Welcome to the Monolith Arena Game!

Are you ready to dive into the world of Monolith Arena? Well, you’ve come to the right place! In this guide, I’m going to walk you through the essential rules of the game so you can start playing and having a blast in no time.

But first, let’s talk about what the game is all about. Monolith Arena is a strategic board game that takes place in a mystical fantasy world. It’s a battle between two players, where you’ll need to deploy your armies, make clever moves, and outmaneuver your opponent to claim victory.

Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of the game rules. There are some key concepts you need to understand to master Monolith Arena:

The World of Monoliths

The game is played on a board divided into hexagonal spaces. These spaces represent different terrains, such as forests, mountains, and deserts. Each terrain type has its own strengths and weaknesses, so you’ll need to strategize accordingly.

Hexagonal tiles known as Monoliths are placed randomly on the board at the start of the game. These Monoliths grant special abilities to the units deployed on them, so controlling them can be a game-changer.

The Armies

Each player starts with their own army of units, which are represented by cards. These units have different stats, such as attack power, defense, and abilities. By playing these cards strategically, you can build a strong and balanced army to outmatch your opponent.

The Battle

Monolith Arena is a game of tactics and strategy. On each turn, you can take various actions, such as moving your units, attacking your opponent’s units, or using special abilities. The decisions you make will have a direct impact on the outcome of the battle.

When two units clash, the combat is resolved by comparing their attack and defense values. The higher value wins, and the losing unit is removed from the board. It’s important to choose your battles wisely to minimize casualties and gain the upper hand.

Victory

The goal of Monolith Arena is to destroy your opponent’s Monoliths and eliminate their units. By doing so, you’ll claim victory and prove your strategic prowess.

Now that you have a basic understanding of the rules, it’s time to start your Monolith Arena adventure! Gather your army, devise your strategies, and immerse yourself in this epic battle for dominance. Are you ready to rise to the challenge?

Behold, the ancient Monoliths, as ancient as tales and melodies themselves. These sacred stones have an insatiable craving for the blood of valiant warriors.

When the crimson comet graces the heavens, the mightiest fighters from every corner of the globe gather to partake in the perilous Olympics. No matter who you are or how arduous your journey, you have the freedom to join the competition alongside your comrades and take on the reigning champions of the arena.

Triumph in the name of honor, your leaders, and your gods, or yield your place to a more deserving contender!

Elements of the Game

• Monolith Arena includes a total of 140 tiles representing four factions: 35 Lords of the Abyss tiles, 35 Dragon Empire tiles, 35 Harbingers of the Forest tiles, and 35 Guardians of the Realm tiles.
• Other components include: 1 board, 22 Wound markers, 30 Initiative markers, 6 Net markers, 4 Disarmament markers, 4 Alliance tiles, 5 Poison markers, 2 Alliance Hit Point markers, 12 plastic Monolith segments, 1 Entrenchment marker, 1 Net marker, 1 Active Player tile, 8 Hit Point markers, and 4 faction reference sheets.

The Goal of the Game

In Monolith Arena, you take on the role of a champion representing one of the four factions. The objective is to defeat the enemy by attacking their Champions and Banner on the arena grounds. It’s a game of strategy and tactics, where your choices will determine your success.

The objective of the game is to take out the Banner of the opposing player. When I bring down the enemy’s Banner Hit Points to zero, I win.

If at the end of the game (check out the Ending the Game segment on page 9) none of the Banners have been taken out, we compare the current Hit Point levels of our Banners.

I win the game if my Banner has sustained the least damage and has the highest Hit Point level.

Preparation

When setting up the game, there are a few steps you’ll need to follow:

1. First, place the game board in the middle of the table. The board has a total of 19 hexagonal spaces in the middle, forming the Game Area. You’ll also notice a numbered track surrounding the edge of the board, known as the Damage track.

2. Next, each player will need to choose a faction. You can either select a faction yourself or draw one randomly. Once you’ve chosen a faction, gather all the faction’s tiles, which should include 35 tiles and additional small markers specific to that faction. If you need more information about the abilities of each faction’s tiles, you can refer to the faction reference sheets.

3. Now it’s time to set your Banner Hit Points. Each player should place their Banner Hit Point marker on number 20 of the Damage track. These Hit Points will decrease as your Banner takes Wounds throughout the game.

4. Lastly, take the 35 tiles and separate the Banner tile from the rest. Shuffle the remaining tiles, making sure to keep the Banner tile separate. The Banner tile can be identified as it looks the same on both sides.

Step 5 is a crucial one: mix the tiles really well. This is super important!

Once the tiles have been mixed thoroughly, they should be placed in a pile with the face down in front of each player.

Next, choose a starting player randomly.

Now it’s time for the starting player to place their banner anywhere on the board. Then, the opponent will do the same. Once both banners are in place, everything is ready, and the game can begin.

How to Play

The game is made up of a series of turns. Each player takes their turn one after the other, starting with the player who placed their banner first.

On your turn, you’ll draw tiles, discard one of them, and then decide what to do with the remaining tiles. You can choose to play a tile, save it for later, or discard it. And don’t forget, you can also use the special features of your tiles on the board.

Once I finish my turn, it’s your turn to play. We keep going like this until the Final Battle or if any player’s Banner Hit Points hit zero.

The Game Begins

At the start of the game, I, as Player 1, pick one tile from my stack and place it face up in front of me. I can use it, keep it for later, or throw it away.

Then it’s your turn as Player 2. You draw two tiles from your pile and put them face up in front of you. You can use them, save them, or discard them, just like me.

Now it’s my turn! I get to draw some tiles. If I saved a tile in front of me last time, I’ll only draw TWO tiles this time. But if I played or got rid of my last tile, I’ll get to draw three. Out of those three, I have to choose one to get rid of, and I can do whatever I want with the other two – use them, save them for next time, or get rid of them.

You get to do the same thing in your turn. The game keeps going like this, following the rules in the section on the right.

The Order of the Game

After the first few turns, during a regular turn, you draw up to three tiles and put them face up in front of you. You can never have more than three tiles.

After you’ve drawn your tiles, you have to get rid of one of them and put it in the discard pile.

Now I’m going to figure out what to do with the two leftover tiles – I have a few options. I could use them right away, save them for my next turns, or just get rid of them.

I can choose to get rid of any number of tiles that I drew. It’s important that both players can see the tiles I drew, so I’ll place them face-up in front of me.

If we’re getting close to the end of the game and I draw my last tile, but I still have less than three tiles in front of me, I don’t have to get rid of any.

After I finish my turn by drawing, using, or discarding tiles and utilizing all of my tiles’ features if possible, I let the other player know it’s their turn. They follow the same sequence.

Example: I draw 3 tiles. One Move Order tile, the Arquebusier Champion, and the Rune of Minor Acceleration. After a quick think, I decide to get rid of the Move Order tile and put the other two tiles on the hoard.

An Unlucky Draw

If ALL the tiles I have after the draw are Order tiles (even if it’s only 1 or 2 tiles at the start of the game), I can toss them and get new tiles.

I can use this rule several times during the game, even in the same turn.

Using Tile Features

Hey there! Did you know that some of the Board tiles in the game have special Features that you can use? It’s pretty cool! You can only use each Feature once per turn, though. If a tile has multiple Features, you can use each one once.

Here’s a helpful tip: You can use the Features of your tiles on the board at any point during your turn. That means even after you’ve used the newly drawn tiles. Just remember, you can’t use any Features during your opponent’s turn. Fair’s fair!

If you want to learn more about the different tile Features, you can check out page 13 of the rulebook. It has all the details you need.

Oh, and before I forget, here’s a handy diagram to help you visualize everything:

When I start my turn in the game Harbingers of the Forest, I take a look at the hoard. It’s the initial overview of what I have. I notice that my Lords of the Abyss Banner is safe from the opponent’s Harbingers Champion Heme because of the protection provided by the Mygalomorph.

When I’m playing as the Harbingers, I get to pick 3 tiles from my pile: a Champion Sorcerer and two Order tiles, specifically a Battle tile and a Precise Shot tile. But here’s the twist – I can only keep two of them. It’s a tough decision, but I’ll have to say goodbye to the Battle Order tile and send it to the discard pile.

I take out the Mygalomorph using the Precise Shot. Then, with Heme’s Maneuver Feature, I move it into the space that was just occupied by the Mygalomorph.

Using Tiles

After I draw the tiles, I place them face up and discard at least one. Then, I can put the remaining two into play.

In the game, there are two types of tiles: Order tiles (which you can learn more about on page 16) and Board tiles. Each tile is clearly labeled, making it easy to know what it does.

Let’s look at some examples of the two types of tiles:

When it’s my turn to play, I can use both types of tiles – Order tiles and Board tiles. Other players can’t play any tiles during my turn.

The Order tiles have special actions, like moving tiles or hurting enemy tiles. But I don’t place them on the game board. Instead, I show them to my opponent, the actions happen, and then I throw away the tile I used.

On the other hand, the Board tiles represent my faction’s units. I have three types of Board tiles: Banner, Champions, and Runes. To use them, I have to put them on an empty hexagonal space on the board, facing any direction I want.

• I can’t place board tiles on top of other tiles on the board.
• Once I place a board tile, I can’t move or turn it, unless a feature or another tile allows me to. Otherwise, the tile stays in place until the game is over or it’s removed from the board.
• If the board is completely filled with no empty spaces to place a tile, a Battle begins. A Battle can also start before the board is full if a player uses the Battle Order tile.

Battles

Out of the 35 pieces that make up the faction you control, some of them are called Battle pieces. When a Battle piece is used, the turn is over, and a Battle begins.

A Battle also automatically starts when the board is full, like I mentioned before. Both situations are handled the same way.

During a Battle, we have to look at what each piece on the board does. Battles are split into phases based on the Initiative numbers printed on the pieces. If a piece has a 3, it goes first. Then the ones with a 2 go, followed by the 1s, and finally the 0s.

In the world of battles, the process of resolving conflicts begins with the Initiative Phase 3. In this phase, we determine the order in which the actions will take place. As I mentioned earlier, the tiles with an Initiative value of 2 would normally be resolved next. However, if there aren’t any tiles with that level of Initiative on the board, we skip this phase altogether and move on to Initiative Phase 1. Finally, the tiles with an Initiative value of 0 are resolved last.

It’s worth noting that some tiles can have even higher Initiative values, like 4 or more. These higher values are achieved through the support of a powerful Rune. When battles involve tiles with such high Initiatives, we may need to go through more than the standard 3 phases. In these cases, we begin with the tile with the highest Initiative value, then move down in descending order.

So, in summary, when it comes to resolving battles, the order of actions is determined by Initiative Phases. Depending on the Initiative values of the tiles involved in the battle, we may have more phases to go through. It’s important to keep this in mind during battles to strategize and adapt accordingly. By following these rules, you’ll be able to navigate the complexities of battle resolution with confidence and skill.

Here’s an example: This cool Champion’s Initiative has been increased to 4 because of the awesome Rune of Minor Acceleration. The Battle is gonna start at Initiative Phase 4.

Listen up: Sometimes, there are game effects (like cool Features or special attacks) that happen right at the start of a Battle.

These effects get solved right away as soon as the Battle begins, even before we start going through the Battle phases.

If there are a bunch of effects that happen at the start of a Battle, they all happen at the same time.

Example: When it comes to the Morlock tile, something interesting happens. Unlike other tiles, it doesn’t have a printed Initiative. Instead, its attack occurs right at the beginning of Battle. This means that the Morlock will attack earlier than the adjacent Mygalomorph, which attacks in Initiative Phase 3.

In the Battle phase, tiles with the same Initiative attack at the same time. Let’s say we have two tiles with an Initiative of 3. If these tiles fire at each other, both of them will receive a Wound.

Furthermore, if two tiles target the same enemy in the same phase, their attacks hit the target at the same time. This means that both attacks are successful and none of the hits pass through to other tiles. It’s like a synchronized strike!

Example: In the second phase of the game, both the Pikeman and the Arquehusier make their attacks. It’s interesting because they attack at the same time and hit the Wraith together.

But here’s the thing – the Wraith also has an Initiative of 2, so it gets to attack as well. It’s like a chain reaction!

Once all the attacks for that phase are resolved, we move on to the next Initiative, starting with the highest and going down.

Now, most of the Board tiles only have 1 Hit Point. So, when they receive 1 Wound, they’re out of the game. Only the Banners and tiles with the Toughness Feature can take more damage and stick around.

Look at this Toughness icon – if a tile has this Feature, it takes more than 1 Wound to get rid of it. That’s tough, right?

When you eliminate tiles, they stay on the board until the current phase is over. Once all actions for the phase have been completed, the eliminated tiles are taken off the board and placed in the discard pile.

Tiles that have automatic effects, like Runes and Champions with Nets, continue to affect other tiles even after they have been wounded.

These tiles only stop affecting other tiles when they are removed from the board at the end of the Initiative Phase, after losing all their Hit Points.

Example: When I’m playing the game, I always have to remember that the Champion Pikeman takes action in Initiative Phase 2. And it’s really cool because his Melee attack gets stronger when he’s connected to a Rune.

But here’s the thing: even if the opponent’s Chaos tile eliminates the Rune in Initiative Phase 2, the Pikeman’s attack still stays strong at 2. That’s because the Rune is still active until the end of the current Initiative Phase.

For example: The Nightmare catches the Champion Pikeman in its net, preventing it from attacking during Initiative Phase 2.

Even though the Arquebusier eliminates the Netting Nightmare in Initiative Phase 2, the Pikeman still can’t attack because the Nightmare’s net remains in effect until the end of that phase. It is only then that the Nightmare is removed from the board.

If a tile is wounded but not destroyed (because it has the Toughness Feature – see page 13 for more details), place a Wound marker on it to show that it has been hit. The Banner is the only exception, as its damage is recorded on the Hit Point track.

A Wound marker is placed on a wounded Board tile

When I start a Battle by playing a Battle Order or filling up the board, my turn ends no matter how many tiles I have in front of me. As soon as the Battle begins, I can’t use any tile Features.

I can’t play any Order tiles during Battle, or even discard an unused tile that I drew this turn.

If the other player has drawn the last tile from their pile, I can’t use a Battle tile.

The Game’s End

If I draw the last tile from my pile, I’ll finish my turn like usual. Then, it’s the opposing player’s turn to finish. Finally, the Final Battle begins.

Once either player has drawn their last tile, Battle tiles are off-limits.

If I draw my last tile and fill in the final unoccupied hex on the board, a Battle begins. Once the Battle is over, my opponent gets one more turn, and then the Final Battle begins.

The same thing happens on my opponent’s last turn. If she fills the last unoccupied hex on her turn, it triggers a Battle because there are no more free hexes. After we resolve this Battle, the Final Battle commences.

The game ends under two conditions: either the Final Battle is finished or one of the Banners’ Hit Points reach zero.

If one of the Banners is destroyed, the game ends and the player who still has their Banner intact wins.

If any of the Banners are destroyed during a battle, the Battle continues as usual until Initiative Phase 0 is resolved. If the other Banner is destroyed during the Battle, then the game ends in a draw.

If none of the Banners get destroyed and we finish the Final Battle, the player who has more Hit Points left on their Banner wins.

If both Banners have the same number of Hit Points left, we each get one more turn.

If one of us runs out of tiles to draw, we can only use the Features from the tiles on the board, like a Maneuver.

Then, we have another Battle. If both Banners still have the same number of Hit Points after this additional Battle, the game ends in a draw.

Example: The game takes a dramatic turn as the player realizes they have no saved tiles left. Drawing the last two tiles from the stack, they hold a Battle/Charge Order and a Champion Pikeman in their hands. However, since they now have less than three tiles, there’s no need to discard any. The Battle Order cannot be played since the opposing player drew their last tiles in the previous turn. However, the player seizes the opportunity and strategically places the Champion on the board, occupying the final unclaimed space. This bold move triggers a crucial Battle, altering the course of the game. Once the heated conflict concludes, the Final Battle commences, signaling the end of the game.

A More Tactical Approach

For those seeking a greater level of control and strategy, an alternative rule can be implemented. By adopting the Reinforcement rule, players have the option to draw up to six tiles during their turn instead of the usual three. This adjustment reduces the element of chance and allows for a more calculated approach to gameplay.

When playing this variant, you only need to play up to two tiles at a time. Feel free to save the rest for later.

This version of the game also changes how you start. In the beginning, each player draws up to six tiles. But on their first turn, the first player has to discard one tile and can only play one tile.

After the first turn, the game continues with normal rules, except for the change in the number of tiles drawn at the start.