southwest, by the bay below the desert
16	Baranor	Baranor	Coastal settlement northwest of the desert
17	Reino de Thiran	Kingdom of Thiran	Southeastern plains, along the large bend of the river
18	Vila dos Magos	Wizards’ Village	Northern slope of the south-central peninsula
19	Esquecidos (cemitério)	The Forgotten (Cemetery)	South-central region, east of the Wizards’ Village
20	Minas	Mines	Southeastern coastal road, just above the Kingdom of Thiran
21	Kalefel	Kalefel	Forested plateau in the east-central region, bordering the great forest
22	Karabas	Karabas	Far northeastern tip of the continent, just right of the Black Sorcerer’s tower
23	Ilha do Unicórnio Selvagem	Wild Unicorn Island	Large island west of the mainland (Sea of Serpents)
24	Ilha do Ciclope	Cyclops Island	Medium-sized island southeast of the mainland (Sea of Deep Fear)
25	Ilha Caveira	Skull Island	Skull-shaped island in the southeastern sea
26	Mar das Serpentes Marinhas	Sea of Serpent Beasts	Entire western coastline, between the mainland and Wild Unicorn Island
27	Mar do Medo Profundo	Sea of Deep Fear	Southeastern sea, encompassing Skull Island and Cyclops Island

11. Are “common items” the same as the items in the Merchant’s Item Table?

(Question sent by Joe)

No.

• Common items are generic exploration finds (herbs, small potions, tools, charms).
• The Merchant’s Item Table is used in towns/markets to show items with set prices, uses, and durability.

They’re not the same, but a merchant may occasionally sell a common item depending on the narrative.

12. How do Perception checks work? Elora’s Perception is 14 — do I roll under it or use it differently?

(Question sent by Joe)

There is no roll-under mechanic in Monsters & Heroes.

• Passive Perception: the number on the character table (Elora = 14) serves as a passive threshold — if the DV is ≤ 14, she may notice automatically.
• Active search: when the DV is higher, roll 1d20 + relevant modifier (Wisdom or Intelligence). If the total ≥ DV, you succeed.
• Talents like Keen Senses or Tracker give +2 on Perception rolls when actively searching/tracking.

Example: If a hidden clue has DV 14, Elora may notice it passively. If it’s DV 15, she must roll 1d20 + Wis/Int to try to beat 15+.

13) “I can’t find a ‘Common Items’ table in the book. What should I use?”

Answer. There isn’t a standalone “Common Items” table. The official reference for buying/selling is the Merchant’s Item Table (Table 21)—use it whenever an encounter points to a merchant or when the story naturally creates a trading opportunity.
For everyday gear (rope, simple torches, rations, flasks, bandages, etc.), Monsters & Heroes is fiction-first: if it’s plausible in the scene, introduce it narratively and keep the adventure flowing. When you need a sense of cost/rarity, lean on the Merchant’s table as a benchmark rather than adding bookkeeping. And remember: the design encourages adapting and improvising when rules get in the way of the story.

14) Adventure 2 — “First Combat”: the Wolf deals 1d4 damage, but Table 7 doesn’t list damage dice. Which one do I follow?

Answer (double-checked). In Adventure 2 (guided mission), the Wild Wolf is presented with HP 8, DV 12, Damage 1d4—that’s intentional to teach the step-by-step flow. Follow those numbers inside the tutorial.

Outside the tutorial, use the streamlined fixed values from the creature charts:

• Table 3 – Wild Animals (Wolf): HP 8; hero attack d20 + Agility vs 10; hero damage: −4 HP; wolf attack d20 vs 14; wolf damage: −3 HP (difficulty: Medium).
• Table 7 – Monsters & Enemies (e.g., Shadow Wolf): HP 10; hero d20 + Agility, DC 10; hero damage: −3 HP; monster attack DC 14; monster damage: −3 HP—no damage dice on this table.

How to reconcile the First Combat (guided mission).
If you prefer the Fast (Solo) Mode right in the tutorial, replace the Wolf’s 1d4 with the fixed values from the charts: the Wolf deals −3 HP on a hit, and a Hero’s hit against the Wolf deals −4 HP. All to-hit tests remain the same—you’re only swapping the damage die for fixed reductions. Pick one rhythm for the whole fight (Standard or Fast) and don’t mix them mid-combat.

15) What exactly does the Dungeon Encounter table on p.62 do—and where do I get HP/DC/damage?

The p.62 Dungeon Encounters table is an encounter generator: it tells you what you meet and provides the Success Roll attribute check (e.g., Giant Rat → d20 + Agility ≥ 12) when you enter a new room/corridor. It does not duplicate combat stats.
Pull HP, to-hit DCs, and damage from the creature charts (e.g., Monsters & Enemies) when you want the Fast mode of play.
After you know what you’ve met, roll a d6 to determine how many enemies: 1–3 = 1 enemy; 4–5 = 2 enemies; 6 = 3 enemies (all of the same type).

16) I see “Giant Rat” on p.62, but I can’t find its line in the creature chart. What stats should I use?

You’re right: Giant Rat appears in the p.62 generator, but it doesn’t have its own entry in the creature chart. Until the next PDF update, use this official interim guidance: treat Giant Rat as a Goblin-tier foe (same profile) for a quick, balanced baseline: HP 6; Hero Attack: d20 + Agil./Str mod., DC 8; Hero’s Damage: –2 HP; Monster Attack: d20, DC 12; Monster’s Damage: –2 HP; Difficulty: Easy.

17) Why does the hero sheet show a weapon damage die if the creature chart uses fixed damage?

Because both rhythms are official and serve different play styles:

• Standard (Cinematic) Mode: on a hit, roll your weapon’s damage die and subtract it from the enemy’s HP; the guided missions intentionally use this flow and ask you to record your weapon’s die.
• Fast Mode: apply the fixed HP reductions from the creature chart (“Hero’s Damage / Monster’s Damage”)—no weapon damage roll.

Rule of consistency: choose one rhythm per fight and don’t mix them mid-combat. Many solo players default to Fast for speed and switch to Standard when they want more “weapon flavor.”

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✨ The Magic Rule of Monsters & Heroes ✨
In the world of RPGs, you won’t always find an exact rule for every situation. And that’s perfectly fine!
If there isn’t a specific rule for what you want to do, don’t worry.
Use your imagination, improvise, and keep the adventure going — because above all, what keeps every journey alive is having fun.