DUNGEON LORDS

INTRODUCTION TO DUNGEON LORDS

As a newly graduated Dungeon Lord, I’m all about building and managing my own dungeon. I get to create tunnels and rooms, and fill them up with traps and monsters. It’s an exciting and dangerous task, full of challenges and surprises. But it’s not all fun and games – I also have to deal with taxes and other expenses. And let’s not forget about those pesky adventurers who think they can just stroll into my dungeon whenever they please. If I become too well-known, a powerful paladin might even pay me a visit. Talk about a buzzkill!

GAME SETUP

Alright, first things first – let’s get this game set up and ready to go. The player who’s feeling the most generous goes first. Here’s what we need to do:

Let’s start by picking 2 Special Event Cards randomly. These are a surprise, so we keep them facedown next to the Faraway Lands board.

Now, it’s time to shuffle our Order Cards and draw 3 of them. Out of these 3, choose 2 that you want to keep as your Inaccessible Orders. We all reveal our selections at the same time.

GAMEPLAY

In Dungeon Lords, the game is divided into two years, each with two periods:

• Construction period: This is when players develop their dungeons. It is broken down into four seasons.
• Combat period: This is when players defend their dungeons against a group of experienced adventurers.

The progression board has two sides, one for each period, which clearly show the phases that need to be completed.

Construction

– New Season Phase

During this phase, you will reveal 3 new Monster (or Ghost) Tiles and 2 new Room Tiles. These tiles will be placed on the central board. Please note that this phase does not occur in autumn.

When setting up the game, here’s what you need to do:

– Start by revealing the Adventurer Tiles. You’ll reveal 4 if you’re playing with 4 players, but only 3 if there are fewer players. Arrange the tiles from left to right based on their power level, with the least powerful on the left and the most powerful on the right. If two tiles have the same power, replace the last one revealed.

– Next, reveal the Event tile for the next season. If it’s a Special Event, you’ll also need to reveal a Special Event Card.

Now, let’s move on to the Orders Phase:

– Begin by choosing the order of the fictitious players. This is only applicable if you’re playing with 3 or 4 players, so refer to the detailed rules in those cases.

– Each player needs to choose 3 Order Cards from the available cards in their hand.

– Once everyone has made their selections, reveal your orders and take turns placing your Minion figures on the corresponding action squares.

– If you decide to place the Recruit Monster (or Ghost) order first, keep in mind that it will cost you 1 Gold.

That’s all there is to it! Have fun playing the game.

Hey there! Let’s dig into some important rules for playing this game. I want to make sure you understand everything clearly, so I’ll break it down for you in simple terms.

First off, if there isn’t any space left on an action for a Minion figure, you’ll have to place the Minion on the corresponding Order Card. Unfortunately, that means you lose the action.

Now, when it comes to performing actions, you’ll follow the order shown on the Central board. Start from the left, moving to the right, and go from the top line to the bottom line.

Now let’s talk about a few specific actions you can take and how they work:

– If you want to Take Food, Improve Reputation, Recruit Imps, or Buy Traps, you’ll need to pay the cost shown to the left of the arrow. Once you’ve paid, you’ll receive whatever is shown on the right of the arrow. Just remember, you can’t pay part of the cost to get part of the winnings. It’s all or nothing!

• If you have the ability to spy, which is indicated by an eye symbol on the Improving Reputation action, you can look at one of the Combat Cards. Choose the one you want, but remember not to change their order.
• In the Second Year of the game, if you perform the Buy Traps action, you’ll get an extra Trap Card. However, you’ll also need to discard one of your existing Trap Cards.

Hey there! So, let’s talk about building permits. They’re like your ticket to do some serious tunnel digging or gold mining. When you get a building permit, it gives you the green light to use a specific number of tools for your project. And the cool thing is, you can use fewer tools if you want. So it’s pretty flexible.

But here’s the thing: in square III, no matter how many tools you have, you need at least one special imp called a foreman. This imp is in charge of making sure everything runs smoothly. And just to clarify, trolls don’t do the digging or extracting. They’re not allowed.

Now, there are some rules you need to follow when it comes to construction and mining. First off, any new tunnels you dig must be right next to an existing room or tunnel. You can’t just dig randomly. And if you’re thinking about filling in all the squares of a 2×2 square, sorry, but that’s a no-go. You can’t do it.

One more thing: every new tunnel you dig requires an imp. You need to place that imp directly over the new tunnel. And here’s a cool twist – each imp can extract 1 gold in a tunnel that hasn’t been conquered yet. So if you see some gold, snatch it up and put it on top of the tunnel. But remember, two imps can’t extract from the same tunnel. Also, a newly constructed tunnel can be extracted, but not with the same imp that built it.

So there you have it! That’s the deal with building permits and the rules for tunnel digging and gold mining. Keep these guidelines in mind, and you’ll be on your way to success. Happy digging!

Hey there! Let’s talk about some important actions you can take in the game. One of them is recruiting a monster or ghost. When you recruit one, you have to pay its cost, which you can find in the top left corner. On square III, you need to pay 1 Food in addition.

Another action you can take is building a room. This one is done in reverse order. On squares II and III, you have to pay 1 Gold. On square I, you don’t have to pay anything, but there’s a risk you might not be able to build because there are only two rooms available per season. Here are the building rules:

• You can’t have two rooms next to each other.
• The First Year rooms can only be built in specific areas indicated on the Room tile.

If you decide not to execute an order, you can place your Minion on the Order Card to show that.

Now let’s talk about the Production and Order Recovery Phase.

If you still have any leftover Imp Figurines (or Troll Tokens), you can send them to a production room. Simply place the designated number of Imps (and/or Troll Tokens) in the room and pay any additional costs necessary to achieve the desired outcome. The Imps produced by a room can be put to work right away.

In the First Year, a Room can produce once every season. However, in the Second Year, it can produce twice per season, resulting in double the number of Imps.

Now, it’s time to reclaim your two inaccessible Order Cards. You should also take back the first Order card you played this season, or choose one with a Minion Figure. As for the other two Order cards, move them to the inaccessible Order squares.

– Event Phase

Now, let’s talk about the Event Phase. During this phase, events will impact all players, starting with the first player.

During the game, there are several important things to consider. Let’s dive into some key factors that you need to keep in mind:

1. Pay Day: Each monster or ghost comes with a cost. If you don’t pay the cost, the creature will disappear, and you’ll earn 1 Evilness point.

2. Taxes: Your Dungeon may have non-empty tiles, whether conquered or not. For every pair of these tiles, you’ll be taxed one Gold. If you can’t or don’t want to pay, you’ll need to place a wound marker in the Unpaid square next to the Minions’ desk. These wound markers will cost you 3 points at the end of the game.

3. Special Event: There are Special Event Cards in the game. Follow the instructions on the card to proceed accordingly.

Now, let’s move on to the Adventurers Phase:

During this phase, adventurers from the ending season will be assigned to each player’s dungeon.

In a two-player game, a fictitious player’s Evilness Marker should be moved one square up.

Keep these factors in mind as you navigate through the game. Good luck and remember to embrace your inner evilness!

When it comes to adventurers, the least powerful one (the one furthest to the left) is assigned to the player at the bottom of the Evilness Track. The next adventurer is assigned to the next player on the Evilness Track, and so on. If there is a tie, the turn order is used to break it, with the first player being the nicest.

The new adventurers are placed behind the ones from the previous seasons, except for the warriors who always take the front spots in the group.

End of Season

All the Imps are returned to the Imp’s Lair.

The First Player token is passed to the player on the left, except in autumn.



The Paladin

Every year, a special figure known as the Paladin is chosen.

The Paladin emerges from their tent and ventures into the dungeon of the first player who reaches or surpasses the Paladin’s limit on the Evilness Track.

If another player surpasses both the Paladin’s limit and the current player, the Paladin moves to the new player’s dungeon.

– In the event of a tie, the Paladin favors the first player.

– If the Paladin changes dungeons during combat, they retain any wounds they have.

Combat

Turn the Progress Board over and arrange the Combat Cards face down in sequential order.

Combat consists of four rounds. When an adventurer accumulates enough Wound markers to meet or exceed their hit points, they are defeated and immediately sent to your Prison. Your Battle concludes:

Hey there! Let’s talk about the Dungeon of Doom, an exciting game where you get to play the role of a wicked villain. In this game, it’s your job to stop a group of daring adventurers from reaching the treasure hidden deep within your dungeon.

So how does it work? Well, it’s all about strategy and timing. The game is divided into two phases: the Adventure phase and the Planning phase. Let me break it down for you.

The Adventure Phase

In the Adventure phase, the adventurers will make their way through your dungeon, one tile at a time. They start at the entrance of the dungeon and move forward, revealing new tiles as they go.

Now, here’s where things get interesting! You have a chance to stop them at three different points:

1. If you eliminate all the adventurers by defeating them in battle
2. If four rounds of fighting have passed, and the adventurers are still alive
3. If you no longer have any unconquered tiles, which allows the adventurers to reach your prison and free one of their comrades

It’s all about outsmarting the adventurers and preventing them from making it to the end. So let’s move on to the Planning phase and see how you can do that.

The Planning Phase

The Planning phase is where you get to unleash your deviousness. This is the time to choose your strategy and set up traps and monsters to hinder the adventurers’ progress.

Here’s how it works:

• In a tunnel, you can play one trap and/or one monster.
• In a room, you can play one trap (which costs one Gold) and a maximum of two monsters.
• You can play as many ghosts as you want.
• But remember, you don’t have to play a trap or a monster (or ghost) if you don’t want to.
• If you no longer have any unconquered tiles, instead of planning, you’ll have to discard an imprisoned adventurer.

So go ahead, use your cunning, and do whatever it takes to keep those adventurers away from your precious treasure. Good luck, and may the darkness be on your side!

In this phase called the Revelation Phase, I’ll show you the Combat Card for this round, along with the traps and monsters assigned to the battle.

Now, let’s move on to the Battle Phase. We’ll fight one by one, starting with the first player. The course of the battle is indicated on your dungeon board, right at the top middle.

• First, we have the Trap Step. You’ll reveal your Trap Card and if needed, pay for it to activate its effect. Thieves will be weakened by one Wound per trap symbol, and the protection is always given to the first adventurer who comes across the trap. After that, the Trap Card is reset.
• Next, we have the Quick Spell Step. If the Combat Card you have is a quick spell and the group has enough magic points (indicated by 3 magic stone symbols), you can apply the effect of the quick spell.
• Then, we move on to the Monster (and Ghost) Step. Your monsters and ghosts will attack in the order you choose. After they attack, they will be stunned and turned face down for the rest of the Year, unless you decide to use a retreat attack, which is shown by a white arrow.

When it’s time for battle, I follow these steps:

First, I check if the Combat Card is a slow spell. If it is and I have enough magic points (3 magic stone symbols), I activate the slow spell’s effect.

Next, I attend to any wounded adventurers. If any monsters or ghosts have attacked and wounded one of my adventurers, I remove 1 Wound marker from the group for each heart symbol on the Adventurer’s card. I start with the Adventurers at the front.

Then, I move on to the Conquest Step. First, I check for any Fatigue. The group receives the number of Wound markers indicated on the Combat Card. I assign them one by one to the first adventurer. If he gets eliminated, the remaining markers go to the next adventurer.

After that, it’s time for Conquest itself. If at least one adventurer remains, the group succeeds in conquering the tile. I flip the tile over and move my Evilness Marker down one space.

That’s how I handle battles!



Time for the Second Year

Alright, let’s get started on the second year of our game. Here’s what we need to do:

• First, we need to flip the Progress board over to the Construction side. Next, let’s shuffle up those event tiles and place them on the corresponding squares.
• Now, take the new Combat Cards and put them on the City square of the central board.
• We also need to make sure we defeat the First Year paladin if it’s still hanging around on the Central Board.
• If we’re playing with just two people, we should move the Evilness Marker of the dummy player down two squares on the Evilness Track.
• Lastly, let’s pass the First Player Token. Here’s who gets it:
• If we’re playing with four people, pass it to the player on your right.
• If we have three players, pass it to the player on your left.
• And if it’s just two of us, no need to pass the token.

Remember, at the end of each season – winter, spring, and summer – we’ll pass the First Player Token to the left, just like we did in the First Year.

Alright, now that we’ve got all the setup done, it’s time to start playing the Construction and Combat of the Second Year.

GAME OVER

Hey there! If you need some help counting your Victory Points, you’ve come to the right place. Let me break it down for you:

• First, let’s tally up the victory points you earned for each dungeon. Remember, the more dungeons you conquered, the more points you get!
• Next, we’ll add up the victory points you earned for the titles you acquired along the way. Titles are a mark of your achievements and they bring you even more points!



In the game of “Lord of the Underworld,” the ultimate goal is to acquire the most victory points and become the supreme ruler of the dark realm. The player who achieves this feat is granted the prestigious title of Lord of the underworld.

As the game progresses, each player will earn victory points based on their actions and accomplishments. These points represent their dominance and influence over the underworld. At the end of the game, the player with the highest total victory points is declared the winner.

It’s a thrilling and competitive race to the top, as all players strive to outwit and outmaneuver their opponents. The quest for victory points drives the gameplay and sets the stage for intense strategic decision-making.

With every move I make, I must consider how it will impact my chances of earning victory points. Will I focus on expanding my territory or strengthening my defenses? Should I send my minions on dangerous missions or invest in valuable resources? Every decision carries weight and consequences.

The road to becoming the Lord of the underworld is not an easy one. It requires cunning, resourcefulness, and a deep understanding of the game mechanics. I must navigate the treacherous landscape of the underworld, making calculated moves and seizing opportunities as they arise.

As I progress in the game, I am constantly seeking new ways to earn victory points. Whether it’s completing challenging quests, defeating formidable foes, or collecting rare artifacts, every action I take brings me closer to my ultimate goal.

Becoming the Lord of the underworld is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it grants me unrivaled power and prestige. On the other hand, it paints a target on my back, as other players will stop at nothing to dethrone me and claim the title for themselves.

In the end, only one player will emerge victorious and earn their Dungeon Lord licence. It’s a testament to their skill, strategy, and mastery of the underworld. Will it be me? Only time will tell as I embark on this epic journey to become the Lord of the underworld.