Introducing Maniacal Game Rules

Welcome to the world of Maniacal, where the rules are fierce and the gameplay is intense. Get ready for a wild ride as we dive into the specifics of this thrilling game.

A New Kind of Challenge

Let me tell you, Maniacal is unlike any game you’ve ever played before. The rules are designed to push you to your limits, testing your skills, strategy, and nerve. It’s a game that demands quick thinking and adaptability.

When you step into the realm of Maniacal, you’ll encounter a whirlwind of challenges that will keep you on your toes. The gameplay is fast-paced and unpredictable, with twists and turns at every corner.

Mastering the Gameplay

To conquer Maniacal, you need to immerse yourself in its intricacies. It’s not about luck; it’s about honing your abilities and staying one step ahead of your opponents.

Each move you make in Maniacal is a strategic decision that can have far-reaching consequences. You must analyze the ever-changing game board, anticipate your rivals’ moves, and plan your next move accordingly.

But be warned: Maniacal is a double-edged sword. While it offers endless opportunities for grand victories, it also presents the potential for devastating defeats. The key is to stay focused, keep your wits about you, and embrace the thrilling roller coaster that the game offers.

The Maniacal Formula

Get ready to dive into the fascinating world of Maniacal. As you familiarize yourself with the rules of the game, you’ll find that it’s a unique blend of strategy, suspense, and pure adrenaline.

As you navigate the ever-changing landscape of Maniacal, you’ll quickly learn that success is not solely dependent on luck or brute force. It’s a delicate balance of calculated risks, clever tactics, and a touch of daring.

Remember, when it comes to Maniacal, fortune favors the bold. So step up, embrace the challenge, and let the games begin!

• 1 Gameboard
• 75 Secret Base Room cards
• 40 Henchman cards
• 97 Contract cards
• 8 Mercenary cards
• 14 Power cards
• 25 Scheme cards
• 5 Supervillain cards
• 7 Lackey cards
• 5 sets of wooden player tokens
• 28 Trait dice
• 10 Injury tokens
• 1 white Round marker
• 55 Money tokens
• 8 Finale cards
• 10 +1/+2 tokens
• 30 Hero cards
• 5 Player Aid cards

Object of the Game

In MANIACAL, I will be taking on the role of a comic book Supervillain. My goal is to earn the most Infamy points throughout 3 rounds of play. To gain Infamy, I will need to complete contracts like “Steal a Nuclear Warhead” that will appear on a world map.

To complete these contracts, you’ll need to recruit henchmen. There are 6 different types: Beasts, Criminals, Scientists, Mystics, Lackeys, and Mercenaries. Each type of henchman can be attracted to your secret base by building specific rooms. For example, if you construct a Robotics Lab, Scientists will be drawn to your base. Activate room cards with your henchmen to unlock bonuses that will help you complete contracts and gain Infamy.

In a nutshell, here’s what MANIACAL is all about:

1. Build your Secret Base.

2. Attract Henchmen.

3. Complete Contracts.

Now, let’s get started with the setup.

First, I want you to lay the gameboard right in the middle of the play area. Make sure it’s in a spot where everyone can see it.

Next, take the round marker and place it on the number “1” of the round track. This keeps track of what round you’re on.

Now it’s time to get the Contract cards ready. Sort them into 3 decks based on their difficulty: Easy, Hard, and Legendary. Shuffle each deck and put them face-down near the gameboard.

After that, we need to seed the world map with some contracts. Take 4 Easy and 2 Hard Contract cards, shuffle them together, and randomly place them face-down on the continent locations of the world map. This gives you some contracts to start with.

Don’t forget about the Injury tokens! Put them off to the side of the gameboard for now.

Next, shuffle the 4 Henchmen decks and put them face-down on their corresponding locations on the gameboard. Then, flip over the top card of each deck. These henchmen are ready to cause some trouble.

Lastly, set up the trait dice. Separate them by color and make sure each group is within reach of all players. These dice will come in handy during the game.

To get started playing MANIACAL, follow these simple steps:

1. Mix the Secret Base Room deck and the Power deck together. Put them aside for now.

2. Take the Scheme deck and place it face down in The Underground Special Location on the gameboard. Then, shuffle the Mercenary deck and put it face down in Lucifer’s Lounge Special Location on the gameboard.

3. Each player needs to choose a Supervillain card. You can pick one randomly or any other way you prefer. Each Supervillain card has a unique strength or weakness (see Advanced Rules on page 15). If it’s your first time playing MANIACAL, you can ignore these special abilities to make the game a bit easier.

4. Now, each player should take the Lackey card that goes with their Supervillain. This will be an important ally throughout the game.

In this game, each of us will get our own set of colorful tokens. We’ll start by putting one wooden disc on the starting space of each of the 4 Attraction Score tracks on the gameboard. The order in which we stack them doesn’t matter, so just put them on top of each other.

Next, we’ll each place one of our cylinders on the “0” space of the Infamy track. This will be our way of keeping track of our score throughout the game.

Now it’s time to place our supervillain-shaped meeple on our Supervillain card in front of us.

Okay, let’s randomly choose who goes first. That player will put their other cylinder on the “1st” space of the Player Order track. Then, we’ll go around the table clockwise, with each player placing their token on the next available space (“2nd”, then “3rd”, and so on).

Let’s get started with the game by giving the first player $8 in tokens. For each player after that, they will receive $1 more than the previous player. So, the second player will get $9, the third player will get $10, and so on. Make sure to place the remaining money tokens within reach of all players to use as the “bank”.

Next, each player should draw 1 random Scheme card to add some excitement to the game.

And now, we are ready to begin playing!

Money

In MANIACAL, each $1 token actually represents an astonishing $100,000. And believe me, it’s so much better that way.

How to Play the Game

So, let me break it down for you. A game of MANIACAL is made up of 3 thrilling rounds. And each of these rounds has its own set of phases that you need to go through. Here they are:

1. Base Building Phase
2. Henchmen Phase
3. Contract Phase
4. Clean-Up Phase

Phase I: Base Building Phase

Alright, this is where the excitement begins. In the Base Building Phase, you get to do a super cool draft for Secret Base Room cards. You’ll be dealt 5 of these cards. And here’s the best part: you get to pick one of these cards to either build or sell. But shhh, keep your decision to yourself for now. We’ll reveal them all together later.

Once everyone is ready, we’ll unveil our cards, and it’s time to announce our decisions. And let me tell you, the order doesn’t matter here. We’re all taking action at the same time.

Once all of us have taken care of our initial action to either build or sell, it’s time to pass our unused cards to the player next to us. The direction of this passing is indicated on the Turn Track, with the pattern alternating from clockwise on Turn 1 to counter-clockwise on Turn 2, and then clockwise again on Turn 3.

By this point, we will each have 4 cards in our hands to choose from. At the same time, we need to make a decision on whether to build or sell, and then reveal our chosen action. After resolving this second action, there will be a final pass of cards among the players.

During this last pass, each of us will have only 3 cards left in our hands. Once we have resolved this final build or sell action, we need to discard the remaining 2 room cards that we haven’t used. This signifies the end of the Base Building Phase.

Creating a Room

When you want to create a room, you need to spend money equal to its cost. Put the Room card in front of you, close to your Supervillain card. You can place Room cards next to each other in any way you like; there’s no need to worry about how they fit together physically.

Some rooms have a special effect that activates later, during the Contract Phase. You can see this effect at the bottom of the card, but it doesn’t come into play right now.

When you build a new room for your secret base, it becomes more appealing to certain types of henchmen. At the bottom of each room card, you’ll find a number that represents the amount of attraction points you gain in one of four areas: Beasts, Criminals, Scientists, and Mystics.

For instance, take a look at the Intrinsic Field Chamber displayed on the left. It provides 5 attraction points for Scientists. Once you construct a room, your Attraction Score for that particular area goes up. So, if you were to build this room, you would keep track of your increased Attraction Score like this:

I want to let you in on a little secret: the Room you create can be a real game-changer. It has the power to attract different types of people, depending on how you design it. For example, you might have a Room that appeals to both the adventurous and the rebellious.

But here’s the thing: sometimes, multiple people might be equally attracted to your Room. And that’s totally okay! When this happens, just stack their tokens together. Simple as that.

Selling Your Room

When you sell a room in MANIACAL, you simply give up the Room card and get money from the bank equal to its cost. This is the easiest and fastest way to make money.

II. Henchmen Phase: Find Your Henchmen

During the Henchmen Phase, you’ll check how well your base attracts henchmen by using the Attraction Score tracks. Each turn, a maximum of 8 henchmen (2 Beasts, 2 Criminals, 2 Scientists, and 2 Mystics) will be recruited.

Henchmen are crucial for your success in MANIACAL because you need them to complete contracts and activate rooms in your base.

Henchmen Cards and Their Traits

The henchman type icon and Cost are in the upper-right corner of a Henchman card.

The henchman’s traits are shown on the left side of the card. Henchmen vary in 4 traits:

Did you know that henchmen each have their own unique traits that can make a big difference in your dice pool when you’re trying to accomplish contracts? That’s right, each trait is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, and the higher the number, the better!

Let’s break it down:

• Strength: This trait represents how physically strong the henchman is. The more strength they have, the more dice they can contribute to your dice pool.
• Intelligence: This trait measures the henchman’s mental abilities. The higher their intelligence, the more dice they can add to your pool.
• Stealth: If you’re looking to complete contracts quietly and without drawing attention, you’ll need a henchman with a high stealth rating. The more stealth they have, the more dice they can bring to the table.
• Charisma: This trait reflects the henchman’s social skills and ability to charm others. A henchman with a high charisma rating can add more dice to your pool when negotiating contracts.
• Perception: When it comes to spotting details or uncovering hidden secrets, a henchman with a high perception rating is your best bet. The more perception they have, the more dice they can contribute to your pool.

So, when you’re choosing the right henchman for a contract, it’s important to take into account their individual traits. Remember, each trait can have a significant impact on your dice pool, so choose wisely!

In MANIACAL, there are six types of henchmen: Beasts, Criminals, Scientists, Mystics, Lackeys, and Mercenaries. During the Henchmen Phase, you can recruit Beasts, Criminals, Scientists, and Mystics to join your base.

At the start of the game, each player has one Lackey, and you can’t get any more. To recruit Mercenaries, you need to visit the special location called Lucifer’s Lounge.

The Mysterious Creatures Known as Beasts

Hey there! Have you ever heard of beasts? These fascinating creatures are like something out of a legend. Picture this: a wild mix of humans and animals with extraordinary powers. It’s mind-blowing!

Beasts are a double-edged sword. On one hand, they possess incredible strength and athleticism. They’re as powerful as the mightiest of animals, with brawn beyond measure. On the other hand, their stealth is unmatched. They can move with the grace and silence of a shadow, making them nearly invisible.

Imagine having the strength of a lion and the stealth of a panther. That’s what beasts are all about. They bring together the best of both worlds and create a never-before-seen combination.

When someone encounters a beast, it’s like witnessing a whole new level of existence. These extraordinary beings challenge our understanding of what is possible. It’s mind-boggling how someone can possess traits from both humans and animals.

If you’re someone who loves exploring the unknown and unraveling the mysteries of our world, beasts will amaze you. By following their trails, you’ll embark on an adventure like no other.

Remember, though, that beasts can be unpredictable. Their hybrid nature makes them unique, but it also means they’re unlike anything we’ve ever encountered. So, approaching them requires caution and respect.

But if you’re willing to take the risk, the rewards can be extraordinary. Beasts have the potential to revolutionize the way we see the world and ourselves.

So, are you ready to discover the wonders of beasts? Step into this enigmatic realm, and let the journey begin!

Criminals: The Sneaky and Smart Ones

When it comes to criminals, they are not your average lawbreakers. These sneaky individuals excel in two important areas: Stealth and Intellect. That’s right, they know how to stay hidden and they are clever thinkers.

Scientists

Scientists are such fascinating individuals. They possess extraordinary intellect coupled with an enchanting imagination that allows them to dream up marvelous innovations and ideas. When I think of a scientist, I envision a person who is equal parts brilliance and madness. Their minds are wired differently, pushing the boundaries of what is known and exploring the mysteries of the universe. It’s like they have a secret connection to the source of boundless knowledge.

Hey there! Let’s talk about Mystics and how they’re a little mysterious, with powers that are sort of out of this world. They’ve got this magic or brawn thing going on, which is pretty cool.

Now, when it comes to getting some new recruits, you’ve got a few options. Every turn, you’ve got 2 Beasts, 2 Criminals, 2 Scientists, and 2 Mystics up for grabs. To snag one of these recruits, you’ll need to pay attention to their Attraction Scores. Different types of henchmen have different Attraction Scores.

So, let’s start with the Attraction Score for the Beasts. The player with the highest Attraction Score gets to recruit the Beast henchman that’s face-up on top of the Beast Henchmen deck. Pretty sweet, right?

If you’re the lucky player who gets to recruit, you’ll take that henchman card and add it to your hand. But here’s the deal – you need to lower your beast Attraction Score by the cost of the henchman you just recruited. Gotta keep things fair, you know? And don’t worry, as soon as you’ve done all that, the next Beast card will be revealed. So there’s always a chance to grab another henchman!

Once again, I become the lucky player who gets to recruit a henchman with the highest Attraction Score in beasts. It might be the same player who recruited the first Beast. We go through the exact same process for Criminals, Scientists, and Mystics, ensuring that we recruit 2 of each type.

Once all the henchmen are recruited, we need to make sure that the top card of each Henchmen deck is face-up, getting ready for the next turn.

Remember: If you don’t have enough attraction points to pay for a henchman, you can’t recruit them! The henchman will stay face-up and become available again next turn. And that’s it for recruiting henchmen of that type, even if it was the first one on offer.

Also, keep in mind: Any attraction points left on the Attraction Score tracks will carry over to the next turn. They don’t reset to 0.

Tiebreaks and Player Order

When 2 or more players have the same highest Attraction score, the player who is the highest on the Player Order track will win the tie and be able to recruit the available henchman.

Example: Breaking a Recruitment Tie

Imagine that Green and Blue are tied for the highest Beast attraction score at the beginning of a Henchmen Phase. In this scenario, Green would win the tie and recruit the top Beast henchman.

Once Green has paid the cost for this henchman, Blue would then have the most Beast attraction points and would recruit the next Beast that is revealed.

Player Order

Example: Henchmen Recruitment

Let’s consider a 3-player game. We have Hassan playing as the yellow player, Simon as the brown player, and Dave as the green player. Here are the Attraction Score tracks at the beginning of Round 1 during the Henchmen Phase:

Hey there! Let me introduce you to the current crew of henchmen:

• Beasts: Royal Jelly (cost = 3)
• Criminals: Ms. Nomer (cost = 3)
• Scientists: Gray Matter (cost = 5)
• Mystics: Occulus (cost = 1)

First up, we have the Beasts. Hassan (yellow) is attracting the most attention, so he chooses to recruit Royal Jelly. This brings his beast Attraction Score down from 6 to 3.

Now, let’s reveal the next incredible beast in the deck. It’s Hammerhead, and boy, is he a great addition! Simon (brown) now has the highest beast attraction score, so he’s thrilled to recruit Hammerhead. Lucky for him, he has just enough attraction points to pay for it!

Next up, we have the Criminals. Once again, Simon is at the top of the list, and he decides to recruit Ms. Nomer. This brings his criminal Attraction Score down from 3 to a cool 0. The next criminal in line is Magpie, who comes with a cost of 2.

Unfortunately, even though I am the best recruit with an Attraction Score of 1, it’s not enough to cover the cost of Magpie. So, you’ll have to wait until the next round before you can add Magpie to your team.

Now, let’s talk about the Scientists. I have my eyes set on Gray Matter because he’s one of the smartest and most skilled scientists in the deck. And guess what? I effortlessly win with an Attraction Score of 8!

Guess what? I just recruited someone amazing to join my team in the game! Gray Matter is now on board, and our Attraction Score has increased to 3. Can you believe it? We’re tied with Simon for the highest score!

Now it’s time to reveal the next scientist, and it’s Centrifuge. I wonder who will recruit him? Since Simon was the first player on the Player Order track, he gets to recruit Centrifuge. Lucky him! Simon pays 3 attraction points and adds Centrifuge to his team.

Let’s not forget about the Mystics. Hassan is leading the pack with an Attraction Score of 4. He’s doing pretty well! Hassan decides to recruit Occulus, and it only costs him 1 attraction point. Impressive, right? And guess what? He’s still at the top of the rankings!

But wait, there’s more. The next Mystic is revealed, and it turns out to be The Minister. It costs 3 attraction points to recruit him, and guess what again? Hassan has just enough points to bring The Minister onto his team as well. Talk about a lucky streak!

So, here’s the final score:

III. Contract Phase

In the Contract Phase, we get to do some sneaky stuff all over the world, trying to get rich and famous. But to succeed, we have to be really careful with our henchmen and how we spend our time.

Deciding Who Goes First

Before we start the Contract Phase, we need to move our Time tokens from the Player Order track to the Time track that matches the current round (1, 2, or 3).

We should put our tokens on the left-most spot on the Time track (if it’s the first round, that’s spot “8”). We stack the tokens in the order of play, so the 1st player’s token goes on top, then the 2nd player’s, and so on.

During the Contract Phase, we take turns doing different actions. The person whose token is on the leftmost space of the Turn track gets to go first.

When we have multiple tokens on the same space, the player with the highest token becomes the active player. As you make moves during the Contract Phase, you will spend time and move your Time token to the right on the Turn track.

Once you have used up all your available time, move your Time token up to the Player Order track. Your token should occupy the leftmost space available on the Player Order track.

Actions and Time Usage

When it’s your turn to be the active player, you must take one action. The possible actions are:

Action

Time Cost
Activate the Action Room	1 week
Attempt a Contract	3-5 weeks
Visit a Special Location	2 weeks
Pass	remaining time

Hey there! Let’s talk about time in a game. Time is really valuable because it’s limited – there’s only so much of it! When you decide to take an action in the game, you have to spend some time. To keep track of this, you move your Time token to the right on the Time track.

Now here’s the catch: you can only take an action if you have enough time left. If you don’t, you’ll have to wait. Once you finish your action, if your Time token is still at the very start of the Time track, you get to be the active player again.

But things can change quickly. If another player’s token is now at the start of the Time track, they become the active player instead. If you happen to move your Time token and end up landing on another player’s token, just stack yours on top.

Now, let’s say you’ve used up all your Time and it’s your turn to end. You have to move your Time token to the very first space on the Player Order track. You’ll have to wait until your turn comes back around to take more actions.

Here’s an example to help you understand:

In Round 1, we begin the Contract Phase. I am the first player, represented by the brown color. Next comes Hassan, the second player in yellow, and Dave, the third player in green. We place our Time tokens on the “8” of the Turn 1 Time track, with my token on top.

Now it’s my turn to take action. I activate an Action room in my base. This requires me to spend 1 week from my available time, denoted as week A. Now it’s Hassan’s turn to be the active player. He decides to go on a contract, which costs him 4 weeks from his remaining time, marked as week B. Once Hassan finishes his action, it’s Dave’s turn to be the active player.

Dave follows suit and uses an Action room in his base, costing 1 week from his time, known as week C. Since his Time token is placed on top of mine, he becomes the active player once again. This time, he chooses to visit a Special Location, which requires him to spend 2 weeks. Now it’s my turn to be the active player once more.

The Contract Phase continues until all three of us players have used up all our available time.

How to Activate Action Rooms

When you’re playing the game and building rooms in your base, some of them fall under the category of Action rooms. These rooms have a special feature that lets you take action when you’re the active player.

If you have an unexhausted Supervillain or henchman, you can activate one of these Action rooms. Here’s how it works:

If you choose to use your Supervillain, just place your Supervillain meeple on the Room card. By doing this, you exhaust your Supervillain, meaning you can’t use them for any more actions in the current turn. Don’t worry, though – they’ll get refreshed during the Clean-up Phase.

If you decide to use a henchman instead, place the Henchman card on top of the Room card. This action also exhausts the henchman, so you won’t be able to use them for any further actions this turn. Just flip the Henchman card face-down to show its exhausted status.

Now, before you can take advantage of the Action room you activated, you need to pay the Time cost. This is usually just 1 week, as indicated on the card. Once you’ve paid the cost, you can immediately trigger the effect of the room. Remember, though – you can only activate each room once per round.

Here’s an Example:

Let me tell you what happened. It’s Round 1, and I’m Simon – the one calling the shots. First thing I do is activate my Id e9 Lab. I use my Supervillain, placing the meeple right on the room card. That costs me one week, moving my Time token down from “8” to “7” on the Time track. And here’s the best part: as soon as I activate the room, I get a sweet reward. For each Scientist henchman I control, I gain 2 Infamy points. It’s like robbing a bank and getting away with it!

But wait, there’s a catch. My Supervillain is totally wiped out after this move. Out of commission for the rest of the round. No more actions for them, it’s like they went on vacation or something. Oh well, at least I made it count.

Taking a Leap of Faith

When you reach the Contract Phase, an exhilarating opportunity awaits – attempting a contract! Scattered across the world map, you’ll find 6 mysterious face-down contract cards, each holding its secrets tightly. These cards possess information on both sides, but unlocking their potential requires commitment and a leap of faith.

Hey there! Let’s talk about Contract cards. I’m sure you’re eager to know how they work. Well, the back of a Contract card provides some important details. First off, it tells you the difficulty of the contract – whether it’s easy, hard, or legendary. It also tells you how many henchmen you need for the job, which can range from 1 to 4. And lastly, it suggests the best trait to have for the task, whether it’s brawn, stealth, intellect, or magic.

As the active player, it’s up to you to decide which of your henchmen you want to assign to the contract team. But be careful, you have to assign the exact number of henchmen specified by the required team size. So make sure you count right!

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Once you’ve made your choice, your opponents have a chance to play a Scheme card against you. It’s like a surprise twist in the story, so be prepared!

So, here’s the deal: I need to pay attention to how far away the contract is from my Supervillain’s base. On my Supervillain card, I can find the location of my base and see the Time Costs for attempting contracts in 6 continents. To determine the Time Cost, I move my token on the Time track a number of spaces equal to the Time Cost I am paying. Make sense?

Let me give you an example:

Let’s say my name is Hassan and I’m playing as the Arctic Queen (shown above). It’s Round 1, and for my first action, I decide to attempt a contract in Europe (continent “C” on the world map). To do that, I need to spend 4 weeks on the Time Track. So, I move my token from space “8” to space “4”.

Completing Contracts

Once I’ve paid the Time Cost, I can flip my chosen Contract card to read and resolve it.

So here’s the deal: The most important thing to remember is the Target value. This is the number you gotta roll to win the contract. The higher the number, the tougher the contract.

Easy contracts have Target values from 1 to 4. Hard contracts range from 3 to 9. And Legendary contracts? They go all the way from 4 to 15. Now, there’s another thing that affects the Target value: the size of your team. Contracts that need more people have higher Target values. But guess what? They also come with bigger rewards!

Alright, step one: grab your trait dice. There are four types of dice in this game. They match the traits of your henchmen: Brawn (red), Stealth (blue), Intellect (green), and Magic (orange). For each point of Brawn your henchmen have, you get one Brawn die. Simple as that.

When it comes to Stealth, Intellect, and Magic, each of these traits will grant you a trait die. So, the more points you have in each trait, the more dice you’ll collect.

Now, let’s roll those dice! Count up your successes by adding the numbers rolled on the dice. If you need more dice than you have, you can make multiple rolls and keep track of your successes along the way.

Remember: if you roll a trait icon that matches the recommended trait for the contract you’re working on, that icon is worth double the number of successes! Having henchmen with the recommended trait will greatly increase your chances of success.

If the number of successes you roll is equal to or greater than the Target value of the contract, then congratulations, you’ve succeeded! Enjoy the rewards that come with success, and read the “Success!” flavor text to see what awaits you.

When it comes to Infamy points and money, there are a few things you need to know. First, you’ll always receive a specific number of Infamy points and a certain amount of money. Second, don’t forget to record the increase in your Infamy track. And finally, make sure to take the number of money tokens that matches your money reward.

Now, let’s talk about what happens when you don’t roll enough successes. If you fail the contract, don’t worry! You can still get some rewards, although they will be significantly less than if you had succeeded. So make sure to read the “Failure…” flavor text and collect your rewards.

Contract Results

Hey there! Guess what? There’s something new for you to check out in the rewards area. It’s an extra icon that applies specifically to you!

This little addition brings along some interesting effects. Let me break them down for you:

• Injured: This is when you’re not feeling your best. It might slow you down a bit, but don’t worry, you’ll bounce back!
• Captured: Uh-oh, looks like someone got you! But don’t despair. Your captor might have something in store for you…
• Scheme card: Wow, lucky you! You just got yourself a scheme card. Curious to see what’s in it?
• Random Power: And last but not least, you might just receive a random power. How cool is that?

Trait Dice Faces

So, you’ve finished dealing with the contract. Awesome job! Now it’s time to move on and discard it. All the henchmen you assigned to this contract, as long as they weren’t captured, are now completely worn out. Just flip their henchmen cards over to show that they are exhausted. Keep in mind that exhausted henchmen can’t be used for any more actions during this round.

But wait, there’s something important you need to know: Right after discarding the contract, you have to immediately draw a brand new Contract card that has the same level of difficulty. Place it face-down on the available continent. This way, there will always be a total of 6 contracts for all of us to choose from.

Let’s talk about activating the Contract rooms.

Within your base, there’s another kind of room called the Contract room. These rooms come into play when you’re resolving a contract. The great thing about Contract rooms is that, unless the card says otherwise, you can activate them at any point while you’re going through the contract resolution process.

If you want to activate the room, you need to use up one of your available henchmen or your Supervillain. You can’t choose a henchman that’s already assigned to the contract team. When you activate the room, its effect is immediately triggered.

It’s important to know that activating Contract rooms doesn’t take any time! You can activate as many Contract rooms as you want during a contract resolution, as long as you have enough henchmen available. Just like with Action rooms, each Contract room can only be activated once per round.

Contract Room:

When I’m trying to resolve a contract, I can choose to use my Cloaks & Costumes room. Before I roll my dice, I have to activate this room.

To activate the room, I have to exhaust Mr. Moist, who isn’t currently on my team. This means I can’t use him for anything else in the game. But by doing this, I get to add an extra die of my choice to the dice pool. It gives me a better chance of success!

Don’t worry, activating the Contract room doesn’t take any extra time, so it won’t slow me down.

Special Effects

When I succeed or fail at a contract, I might experience a Special Effect. There are four possible effects that could happen:

• 

Captured

So here’s the deal: you get to pick one of the henchmen you hired for the job. Just choose the one you assigned to the contract team. But here’s the catch – once you make your choice, that henchman is out. Yep, gone. Removed from the game. Whether they got captured, killed, or they’re just too disabled to continue, it doesn’t matter. They’re history. And boy, are they going to be the butt of some serious jokes. I mean, come on, how inept can they be?

Ouch! That Hurts

Hey there! You’ve got an important decision to make. Pick one of the henchmen on the team and mark them as injured by placing an Injury token on their card. When a henchman gets injured, they can’t be assigned to contracts anymore, but don’t worry, they can still be used to activate rooms in your base. And here’s the cool part – a henchman can actually get more than one Injury token!

Meet the Scheme Card

Hey there! Let’s dive into the exciting world of Scheme, shall we? The first thing you should do is draw a card from the Scheme deck. This card will play a vital role in your strategy.

Power

Lackeys

When you play the game, every player, including me, starts with a special type of henchman called Lackeys. They’re pretty cool!

Lackeys are a lot like regular henchmen – they can be given contracts, they can activate rooms, they can get hurt or caught, and they can even get special powers!

But here’s where they’re different: after they do something, like completing a task, they get tired just like any other henchman. But there are two really important things you should know about Lackeys:

1. Most Lackeys start out with a skill level of “1” for each trait they have (except for those special Supervillain strengths and weaknesses, if you’re using them). But when you give them a task or put them in a room, they can only use one of their skills. You get to choose which one to use!

When I’m assigned to a contract, Lackeys come in handy. They give me the chance to roll again and improve my results. After rolling all my trait dice, I can choose any number of those dice to roll again. Lackeys may be weak, but they give me the flexibility I need to excel at contracts.

Scheme cards are another valuable tool in my arsenal. They allow me to either enhance my own situation during the Contract Phase or disrupt my opponent’s plan. At the beginning of the game, each player starts with 1 Scheme card.

If I want to draw a Scheme card, I can visit The Underground Special Location on page 13. I can also earn Scheme cards as rewards for successfully completing contracts or activating specific rooms.

It’s important to keep my Scheme cards hidden from my opponents. If I ever need to draw a new Scheme card and there are none left, I simply shuffle the discard pile to create a fresh draw pile. By using Scheme cards strategically, I can gain an edge in the game.

When you’re playing the game, you have the option to use a Scheme card for two different effects. These effects only come into play during the Contract Phase. The first effect, the negative effect, is applied when you play the card while an opponent is the active player.

Here’s how it works: after the active player decides to attempt a contract and assigns a team, but before they flip the card, you can play your Scheme card. Keep in mind that you can only use one negative effect against an opponent for each contract attempt. Starting with the active player and going clockwise, each opponent gets to decide whether they want to use one of their own Scheme cards.

Once someone plays a negative Scheme effect, no other opponent can do the same. However, even when it’s not your turn, you can still play a Scheme card against an opponent as long as your Time token is on the Player Order track.

When you’re the one calling the shots, you have the power to use Scheme cards to your advantage. These cards come with positive effects that can be activated whenever you’re the active player, whether it’s before or after resolving a contract. And the best part? You have the freedom to play more than one Scheme card at a time, giving you even more strategic options.

Even if you’ve just scored a Scheme card as a reward for completing a contract, you can still use it right away. Playing a Scheme card doesn’t count as an action, so you won’t have to spend any extra time or effort on it.

Once you’ve played a Scheme card and enjoyed its benefits, it’s time to bid it farewell. Simply discard it, knowing that it served its purpose in your grand plan.

Watch out for the downsides

1. Boost the value of a contract by +2.
2. Take away one trait die from a player’s dice pool before they roll the dice to resolve a contract. This can bring their dice count down to 0.
3. Make a player spend an extra week to attempt a contract.
4. Once a player completes a contract, assign an Injury to one of the henchmen on their team. You can choose to do this after the active player has assigned any Special Effects.
5. If the player succeeds in completing this contract, steal $3 from them when they collect their reward.

Furthermore: every time you play a Scheme card for its negative effect, you instantly gain +2 Infamy.

Possible Positive Effects

1. During a contract resolution, I can reroll up to 3 dice. This is useful if I want to improve my chances of success. I can use this ability multiple times in a row if I have other reroll effects from a Lackey or a Contract room.
2. If I choose this option, I gain +2 weeks on the Time track. This means I can move my Time token 2 spaces to the left. However, I can’t have more time than the maximum listed on that Time track.
3. If I have a henchman who is exhausted, I can use this power to refresh them. Once refreshed, the henchman can be used for an extra action this round. This can be really helpful if I need more actions but don’t have any other way to get them.
4. If an Injured or Captured effect happens while I am the active player, I can use this power to nullify it. This means the effect doesn’t happen to me, which can save me from getting into a bad situation.
5. If I fail a contract, I can gain +2 Infamy and $2. This is a small consolation prize for not completing the contract successfully. It’s nice to get a little something even if I didn’t succeed.

Powers

Every now and then, one of my henchmen will be given a random Power. This can happen as a result of completing a contract or through some other game effect. When this happens, I have to choose which henchman will receive the Power. It’s an exciting moment that can give me an edge in the game!

Alright, let’s get into the nitty-gritty. First things first, pick a card from the Power deck and stick it onto your chosen henchman. This card boosts one or more of their abilities by a specific amount.

• You can assign multiple Powers to one henchman.
• If a henchman with a Power gets caught, discard the attached card(s) right away.
• A henchman with a Power can have values in two or three different traits. For example, they might start with a “4” in Brawn. Then, when they get their Power, they gain “1” in Stealth and “1” in Magic. If you assign this henchman to a contract, they’ll contribute a total of 6 trait dice: 4 Brawn, 1 Stealth, and 1 Magic. Wowza!

Hey there! Let me tell you something cool. You can actually give powers to your Lackey, which is like your right-hand person. But here’s the catch: your Lackey can only use one power at a time. So, for example, if your Lackey has the Berserker Strength power, their Brawn will be “3”, and their Stealth, Intellect, and Magic will all be “1”. When your Lackey takes up a contract, you can choose which power they use. If you choose Brawn, you can roll 3 Brawn dice. If you choose Stealth, Intellect, or Magic, you can roll one die of that type.

Exploring Special Locations

Did you know that, as the active player, you can visit one of the three Special Locations on the world map? It’s pretty cool! When you visit a Special Location, it takes 2 weeks of time, but you don’t have to exhaust anyone. There are three Special Locations you can visit:

Welcome to the Underground

• Enter at your own risk
• No one knows what awaits you
• Brace yourself for the unknown
• Curiosity will lead the way
• Are you ready for an adventure?
• Do you have what it takes to survive?
• Explore the depths of the underground
• Conquer the challenges that lie ahead
• Uncover hidden secrets
• Experience the thrill of the unknown
• Engage in mind-bending puzzles
• Test your wits and skills
• Can you escape the darkness?
• Discover the truth
• Unlock the mysteries of the underground
• Embrace the journey

Hey there! If you’re looking for a new Scheme card, I’ve got just the place for you to visit – the criminal underground! It’s a pretty curious and risky spot, but sometimes you gotta take a gamble for a chance at something great, right?

When you head down to the criminal underground, all you need to do is pay the time cost, and then you’ll get to draw one random Scheme card. It’s like a lucky dip, where you never know what you’re gonna get!

Welcome to Hoodlum Hospital!

When you get hurt, the hospital is the place to go for healing. It may take some time, and there’s a cost involved. You’ll need to pay $2 to the bank for each Injury token you want to get rid of from your henchmen.

Welcome to Lucifer’s Lounge

The Mercenaries

If you’re in need of some extra muscle, look no further than mercenaries. These hired henchmen can be a game-changer. When you visit the special location called Lucifer’s Lounge, you have a chance of drawing a random Mercenary card.

Once you have a mercenary on your team, they operate just like any other henchmen. They contribute trait dice to the pool when assigned to contracts. Like anyone else, they can get injured or captured. If a mercenary is captured, they’re removed from the game right away.

Keep in mind that mercenaries need time to recover. After completing a contract, they become exhausted. You can also use mercenaries to activate rooms in your base, but they’ll need time to rest afterward.

Here’s where things get interesting. Mercenaries have a special rule because of their “transitory” nature. During the Clean-up Phase, after everyone, including the mercenaries, has been paid their salary, the mercenaries return to the bottom of the Mercenary deck. Any injury tokens or powers they had are discarded at that time.

Passing the Torch

So, when you’re playing the game and it’s your turn, sometimes you might want to pass. If that’s the case, you’ll use up the rest of your turn and move your Time token to the next spot on the Player Order track.

But here’s the thing: you have to pass if you’re not trying to do a contract, use a room in your base, or go to a Special Location.

Example: Passing

It’s getting towards the end of Round I. Hassan (yellow) and Dave (green) have used up all their time and moved their Time tokens to the “1st” and “2nd” spots on the Player Order track.

Now it’s Simon’s turn to play. He’s the active player, but he only has 1 week left. Unfortunately, he can’t do any more contracts, activate rooms in his base, or visit Special Locations.

So, Simon has no choice but to pass. He spends his last week and moves his Time token to the “3rd” spot on the Player Order track.

IV. Clean-up Phase

Salaries: On every round, including the last, you have to pay $1 to the bank for each of your henchmen. It’s not optional – if you have the money, you have to pay up.

When it comes to henchmen, there are different types to consider: Mercenaries, Lackeys, and Injured henchmen. You need to pay the Mercenaries first before paying any of your other henchmen, unless otherwise specified. Once you pay them, the Mercenaries go back to the bottom of the Mercenary deck. Any henchman that isn’t paid leaves the game right away.

Firing: After paying salaries, you have the option to fire one of your henchmen. You remove them from the game.

If we’re in Round 3, then the game is over. Time for End of Game scoring.

But if it’s Round 1 or 2, here’s what we do:

1. First, we refresh all henchmen. We flip them face-up and they’re no longer exhausted. We also refresh Supervillains by returning meeples to their cards.

2. Next, we reseed contracts. We discard all the Contract cards on the world map and draw 6 new ones based on the Contract Key. For example, if it’s Round 2, we draw 2 Easy, 2 Hard, and 2 Legendary Contract cards. We shuffle them and randomly place them face-down on the continent spaces.

3. Finally, we move the round marker and get ready for the next round.

And that’s how we wrap up the game.

Now, let’s talk about the End of the Game.

When Round 3 comes to an end, we all deserve a little bonus, don’t we? So, based on how much money you have compared to the others, you’ll get an Infamy bonus. The more money you have, the higher your bonus will be. The player with the most money gets the “1st place” bonus, and it goes on from there.

Now, let’s talk about ties. If two or more players have the same rank, they each get the full bonus for that rank. Fair, right?

But, here’s where things get really exciting. The player with the highest total Infamy is the big winner! Think about it, all that hard work and scheming finally paying off. But wait, what happens if there’s a tie for the highest Infamy? Well, in that case, the player with the most henchmen (among those who are tied) takes home the victory. And if there’s STILL a tie, then it comes down to the player with the most sinister laugh. How’s that for a tiebreaker?

Bodyguard Option

Have you ever felt the need for some extra protection? Maybe you’ve been in a situation where you wished you had someone to watch your back. That’s where a bodyguard comes in. A bodyguard is someone who is trained to keep you safe and secure. They can be a valuable asset, serving as your personal shield from potential harm or danger.

Bodyguards are known for their ability to assess threats and take quick action to protect their clients. With their specialized training, they are skilled in defensive tactics and can handle various situations that may arise in different environments. They are experts in risk assessment and can quickly analyze any potential risks or vulnerabilities in your surroundings in order to prevent any harm.

Choosing the right bodyguard for your needs is crucial. It’s important to consider factors such as their experience, training, and reputation. You want someone you can trust, who is reliable and capable of handling any situation that may come your way. Understanding your own specific needs and communicating them clearly to your bodyguard is essential for them to provide the best service possible.

Having a bodyguard can provide you with a sense of security and peace of mind. Knowing that there is someone there to protect you can greatly reduce feelings of vulnerability and allow you to focus on your daily activities without constantly looking over your shoulder. They can also act as a deterrent to potential threats, as their presence alone can discourage any malicious intentions.

However, it’s important to remember that a bodyguard is not invincible. While they can provide valuable protection, they are not immune to harm. They are trained professionals, but they are still human. It’s crucial to maintain realistic expectations and understand that there are limitations to what they can do.

Bodyguards play a significant role in the security industry and are sought after by many individuals who require personal protection. Their expertise and skills make them a valuable asset in dangerous or high-risk situations. If you find yourself in need of some extra protection, considering hiring a bodyguard could be a wise decision.

In 5-player games, henchmen are a valuable resource. Some people might enjoy the challenge they bring, but others might find them frustrating.

If you’re in the group that gets frustrated, don’t worry! There’s a solution.

When you’re setting up the game, just give each player a random Mercenary card. This card will be their Bodyguard.

The usual rules for Mercenaries don’t apply to Bodyguards. Bodyguards act like normal henchmen in every way (for example, they don’t leave you during the Clean-up Phase).

So, if you use this variant, every player will have their Supervillain, a Lackey, and a Bodyguard when the game starts.