Movement in Mage Knight

When playing the popular board game Mage Knight, understanding the rules of movement is crucial. Movement is a key aspect of the game that allows me to explore the land, discover new areas, and interact with various elements and characters.

In Mage Knight, movement is represented by a hand of cards that I hold. These cards have different values and abilities that determine how far I can move on the game board. For example, some cards might have a higher value and allow me to move greater distances, while others might have special abilities that let me ignore certain terrain restrictions or even teleport to different locations.

When it’s my turn to move, I have to carefully consider my options and plan my moves strategically. I can choose to move a certain number of spaces in any direction or use the special abilities of my cards to navigate the board more efficiently. This decision-making process adds an exciting element of strategy to the game, as I weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each move I make.

Exploring the land is an essential part of Mage Knight, as it allows me to uncover new locations, find valuable resources, and encounter different creatures and characters. Each new discovery presents opportunities for me to gain experience points, collect artifacts, recruit followers, and engage in battles. The more I explore, the more I can expand my abilities and increase my chances of success in future encounters.

However, movement in Mage Knight is not without its challenges. The game board is filled with diverse terrains, such as forests, mountains, and rivers, each with its own set of rules and effects on movement. Some terrains might require me to spend extra movement points or impose restrictions on certain card abilities. This adds an extra layer of complexity to the game, forcing me to adapt my strategy and consider the terrain carefully when planning my moves.

In conclusion, movement is a crucial aspect of the Mage Knight board game. Understanding the rules of movement and making strategic decisions about where and how to move are essential for success in the game. The exploration of the land and the encounters that come with it are key elements that make each game unique and exciting. So, if you enjoy strategy games that challenge your decision-making abilities and immerse you in a world of adventure, then Mage Knight is the game for you!

So, now that you’re up to speed on playing Move cards to get Move points, let me break down how you can use those points to move your game piece around the map.

The Cost of Moving

Have you ever noticed those big numbers on the Day/Night board? They actually represent the Move cost of each terrain type. If you see a red “X” next to a number, that means the terrain is off-limits.

Now, let’s talk about how you can move your figure. It’s pretty simple, really. You just need to spend Move points that are provided by the cards you have played. You can move to any space that is adjacent to your current position, as long as the terrain is accessible. And guess what? You can keep moving as far as you want, as long as you have enough Move points to cover the distance.

Take a look at the diagram below. It shows three examples of movement from the starting position, along with their respective Move costs.

Note: When you move to a new space, you need to pay the Move cost of that space. The terrain of the space you’re leaving doesn’t matter.

Other Figures

You can move through a space that has another player’s figure, but you shouldn’t end your move on that space because it’s considered an attack. While this can be useful in some situations, we recommend that you avoid player versus player combat in your first game. (If you decide to go against our suggestion, you’ll need to read the Player versus Player section in chapter VIII). If you don’t allow player versus player combat, then you’re not allowed to end your move on a space with another player.

Portal Space

If you decide not to leave the portal for any reason, or if you come back to it later, take your figure off the map and place it in front of you on the table. No figure can stay on the portal space after your turn ends. Your figure will stay in front of you until your next turn, when you can return it to the portal space.

Note: There can be any number of Heroes on the portal space at the same time, as long as they are removed from the map. Heroes that are off the map cannot attack each other.

Rampaging Enemies

On the first part of the map, there are two Orc Khan symbols – two green enemy tokens were placed face up on the spaces indicated. Orc Marauders are rampaging enemies, which means they can limit your movement in two ways:

• If an undefeated rampaging enemy is occupying a space, you cannot enter that space.

Moving close to an enemy that’s on a rampage is risky! If you move from a space next to a rampaging enemy to another space next to the same enemy, it will get triggered and attack you. Your movement is abruptly stopped, and you are forced to fight (see Combat).

For instance, let’s say you’re exploring a dungeon and you come across a furious orc. You decide to step closer to get a better look, but as soon as you do, the orc senses your presence and lunges at you, forcing you into an unexpected battle. You quickly realize that getting too close to enemies who are in a destructive state can have serious consequences.

Remember, it’s crucial to be cautious when encountering rampaging foes. The best strategy is to keep your distance and evaluate your options from a safe spot. By doing so, you can avoid unwanted confrontations and ensure your survival in the treacherous world of dungeon exploration.

When it comes to moving in the game, there are a few different paths you can take. Let’s take a look at the red and violet paths.

If you choose the red path, you’ll end up in a village, but be prepared to fight. Combat takes up your turn, so you won’t be able to interact with the village this round.

The violet path, on the other hand, is a bit riskier. As soon as you take the first step, you’ll be attacked by wolf riders, ending your movement and wasting your unused move points.

Now, there’s also a green path that can get you to the village without triggering any attacks. The only downside is that it’ll cost you more move points to take this route.

On a later turn, it’s safe to take the yellow path. Since you’ll be moving between enemies, neither of them will be provoked.

Exploring

When you come across an unexplored area adjacent to an empty table, you have the opportunity to uncover new land. This can only be done if the unexplored space is not directly behind the extended coastline from the Starting tile. Exploring the land is not considered an action but is done in conjunction with your movement.

In order to explore a new tile, you must use 2 Move points. Once you do, reveal the top tile from the Tile deck and add it to the map.

The placement of the new tile is determined by the symbols in six of its corners, which must match the symbols on the already placed tiles. Additionally, the orientation of the art on the tile must align with the direction of the numbers and graphics on the existing tiles. If there are multiple tiles that could potentially be revealed from the same space, you must announce which one you are exploring before flipping the tile.

Hey there, let’s check out this diagram together. You’ll see some black dots marking spaces where we can’t explore because they either don’t border an empty space or only border empty spaces behind the coastline.

The purple tile is a little tricky. It can only be revealed from one space because the lake is inaccessible.

Now, the yellow tile is more versatile. You can explore it from three different spaces. As for the orange tile, it can be explored from two spaces.

Here’s something interesting – there’s one space where both the yellow and orange tile can be explored. If you’re standing there, you get to choose which one to explore each time you draw a tile, but make sure you clearly say which one you’re exploring.

A Special Rule for the First Scenario

Now, in “The First Reconnaissance” scenario, there’s a cool rule. Whenever a player reveals a new tile, they earn 1 Fame. After all, it’s an exploration mission, right?

So, here’s the thing: every time you uncover a tile, you get to move your Shield token on the Fame track up by one. And here’s where it gets interesting – if, by doing so, your token reaches the end of a row, your Hero’s level goes up at the end of your turn. Pretty cool, huh? (For more details, check out the Level Up section in chapter VIII).

Moving On

But hold on, the fun doesn’t stop there. You can actually keep moving even after discovering a new tile. Yup, you heard me right! And if you have any leftover Move points from the cards you’ve already played, you can use them along with some additional cards to keep the adventure going.

A Little Example

Let’s say you play three Move 2 cards. That gives you a grand total of 6 Move points to work with. Do you see where I’m going with this?

You start by moving one space into a forest – bam, that’s 3 Move points gone. But here’s the exciting part: you still have 1 Move point left. So, you decide to explore a new tile, and guess what? You find some hills waiting for you right next to your current spot. Exciting, right?

Now, remember, you’ve got that 1 Move point left, but in order to get into those hills, you’ll need to spend 2 Move points. But don’t you worry – just play a couple more cards worth 2 Move points, and you’re on your way to the next adventure!

But here’s the thing – you can’t change or mess with cards that were already played before exploring.

Those extra 2 Move points? Yeah, you can’t get them by juicing up a card you already played with mana.

So, during your movement phase, you can travel and explore to your heart’s content, as long as you have enough Move points to pay for it. Remember, though, you can only explore when it’s your turn, and you gotta start your turn next to a place that hasn’t been revealed yet.

And here’s the thing – even though it’s just exploring, it still counts as movement. So you gotta do it before you take any actions, like fighting or talking to someone. And make sure it’s a Regular turn, not a Resting turn.