Discovering Gloomhaven Game Rules

Hey there! So, you’re interested in learning about the Gloomhaven game rules, huh? Well, you’ve come to the right place because I’m going to break it down for you!

In this amazing game known as Gloomhaven, you become a character in a fantasy world filled with adventure, mystery, and danger. It’s like stepping into another world where you get to make decisions and face exciting challenges. How cool is that?

Now, let’s talk about the importance of understanding the rules. When you first crack open that box, you might be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of components and the rulebook the size of a dictionary. Trust me, I’ve been there! But don’t worry, my friend, I’m here to guide you through it.

Choosing the right game to play is crucial, and Gloomhaven is no different. This game is designed for the curious and adventurous souls who are ready to dive into an epic journey. You’ll need to gather a group of brave friends to play with because it’s a cooperative game where you all work together as a team. Remember, teamwork makes the dream work!

Now, let’s talk mechanics. Gloomhaven is played through a series of scenarios where you’ll explore dungeons, fight monsters, and complete objectives. Each scenario presents unique challenges and opportunities, so you’ll never get bored. The game provides you with character classes, each with its own special abilities and playstyle. It’s up to you to decide which character suits your playstyle best – there’s a character for every adventurer!

Here’s a tip: while playing Gloomhaven, it’s important to communicate and strategize with your fellow players. Teamwork and coordination are key to overcoming the obstacles that lie ahead. So, make sure you work together and make the most of each character’s strengths and abilities.

And if you like immersive storytelling, then you’ll love Gloomhaven. The game has a rich lore and narrative elements that unfold as you progress through the scenarios. You’ll uncover secrets, make important choices, and experience the consequences of your actions. It’s like being the hero of your own epic tale!

In conclusion, understanding the rules of Gloomhaven is essential to fully enjoy this incredible game. Take your time to familiarize yourself with the mechanics, gather your brave companions, and embark on a memorable adventure. Get ready to face challenges, make tough decisions, and create unforgettable stories. The world of Gloomhaven awaits!

Are you ready to embark on an epic adventure? Gloomhaven awaits! In this cooperative game, you’ll battle fearsome monsters and work towards achieving your own unique objectives. It’s like being a hero in your very own story!

What’s Inside

• The 1 Rule Book is included to guide you through the game.
• 18 Character Miniatures bring your favorite heroes to life.
• 47 Monster Stat Sheets provide information about the monsters you’ll face.
• 24 Battle Goal Cards give you specific objectives in each battle.
• 50 Money Tokens are used to buy items and equipment.
• 1 Scenario Book contains all the scenarios you’ll play.
• 17 Character Boards keep track of your hero’s abilities and progress.
• 6 Monster Stat Sleeves give you a convenient way to organize the monster stats.
• 24 Personal Quest Cards provide individual objectives for your characters.
• 46 Damage Tokens are used to keep track of damage dealt to enemies.
• 1 Town Records Book is used to track your progress in the campaign.
• 504 Character Ability Cards give you different abilities to use.
• 150 Event Cards add dynamic events to the game.
• 9 Random Scenario Cards offer additional scenarios to play.
• 10 Scenario Aid Tokens help you keep track of scenario effects.
• 1 Map Board serves as the game board for each scenario.
• 457 Attack Modifier Cards modify your attack rolls.
• 253 Item Cards represent the various items and equipment you can find.
• 40 Random Dungeon Cards provide unique dungeon experiences.
• 4 hp/xp Dials help you keep track of hit points and experience points.
• 12 Objective Tokens represent objectives in certain scenarios.
• 4 Player Reference Cards provide a quick reference for rules and abilities.
• 30 2-Sided Map Tiles create the different terrain of the game world.
• 240 Monster Standees bring monsters to life on the map.
• 6 Wood Element Discs represent the element of wood in the game.
• 32 Summon Tokens represent summoned allies.
• 17 Character Pads let you track health and experience for each character.
• 1 Party Pad helps you keep track of your party’s achievements.

The product I’m about to tell you about is something you’ll definitely be interested in. It’s called the Gloomhaven board game, and it’s got everything you need for a thrilling adventure. Picture yourself in a fantasy world, full of monsters and quests to conquer. With Gloomhaven, you’ll never get bored because it comes with an incredible amount of game components. Let me break it down for you.

First off, you get 3 sealed envelopes. What could be inside? It’s a mystery waiting to be unraveled. Then, there are 155 2-sided overlay tiles. These tiles are like puzzle pieces that you can use to create unique landscapes for your adventure. And speaking of adventures, there are 232 monster ability cards included. These cards bring life to the monsters you’ll encounter, making each battle a tactical challenge.

To keep everything organized, Gloomhaven provides 35 character tuck boxes. These boxes hold all the necessary components for each character, ensuring that everything is in its right place. And when it comes to the characters themselves, you’ll find 85 character tokens. These tokens represent the heroes and villains of the game, adding a visual element to the gameplay.

But that’s not all. Gloomhaven also includes 24 plastic stands, 1 element infusion board, 1 round tracker, 60 status tokens, and 4 sticker sheets. All of these components work together to create an immersive experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Now, let’s talk about how to play Gloomhaven. The game is all about cooperative adventure. You and your friends will take on the roles of different characters, each with their own unique abilities and play styles. Together, you’ll navigate through scenarios, fighting off monsters, and completing quests.

The gameplay is turn-based, with each player taking their turn to make strategic decisions. You’ll have to coordinate your actions and make the most of your abilities to overcome the challenges that lie ahead. The choices you make will have consequences, affecting the outcome of the game and the storyline.

So, are you ready for an epic adventure? Gloomhaven has everything you need to embark on a thrilling journey. With its vast array of game components and immersive gameplay, it’s a game that will keep you coming back for more. Get ready to dive into a world of fantasy and excitement – Gloomhaven awaits!

When you play the game, you’ll need a special board made up of different map tiles. These tiles fit together like puzzle pieces, and you can arrange them in different ways based on the scenario you’re playing. Just make sure the tiles are connected by doorways so your characters can move between them.

Each player will also have their own character mat. This mat helps you keep track of important information about your character, like their health and experience. You’ll also get a set of ability cards that match your character’s class. These cards represent the special abilities your character can use during the game. Don’t forget to grab your character tokens and a face-down battle goal card as well. And if you have any items equipped, make sure to grab those item cards too.

Now, let’s talk about the monsters. You’ll need all the monster statistic cards and their corresponding standees. These cards tell you all the important stats about each monster, like how much health they have and how hard they hit. The monster ability cards are also important. These cards tell you what actions the monsters will take each round. Make sure to shuffle these cards up before you start playing.

Hey there! Let’s talk about the game components you’ll need for your exciting adventure. Sound good? Great! So, first things first:

You and your team will each have your own deck of attack modifier cards. These cards are important because they determine the outcome of your attacks. Remember, you’re not using the special cards that come with each character; these are standard ones. Each deck has twenty cards, a picture of which you can find at the top of this page. Keep in mind that your deck might change as you level up, find items, or encounter special scenario effects. Oh, and watch out for the curse and bless conditions – they might mess with your deck too!

Next up, we have different types of tokens:

Damage tokens: These are used to keep track of how much damage you and your enemies take. Handy little things, these.

Money tokens: Who doesn’t love money? Use these tokens to keep track of the riches you collect throughout your adventures.

Condition tokens: These little fellas are used to mark any special effects that might be affecting you or your enemies. Keep a close eye on ’em!

Finally, we have the elemental infusion table. This table shows all six elements, but at the moment, they’re all “Inert” – meaning they don’t have any special effects. However, as you progress in the game, you might come across ways to activate these elements and use them to your advantage. Keep an eye out for opportunities to harness their power!

Character Mats

When I start my journey with the game, I get to choose one of the character classes. I can only play one character class in any scenario, so this decision is really important. When I open the box, I see the Brute, Tinkerer, Spellweaver, Scoundrel, Cragheart, and Mindthief to choose from. Each character class has its own unique abilities, which makes this choice even more exciting.

So, once you’ve picked your character class, you get your character mat, tokens, and a set of ability cards. They all come in this cool tuck box with your character’s symbol on it. Inside, you’ll also find a miniature of your character.

Let me break down what’s on a character mat:

Let’s talk about a class. In this class, you’ll find a portrait, an icon, and a name. It’s like a little introduction to who they are.

Now, let’s move on to the indicators. These indicators show the maximum hit points at each level of the class. It’s important to keep track of your hit points as you play. You can use special tracking dials to help you do this. They’re like little counters that you can turn to keep track of your hit points and experience points during a game.

Next, let’s talk about ability cards. The class has a maximum number of ability cards that they can take into battle. These cards are like special skills or abilities that you can use in the game to help you win.

Now, let’s talk about the round structure. I’ll give you a quick reference guide to how the rounds work in the game.

Let’s move on to the designations. Along the border of the class, you’ll see different markings. These markings tell you where to put your discarded cards, lost cards, and active cards. It’s important to keep your cards organized so you know which ones you can use.

Now, let’s talk about event cards. Each class has event cards added to their deck when they are unlocked or when they retire. These event cards have reference numbers that match up with the city and road event decks. They add a bit of excitement and surprise to the game.

Cards

In Gloomhaven, there are different types of cards that players use to play the game. These include Character Ability Cards, Item Cards, Monster Statistic Cards, Monster Ability Cards, Battle Goal Cards, and Attack Modifier Cards.

Setting Up a Scenario

When starting a new scenario, there are a few steps to follow. First, you need to reference the scenario book to set up the map tiles and gather the types of monsters you’ll be battling. After that, read the introduction text and apply any negative effects mentioned in the “Special Rules” section. Then, deal two battle goals to each player and have them choose one to keep. You can also choose which items to equip from your collection, adding in -1 cards to your attack modifier deck if needed. Finally, select the ability cards you want to use from the available options.

When you first start playing the game, you need to choose a number of cards that matches your character’s hand size. Your hand should start off with the Level 1 ability cards for your character’s class. Once you get the hang of your class, you can start swapping out the Level 1 cards for more advanced cards with “x” as the level. As your character levels up, you’ll also gain access to higher level cards to add to your hand by removing others.

After you’ve chosen your cards, you’ll need to deal with any effects from a road event or city event that happened right before.

Hey there! Let me tell you all about scenario pages and what you can find on them. It’s pretty neat!

First off, a scenario page has some important information. You’ll see the name of the scenario, a reference number, and its grid location. Plus, there’s a completion check box, so you can keep track of which scenarios you’ve finished.

If you’re playing the scenario as part of a campaign, there might be some achievements you need to unlock before you can play it. These achievements are listed on the page too.

Next, there are victory conditions. These tell you what you need to do to win the scenario. So make sure you read them carefully!

But that’s not all! If you’re playing the scenario as part of a campaign, there’s some extra stuff on the page. You’ll find some introductory text that sets the scene and gets you ready to play. And as you move across the board, you’ll unlock additional story points. These are like little snippets of the story that you can read when you reach certain spots on the board. How cool is that?

Oh, and don’t forget about the concluding text. This is the grand finale of the scenario. You get to read it when you meet the victory condition. It’s like reaching the end of a really good book!

Completing a scenario might also unlock some new locations on the map. These are listed on the scenario page, so you’ll know where to find them.

And hey, your hard work deserves some rewards! By finishing a scenario in a campaign, you might earn some cool stuff. It’s like getting a gold star for a job well done.

Finally, there might be some other locations that the scenario leads to. It’s like a breadcrumb trail, guiding you to new adventures.

When I set up the game, I have to figure out how many map tiles and door tiles I need. The manual tells me which map tiles I need for each scenario, and it also tells me how the scenario map is divided into rooms using door overlay tiles. Sometimes a room can have more than one map tile if they’re connected by other overlay tiles.

When I’m looking at the scenario map and trying to figure out where the monsters are, I pay close attention to the indications listed. These indications can be in two different orientations, depending on how the map is set up.

To show where the monsters are placed, there are symbols that tell me which characters they correspond to. If there are two characters, the symbol will be in the upper left corner. For three characters, it will be in the upper right corner, and for four characters, it will be at the bottom. The symbols can be black, white, or gold.

A black symbol means that there is no monster in that spot. A white symbol means that a normal monster is present. And a gold symbol means that an elite monster is present. When I see a white symbol, I know to place a normal monster on the map with a white base. And when I see a gold symbol, I know to place an elite monster on the map with a gold base.

For example, if I see a / symbol, it means that there are no monsters in that hex for two characters, a normal monster is placed for three characters, and an elite monster is placed for four characters.

Note that when you begin a scenario in the game, only monsters in the starting room are placed on the board. Each monster has a standee with a number, which determines the order in which they take their turns. Make sure to shuffle the standee numbers before placing them.

There are certain locations on the board where players can choose to start their characters. These locations are marked with an “r” symbol. You can place your figure on any empty hex in one of these locations at the beginning of the scenario.

Some scenarios may have traps and treasure tiles. Traps are represented by an “s” symbol, and treasure tiles have a reward indicated by a “t” symbol.

The specific numbers for the treasures are listed in the back of the Scenario Book, so you can keep the rewards a secret until they are discovered.

There may also be money tokens represented by a “u” symbol and overlay tiles represented by a “v” symbol. These should be placed on the map when the corresponding room tile is revealed.

Lastly, there are overlay tiles that can be placed on the map. These are additional tiles that can modify the gameplay or add new elements to the scenario.

A scenario is created using map tiles, as detailed in the Scenario Book. There are also special overlay tiles that are used to complete the encounter.

There are different types of overlay tiles, such as doors. A door is used to separate two rooms. If a character moves onto a closed door tile, they need to flip it over to the open side. This will reveal the adjacent room tile. Once the door is open, you need to place overlay tiles, monsters, and money tokens as described in the scenario description for the revealed room.

Remember, these overlay tiles are an important part of the game and add an extra element of strategy and surprise to your adventures in Gloomhaven.

When it comes to closed doors, they don’t affect my movement. However, they act as a barrier for any monsters or figures I summon, blocking their path. Closed doors cannot be passed through. On the other hand, open doors don’t impede movement and cannot be closed once opened. The artwork on the doors may vary depending on the environment, but their functionality remains the same.

Now, let’s talk about corridors

Corridors are special pathways that connect two map tiles. They cover the walls and effectively create a single room using multiple map tiles. Think of them as regular empty spaces where movement is not hindered.

Finally, let’s discuss traps

So, picture this: you’re walking through dark dungeons in the game of Gloomhaven, and suddenly, you step right into a trap! It’s like someone set a sneaky surprise just for you. But there’s a catch, or rather, a double-edged sword – traps only affect figures that enter their hex with normal or forced movement. So if you’re flying or using jump movement, no worries, you’re safe from these nasty surprises.

But let’s say you do trigger a trap. Brace yourself, because it’s not going to be pleasant. But hey, there’s a way out! Some traps can actually be disarmed. Just perform specific actions to remove the trap from the board without suffering any negative effects. It’s like being a trap ninja, dodging danger with skill and precision.

Now, the effects of traps can vary. They’re not all the same. The Scenario Book will give you the lowdown on each trap’s specific negative effect. And if you see the word “damage” in there, well, that’s bad news. The affected figure will take a hit of 2+L damage. Oh, and by the way, L is the scenario level, in case you were wondering.

So there you have it – traps in Gloomhaven. They can be a pesky obstacle on your adventurous journey. But with a little strategy and some careful footwork, you can avoid their nasty surprises or even disarm them. Stay sharp, my friend!

When playing Gloomhaven, characters and monsters have the ability to create traps on the board. These traps have specific effects, which are described by the ability that creates them.

Whenever a trap is placed on the board, tokens representing the damage and effects of the trap should be placed on top of the trap tile, making it easy to remember and reference.

Watch out for Hazardous Terrain

If a figure moves onto a hex with hazardous terrain, either by normal movement or through being forced to move, each hex will cause half the damage of a trap (rounded down). However, flying and jumping movements are not affected by hazardous terrain, allowing you to bypass any damage or negative effects.

When it comes to navigating through treacherous areas in Gloomhaven, it’s important to take certain factors into account. One of these factors is hazardous terrain, which presents its own unique challenges. Unlike traps, hazardous terrain remains on the board indefinitely after its effect is applied. This means that starting a turn on or exiting these hexes does not cause additional damage.

Difficult Terrain

Moving through difficult terrain requires an extra effort. It takes a figure two normal movement points to enter a hex with difficult terrain. However, flying and jumping abilities, as well as forced movements, are unaffected by difficult terrain. So if you have any of these abilities, you can still navigate through difficult terrain with relative ease.

Obstacles

Obstacles in Gloomhaven come in various forms, but they all serve the same purpose: they block the path of figures. You can’t move through obstacles using normal movement, but you can fly over them or jump across with special abilities. The good news is that obstacles won’t impede your ranged attacks. Some character abilities allow you to create or move obstacles strategically. However, keep in mind that you can’t completely cut off one area of the scenario map from another. That would make it impossible to access the area without going through the obstacles.

Let’s Talk About Treasure

When you play a game, you sometimes come across treasure tiles. They can give you special effects that help you in the game. There are two kinds of treasure tiles: “goal” tiles and numbered tiles. Goal tiles are really important because they are needed to finish a scenario. The rules for getting these tiles will be explained in the scenario. It’s good to know that “goal” tiles are reset every time you play a scenario again. Numbered tiles can give you all sorts of cool advantages.

Hey there! So, let’s talk about what happens when you find some treasure while playing a game. It’s pretty exciting, right? Well, when you come across a treasure tile, it’s time to find out what’s inside.

Here’s how it works: if you’re the player who looted the treasure tile, you need to check the back of the scenario book and find the number that corresponds to the treasure index. This will tell you what you got!

Now, sometimes the book will give you the name of a specific item. If that’s the case, you just need to find that item in the deck of unique items and add it to your collection. Cool, huh?

Other times, the book might mention an item design. In that case, you’ll want to find all the copies of that item and add them to the city’s available supply. That way, other players might have a chance to get it too!

Now, here’s the important part: those numbered treasure tiles can only be looted once. Once you’ve claimed the treasure, make sure to cross off that tile in the Scenario Book so you know it’s been taken.

Oh, and one more thing: Scenario Level

When you’re playing a scenario in a game, there are certain things that depend on the level of that scenario. These include the statistics of the monsters you’ll face, the damage caused by traps, the amount of gold you’ll receive from money tokens, and the bonus experience you’ll get for completing the scenario. It’s all connected to the scenario level, which you and your fellow players choose before starting the scenario. This level is determined by the average level of your party and how challenging you want the scenario to be.

Hey there! Let’s talk about scenario levels, shall we? It’s actually pretty simple. You see, when you’re playing a scenario, you can set its level to any number from 0 to 7. But here’s the catch: once the scenario starts, you can’t change its level anymore. So you gotta choose wisely right from the start!

Now, the recommended scenario level is based on the average level of all the characters in your party. Take that average level, divide it by 2, and round it up. That’s your recommended level, the one that’ll give you a nice and balanced challenge, also known as “Normal” difficulty. But hey, we’ve got options! If you want things to be a bit easier, you can lower the recommended level by 1 and play on “Easy” mode. On the other hand, if you’re feeling brave and up for a real challenge, you can bump up the scenario level by 1 for a “Hard” experience, or even go all the way up to 2 for a “Very Hard” challenge. The choice is yours!

Example: Let’s say we have a party with a Level 6 character, two Level 4 characters, and a Level 3 character. We can find the average level by adding up all the levels and dividing by the number of characters: (6 + 4 + 4 + 3) / 4 = 4.25. Now we divide that number by 2 and round up to the nearest whole number, which gives us a normal scenario difficulty level of 3. However, the choice of scenario level is entirely up to you as the players. Remember, higher scenario levels mean tougher monsters, but also more gold and experience rewards.

A Quick Look at How a Round Goes

1. Card selection: Each player has two options for their turn. They can either select two cards from their hand to play or they can declare that they are taking a long rest for the round to recover.
2. Determining initiative: Once all players have made their choice, everyone reveals their selected cards for the round. Additionally, an ability card is revealed for each type of monster currently in play. The values on these cards are used to determine the order of actions for the round.
3. Character and monster turns: When it’s time for battle, everyone takes their turn based on their initiative. Players and monsters will use their cards to perform actions, which can be affected by item cards.
4. End of Round: Once everyone has had their turn, it’s time to clean up and prepare for the next round.

I. Choosing Cards

When a new round begins, each player secretly chooses two cards from their hand to play. One card is selected as the leading card to determine the player’s initiative for the round.

It’s important to keep your cards hidden and not reveal any specific details. However, you are allowed to discuss general strategies and actions without giving away too much information.

Hey there! Let’s talk about how we communicate with others during a game. It’s really important to make sure we’re all on the same page, so I want to show you some examples of good and not-so-good ways to communicate during a round.

• Good Examples: “I’m attacking this guard near the middle of the round.” or “I’m planning on moving here and healing you pretty early in the round, hopefully before the monsters attack.”
• Not-so-good Examples: “You’ll need lower than an initiative 17 to go before me.” or “I should be doing 4 points of damage to the bandit, so you don’t have to worry about him.” or “I’m going to use Impaling Eruption and wipe out everyone.”

So, you see, there are some ways we can communicate that work better than others. It’s all about being clear and considerate of the other players. When we use good communication, it helps us work together as a team and have a more enjoyable gaming experience. Give it a try and see the difference it can make!

When it’s my turn, I use the two cards I played to take actions. After that, I either get rid of them, lose them, or activate them, depending on what I did. Usually, I put the played cards in my discard pile, unless there’s a specific rule saying something else. If I want, I can bring back discarded cards by resting. But if the action I took on a card has a symbol in the lower right corner of the action field, that card goes to my lost pile instead. I can only bring back lost cards during a scenario if I use a special recover action.

When a card is lost or discarded, it can sometimes have an active effect. You can tell if a card has an active effect by looking for the symbols on the card. Instead of being put in the discard or lost pile, the card is placed in front of you to keep track of the effect. When the effect is done, the card goes back to the right pile.

At the start of each round, you have two options: play two cards from your hand or declare a long rest action. If you only have one card or no cards in your hand, the long rest action is your only choice. If you can’t even do the long rest action because you only have one card or no cards in your discard pile, you’re exhausted and can’t play anymore.

Resting

When I play a game, I sometimes need to take a break and refresh my hand of cards. This is called resting. There are two ways I can rest: a short rest or a long rest. But there are some important things to keep in mind before I can rest.

If I want to take a rest, I need to have at least two cards in my discard pile. That’s the first requirement. Once I meet that condition, I can go ahead and choose whether to take a short rest or a long rest.

Let’s start with a short rest. During the cleanup step of a round, I can perform a short rest. This means I can shuffle my discard pile and randomly put one of the cards in the lost pile. Then, I can return the rest of the discarded cards back to my hand. It’s like getting a second chance with those cards.

However, sometimes I might want to keep the card that got randomly lost during the short rest. In that case, I have another option. I can choose to suffer 1 damage and randomly lose a different discarded card instead. It’s a tough choice, but I can only do this once per rest.

Time to take a break: When it’s my turn to play, I have the option to take a long rest. This means I’m sitting out for the entire round, giving me time to catch my breath and regroup. During a long rest, my initiative value is set at 99, which means I’ll go last in the turn order.

At the end of my turn, I have an important decision to make. I must choose one of the cards I’ve already used and discard it permanently. This card is lost, and I won’t be able to use it again during this scenario.

However, the rest of my discarded cards get shuffled back into my hand, giving me a fresh set of options for future turns. It’s like a reset button, allowing me to rethink my strategy and adapt to the changing situation.

But that’s not all. During a long rest, I also get to heal myself. I perform a “Heal 2, Self” action, restoring some of my health and rejuvenating my spirits. It’s a moment of self-care and self-preservation.

Additionally, all of my spent item cards, the ones I’ve used and exhausted in previous turns, get refreshed. They become available for me to use again, providing me with valuable tools and resources to aid me in the upcoming challenges.

II. Getting in the Game

Once I’ve chosen my two action cards or decided to take a long rest, it’s time to reveal the monster ability cards. For each type of monster that has at least one figure on the map, we’ll reveal one of their ability cards. And don’t forget, everyone who’s not taking a long rest needs to reveal their selected cards, putting their leading card on top so we can see its initiative value.

Now it’s time to determine the order of initiative. We’ll compare the initiative values on all played monster ability cards and all leading cards. The player with the lowest value goes first, followed by the next highest, and so on, until every figure on the board has had their turn. When a type of monster takes action, each monster of that type will perform the actions listed on their ability card. Elites go first, followed by normal monsters in the order of their standees.

If there’s ever a tie in initiative between us players, we need to look at our non-leading cards to break the tie. This means we compare the initiative values on those cards to see who goes first.

If there’s still a tie after comparing the non-leading cards, we’ll have to work it out among ourselves and decide who gets to go first. But if there’s a tie between one of us players and a monster, the player always goes first. And if there’s a tie between two different types of monsters, we have to make the decision ourselves and choose which one goes first.

Let me give you an example to make it clearer. At the beginning of the round, let’s say I’m playing as the Brute character and I want to play both of my cards. I also want to go late in the round, so I choose the “61” card as my leading card. But if I wanted to go early, I could have chosen the “15” card instead. Now, let’s say you’re playing as the Scoundrel character, and your leading card has an initiative value of “86”. Then we have the Living Bones and Bandit Archer monsters, who have initiative values of “45” and “32” on their ability cards, respectively.

When it’s my turn in the game, I always pay attention to who gets to go first. In this scenario, the Bandit Archers are the ones to activate first, followed by the Living Bones, then the Brute, and finally the Scoundrel.

III.a My Turn

When it’s my turn, I have two ability cards to choose from. I get to perform the top action of one card and the bottom action of the other. It doesn’t matter which card I used to determine initiative – the leading card designation no longer matters.

When you play a card, you can choose to use either its top action or its bottom action. It’s important to remember that you have to follow the order of the actions and can’t interrupt one action with the other. After you complete the action on a card, you immediately put it in the appropriate area – either the discard pile, the lost pile, or the active area. You have the freedom to choose not to perform certain parts of the action, but if not doing so would have a negative effect on you or your allies – like losing hit points, cards, or getting a negative condition – then you have to do it.

When I’m playing a game, an ally is a character that fights alongside me. It can be a summoned figure or another character in the game, but not the character I’m controlling. The interesting thing is that abilities usually can’t affect allies, unless the card or rules say otherwise. It’s like they have their own set of rules!

But that’s not all! I can also use any card I play as either a “Move 2” or an “Attack 2” action. It’s like having multiple options in my hand! The catch is that if I use a card like this, it always gets discarded afterwards, no matter what it says on the card. So I have to think carefully before making that decision.

Now, let’s talk about movement. Moving around the game board is important to reach different areas and complete objectives. I can move my character a certain number of spaces, as specified by the card or rules. Sometimes, I can even use special abilities or items to move in unique ways. It’s all about strategizing and finding the best path to success!

Move

When you have a “Move X” ability, it lets you move your character up to X number of hexes on the map. You can move through your own teammates, but you can’t move through enemies or obstacles. If you come across any traps or terrain effects on a hex, you have to deal with them when you enter with your normal movement. One important rule is that you can’t end your movement in the same hex as another figure.

It’s important to remember that you can never move through walls. It’s a rule that you have to follow.

Have you ever heard of a Move ability called “Jump”? It’s an interesting skill that lets you ignore obstacles and terrain effects when you move. Picture this – you’re playing a game, and your character has Move X (Jump). This means you can easily bypass any figures or tricky terrain that would usually slow you down.

But don’t get too excited, because there’s a small catch. The last hex of your jump is considered regular movement. That means you still have to follow the normal movement rules for that last step. It’s like the grand finale of your jump, before you settle back into regular footwork.

It’s pretty neat, right? This move ability can be a real game-changer, giving you the freedom to navigate the battlefield with ease. Just keep in mind that even with Jump, you still have to be mindful of that last hex. So go ahead and embrace the power of this skill, and see where it takes you!

Did you know that some characters have a special ability called “Flying”? This means they can move through other characters and terrain without any problem, except that they still need to end their movement in an empty space. Even forced movement like being pushed or pulled doesn’t affect them. However, if a figure loses its Flying trait while occupying an obstacle, it takes damage and is immediately moved to the nearest empty space.

Discovering a Room

When I’m exploring a dungeon, it’s really interesting what happens when I come across a closed door. You see, if I step onto a tile with a closed door, something magical happens – the door swings open, revealing a whole new room on the other side. The Scenario Book tells me what to expect in that room – which monsters I’ll face, what kind of treasures I might find, and even if there are any special objects I need to be aware of. Oh, and don’t worry about the monsters being in the same place every time – their standee numbers get mixed up for a little extra surprise. Sometimes, though, there might not be enough monster standees left for a particular kind of monster. In that case, I just place as many as I can find, starting with the closest monsters to me. Even in a dungeon, there are limits to the critters you can encounter!

So, here’s the deal: when you move all your stuff into a new room, you gotta make sure that any monsters hanging around get an action card. It’s only fair, right? After all, they wanna join in on the fun too! Now, once it’s the revealing character’s turn to do their thing, we gotta check the initiative values of all the monsters in the new room. If any of those monsters have a lower value than the revealing character (which means they should’ve acted sooner), well, they gotta act right away. We don’t want them feeling left out, you know? And don’t worry if there’s more than one type of monster in this situation. We’ll just go in normal initiative order and let each one take their turn. This way, all the monsters in the new room will always get a chance to shine in the same round they’re revealed. Pretty cool, huh?

Attack

An “Attack X” ability lets me deal a certain amount of damage to an enemy that I can reach. I can’t attack my own teammates. Attacks can be either ranged or melee.

In the world of combat, understanding the concept of “ranged attacks” is crucial. A ranged attack is any type of attack that can be executed from a distance, allowing you to target enemies who may be farther away. These attacks are referred to as “ranged” because they have a specified range, denoted by a value known as “Range Y”. This value indicates the maximum number of hexes away from you that you can target an enemy with your attack.

Imagine you are in a battle and your enemy is standing several hexes away from you. With a ranged attack, you have the ability to strike your opponent from that distance, thanks to the specified range value of your attack. As long as your enemy is within Y hexes from you, they can be targeted by your ranged attack.

On the other hand, we have melee attacks. These attacks are designed for close-quarters combat and do not have a specified range value. Instead, melee attacks are considered to have a default range of 1 hex, which means they typically target adjacent enemies. In other words, you can only use a melee attack on an enemy who is standing right next to you.

It’s important to note that when you use a ranged attack against an enemy who is adjacent to you, it becomes at a disadvantage. This means that it becomes more difficult for you to successfully hit your target. So, while ranged attacks offer the benefit of striking enemies from a distance, they also come with a potential downside when used against adjacent foes.

By understanding the difference between ranged and melee attacks, you can make informed decisions during battles and choose the right type of attack for each situation. Whether you prefer to strike from a distance or engage in close-quarters combat, knowing the mechanics of ranged and melee attacks is key to your success on the battlefield.

Line-of-sight: When I want to attack something with a ranged or melee attack, I need to be able to see it. This means that I can draw an invisible line from any corner of my hex to any corner of the defender’s hex without that line touching any walls. Only walls block my line of sight. This rule also applies to abilities with specified ranges – I can only use them if I can see the target. But if an ability doesn’t have a range mentioned, then I don’t need line of sight to use it. Oh, and just a reminder, hexes that are separated by a wall are not considered next to each other, and I can’t count range through walls.

When I’m going on the offensive, there are three things that can change the base attack value on my card. It’s important to keep in mind that these modifications happen in a specific order. Let me explain:

• First off, I need to apply any attack modifiers that I have. These can come from different sources like ability cards, items, or other things that give me a bonus or penalty to my attack. For example, if I’m poisoned, I might get a +1 Attack bonus.
• Next, I draw an attack modifier card from my deck and apply its effects. This card can either increase or decrease my attack value.
• Finally, I have to factor in the defender’s defensive bonuses. Each individual enemy I’m attacking will have their own shield modifier or other defensive bonuses that will reduce the incoming attack value. So, I need to take that into account for each enemy I’m targeting.

By following these steps, I can make sure my attacks are as effective as possible. Now that you know how it works, you’ll be able to strategize and plan your attacks with confidence!

• When applying multiple modifiers in a single step of the process, you can choose the order in which they are applied. Keep in mind that the bonuses are applied per target, so it’s possible for the same attack action to deal different damage to each enemy.

For example: Let’s say the Scoundrel performs an “Attack 3” ability on an elite Bandit Guard standing adjacent to her. The Scoundrel has a +2 attack modifier due to certain conditions set by the card and can also double the attack because of an active card in front of her. She decides to add the +2 first, then doubles the result, resulting in an “Attack 10”.

Next, she reveals an attack modifier card which shows a “-1”, so the attack is reduced to 9. Finally, the Bandit Guard has a shield value of 1, which brings down the attack value to 8, causing the bandit to suffer 8 damage.

When you attack a monster in the game, it’s important to keep track of any damage you inflict. You can do this by using the stat sleeve that corresponds to the number on the monster’s standee. If a monster’s hit points reach zero or less due to an attack or any other source of damage, it dies and is removed from the board. Keep in mind that any additional effects of the attack do not apply once the monster is dead.

When a monster dies, you also get a money token. Make sure to place the token on the hex where the monster died, as long as the monster was not summoned or spawned.

Advantage And Disadvantage

Some attacks may give you either Advantage or Disadvantage. These effects can have a big impact on the outcome of your attack.

When you have the advantage in a battle, something special happens. In this case, an “attacker” gets to draw two cards from their deck. But here’s the twist – they only get to use the better one. Let me explain.

First, let’s say that one of the cards that is drawn has a “modifier” on it – this means it changes the way things work in the game. If that happens, you add the effect of that card to the other card that was played.

Now, what happens if both of the cards that were drawn have modifiers? In that case, you keep drawing cards until you don’t get a modifier. Then, you add up the effects of all the cards that were drawn, and that’s what you use in the game.

So, in a nutshell, when you have the advantage, you get to draw two cards and use the better one. And if either of those cards has a modifier, it gets added to the other card. Simple, right?

If you find yourself in a situation where you have Disadvantage, things can get a little tricky. Instead of drawing one modifier card from your deck like usual, you have to draw two and use the worse one. This means that you’re more likely to get a negative outcome.

Now, there’s something important to note. If any of those modifier cards have a special effect that modifies your attack, you’ll have to disregard it. This only applies to rolling modifier cards, which have a symbol on them. So, if you draw one or two rolling modifier cards, keep drawing until you get a non-rolling modifier card. Once you have that, only apply the effect of the last card you drew.

It can be a bit confusing, I know. But don’t worry, with practice, you’ll get the hang of it!

When it comes to determining which card drawn is better or worse, you should use the card that was drawn first. Sometimes, it can be unclear which card is superior, especially when comparing additional effects provided by attack modifier cards. These additional effects, such as elemental infusions or negative conditions, should be viewed as having a positive but undefined numerical value.

Advantage and Disadvantage are mainly gained through specific abilities of characters or monsters. However, if you’re using a ranged attack to target an enemy that is right beside you, you will have Disadvantage for that target. It’s important to note that Advantage and Disadvantage do not stack. If an attack has both Advantage and Disadvantage, they cancel each other out, and the attack is performed normally.

Area Effects

You may come across some attacks and abilities that let you target more than one hex or hit more than one enemy at once. The ability card will show you the area that will be affected. Keep in mind that you can rotate the diagram in any direction you like. It’s important to remember that each target is treated as a separate attack, so you’ll draw a separate attack modifier card for each target. But at the end of the day, all of these attacks are considered as part of a single attack action.

When I play this game, I always notice that the figure is represented by a grey hex. It’s a helpful way for me to keep track of where I am on the board. I also know that when I use a special ability that affects multiple hexes, those hexes are marked in red. It’s a clear indicator for me to see which areas will be impacted by my attack.

If I’m using a ranged area attack, I only need one of the red hexes to be within the specified range. I don’t even need an enemy in that hex! But when it comes to both ranged and melee area attacks, I can only target enemies that I have line of sight to. That means I can’t attack enemies that are hidden behind obstacles or walls.

Overall, these hex markings help me strategize my attacks and make smart decisions on the board. They add an extra level of challenge and excitement to the game, as I have to carefully consider my options and choose the best course of action.

Some attacks have a special feature called “Target X.” This means that the character can choose X number of enemies within the attack’s range to target with the attack. Keep in mind that each target will require its own attack modifier card. You can’t target the same enemy with multiple attacks from the same ability. Remember, abilities can never target allies. If an ability is meant to have a positive effect on allies, it will use the word “affect” instead of “target.” However, an ally can still be affected by an attack if they happen to be in the affected area. One thing to note is that if an attack doesn’t specify a range, it is considered a melee attack. This means that you can attack an enemy that is not adjacent to you if the hex configuration allows it. So, keep these rules in mind when using attack abilities.

When you use certain attack abilities, they can have extra effects that make them even stronger. These effects happen after you make your attack and can affect the target(s) of the attack. The effects are applied once the damage from the attack has been dealt with. It doesn’t matter if the attack causes damage or not – the effects still happen. You can choose whether or not to use these effects (except for experience gains). Sometimes, your character can use these effects without actually attacking. In those cases, the ability card will tell you who the effects target.

Push X

When I use the “Push X” ability, I can make you move a certain number of hexes away from me. It’s important to note that each hex you move must be farther away from me than where you started. If there are no viable hexes for you to move into, the pushing stops. I have the ability to push you through your allies, but not through your enemies.

“Pull X” Ability

When I use this ability, I can make my target move a certain number of hexes in the direction I choose. The catch is that each hex the target moves has to bring them closer to me. If there’s no way to bring them closer, then the movement stops. It’s important to note that the target can be pulled through their allies, but not their enemies. Keep in mind that both pushing and pulling effects count as movement, but they aren’t affected by difficult terrain.

X Piercing

When you use an attack ability with the pierce keyword, up to a certain number of points from the target’s Shield will be ignored. Unlike other effects, pierce is factored into the calculation of the attack damage itself, rather than being applied separately afterwards.

Let me explain with an example. Suppose you have an attack ability that deals 3 damage and has a pierce value of 2. If you use this ability against a monster with a Shield value of 3, you would ignore two points of the monster’s Shield and inflict 2 damage. Keep in mind that the final damage inflicted is also subject to any modifiers from attack modifier cards.

Additional Targets

If I target someone with an attack, I can hit an additional enemy within range. The extra target gets hit with the same effects and conditions as the original target, except if those effects would create even more targets. For example, area attacks don’t apply here.

Conditions

Some abilities come with extra effects called conditions. When a condition is put on a figure (excluding curse and bless), a token is placed on the figure’s stat sleeve in the section that matches the number on the monster standee. The token shows that the figure is affected. The condition stays on the figure until the requirements for removing it are met. Each figure can only have one of each condition at a time, but conditions can be refreshed by reapplying them.

Here are some bad things that can happen. If an ability has a name that matches one of these bad things, then that bad thing happens to everyone targeted by the ability, after the main effect of the ability takes place. These bad things happen even if the attack doesn’t do any damage.

Being Poisoned

If I get poisoned in a game, it means that all of my enemies get a bonus of +1 Attack when they attack me. But there’s a way to get rid of the poison – if someone uses a Heal ability on me, the poison token will be removed. But remember, the Heal won’t have any other effect besides removing the poison.

If an individual gets hurt, they will lose one point of health each turn. However, if someone uses a healing ability on the injured person, the wound will be healed and the healing will proceed as normal. In the event that a person is both poisoned and injured, using a healing ability will get rid of both conditions, but it won’t have any other impact.

Immobilize

When a figure is immobilized, it can’t make any move abilities during its turn. After its next turn, the immobilize token is taken away.

Loss of Weapon

When a figure gets disarmed, it can’t attack. After its next turn, the disarm token goes away.

Stun.

When you’re stunned, you’re unable to do anything except take a long rest. This means you can’t use any abilities or items. However, don’t worry, the stun doesn’t last forever. At the end of your next turn, the stun token will be removed, and you’ll be back in action.

Even though you’re stunned, you still have to play two cards or rest on your turn. But here’s the thing – if you play two cards while stunned, those actions won’t actually happen. The cards will just be discarded.

Muddle

When a figure becomes muddled, it suffers from Disadvantage for all of its attacks. The muddle token is then removed at the end of its following turn.

The Hex

If a figure gets cursed, it has to mix a curse card into its attack modifier deck. When that card comes up during one of the figure’s attacks, instead of going to the discard pile, it gets taken out of the deck. Keep in mind that there are two separate curse decks: one with 10 cards marked with a in the lower left corner, and another with 10 cards marked with an . You can only add cards to the monster attack deck (when a monster is cursed), and only cards to a character’s attack deck (when a character or summon is cursed). So, you can only add a maximum of 10 curse cards to any one deck.

Let me tell you about some good things that can happen in a game. These are called positive conditions. You can give these conditions to yourself or your friends by doing certain things. Once you have a positive condition, it can’t be taken away until the proper time.

Invisible

If something is invisible, you can’t see it or aim at it. Being invisible doesn’t affect how you interact with your friends. After your next turn, you won’t be invisible anymore. Monsters treat invisible people like they’re obstacles.

Make Stronger

When a creature is bolstered, it becomes more powerful and gains an advantage when attacking. However, after its next turn, the boost wears off and the creature returns to its normal state.

Divine Favor

When a figure receives a blessing, a special card is added to its deck of attack modifiers. Instead of getting placed in the discard pile, this card is removed from the deck when it is revealed during one of the figure’s attacks.

Harnessing Elemental Power

Some abilities have an elemental affinity associated with them (Fire, Ice, Air, Earth, Light, or Dark). If you see any of these symbols in an action’s description, it means that when you use any part of the action, you have to bring that element into the battlefield. You can do this by moving the token of the corresponding element to the “Strong” column on the elemental infusion table at the end of the turn.

But remember, at the end of each round, all the elemental infusions will fade. They will move one step to the left on the table, going from “Strong” to “Waning” or from “Waning” to “Inert”.

Did you know that elemental infusions can give a boost to certain abilities? It’s pretty cool, actually. So, here’s how it works: imagine an elemental symbol with a red cross on it. This symbol represents the infusion, and it’s followed by a colon. After the colon, you’ll see how the ability is enhanced when the element is used up.

Here’s where things get interesting. If you use an ability that gets rid of an element and that element token is in the Strong or Waning column, you can actually use that element token to make the ability even better. Just move the token to the Inert column, and boom! You’ve got yourself an augmented ability.

Now, there are a few rules you need to keep in mind. First off, you can’t use a single icon to enhance more than one ability. It’s a one-time deal. Also, you can’t create an element and use it up in the same turn. That’s a no-no. However, if you have a later turn in the same round, you can totally use up an element that someone else created. It’s all about timing, my friend.

So, there you have it. Elemental infusions can really shake things up and add some spice to your abilities. Just remember to use them wisely, and you’ll be on your way to epicness!

When it comes to abilities, they can have multiple separate augments. And the best thing is, you get to choose which ones to use and in what order! Isn’t that cool? If an augment has multiple element uses, you have to use all of them to activate it – there’s no skipping! It’s like a mini puzzle within the game.

Oh, and did you know that monsters can also create and consume elements? Yup, they have that power too. And here’s a fun fact: if a monster can consume an element, it always will. And it’s not just the first monster to consume it; every monster of that type will get the benefit. So, it’s kind of a group power-up for all the activated monsters! How awesome is that?

Imagine a colorful circle. That circle symbolizes one of the six elements. When you see this symbol on a monster’s ability card, you get to decide which element is created or used up.

Super Awesome Perks

Hey there! Did you know that some cool abilities can give you, or your friends, awesome bonuses? It’s true! These bonuses can last for a while or just during a round. You’ll be able to spot these special abilities because they have cool symbols on them. Whenever you use these abilities, you’ll play the cards in front of you to keep track of the bonus you get.

Long-Lasting Perk

Persistent bonuses have a special symbol on the card that helps identify them. These bonuses are active as soon as you play the card and stay active until certain conditions on the card are met. The conditions usually keep track of specific game events, like launching an attack or defending against one. On the card, there are marked positions for these events. Place a token on the first marked position when the bonus is triggered, and move it from left to right, top to bottom each time the bonus is used. When you’ve used the bonus once for each marked position on the card, remove the card from play by placing it in the lost pile. It’s important to always use the benefit of a persistent bonus, even if there’s no immediate gain. If there are no conditions or marked positions on the card, you can keep it in your active area for the rest of the game and remove it at any time by putting it in the lost pile.

Let’s imagine something: I’m the Spellweaver and I just used my Frost Armor ability. This ability is super cool because it protects me from the next two sources of damage. To keep track of this, I put a little character token on the first circle of my card.

Now, whenever I would normally get hurt, my Frost Armor kicks in and takes away the damage. Each time it does this, the token moves forward one space. It’s like a little game, trying to keep my bonus going!

But here’s the thing: when the token moves twice, that means the ability is all used up. My card gets moved to my lost pile and the bonus is gone. So I have to be really careful to not take too much damage or my Frost Armor won’t be there to protect me anymore.

Round Bonus

Are you ready for a fun surprise? Well, guess what! I’ve got a special treat just for you. It’s called the Round Bonus, and it’s something you won’t want to miss.

Now, I know what you’re thinking – what exactly is this Round Bonus? Don’t worry, I’ve got all the answers for you. The Round Bonus is a fantastic feature that adds an extra layer of excitement to your gaming experience. It’s like a secret power-up that takes your gameplay to the next level.

Picture this: you’re playing your favorite game, and suddenly, out of nowhere, the Round Bonus kicks in. It’s like a burst of energy that electrifies your screen. It’s a game-changer, a total game-changer. With the Round Bonus, you’ll feel like you’re on top of the world.

But wait, there’s more! The Round Bonus is not just any ordinary bonus. It’s a double-edged sword, my friend. Not only does it elevate your game, but it also regenerates your response. It’s like a shot of adrenaline that boosts your performance and helps you achieve new heights.

Now, I know you’re probably wondering how to unlock this awesome Round Bonus. Well, it’s actually quite simple. All you have to do is keep playing, keep pushing forward, and soon enough, you’ll stumble upon the Round Bonus. It’s a surprise element that keeps you on your toes and adds an extra dash of thrill to your gaming adventure.

So, if you’re someone who loves a good challenge and enjoys the thrill of the unknown, then you’ll absolutely love the Round Bonus. It’s the perfect way to enhance your gaming experience and make it even more memorable.

Remember, the Round Bonus is all about adding that extra spark of excitement to your gameplay. It’s like a little gift that surprises you when you least expect it. So, keep playing, keep exploring, and get ready for the incredible Round Bonus to take your gaming experience to a whole new level.

And if you like surprises, then you’ll definitely love the Round Bonus. It’s that unexpected twist that keeps you coming back for more. So, get ready to embark on a gaming adventure like no other, because the Round Bonus is waiting for you.

Are you ready to level up? By following your gaming instincts and staying on the lookout for the Round Bonus, you’re sure to elevate your gaming experience and unlock a whole new world of excitement. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start gaming like never before. The Round Bonus is calling your name, and it’s time to answer the call.

When you play a card with this symbol, it means you’ll receive a round bonus. The bonus will be active from the moment the card is played until the end of the round. After that, the card will either be placed in your discard pile or your lost pile, depending on whether the action also has a symbol.

Although a bonus card is placed in the active area, it’s still considered discarded or lost if the action has a symbol. You can move these cards to the appropriate pile at any time, but doing so will immediately remove any bonuses the card was providing.

Shield

When you have a “Shield X” bonus ability, it gives you an extra layer of defense. This means that any attack that comes your way will have its power reduced by X. The great thing is that if you have more than one shield bonus, they all work together to provide even more protection. You can use these bonuses in any order you want.

Strike Back

A special ability called “Retaliate X” allows a character to strike back at enemies who attack it from nearby hexes. Each attack against the character results in X points of damage being inflicted on the attacker. Some retaliate abilities also have a “Range Y” value, which means that the retaliatory damage applies to attackers within Y hexes. The retaliate ability is triggered after the initial attack has taken place. However, if the character using retaliate is defeated or exhausted by the attack, retaliate will not activate. It’s important to note that multiple retaliate bonuses can be combined, and retaliate itself is neither an attack nor a targeted effect.

Heal

A “Heal X” ability is really useful because it lets me or one of my friends get back X hit points. There are two ways to use a heal ability:

– “Range Y” means I can heal any ally within Y hexes, or I can heal myself. But remember, I need to have a clear line of sight to the person I want to heal.

– “Self” means I can only heal myself. This is helpful when I need to recover from an injury or get rid of a status effect.

Being able to heal myself or my teammates is a valuable skill that can make a big difference in our battles. It’s important to choose the right ability and use it at the right time to keep everyone in good shape.

Some abilities bring additional allies onto the game board. These summoned allies, also known as “summons,” appear in an empty hex near the figure that used the ability. However, if there are no empty hexes nearby, the summon ability cannot be used. Each summon is represented by a unique colored token. With eight different colors to choose from, players can keep track of multiple summons simultaneously. They can assign any color they like to a specific summon and use tracker tokens to easily remember which summon ability belongs to which token.

When you summon a creature in the game, it comes with basic stats like hit points, attack value, move value, and range value. These stats are listed on the ability card. A summon is like a persistent bonus that stays on the board until certain conditions are met.

First, if the summon loses all its hit points, it’s removed from the board. Second, if the ability card that corresponds to the summon is taken out of the active area, the summon is also removed. Lastly, if the summoner becomes exhausted, the summon is taken off the board.

When it’s time for a summon to take its turn, it goes right before the character who summoned it. This turn is separate from the summoner’s turn. It’s important to note that summons are not controlled by the player who summoned them. Instead, they follow automated monster rules. Summons always follow the ability card “Move+0, Attack+0” (you can find more details about monster turns on pages 29-32) and use the player’s attack modifier deck to perform their attacks.

When I play, I can have multiple summon abilities at once. It’s pretty cool because they each have their own special powers. But here’s the thing, they don’t get to take turns in the round they’re summoned. So even though they’re powerful, I have to wait a bit before I can use them.

Get Your Cards Back

Now, there’s this neat trick I’ve learned. Some special abilities let me get back the cards that I’ve lost or discarded. It’s like getting a second chance! I can search through my discard pile or the cards I’ve lost in my active area, and choose a few to bring back to my hand. How awesome is that? But here’s the catch, not all cards can be recovered once they’re lost. You see, some cards are just gone for good. There’s a little symbol that shows me which ones I can’t get back, it looks like this: #image.jpg. So if I see that symbol, I know I can’t do anything to bring that card back.

Have you ever wondered how you can regain the power of your spent or consumed item cards? Well, that’s where refresh abilities come in!

When I use a refresh ability, I can get back the type of card that was used. For example, if I used an ability card, I can retrieve the discarded or lost card. And if it was an item card, I can regain the spent or consumed card.

Ah, the Loot!

When you have a “Loot X” ability, you can collect all the money tokens and treasure tiles within a range of X. This means you can pick them up even if there are monsters or obstacles in the way. Just keep in mind that this ability counts as ranged for line-of-sight purposes.

When you collect money tokens, they go into your own personal supply and are not shared with other players. If you come across a treasure tile and decide to loot it, you’ll need to check the treasure index at the back of the scenario book. Look up the reference number for that treasure tile to see what you find.

If you loot an item that you already have, you can sell the duplicate item to the city’s supply right away.

Now let’s talk about end-of-turn looting.

When I’m adventuring, it’s not just about finding cool stuff. I have to remember that there’s more to loot than just fancy items. I need to make sure I collect any money tokens or treasure tiles in the area where I’m standing at the end of my turn. It’s like a bonus for exploring and taking risks.

But there’s a catch – if I have any summoned creatures with me, they don’t get to do any looting. It’s only for me, the main character. They’re good at helping me in battles, but they don’t have the same looting skills as I do.

So, while I’m out there fighting monsters and searching for treasure, I have to keep an eye out for those extra goodies. They can come in handy later on.

Gaining Experience

When it comes to building knowledge and skills, gaining experience is key. Experience is like a personal teacher that can provide invaluable lessons and insights. It helps us learn and grow, giving us the tools we need to navigate the world.

Experience can take many forms. It could be through practical hands-on activities, like trying new things and experimenting. Or it could be through observing and learning from others, whether it be watching a master chef cook or listening to an expert at a conference. Experience can also come from facing challenges and overcoming them, which builds resilience and problem-solving abilities.

The great thing about experience is that it’s available to everyone. It’s not limited to a select few or those with certain qualifications. Experience is something you can gain at any age and at any stage of life. Every experience has the potential to teach us something valuable, whether big or small.

So, how does one go about gaining experience? One way is to actively seek out opportunities. Look for chances to try new things, whether it’s joining a club or taking up a new hobby. Be open to stepping outside of your comfort zone and embracing the unfamiliar. You never know what you might discover or learn.

Another way to gain experience is by learning from others. Take the time to listen and observe those who have knowledge and expertise in areas that interest you. Ask questions and engage in conversations to gain insights and perspectives that you may not have considered before.

It’s important to remember that gaining experience is a journey, not a destination. It’s an ongoing process of growth and learning. Each experience, whether successful or not, adds to your personal development and shapes who you are.

In conclusion, gaining experience is crucial for personal growth and development. It opens doors, expands horizons, and provides valuable insights. So, embrace new experiences, be open to learning from others, and let the journey of gaining experience shape the best version of yourself.

Did you know that some actions in the game have an experience value attached to them? You can tell they have an experience value because they are denoted by a small gray number. When you take an action with an experience value, your character gains that amount of experience. But here’s the catch: you can’t just play an ability card for the experience alone. You have to use one or more of the abilities on the card to earn the experience.

Did you know that experience in some games isn’t just earned by killing monsters? It turns out there are other ways to gain experience, too. For example, you might get experience points for using certain actions under specific conditions. These conditions could be things like drinking a magical potion or attacking an enemy that’s next to your friends.

But that’s not all. Some special bonuses can also give you experience. Imagine that! You can earn experience points just by using a bonus ability. But here’s the catch: you only get the experience when you use up that bonus. So, as soon as you move your character token away from the spot where the bonus was, you’ll get the experience points.

It’s important to note that you don’t get experience automatically from killing monsters. Nope, you have to do specific actions to earn that precious experience. So, keep these tips in mind if you’re looking to level up in your favorite game. Happy gaming!

When you play a game, you accumulate experience. This is shown on the right side of your tracking dial. To keep track of your experience, you rotate the wheel to the correct number.

Character Damage

When a character takes damage in the game, you have two choices:

When it’s my turn to take damage in the game, there are two options:

• I can subtract the appropriate number of hit points from my total, making sure to move the tracking wheel down accordingly.
• I can choose to lose one card from my hand or two cards from my discard pile, which will cancel out the damage. Keep in mind that any additional effects of the attack will still apply.

It’s worth noting that at the beginning of the round, the two cards I chose are not in my hand or discard pile. So, I can’t use them to negate damage.

Whenever I receive healing, my hit point total increases. To reflect this, I need to move the tracking wheel up by the appropriate amount. However, it’s important to remember that the tracking wheel cannot go above my maximum hit point value, which is shown on my character mat.

Feeling Tired

There are two ways a character can feel exhausted:

• If you ever have less than one hit point on the hit point tracker, or…
• If, at the start of a round, you can’t play two cards from your hand (because you only have one or none) and you also can’t rest (because you only have one or none in your discard pile). Feeling exhausted because you don’t have enough cards doesn’t impact your current hit point total.

Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or just starting your quest, there are a few things you need to know about managing your abilities and items in the game. Let me walk you through it!

First things first, when I run out of energy and can’t continue, all my ability cards are put away, and I have to take a break. My character figure is removed from the map, and I can’t play anymore in that scenario. It’s like a game over, and I have to start again. So, I really want to avoid getting exhausted if I can help it. It’s like getting knocked out in a battle – not a good outcome, right?

But here’s the thing, it’s not just about me. If all the characters in the game get exhausted, we lose the scenario. That’s right, it’s a team effort, and we all have to be on our toes. So, I better keep an eye on everyone’s energy levels and make sure we don’t all burn out. It’s like a delicate balance, you know?

Now, let’s talk about items. They can be real game-changers and give us a boost when we need it the most. I’m talking about weapons, potions, and all sorts of neat stuff. But here’s the catch – I can’t just use an item whenever I want. Each item comes with its own set of rules and limitations.

Hey there! Let’s talk about how characters can use items in the game. It’s pretty cool because you can use items at any time, as long as you follow what’s written on the item card. You can even use them in the middle of a card ability, which is pretty neat!

Now, if an item affects an attack, like giving you a bonus or adding an effect, you have to use it before you draw an attack modifier. It’s important to remember that. When you add an effect to an attack using an item, it works just like if you had written it on the action card you’re using for the attack.

But here’s the thing: there’s no limit to how many items you can use on your turn, or even during a specific ability. You can use as many as you want! Anytime you apply the effects of an item card to a situation, that counts as a use. So, think of it like each time you use an item’s effect, it’s like a little boost for you.

Oh, and here’s another cool thing: some items have multiple use circles. If you come across an item like that, you have to use one of the circles when the situation fits. Don’t worry, it’s not too complicated once you get the hang of it!

Just remember, you can use items whenever you like, as long as you follow what’s on the card. So go ahead and make the most of them, they can really help you out in your adventure!

III.b Monster Turn

When you play the game, you won’t have to control the monsters yourself. They have a system of cards that determines what they do on their turn. These cards are called action cards, and they automate the monsters’ decisions based on the initiative order. So, the monsters will do certain actions in a specific order, as written on their ability card for that round.

It’s important to note that each type of monster has two ranks: normal and elite. You can identify a normal monster by its white stand, and an elite monster by its gold stand. When an elite monster takes its turn, you need to refer to the “Elite” section of the monster statistic card for its statistics.

What the Monsters Do

When it’s time for monsters to take their turns in a game, all the monsters of the same type go at once. They have a special card that tells them when to take their turn. First, the elite monsters go, and then the regular monsters go. If there are multiple elites or regular monsters of the same type on the board, they take their turns in order from lowest to highest based on the numbers on their tokens.

When it comes to the monster standee, the number on it determines the order of action. Each number corresponds to a section on the monster stat sleeve where you can keep track of damage and condition tokens.

Monster Focus

Before I take any action on my ability card, I, as a monster, will focus on a specific enemy. This enemy can be a character or a character summon.

As a monster, I will focus on the enemy figure that I can attack with the least amount of movement. I will find the shortest path to get in range and line-of-sight to use my attack. The enemy figure at the end of that path will be my focus, or what I consider the “closest”. It doesn’t matter if I can’t attack the figure with my current movement, as long as there is a path for me to eventually get within range.

When a monster doesn’t have a specified attack for the round on its ability card, it looks for a focus as if it had a melee attack. If the monster can move the same distance to reach multiple enemy figures who are within range and line of sight, the tie-breaker for determining the “closest” is proximity from the monster’s current position. This is based on the number of hexes away they are, without counting through walls.

If there is more than one enemy that is equally close, the second priority is to focus on the enemy who has an earlier initiative order. This means that summons are focused on before the character who summoned them, even on the round they are summoned. A character who is performing a long rest would be focused on last.

Example: Hey there! Let’s talk about monsters and how they decide who to attack in the game. It’s pretty fascinating, so stay with me! Now, imagine a Brute and a Monster 1. Physically, the Brute is closer to Monster 1, right? But here’s the catch: the monster wants to perform a melee attack and can reach the Tinkerer in just 2 steps, while it would take 4 steps to get to the Brute. So, the monster focuses on the Tinkerer instead of the Brute. Sneaky, right?

Now, what happens if there are no valid targets for the monster to attack? Like when all the hexes are blocked, occupied, or there’s no way to reach them. Well, in that case, the monster won’t move or attack. But don’t worry, it can still do other cool things from its ability card.

Now, let’s talk about monster movement. If a monster has “Move X” on its ability card, it can move. And how many hexes can it move? Well, that depends on its base move value, which you can find on its monster statistic card. But there’s more! That base move value can be modified by X, which can be either a positive or a negative number.

So there you have it! Monsters in the game aren’t just mindless creatures. They’re cunning and strategic, choosing their targets wisely. And now you know a bit more about how they make those decisions. Pretty cool, huh?

When a monster has a move without an attack following it, it will use its movement to get as close as it can to its target. It will move along the shortest path and try to enter a hex next to its focused enemy as if it were making a melee attack.

If a monster has an attack ability after its movement, it will try to move the minimum number of hexes needed to attack its target effectively. For a single-target melee attack, it will simply move towards the nearest hex next to its focus to carry out the attack. In the case of a multi-target attack, it will move towards a position where it can hit its target and as many other enemies as possible with the attack.

When a monster wants to attack from a distance, it will only move towards a hex where it can attack its target. The monster will also try to position itself so that it can attack without any disadvantages. It will move away from its main target if needed, to avoid any disadvantages, even if it means not attacking other targets. If a monster cannot get into attack range, it will still move as close as possible to its target.

Any special abilities that a monster has besides attacking do not affect its movement. It will simply move according to the rules mentioned above and use its other abilities as best it can.

Imagine this: I’m a monster, and I’ve got some cool moves. Let’s say I’ve got a “Move 3” ability. Now, the first thing I do is check out my surroundings. Who’s closest to me? If the Brute is the closest enemy, I’m going to focus on them. If I’ve got a long-range attack, I’ll stay in my hex and attack the Brute from a distance. But if I’ve got a melee attack that targets just one enemy, I’ll move one hex closer to the Brute and attack them.

But here’s where it gets interesting. What if I could attack two enemies with my melee attack? In that case, I’d move two hexes to be next to both the Brute and the Tinkerer. Look at me, taking out two enemies at once!

Now, let’s take it up a notch. What if I had a melee attack that could hit three or more targets? Well, then I’d move three hexes to be right next to all three characters. That’s some serious power right there!

Taking on Traps and Hazardous Terrain

Hey there! So, I’ve got some interesting info for you about monsters and how they navigate through obstacles. Check it out!

Okay, so let’s say a monster doesn’t have the ability to fly. Well, for these guys, things like traps or dangerous terrain are a big deal. They see these negative hexes as hurdles that get in their way when it comes to focusing and moving around. Basically, they consider them as obstacles unless going through them is the only way to focus on their target.

Now, in that special case, they’ll find the path that has the fewest negative hexes. But here’s the catch: they’ll have to face the consequences of going through those hexes. So, it’s a bit of a risk, you know?

That’s the lowdown, my friend! Monsters without the Flying trait will do whatever it takes to reach their target, but they’ll definitely try to avoid those negative hexes if they can. Pretty interesting, huh?

Example: When the Tinkerer and the Brute are both in close proximity to the Monster, the Monster will prioritize the Brute and attack him with its melee attack. This is because the Monster sees the traps as obstacles and considers the Brute to be a more immediate threat. If the Brute were not present and the only target available to the Monster was the Tinkerer, then it would disregard the traps and make its way towards the Tinkerer.

Example: I’m going to focus on taking down the Brute first. Since I have a Range 3 attack and can move 2 spaces, I’ll move to Hex b and attack the Brute. But if my movement is limited to only 1 space, I’ll stay where I am and skip the attack.

I won’t be lured into the trap at Hex c, even though it would put me in range to attack the Brute. There’s another way for me to get within range of the Brute, even if I can’t use it right now. So, I won’t waste my move on that. And moving to Hex d won’t bring me any closer to the Brute, so that’s not a good option either.

Monster Attacks

When it’s a monster’s turn in the game, it will try to attack if the ability card says so. The amount of damage it deals depends on its base attack value, which you can find on its monster statistic card. This value can be modified by adding or subtracting a number, represented by X. The monster will always attack its focused enemies, as explained in the Monster Focus section of the rulebook. However, if the monster is able to attack multiple targets, it will prioritize its focused enemy and attack as many other enemies as it can for maximum impact. If a monster has several attacks, it will choose its focus for the additional attacks based on the normal focus rules, excluding any figures it’s already attacking. If an attack doesn’t specify a range in the monster’s ability card, it should use the base range indicated on the monster’s stat card.

When a monster attacks, it works just like when a character attacks. The monster’s attack is affected by the attacker’s attack bonuses, and then modified by attack modifier cards. Finally, it is influenced by the defense bonuses of the target.

Additional Monster Abilities

Healing: Monster healing works the same way as character healing, which we discussed on page 26. If a monster has a “Heal X” ability, they can heal themselves or an ally within a specific range, depending on who has lost the most hit points.

Here’s what you need to know about monster summoning in this game:

When I use a monster summon ability, I can bring new monsters onto the board. These monsters act just like the regular ones and follow the ability cards of their type. It’s important to note that summoned monsters are placed in an empty hex next to the summoning monster. They are also positioned as close to an enemy as possible. However, if there are no empty adjacent hexes or no standees available for the summoned monster type, the summoning fails.

Keep in mind that summoned monsters don’t take any actions in the round they are summoned, and they don’t drop any money tokens when they are defeated.

Now, let’s talk about bonus abilities:

Every ability card has bonuses that can be activated when the monster takes action. These bonuses are only active until the end of the round when the card was drawn. So, you’ll need to make the most of these bonuses within a limited time.

Looting: I don’t have the ability to pick up things after a turn, but sometimes I can take loot if I have a special ability. If that happens, I can grab any money that’s nearby, but I can’t touch treasure.

The Uncertainty

If the rules ever make it unclear what I should do next because there are a few good options, the players have to choose which one I’ll go with. It’s all up to you!

Meet the Bosses!

Hey there, fellow adventurers! I wanted to talk to you about something super cool – bosses! Yep, you heard me right. These bad boys are a whole different ball game compared to the regular monsters we usually encounter on our quests.

So, what exactly are bosses? Well, they’re like the big bosses (pun intended) of the monster world. They’ve got their own stat card, just like the regular monsters, but here’s the twist – they also have a special deck of ability cards called the “Boss” ability deck. This means that bosses have some tricks up their sleeves that you won’t find with your run-of-the-mill monsters.

When it’s a boss’s turn to shine, they get to perform some special actions. Now, don’t worry if you’re not sure what those actions are – the boss’s stat card gives you all the juicy details. And if you come across any abilities that make you scratch your head, just check out the Scenario Book for some clear explanations.

Now, here’s something interesting about bosses – their stats are based on how many cool characters we have in our party. That’s right, the number of characters is represented by the letter “C” on the boss stat card. So, the more characters we have, the tougher the boss becomes. How’s that for a challenge, huh?

Lastly, bosses don’t have to worry about certain negative conditions. These conditions won’t affect them because they have the ability to resist them. You can find a list of the specific conditions they are immune to on their stat card.

Moving on, let’s talk about what happens at the end of a round in the game. Once all the figures have had their turn, it’s time to wrap things up. There are a few cleanup steps that might be necessary at this point.

Overall, bosses have a special advantage when it comes to negative conditions, and it’s important to keep in mind that the end of a round requires some additional actions.

• If I drew a standard “2x” or “Null” attack modifier card from a specific modifier deck during the round, I shuffle all the discards of that deck back into its draw deck.
• If I drew a monster ability card with a shuffle symbol at the start of the round, I shuffle all the discards for the corresponding monster type back into its deck.
• If there are any elemental infusion tokens in the Strong column, I move them to the Waning column. If there are any elemental infusion tokens in the Waning column, I move them to Inert.
• I place all active round bonus ability cards in the appropriate discard or lost pile, depending on whether I used an action with a [lost card] symbol.
• If I am able to, I can also perform a short rest.

Round Tracker

So here’s the deal. Sometimes, you gotta keep track of what round you’re on when you’re playing a game. And to make things easier, there’s this handy round track at the top of the elemental infusion table. All you gotta do is move the tracker token forward one space at the end of each round. But here’s the thing, most of the time, you don’t really need to keep track of the rounds.

Wrapping It Up

When you play a scenario, there are two possible outcomes: success or failure. Depending on the conditions for success or failure, the round will continue until the scenario concludes.

After the scenario ends, you need to determine the rewards. If you succeed, you count up the experience points earned by your character and the money tokens collected. These tokens can be converted into gold, with each token having a value determined by the scenario level.

When the scenario is over, anything that hasn’t been taken is left behind. I also get back all the ability cards I used, refresh any item cards I used, and make sure my health is back to maximum. It’s important to start the next scenario with a clean slate. I also need to go through my attack modifier deck and take out any cards that have negative effects, as well as any bless or curse cards. I do the same thing with the monster attack modifier deck. Finally, I shuffle all the battle goals back into the deck, even if I didn’t complete them.

If I manage to complete the scenario, I get checkmarks for finishing my battle goal cards. These checkmarks are noted on my character sheet, and once I have three of them, I get a perk. It doesn’t matter if I’m exhausted, as long as we finish the scenario, I can still complete my battle goal, get rewards, and keep the money and experience I collected. There’s no punishment for getting exhausted. And not only that, I also earn bonus experience for completing the scenario. The bonus is four plus twice the scenario level.

If you’re playing in a campaign, completing a scenario successfully gives you a chance to read the conclusion flavor text and get the benefits that come with it. In a campaign, the money and experience you collect during a scenario are crucial for improving your character’s skills and abilities, so make sure to keep track of them on your character sheet.

If the scenario you played wasn’t part of a campaign, you can still use the money and experience as a way to measure how well each character did.

The rules on the next page will give us more information about Campaigns.