Nuns on the Run Game Guidelines

Introduction

Welcome to the world of Nuns on the Run! This exhilarating board game will take you on a thrilling adventure through a bustling convent. In this game, you will play as a novice nun trying to sneak around the convent at night without getting caught by the abbess or the other nuns. It’s a game of strategy, cunning, and a little bit of luck. Are you ready to embark on this secret mission under the cover of darkness? Let’s dive in and discover the rules of the game.

Goal of the Game

Your main goal in Nuns on the Run is to collect secret relics hidden throughout the convent and return to your room without getting caught. As a novice nun, you must stay hidden, move carefully, and do your best to stay unnoticed by the abbess and the other nuns. It won’t be an easy task, but with a little bit of planning and cleverness, you may just succeed.

Game Components

To play Nuns on the Run, you’ll need the following components:

A game board depicting the convent, complete with corridors, rooms, and hidden passages.
Novice nun tokens for each player, representing their secret identities.
Abbess and Prioress nun tokens, controlled by one or more players.
Relic tokens, placed throughout the convent.
Search cards, used to look for relics.
Movement cards, used to plan your moves and navigate the convent.
Noise tokens, indicating the presence of potential hazards or distractions.
A rulebook to reference during the game.

Game Setup

Before starting the game, you need to set up the game board and distribute the various tokens to the players. Follow these steps to get started:

Place the game board on a flat surface within reach of all players.
Randomly place relic tokens face down on the designated spaces on the game board.
Each player chooses a novice nun token and places it on their starting room.
Designate one player to control the Abbess and Prioress tokens. These players will take turns controlling the nuns who are pursuing the novices.
Shuffle the search cards and deal a set number to each player, depending on the number of players. These cards will be used to search for relics.
Shuffle the movement cards and deal a set number to each player. These cards will determine your movement options during the game.

Gameplay

The game consists of several rounds, with each round representing a different night at the convent. The novices and the abbess/prioress will take turns, following these steps:

The novices secretly plan their movement by selecting a movement card and placing it face down in front of them.
The abbess and prioress also secretly plan their movement by selecting a movement card and placing it face down.
All players reveal their movement cards simultaneously.
The players perform their movements based on the number and type of cards played.
If a novice moves into a space with a relic, they can attempt to search for it by playing a matching search card. Success means they obtain the relic; failure means they remain empty-handed.
If a novice enters a space occupied by an abbess or prioress, they become exposed and must reveal their identity.
The abbess and prioress then move according to their chosen movement cards, attempting to catch the novices.
If a novice is caught by an abbess or prioress, they lose the relic they were carrying and must return to their starting room.
The round ends when all players have completed their movements, and a new round begins.

Ending the Game

The game continues with multiple rounds until one of two conditions is met:

All secret relics have been collected by the novices, in which case they win the game.
All the novices have been caught by the abbess or prioress, resulting in their defeat.

Conclusion

Now that you know the rules of Nuns on the Run, it’s time to gather your friends and embark on this thrilling journey through the convent. Will you successfully collect the secret relics and avoid getting caught? The fate of the novices lies in your hands. Good luck!

Uh-oh, guess what? The newbies are causing trouble! They couldn’t resist the temptation to sneak out of their rooms, hoping to have a little fun without getting caught by the lady in charge and her assistant. But these guards are no joke, they’re fast and have super sharp ears. So, it’s going to take some serious smarts and a dash of luck to make it back to their beds without getting busted!

The Plan

When you open the box, you’ll find:

1 six-sided die
1 rulebook
novice log sheets
6 novice tokens
2 guard figures
the board
16 noise / vanished tokens
captured & turn markers
1 line of sight straight edge
66 Cards

Getting Started

To begin, place the “noise / vanished” tokens next to the board. Position the U-shaped turn marker on the “1” space of the turn track, which is located at the upper right of the board. You can then set up the “# novices captured” marker above the track.

First, decide who will play as the guards. If there are 7 or fewer players, one player will control both guard figures. If there are 8 players, two players will work as a team, with each player controlling one figure and its associated cards. After that, it’s time to set up the guards:
Place both guard figures in the Abbess’s Cell, which is located at position 26 on the board.

When it’s time to play the game, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, we need to draw and assign a Blessing card for each guard figure. This will give them special abilities and advantages during the game.

Next, we’ll need the guard movement cards. These cards will determine how the guard figures can move around the board.

For the novices, we’ll need a few things. Each novice will start with a random novice token, which represents their character. They’ll also receive a Secret Wish card, which they should keep hidden from the other players.

The novices will also have movement cards. These cards show different actions they can take, like standing still, sneaking, walking, or running.

In addition, each novice will have a Blessing card. This card is also kept hidden from the other players and provides special abilities to the novice.

Finally, each novice will have a novice status card, a novice log sheet, and a writing utensil. The status card should be placed on the “On the Run” side, indicating that the novice is trying to avoid being caught by the guards.

Now let’s talk about the Blessings. Each novice and guard will receive a Blessing at the start of the game. These Blessings give them unique powers and abilities to use during the game. If there is only one guard player, make sure to assign the two Blessing cards separately, with each guard using only the Blessing assigned to them.

Remember, the Blessings are a secret advantage that can help turn the tide of the game. So use them wisely and strategically. Good luck!

A Blessing is like a special power that you can use during the game. It’s a one-time advantage that can really help you out. But once you use it, it’s gone and you can’t use it again until the next game.

Game Play

When playing the game, there are three main parts to each turn:

Novices Move

Watch how the logs move
Reveal your movement cards
Roll the dice to see if you make any noise

Guards Move

Move the guard figures
Show your movement cards
Take away any tokens
Roll the dice to see if you hear any noises

Move the Turn Marker

If no one has won before the end of the 15th turn, the game is over and the guards win.

Remember: In the beginning of the game, you get two chances to move as a novice. These two moves are part of your first turn. Follow the rules below to make your moves, and then the guards can take their first turn.

The Novices

Hey there, newbie! So, as a beginner like me, you start off with this cool Secret Wish card. It’s got a picture of some keys and shows where the secret item is hidden. Here’s the deal: you gotta find those keys, grab your item, and make it back to your starting spot. But listen, the key is to do it all before the 15th turn is up. If you’re the first one to pull off this awesome feat, you win!

Hey there! As I’m just starting out, I’ve got 3 essential steps to remember when it comes to my movement:

I jot down my movement on my log sheet (and move my token on the board if it’s visible).
I reveal a movement card based on the distance I moved.
I check for any noises.

1. Jotting Down Movement on Logs

Instead of physically moving my token on the board, I record my movement by making notes on my log sheet. Each turn, I can move from 0 to 5 dots depending on the movement card I choose.

Remember to note the dot where I end my movement and how many dots I moved. Also, don’t forget to mark down the movement card I used: st (standing still), sn (sneaking), w (walking), or r (running).

During my first turn, I get to move twice using the same movement card. And all novice players do this step at the same time.

Your journey begins by finding your set of keys. Remember, you can only pick up the set specified on your Secret Wish card. To obtain your keys, you must end your movement on their designated location. The number of dots you move determines your mode of transportation (see below).

Once you have your keys, mark an “K” on your log sheet next to the location where you found them. With the keys in hand, you have the power to unlock any door, including those with different-colored keyholes. This means you can access the room with your desired object. If you get caught along the way, don’t worry, you get to keep your keys.

Each time you move to a dot, be cautious of the guards’ line of sight (refer to “The Guard/Moving Guards on Paths”). If you’re spotted by a guard, move your novice token from your cell to that dot.

When you’re in the line of sight of a guard, you should move your token while also keeping your log. But if you move to a dot and get out of the guards’ line of sight, you need to put a Vanished token between the dot where you were last seen and the next dot in the direction you traveled.

The Guard

You don’t have to move towards Noise or Vanished tokens. You can move in any direction when there are tokens (or a visible novice) on the board. This allows you to try and cut off a novice or go after another novice you think is closer!

If you have reached your Secret Wish location, you have to stop moving for the turn. Write an “SW” on your movement log next to the location to show that you have picked up your object.

If the guard catches you, you have to walk, not run, straight to your cell. Make sure the guard can see you. Don’t forget to flip your novice status card to “caught.”

If you’re caught, there are a couple of things that change. First, you don’t place Vanished tokens anymore and you don’t roll the die for noises. You get a break from being caught! Second, if you end a turn where the guards can’t see you, go back to your cell and flip your card to “on the run.” On the next turn, you have to follow the regular rules for moving as a novice.

If you’ve already made it to your Secret Wish location but then get caught, you have to go back there and then return to your cell to win.

Step 2: Reveal Your Movement Cards

Now it’s time for me to show you the cards that determine how far I moved this turn. It’s an exciting moment because it could make all the difference in the game! And guess what? Everyone else is doing the same thing at the exact same time. We’re all in this together!

Here are the options to choose from:

Let me tell you something interesting about movement and noise. When you move around, the amount of noise you make can vary depending on how fast you’re going. There are different levels of noise associated with different types of movement. Let’s take a look at them together.

If you’re standing still, you don’t make much noise at all. It’s as if you’re not moving at all. This can be helpful if you’re trying to stay quiet and not attract attention. The noise roll modifier for standing still is -3.
If you’re sneaking, you’re moving very slowly and quietly. You might only move 1 or 2 dots at a time. While you’re not completely silent, you’re definitely quieter than if you were walking or running. The noise roll modifier for sneaking is -2.
Walking is a bit louder than sneaking, but still relatively quiet. You might move 3 or 4 dots with each step. It’s a good way to move around without drawing too much attention to yourself. The noise roll modifier for walking is -1.
If you’re in a hurry and need to get somewhere quickly, you might choose to run. Running can be a bit noisier than walking, but it’s also faster. When you run, you can move up to 5 dots with each step. The noise roll modifier for running is 0.

So, as you can see, the noise you make when you move can have an impact on your ability to stay hidden or unnoticed. Understanding these different levels of noise can help you make better choices when it comes to movement. Whether you’re trying to stay quiet or get somewhere quickly, now you know how different types of movement can affect the amount of noise you make.

So here’s the deal – the faster you go, the more noise you make. And when you make noise, especially when you’re trying to be sneaky, it’s more likely that someone will notice you. Yeah, it’s a bit of a bummer.

3. Roll For Noise

If I or the other guard played our Walking card on the previous turn, we each have to roll the die. But here’s the tricky part – we start with the player who played the guard first, and then move clockwise around the table. Once we’ve rolled, we need to remember the movement card we just played and adjust the result accordingly.

This adjusted result tells us how far away the guards can hear the noises we made. To measure the distance, we count from dot to dot along any path and even through doors. It’s important to be precise here, as every step counts!

If a guard is within the range determined by the adjusted result, we have to place a noise token next to the guard. We need to do this in the direction of the shortest path from us to the guard. But if there are multiple paths that are equally short, we can place the noise token on either or both of them. It’s like our noises are bouncing off the walls!

Even if there’s already a noise token next to the guard, we still have to place another one. It’s like an echo that just keeps getting louder and louder!

In this example, I’m going to show you how to use HTML tags to make your web content more engaging and interactive. Let’s start by talking about the Abbess and how to track her movements. She is located at dot 23, and let’s say Theresa walks and ends up at dot 72. Now, Theresa rolls a 6 and applies a -1 Noise roll modifier since she was walking. This gives her a result of 5, which means she is within 5 dots of the Abbess! Excitedly, Theresa places a noise token near the door next to dot 23, hoping the Abbess stays in the Entry Hall.

Now, let’s shift our focus to the Guard. As the guard player, you have control over the Abbess and the Prioress. Your mission is to find and capture novices who are sneaking around the convent. To win the game, you’ll need to accumulate capture points equal to the number of players. Alternatively, if no novice has won by the end of the 15th turn, you can still emerge victorious. It’s important to note that if there are 8 players, the two guard players will win or lose as a team!

Moving on to guard movement, there are 5 steps involved:

1. Movement: As the guard player, you can move the Abbess and the Prioress around the convent.

2. Noise Roll: Whenever a novice makes a noise, you’ll need to roll a die to determine the distance the noise travels. This will help you detect their presence and plan your moves accordingly.

3. Investigation: If you hear a noise, it’s time to investigate! Start by tracing the noise back to its source. Be strategic in your approach and make sure to cover all possible areas.

4. Capturing: Once you locate a novice, it’s time to make your move and capture them. Use your abilities and resources wisely to ensure a successful capture.

5. Patrols: Finally, don’t forget to patrol the convent regularly. This will help you maintain control and catch any sneaky novices trying to outsmart you.

Remember, being a guard is both challenging and rewarding. You need to stay alert, think strategically, and outsmart your opponents. By following these steps, you’ll be on your way to becoming a skilled guard player. Good luck!

As the guard player, I need to move each guard along her “path” (looking for novices).
Then, I will reveal the applicable movement card for each guard.
After that, I will clear any noise or vanished tokens from the board.
Next, I will roll for noises.
Finally, I will move the turn marker.

1. Moving Guards On Paths

Hey there! As the guard player, it’s my job to move my Abbess and Prioress figures along pre-planned paths from dot to dot. It’s like a little puzzle! If the novices behave themselves and stay quiet, I follow the colored paths on the board. Easy, right? But here’s the twist – if I suspect a novice is out of her cell (maybe I saw something or heard a noise), I can leave the path and search for her elsewhere in the convent! It’s like a game of hide-and-seek!

Novices: Unless I spot you, you stay in your cell on the board, even if you’re sneaking around the convent. Your movements will be recorded on your log sheet. So stay quiet and don’t get caught!

Hey there! Let me show you how to play this game with some easy steps. First off, you begin with a set of guard path cards. Each guard needs to have one of these cards assigned to them (showing face up). Whenever you finish a path with a guard figure, just discard the used card. Then, from your remaining cards, simply select another guard path card that matches the figure’s current location.

When the game starts, you have the option to choose any of the 8 cards that display the Abbess’ Cell (which is location 26). Each guard has their own path, so they can start a new route of their own, regardless of the other guards.

Your guard figures will always be at their real position on the board. Whenever you move, just follow your figure along her designated route (this helps beginners see if they’re spotted). And make sure your figure is facing forward, in the same direction as the travel.

When I play the game, I have a choice with each of my guards. I can either walk a few dots or run more dots. Walking lets me hear the noises made by novices who are out of their cells. But if I run, I can’t hear any noises.

Some doors have locks on them. But that doesn’t stop me. I have keys that can unlock any door or passage. I can go anywhere.

If you’re a novice, the first thing you should do when you leave your cell is find a set of keys. Once you have them, you can go through any door.

If no one sees me, each guard will keep following the path on the card until they reach the black dot at the end of the path.

In this game, guards have a specific set of rules they follow. Once a guard starts moving along a path, they won’t change direction until they reach the end. However, if they complete a path while still in motion, they can immediately choose a new path that starts where they are and keep moving.

If you want to divert a guard’s attention and make them chase after you, there are two ways you can do it. First, if the guard sees you directly in their line of sight, they will start chasing you. Secondly, if you’re moving too quickly, the guard will hear your footsteps and come after you.

Now, here’s where some clever trickery comes into play. Certain Blessing cards allow you to create false noises. These can be really useful for diverting a guard’s attention away from you or even tricking them into seeing someone else!

Line of Sight

Whenever a guard moves to a new spot on their path, every novice needs to check if they are spotted. This means checking if they are in the guard’s “line of sight.” If a guard spots a novice, they can immediately move in any direction to catch them.

When I talk about “line of sight,” I’m referring to something specific. You see, it’s all about this imaginary arc that stretches 180° from the guard’s face. The cool thing is, the guard is always looking in the direction it’s moving. That means it can see anything in the row it’s on and all the rows in front of it. Well, that’s assuming there’s nothing blocking its view like a door or a solid wall.

When it comes to playing Guards and Novices, it’s important to understand how line of sight works. Unlike real life, in this game, objects like trees, columns, and statues won’t block your vision. It’s all about using the tile straight edge to draw a line from one circle to another. But there’s a catch!

If there’s a wall in the way, you won’t be able to see what’s on the other side. So, keep that in mind when planning your moves.

Now, there’s a limit to how far you can see. It’s called the vision limit, and it’s set at 6 dots. If the distance between you and a novice is greater than that, you won’t be able to see them.

But beware, there are some tricky areas on the board where line of sight can get a bit iffy. The Cloister, the Chapel, the Gardens, and the outside path are known for causing problems. Be prepared for anything!

Did you know that when it comes to room passages in the game, most of them have doors that block your sight? However, there are a few exceptions. Take rooms 10 to 11, 7 to 8 to 9, and 118 to 119, for example. These rooms don’t have doors, so you can see straight through them.

Now, let’s talk about the Outer and Inner Gardens. These areas have four corners that can be used as blind spots. So if you’re hiding in one of those corners, it’s hard for others to spot you. These gardens also have some long lines of sight that are usually blocked by the limit of six dots. But here’s a fun fact: dot 82 is actually up the tree! To see someone standing at dot 82, you have to be at dot 82 yourself.

Now, moving on to the Cloister. In the Cloister, the columns don’t block your line of sight, so you can see through them. However, there’s a wall around dot 67 that does block your vision. For example, if you’re at dot 91, you won’t be able to see dots 46, 67, or 68 because of that wall.

Lastly, let’s talk about the outside path. The curved shape of the outer wall blocks some lines of sight, making it trickier to see what’s happening on the other side.

When I explore the Chapel, I notice that the columns don’t get in the way of my view. I can easily see from spot 105 to spot 112 without any obstructions. However, there’s a wall surrounding the altar that blocks my sight. That means I can’t see spot 134 from spot 114, and spot 150 is only visible to dots 134 and 135, no one else can see it. Oh, and if you want to see the confessionals at dots 103 and 107, you have to actually be standing on those dots, they’re not visible otherwise.

Now, here’s an interesting detail – guards never look backwards as they move. So, if a guard needs to turn, they’ll do it, look in their new direction, and then keep going.

The Chase

There are three things that can make a guard leave their normal path:

I spot a beginner.
I spot a Disappeared token.
I have a Disturbance token next to me.

If any of the scenarios above happen, a guard can immediately change course from the original plan and move in ANY direction (not necessarily towards the noise or novice)! You can still move anywhere from 3 to 6 dots, and if you choose to walk (3 or 4 dots), you can still listen for beginners at the end of the round.

If only one guard hears the noise or sees the beginners, that guard is free to move however they want. The other guard, however, must continue following their planned path.

When I’m playing a game and there’s no more Noise tokens or visible novices at the beginning of a movement turn, I always wonder what the guards will do. Well, let me tell you, it’s pretty interesting. The guards will actually return to their original path, following the shortest route possible. They’ll pick up where they left off, continuing in the same direction as before.

How to Catch a Novice

Here’s how it works: If one of my guards moves to a dot where a novice is, that novice is caught, given a lecture, and sent back to her cell. The poor novice has to head back towards her cell and loses her Secret Wish if she already had one.

When this happens, I get 1 point and I move the “# Novices Captured” marker (not the turn marker!) up one on the turn track. Oh, and I can keep moving my guards after capturing a novice. It’s possible to catch the same novice more than once during the game, and every time I do, I score a point. To win, I need to score as many points as there are players!

Novices: It’s not fun being captured. When a guard spots you, you have to walk towards your cell until you’re out of sight, and you lose your Secret Wish. But don’t worry, if you’ve already found your keys, you get to keep them.

2. Reveal Movement Cards

Once the guards have taken their turns, it’s time to see how they move. This is when the movement cards are revealed for each guard. Keep in mind that a guard must always move at least as many dots as her speed allows. It’s not possible for a guard to move less than that.

Step 3: Remove Tokens

Now it’s time to clear the board of any noise or vanished tokens. Remember, these tokens don’t last longer than one turn. However, if the same novice triggers another token immediately, it will stay on the board.

Step 4: Roll For Hearing Noises

Guards who played the “Walking” movement card during the current turn will now roll a six-sided die. This roll determines the base distance at which the guard can hear noises. The guard will count the number of dots from one point to another, whether that’s along a path or through doors.

When I’m close to a guard in this game, I have to be really careful about making noise. If the distance between me and the guard is less than or equal to my Noise roll modifier, I have to place a Noise token next to the guard. The Noise token goes in the direction of the shortest path between me and the guard.

If there are two different paths that are the same distance, I have to place a Noise token on both paths, or maybe just one of them. And if there’s already a Noise token next to the guard, I have to place another one!

Oh, and it’s not just me. Every other player has to do this too if they’re close to a walking guard. The guards are really good at hearing sounds, so if I’m in range of two guards, I have to place a Noise token for each of them.

Oh, and by the way: I also have to roll for noises that I might make when I finish moving. If I roll really high, it’s good for the guards but bad for me!

I want to talk to you about Blessings and how they can be a helpful tool in your strategy. Blessings can be played at different points during your turn, depending on what action you’re taking. For example, if you have a Blessing that can change the result of a die roll, you’ll want to play it after you’ve made the roll.

There’s another card called False Noise that can also come in handy. This card allows you to distract the guard next turn by creating a fake noise. The guard will be temporarily diverted from its original path and move towards the noise instead.

So, as you can see, Blessings and False Noise can be powerful assets in your game. They can help you to change the outcome of a die roll or manipulate the movements of the guard.

Next time you’re playing, keep these cards in mind and consider how they might give you an advantage. Good luck!

Novices: If you have the “False Noise” Blessing, you can place the noise token down now. But don’t reveal this card until the next turn!

Move Turn Marker

Slide the turn marker down one step on the turn track. The current turn ends, and it’s time for the novices to move again. The game ends after the 15th turn.

End of the Game

A NOVICE wins if she gets her keys, achieves her Secret Wish, and returns to her cell with her object. The game ends immediately.

If two or more novices win on the same turn, the one who got caught the fewest times wins.

If there’s still a tie, the tied players share the victory!

Note: If you’re caught while traveling from your Secret Wish location to your cell, you have to go back to the Secret Wish location to win!

If the guards accumulate enough capture points (equal to or greater than the number of players) or if no novice wins by the 15th turn, they win. Isn’t that interesting?

Have Fun with Variants!

Before starting, decide if you want to include any of these cool variants!

When you select “running”, you have to move exactly 5 dots. How exciting!

If an experienced guard player is playing against inexperienced novices, you can level the playing field by limiting the guards to a maximum movement of 5 dots. That’s fair!

How to play Nuns on the Run Official Rules