Altar Quest Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object of the Game
• Game Contents
• Overview of Cards
  • Hero Decks
  • Threat Decks
  • Villain Decks
  • Quest Decks
  • Feature Cards
  • Search Cards
  • Lurker Cards
  • Story Cards
• Setup
  • Your First Game
• Board Overview
• Gameplay Overview
• Hero Turn
  • Act Phase
  • Hero Card Types
  • Exhausting and Attaching Cards
  • Hero Actions
  • Movement
  • Range, Counting Spaces, and Line of Sight
• Threat Turn
  • React Phase
  • Engage
• Villain Turn
  • Villain Card Types
  • Spawning Enemies
  • Huge Figures
• Quest Turn
  • Revealing a Room
• Additional Rules
  • Tests
  • Hero Dice
  • Test Procedure
  • Focus
  • Card Keywords
  • Equipment
  • Altar Dice and Rhunes
  • Supply
  • Damage and Healing
  • Features
  • Altars
  • Search Cards
  • Traps
  • Threat Tokens
  • Lurkers
  • Rivals
  • Allies
  • Conditional Effects
  • Running Out of Cards in a Deck
• Campaign Rules
  • Campaign Card Collections
  • Campaign Setup
  • Campaign Games
  • Changing Heroes, Joining or Leaving a Campaign
  • Campaign Upkeep
  • Continuing a Campaign
  • Upgrade Cards
  • Storing Hero Cards During Campaign
  • Stories
• Turn Summary
  • Act Phase
  • Hero Actions
  • Test Procedure
• Credits

Object of the Game

Players win the game by satisfying the win conditions presented by the quest. Players lose if any hero is defeated, or if any game effect causes them to lose.

Game Contents

• 1 Story Guide
• 1 Game Board
• 10 Custom Dice
  • 5 Hero Dice
  • 5 Altar Dice
• 76 Miniatures
  • 4 Heroes
  • 45 Minions
  • 3 Villains
  • 16 Doors
  • 7 Features
  • 1 Altar
• 446 Cards
  • 108 Hero Cards (4 decks, 27 cards each)
  • 63 Threat Cards (3 decks, 21 cards each)
  • 30 Villain Cards (3 decks, 10 cards each)
  • 120 Quest Cards (6 decks, 20 cards each)
  • 6 Altar Cards
  • 8 Feature Cards
  • 16 Search Cards
  • 9 Lurker Cards
  • 15 Story Cards
  • 32 Hero Upgrade Cards
  • 25 Equipment Cards
  • 4 Ally Cards
  • 6 Enemy Upgrade Cards
  • 4 Turn Cards
• 25 Card Dividers
• 12 Plastic Base Rings
• 374 Tokens
  • 1 Stairs Tile
  • 80 Damage Tokens
  • 20 Focus Tokens
  • 4 Trap Tokens
  • 40 Supply Tokens
  • 40 Armor Tokens
  • 40 Quest Tokens
  • 40 Threat Tokens
  • 50 Progress Tokens
  • 40 Search Tokens
  • 12 Action Tokens
  • 3 Ally Tokens (Prisoner, Queen Valory, and Huey)
  • 4 Rival Tokens (Spy, Traitor, Fanatic, and Thief)

Card icons used throughout the game: Trap, Action, Focus, Supply, Search, Quest, Threat, Armor, Damage, Progress, Stairs.

Overview of Cards

Altar Quest is played using a number of different types of card decks. The four main components of a game of Altar Quest are the hero decks, the threat deck, the villain deck, and the quest deck. These 4 types of decks can be combined in different ways to create all types of unique adventures. Lurker cards, feature cards, altar cards, and search cards are also important elements in the game and, as new Altar Quest products are released, these decks will grow and bring in even more variety to your adventures.

Each card in the Altar Quest base game is identified with the base game icon (a black flame).

Hero Decks

Each hero has their own corresponding deck of cards that determines how that hero functions in the game. Hero decks contain a hero character card, one or two Equipment cards, and a number of hero cards. Some heroes may even include an ally card in their deck. There are 3 main types of hero cards: Action cards, Feat cards, and Reaction cards.

A Hero Character Card shows:

• Defense Value — Figures have a defense value that represents how much damage they can avoid each time they would be dealt damage.
• Health Value — This value represents how much damage a figure can suffer before being defeated.
• Attributes — Character cards have attribute icons with corresponding values to indicate how proficient that character is at particular tests.
• Name of Card

A Hero Equipment Card and a Hero Card show:

• Name of Card
• Range Value — This value represents the range of a card's effect.
• Card Effect — A card effect describes how that card functions. Some cards will have keywords (like Exhaust or Activate) as well as rhune effects.
• Card Traits — Card traits are presented in Italics and are referenced by specific rules and/or card effects.

Threat Decks

A threat deck contains all of the Minion, Trap, and Event cards unique to a given type of enemy.

A Minion Card shows:

• Defense Value — Figures have a defense value that represents how much damage they can avoid each time they would be dealt damage.
• Health Value — This value represents how much damage a figure can suffer before being defeated.
• Speed — This value indicates how many spaces an enemy figure can move.
• Color Indicator — Each minion or trap in a threat deck will have a color assigned to it so players can quickly tell which element on the game board corresponds to that card.
• Name of Card
• Range Value — This value represents the range of a card's effect.
• Card Effect
• Card Traits

An Event Card in a threat deck has a Name of Card and a Card Effect, and works the same way.

A Trap Card shows:

• Progress Threshold — This value indicates how much progress a card needs to be overcome.
• Range Value
• Name of Card
• Card Effect
• Card Traits

Villain Decks

Each villain has their own corresponding deck, containing a Villain enemy card, a Scheme card, and a number of Event and/or Ongoing cards.

A Villain Enemy Card shows:

• Defense Value
• Health Value
• Card Effect
• Range Value
• Name of Card

A Scheme Card shows the villain's name, flavor text (purely thematic, no impact on gameplay), and a Card Effect.

An Event Card in a villain deck shows a Name of Card, a Card Effect, and Card Traits (presented in Italics, such as "Event").

"P" Values: When a value has a "P" next to it, the value should be multiplied by the number of heroes in the game. For example, if 3 heroes were in a game fighting an enemy with 9P health, that enemy would have 27 health.

Quest Decks

Each quest deck contains a double-sided Quest Setup/Quest Rules card, along with all of the other cards needed for that particular quest.

A Setup/Rules Card shows the Name of Card and a Card Effect.

A Quest Card shows flavor text (purely thematic, no impact on gameplay), a Progress Threshold, and a Card Effect.

Feature Cards

Feature cards determine the feature that is placed in a room when it is revealed and contains any special rules associated with that feature. A Feature Card shows a Name of Card and a Card Effect (which may have keywords like Exhaust or Activate, as well as rhune effects).

Search Cards

Search cards represent the various items the heroes can find when searching the rooms of the dungeon. A Search Card shows a Range Value, a Name of Card, a Card Effect, and Card Traits (e.g. "Consumable").

Lurker Cards

Lurker cards represent the various dangerous enemies lurking around the dungeon, waiting for unwitting heroes to attack. These cards function like Minion threat cards, but are not tied to a specific type of enemy. A Lurker Card shows a Defense Value, Speed, a Card Effect, a Name of Card, Card Traits, Health Value, and Range Value.

Story Cards

The Out of Luxen story deck is made up of 15 story cards. These cards are only used when playing the Out of Luxen story. Players should not look at these cards until they decide to play the story.

Card Control: When a card is in a hero's play area, that card is controlled by that hero. At the start of the game, a hero typically controls their hero character card and each Equipment and/or Ally card in their deck. A hero does not control cards in their threat area or in any other hero's play area.

Setup

The following setup details how players should set up each individual game of Altar Quest. Players should perform each of the following steps in order.

1. Place Game Board: Unfold the game board and place it in the center of the play area.
2. Choose & Setup Heroes: Each player chooses a hero deck and takes the corresponding miniature. Each player sets up their hero play area by performing the following:
   1. Remove the character card and each Equipment card from the hero deck, placing them in a row in front of you to create your hero play area. Return all hero upgrade cards to the box, unless playing a campaign or story (see "Campaign Rules").
   2. Shuffle your hero deck and place it facedown to the left of your hero play area. Then, draw 4 cards. Players may choose to perform one mulligan by setting any number of cards from their starting hand aside, drawing an equal number of replacements, and then shuffling the set aside cards back into their deck. Leave room above your hero play area for a threat area, as pictured below.
   3. Each player places 1 turn card and 3 action tokens faceup above their hero deck.
3. Choose & Setup Quest: The players choose a quest deck and perform the following steps in order to set that quest up:
   1. Create the quest play area near the game board by removing the Setup/Quest Rules card from the quest deck and place it alongside an edge of the gameboard, leaving space to the right of it for additional cards that will be added to the quest area during the game. Place the quest tokens near the quest area.
   2. Shuffle the altar cards, draw 1, and place it in the quest area to the right of the Setup/Quest Rules card and then roll the altar dice and place them in an area nearby; this area is referred to as the altar pool.
   3. Refer to the Setup card and follow the quest's Setup effect. Then, shuffle the quest deck and place it facedown to the left of the quest play area, leaving room for a discard pile.
4. Choose Threat Deck & Prepare Figures: The players collectively choose a threat deck and collect the figures associated with that threat deck. Place the figures in a supply near the play area, shuffle the threat deck, and place the threat deck facedown near the threat figure supply. Attach the colored bases to the minion figures associated with the threat deck, so that each type of minion has 1 of each colored base. Then, place the trap tokens and threat tokens near the threat figure supply.
5. Choose Villain Deck: The players choose a villain deck, gathering that villain's miniature. Remove the Villain card from the villain deck and place it—Scheme side up—near the gameboard to create the villain play area. Shuffle the villain deck and place it facedown near the villain play area, placing the villain miniature nearby.
6. Prepare Tokens & Other Miniatures: Create separate token pools for armor tokens, damage tokens, progress tokens, focus tokens, supply tokens, and search tokens. Place all feature miniatures and door miniatures near the game board.
7. Prepare Card decks: Prepare the remaining decks as indicated:
   1. Search deck — Shuffle the search cards together and place them facedown near the game board.
   2. Feature deck — The players randomly shuffle 7 feature cards with the "Altar Found" feature card to create the feature deck. Place this facedown near the quest play area.
   3. Lurker Deck — The players shuffle together all lurker cards to create the lurker deck and place it facedown near the game board. Place the lurker figures near this deck.
8. Begin the Quest: The players choose a room and place the stairs tile in that room's feature space, placing each hero figure on that tile.

Your Hero Play Area (from left to right): Hero Deck, Hero Character Card, Hero Equipment Cards, with room above for your Threat Area.

Your First Game

If this is your first time playing Altar Quest, it is recommended that you choose the Frox threat deck, the Bolx villain deck, and The Search quest deck for your first game. Sedrin, Rowen, Myreen, and Quella are all great choices for your first hero deck. It is also recommended that you play your first game with only 1 or 2 players, as it is easier to learn the game this way.

Board Overview

Each game of Altar Quest is played on the included game board. The board is broken up into a number of rooms, which are separated by walls. Each room is connected to one or more other rooms by closed doors and each room consists of a number of spaces. Spaces that share an edge or a corner are considered adjacent spaces. The spaces that share an edge (not a corner) with a closed door are referred to as door spaces.

Each door has 2 door spaces, one in each connected room. Miniatures and tokens will be placed in spaces on the board during the game to represent their respective positions.

Miniatures and Figures: Miniatures are the plastic pieces included in the game that represent various things when on the board. Figures are miniatures of characters and enemies that typically move around the board. Characters include heroes and allies. Enemies include minions, rivals, and villains.

Gameplay Overview

Altar Quest is played over the course of a number of rounds until the heroes win or lose. The chosen quest deck will describe how the heroes win the game. The heroes lose the game if any hero is defeated or a game effect specifies an additional loss condition. Each round is divided into four turns:

1. Hero Turn: Each hero refreshes each exhausted card they control and flips their action tokens faceup. Then, each hero resolves an act phase, performing 3 actions.
2. Threat Turn: Each hero resolves a react phase, resolving the Activate effect on each card in their threat area.
3. Villain Turn: The heroes must resolve the Activate effect on each card in the villain play area and draw 1 villain card.
4. Quest Turn: The heroes must resolve the Activate effect on each card in the quest area.

Each turn is described in more detail in the following sections.

Golden Rules:

• Any card effect that contradicts this rulebook takes precedence over this rulebook.
• Anytime players must make a choice between several outcomes, they may collectively choose that outcome. For a more difficult play experience, players may opt to choose the outcome that is least beneficial to them as a group.

Hero Turn

During the hero turn, each hero resolves an act phase. The order in which heroes resolve their act phase is determined by the players and this order may change each round. A hero must fully resolve their act phase before the next hero starts their act phase. During a hero's act phase, that hero is referred to as the active hero.

At the start of the hero turn, each hero refreshes each exhausted card they control and flips their action tokens faceup to prepare for their act phase.

Act Phase

An act phase consists of 2 steps:

1. Action Step: During a hero's action step, the active hero may perform up to 3 actions.
2. Card Step: The active hero draws 1 card.

After performing each action, the active hero flips over 1 action token facedown to track how many actions they have performed. The active hero must fully resolve their act phase before the next hero may begin their act phase. After all heroes have completed their act phases, play continues to the threat turn.

Hero Card Types

There are 3 main types of hero cards: Action, Feat, and Reaction. Action cards may be played during a hero's action step by performing a "Play Action Card" action. A hero may play a Feat card during their action step, but it does not require the hero to perform an action. A Reaction card can be played in response to a specific situation as described on the card. Unless specified on the card, a Reaction card cannot interrupt a game effect currently being resolved. If the Reaction card timing specifies it can be played during the Activate effect of an enemy, and the enemy is defeated as a result, the remainder of the enemy card's effect is not resolved.

Some hero cards have the Ongoing trait. Ongoing hero cards are typically played into a hero's play area and that hero controls it. A hero cannot control more than 1 copy of an individual Ongoing card at a time.

Exhausting and Attaching Cards

When a player exhausts a card, that card is turned to its side to show that it is exhausted. An exhausted card cannot be exhausted again until it is refreshed. Otherwise, an exhausted card retains all of its text and any other keyword effects can be resolved as normal. When a card is refreshed, it is turned back upright to show that it is ready.

When a card is attached to another card, the attached card is placed partially underneath the card it is attached to, in a way that the players can reference the effects of both cards. If a card is discarded, each card attached to it is discarded, unless otherwise specified. If an attached card is discarded, the card it is attached to is not discarded, unless otherwise specified.

Hero Actions

Here is the list of actions available to the active hero during their action step:

• Move: The active hero may move up to 3 spaces. See the "Movement" section for more details. A hero may perform 2 or 3 move actions at once, moving up to 6 or 9 spaces respectively.
• Card Action: The active hero may resolve an Action listed on a card they control.
• Interact: The active hero may resolve an Interact listed on a card in play. If the Interact effect is followed by a number in parentheses, that number is the range. The active hero must be within range of the card's corresponding token or miniature on the board in order to resolve the card's Interact effect. For example, if a hero wants to resolve the Interact (1) effect on a feature in play, that hero's miniature must be within 1 space of the feature's miniature in order to do so.
• Play Action Card: The active hero may play an Action card from their hand.
• Draw 1 Card: The active hero may draw 1 card from their deck.
• Rest: The active hero may discard 1 supply to heal 2 damage.
• Channel: The active hero may gain 1 focus and change 1 altar die to a result of their choice.

Each action must be fully resolved before the active hero may perform another action. The active hero may also perform the same action multiple times during their action step. These actions are optional and the active hero may choose to perform less than 3 actions if they wish.

Movement

When a figure moves, it can move a number of spaces. For each space of movement, the moving figure may move from its current space to an adjacent space, including diagonally. A figure cannot enter a space occupied by a figure, an ally token, a rival token, or a trap token. However, characters can enter spaces occupied by other characters and enemies can enter spaces occupied by other enemies. In both cases, the moving figure must end their movement in an empty space. A figure cannot move through a wall or a closed door.

Once a figure begins its movement, it must complete it before resolving another effect. Heroes may resolve Exhaust effects and Use effects during their movement (as well as opening a door), without ending their movement.

If a character is in a door space during the controlling hero's act phase, that hero may open the door. If the door is connected to an unrevealed room, the room is revealed (see "Revealing a Room" for details). Only one room may be revealed per hero act phase. After revealing a room, the character may finish moving. A figure may only move between rooms by moving into one door space from another door space, both of which must be connected by an open door. This means that figures cannot move diagonally from one room into another.

Range, Counting Spaces, and Line of Sight

Range is the distance between 2 game elements, as measured in spaces. Each card that has a range value requires the effect's target to be within the indicated range of the game element associated with that card (usually a figure or token). To be within range of a target, a game element must be in the target's room—or in a connected door space—and within the required number of spaces (equal to or less than the range value). To count range between 2 game elements, count the number of spaces along the shortest path (including diagonals) from one game element to the other.

Some game effects, such as attack and inflict tests, require line of sight. To determine line of sight between 2 game elements, draw an imaginary line from any point within one element's space to any point within the other space. If the line crosses over a wall or a closed door, the elements do not have line of sight to each other. If the line does not cross over a wall or a closed door, the elements have line of sight to each other. A game element may only have line of sight to another element in the same room or a connected door space.

Threat Turn

During the threat turn, each hero resolves a react phase. The order in which heroes resolve their react phase is determined by the players and this order may change each round. A hero must fully resolve their react phase before the next hero starts their react phase. During a hero's react phase, that hero is referred to as the active hero.

React Phase

During their react phase, the active hero must resolve the Activate effect of each card in their threat area, from left to right. If the active hero would resolve the Activate effect on an exhausted card, it is instead refreshed and the Activate effect is not resolved. If a card is added to a hero's threat area during their react phase, the Activate effect on the newly added card is not resolved during that react phase.

Engage

The Activate effect on many enemy cards instruct the enemy to engage. When an enemy engages, it moves to be in an optimal position to target and inflict damage on the nearest character. The optimal position is the space farthest from the target character and within range (as listed on the enemy's card) and line of sight of that character. If there are multiple spaces that qualify as an optimal position, the enemy will prioritize the space that is farthest from, and within range of, as many characters as possible. When an enemy moves, it may move a number of spaces up to its speed value listed on its card. The enemy follows normal movement rules and follows the shortest path to its destination. However, enemies cannot open doors and enemies cannot move through closed doors.

Villain Turn

During the villain turn, heroes must resolve the Activate effect of each card in the villain play area, from left to right. Then, the heroes must draw and resolve 1 villain card. If the heroes cannot draw a villain card because there are none left in the deck, the villain spawns. When the villain spawns, the scheme card is flipped over and the villain figure is placed on the board (see "Spawning Enemies"); then, the players immediately resolve the Activate effect on the villain card.

Villain Card Types

There are 2 main types of villain cards drawn from the villain deck: Event and Ongoing. Event cards are immediately resolved when drawn and then discarded, unless otherwise specified. Ongoing villain cards are placed in the villain play area, to the right of the rightmost card in the villain play area.

If the villain has been defeated during the quest, there will be no villain cards to draw and no villain to activate during the villain turn. In this case, each hero must draw 1 threat card during the villain turn. Some quests may specify that the heroes must defeat the villain to win.

Spawning Enemies

Enemies are spawned in various ways. When a Minion threat card or a lurker card is drawn, the corresponding minion figure is spawned. When the heroes cannot draw a villain card during the villain turn because there are no villain cards left in the deck, the villain spawns.

When a minion figure spawns it is typically placed in a revealed room, in the shadow space nearest the active hero; if that shadow space is occupied, the spawned figure is placed in the empty space nearest it. The exception to this rule is when minion figures are spawned as a result of a hero revealing a room (see "Revealing a Room").

When the villain spawns, the villain's figure is placed in a revealed room, in the shadow space nearest the most characters. Villain figures that take up more than 1 space must be placed so at least part of the miniature occupies the shadow space. If there are other figures blocking one or more of the spaces the villain would need to occupy in order to spawn, those figures are moved to the closest available space to make room for the villain to be placed.

When a Trap threat card is drawn, the corresponding trap token is placed in a revealed room, in a space adjacent to that room's feature and nearest the active hero.

Huge Figures

While most figures occupy only 1 space, some figures instead occupy 4 spaces. These figures are referred to as Huge figures. Huge figures do not move like normal figures. When a Huge figure would move to engage a character, it is instead placed so that one of the spaces it occupies is the optimal position to target the nearest character. If there are other figures or tokens blocking one or more of the spaces the villain would be placed in, those figures or tokens are moved to the closest available space to make room for the villain to be placed. For purposes of card effects, the villain is considered to have moved into the space in which it is placed when it would engage. Huge figures cannot be moved by game effects unless specified otherwise.

Quest Turn

During the quest turn, heroes must resolve the Activate effect of each card in the quest area, from left to right.

Revealing a Room

If a hero (or an ally that hero controls) is in a door space during their act phase, that character may open the door. Each time a door connected to an unrevealed room is opened, the active hero reveals that room by performing the following steps in order:

1. Draw a Feature Card: The active hero draws the top card of the feature deck and places it in the quest area. Then, place the feature miniature corresponding to that card in the feature space of the revealed room. Features that take up 2 spaces must be placed in the spaces containing the white arrows. Features that take up 4 spaces must be placed in the spaces containing both the white arrows and the gray arrows.
2. Draw a Quest Card: The active hero draws the top card of the quest deck and reads the narrative to describe what they have discovered. Then, they resolve the When Revealed effect on that card.
3. Draw Threats: Each hero draws and resolves 1 threat card. Each minion figure spawned from a threat card during this step spawns in the revealed room's shadow space; if that space is occupied, place the minion in the empty space nearest it. If a hero draws a Trap threat card, the corresponding trap token is placed in a space adjacent to the revealed room's feature, as close to as many characters as possible. If a hero cannot draw a threat card because there are no cards left in the deck or discard pile, that hero must draw 1 lurker card instead. The lurker drawn this way spawns in the revealed room's shadow space.

It is important to note that a room may only be revealed during a hero's act phase. In addition, only one room may be revealed during a hero's act phase. If there are no cards remaining in either the quest deck or the feature decks, rooms can no longer be revealed during the quest. This means that doors connected to unrevealed rooms cannot be opened.

Additional Rules

The following sections detail several other important concepts in the game.

Tests

Characters have 6 attributes that determine their ability to overcome several obstacles in the game. These attributes are:

• Might: This represents a character's physical strength.
• Fortitude: This represents a character's resilience or toughness.
• Agility: This represents a character's dexterity or coordination.
• Willpower: This represents a character's strength of will or mental fortitude.
• Charisma: This represents a character's personality or presence.
• Intellect: This represents a character's education or intelligence.

Each of these attributes are assigned a value, and these values can vary from hero to hero. The value assigned to an attribute determines the number of hero dice that character rolls when required to test that attribute.

There are several different types of tests in Altar Quest, but they all require a character to roll hero dice to test a specific attribute. An attribute is listed as an icon following a test in card text to specify the attribute being tested. For example, when a card effect lists a Might test icon, the character resolving that card would test their might by rolling a number of hero dice equal to their might value. Some tests also list a number in a circle after the attribute, indicating a difficulty. This number is the difficulty and the type of test determines how that difficulty value is resolved. Here is a list of the different types of tests in the game and how they are resolved:

• Test: This is a general attribute test. If there is no difficulty assigned, the card text will specify how to resolve any successes rolled during the test. If there is a difficulty assigned, the test will either be passed or failed. If the character rolls a number of successes equal to or greater than the difficulty, the test is passed. Otherwise, the test is failed.
• Attack: This test allows a character to deal damage to enemies. The character must choose a target enemy within the range listed on the attack's card and in line of sight of the attacking character's figure. The character cancels a number of successes from the test equal to the target enemy's defense. Then, the character discards 1 armor token from the target enemy for each remaining success. If there are no armor tokens remaining, the character deals the target enemy 1 damage for each remaining success.
• Inflict: This test allows a character to attempt to reduce the amount of damage an enemy deals to them. A character must be within the range listed on the activating enemy's card and in line of sight to the enemy's figure. The character reduces the difficulty by 1 for each success rolled. Then, the character reduces the difficulty by a number equal to the character's defense. If any difficulty remains, the character may discard any number of their armor tokens to reduce the difficulty by an equal amount. Finally, the character suffers a number of damage equal to the remaining difficulty.
• Resist: This test allows a character to attempt to reduce the amount of damage they would suffer. The character reduces the difficulty by 1 for each success rolled. Then, the character suffers a number of damage equal to the remaining difficulty.
• Search: This test allows a hero to search their room. The hero cancels a number of successes equal to the number of search tokens on the room's feature card or altar card. Then, the hero discards 1 success to draw 1 search card. If any successes remain, the hero gains 1 supply for each remaining success. Finally, the hero places 1 search token on the room's feature card (or altar card if the altar is in the room). If a room does not have a feature, that room cannot be searched.
• Task: This test allows a character to place progress on the task's card. The character cancels a number of successes equal to the task's difficulty. Then, the character places 1 progress token on the task's card for each remaining success. If the number of progress tokens on the task's card equals or exceeds its threshold, that task is overcome and the card is discarded.

It is important to note that when a game effect refers to a test, it includes all types of tests unless stated otherwise. If a game effect only applies to a specific type of test, it will refer to that specific type. Some tests include a modifier icon (e.g. an Attack test with a "+1"). This number modifies the hero's attribute used in that test.

Hero Dice

Hero dice are rolled during tests to determine how the character resolves the test. These are the different results of a hero die:

• Success: This is a success result. Characters typically want to roll as many of these as possible during a test. Several different effects can cancel success results, which are removed from the character's results.
• Focus: This is a focus result. If a hero has any focus tokens, they may discard 1 focus token to turn this result into a success result. Otherwise, at the end of a test the hero may gain 1 focus token for each focus result remaining.
• Success and Focus: This is a success and focus result. This is treated as both a success result and a focus result, meaning the testing hero can resolve both as described above.
• Critical: This is a critical result. This is treated as a success result. In addition, the testing character rolls 1 additional hero die for this test. If the additional die also produces a critical, that result is resolved again. This continues until no critical result is rolled.

Test Procedure

While the results of each type of test are resolved differently, the majority of the steps performed by the character are consistent. Here are the steps that apply to each type of test:

1. Gather Dice: The testing character gathers a number of dice equal to the character's attribute corresponding to the attribute specified by the test. This is the hero's dice pool.
2. Modify Dice: The testing character resolves any effects that add or remove dice from the dice pool, such as discarding supply (see "Supply" for more details).
3. Roll Dice: The testing character rolls the dice pool.
4. Resolve Critical Results: If the testing character rolls 1 or more critical results, the character rolls an additional hero die for each critical rolled. If any additional dice roll a critical result, those results are resolved as well. This continues until no critical results are rolled.
5. Use Focus: The testing hero may discard 1 or more focus tokens to convert an equal number of focus results into success results.
6. Cancel Successes: The testing character cancels any successes based on the type of test.
7. Apply Results: The testing character resolves any remaining successes based on the type of test.
8. Gain Focus: The testing hero may gain 1 focus token for each focus result remaining.

Focus

Focus tokens are used to increase a hero's number of successes rolled during a test (see "Hero Dice"), as well as for various other effects during the game. When a hero gains a focus, they place 1 focus token in their play area. When a hero discards a focus, they return 1 focus to the supply. A hero cannot have more than 5 focus tokens at any given time. If a hero would gain a focus token when they already have 5, the effect is ignored.

Card Keywords

Cards can have one or more keywords, which determine when the effect that follows the keyword can be resolved. Below are several common keywords found on many of the cards in the game. Some decks may also feature unique keywords, as well as the rules for how they function.

• Action: This effect can be resolved by the hero controlling the card with this keyword. The controlling hero must perform a card action during their act phase to resolve the effect.
• Exhaust: This effect can be resolved by the hero controlling the card with this keyword. The controlling hero must exhaust the card to resolve the effect. If this keyword is followed by a rhune symbol, the hero must also spend the corresponding altar die to resolve the effect (see "Altar Dice and Rhunes" for more details). An Exhaust effect can be resolved by a hero at any time either before or after resolving another game effect. Unless specifically stated in the effect, an Exhaust effect cannot interrupt the resolving of another game effect.
• Interact: This effect can be resolved by a hero performing an interact action during their act phase. If this keyword is followed by a number in parentheses, this number is the range. The hero performing the interact action must be within range of the card's corresponding game element on the board. When a card with the Interact keyword with range is attached to a card, the range is measured from that card's corresponding game element.
• Use: This effect can be resolved by the hero controlling the card with this keyword. The controlling hero must discard the card to resolve the effect. Some cards will specify when the hero can resolve the effect. If there is no timing specified, the controlling hero may resolve it at any time.
• Activate: This effect is resolved based on where the card with the keyword is located. If the card is in a hero's threat area, it is resolved during that hero's react phase. If the card is in the villain play area, it is resolved during the villain turn. If the card is in the quest area, it is resolved during the quest turn. This is referred to as activating the card. An attached card is activated immediately after the card it is attached to is activated.
• Trigger: This effect is typically found on Trap threat cards. This effect is resolved when a character moves into a space within range of this card's token or figure. The range is listed on the card with this keyword.

Equipment

Each hero has one or more Equipment cards in their hero deck. These cards are placed in the hero's play area and the cards describe how the hero can utilize them. Each Equipment card includes an additional trait that denotes its type. A hero may control up to 2 Trinket cards and only one of each other type of Equipment card.

Altar Dice and Rhunes

The altar dice represent the shifting and unpredictable magical energy that altars provide. These dice have six different rhune symbols and are rolled into a pool at the start of the game. The rhunes are:

• Wathe is the rhune of water, storms, ice, and the mysterious depths of the sea.
• Volkris is the rhune of fire and the burning rivers under the earth.
• Brase is the rhune of earth and stone, the foundations of the world.
• Lowek is the fickle rhune of wind, mischievous and unpredictable.
• Aluna is the rhune of light, offering healing and purification.
• Nethander is the rhune of shadow, whether malignant or otherwise.

Many cards will have a rhune effect listed on them that may be resolved when the card is played or activated, only if there is a corresponding rhune symbol available in the altar pool. The rhune effect is resolved after resolving any other effects on the card. When a rhune effect is resolved, an altar die in the altar pool showing that rhune symbol must be rolled and returned to the altar pool. Rhune effects on hero cards can optionally be resolved by the hero resolving the card, but all other rhune effects must be resolved if there is a corresponding rhune symbol available in the altar pool. Each rhune effect is only resolved once, regardless of how many corresponding rhune symbols are in the altar pool.

Some effects may allow heroes to roll 1 or more altar dice in the altar pool. Unless otherwise specified, the hero may choose which altar dice to roll and return to the altar pool.

Supply

Supply tokens represent the heroes' preparation, morale, and general supplies needed for an adventuring life. These should be thought of as food, rope, bandages, and other scavenged items that could be useful during an adventure. Heroes share a common pool of supply tokens, and various game effects may force them to discard these supply tokens or suffer other penalties. When any hero gains 1 or more supply tokens, they are added to this pool. When any hero is forced to discard 1 or more supply tokens, they are removed from this pool.

Each time a Minion is defeated or a Trap is overcome, the heroes gain 1 supply.

Before rolling dice for a test, the testing hero may choose to discard 1 supply to roll 1 additional hero die during that test. This may only be done once per test.

Damage and Healing

When a character or enemy suffers damage, place a number of damage tokens on the corresponding card equal to the amount of damage suffered. When a character or enemy suffers a number of damage equal to or greater than its health, that character or enemy is defeated. When an enemy is defeated, that enemy's card is discarded and its figure is removed from the board. When an Ally is defeated, that Ally card is discarded and its figure is removed from the board. When a hero is defeated, the game ends and the heroes lose.

It is important to note that when a character or enemy suffers or is dealt damage, it is not reduced by their defense or armor tokens. Defense and armor tokens are only used during attack or inflict tests.

When a game effect allows a character or enemy to heal damage, that character or enemy discards the specified number of damage tokens from their card.

Features

Features represent the furniture, structures, or even altars that can be found in the various dungeons of the world. When a room is revealed, typically a feature card is drawn and the corresponding miniature is added to the room. Feature cards provide effects available to heroes.

Altars

Altars are mysterious and powerful artifacts found in dungeons and ruins throughout the world. In each game of Altar Quest, at least 1 altar card will be used in the game. These altar cards provide various effects, even if the altar is not in play. The "Altar Found" feature card will place the altar miniature in the revealed room, uncovering the actual location of the source of the magical energy. When the altar miniature is in play, the altar card is treated as the feature card for the altar's room. Some altar cards (or quest cards) will have additional effects to resolve when the altar is in play.

Search Cards

Heroes will typically draw search cards when resolving a search test. Many search cards have the Consumable trait listed on them. Heroes place these cards in their play area and control these cards until they decide to resolve the Use keyword listed on the card. Search cards with the Event trait are resolved immediately and discarded.

During a hero's act phase, that hero may give one or more search cards they control to another hero in a space adjacent to the active hero. If a hero gives another hero an exhausted search card, that card stays exhausted when the other hero takes control of it.

Traps

Several threat cards are traps, specified by the Trap trait. If a Trap card is drawn when not revealing a room, that card's corresponding trap token is placed in a space adjacent to the feature in the active hero's room, so that it is as close to as many characters as possible. Trap cards typically contain the Trigger and Interact keywords, as well as a task test. This task test allows the heroes to attempt to place progress on the trap. If there is a number of progress equal to or greater than the card's threshold, the trap is overcome. When a trap is overcome, its card is discarded and its token is removed from the board. If a Trap card is discarded for any other reason, the token is also removed from the board.

Threat Tokens

Each threat deck uses threat tokens in its own way. The threat deck reference card will explain how threat tokens function with that particular threat deck. When a character or an enemy gains a threat token, it is placed on their card. When a threat token is discarded, it is returned to the supply of threat tokens.

Lurkers

Lurkers represent the countless types of monsters, creatures, and brigands found in the shadows of the most dangerous places in the world. When a hero draws a lurker card, they spawn the corresponding miniature in a revealed room, in the nearest shadow space. Then, they place the lurker card in their threat area. Lurker cards function much like threat cards. When a lurker card is defeated, it is discarded in the lurker card discard pile. If the last lurker card is drawn, shuffle together all discarded lurker cards to create a new lurker deck.

Rivals

Rivals are enemies that are represented by a rival card and a corresponding token. Rivals are typically used when specified by a card effect or a story guide (see "Stories"), but players are free to optionally include a rival in any of their games. When setting up a quest, each rival card is shuffled together with 3 other lurker cards and placed on top of the lurker deck. When a rival card is in play, it is usually placed in a hero's threat area and that hero will resolve the Activate effect during their react phase as normal. When a rival is defeated, its card and token are removed from the game unless otherwise specified.

It is important to note that a rival is considered an enemy. When a game effect refers to an enemy, it applies to rivals.

Allies

Allies are characters the heroes can control and are represented by an ally card and a corresponding token or figure. Allies are typically used when specified by a card effect or a story guide (see "Stories"), but players are free to optionally include an ally in any of their games. When an ally card is in play, it is usually placed in a hero's play area and includes an Exhaust effect that the hero may resolve to move the ally's token, or figure, and trigger any other effects as described on the card. At the start of a quest, each hero controlling an ally places that ally's token or figure in a space adjacent to their hero figure. Allies resolve tests much like heroes, with the exception that allies cannot gain focus. Allies ignore the focus results on the hero dice when performing a test. When an ally is defeated, its card and token, or figure, are removed from the game unless otherwise specified.

It is important to note that an ally is considered a character. When a game effect refers to a character, it applies to allies.

Conditional Effects

Some cards will have conditional effects, such as, "If unable to inflict, engage and gain 1 armor token."

Conditional effects are limited to one sentence. If a conditional is more complex and consists of multiple effects, a semicolon will be used to keep the conditional effects limited to a single sentence. Any effects before or after a conditional effect are resolved normally. For example, if after a conditional effect, the next sentence is, "Then, gain 1 armor token," then that effect would trigger regardless of whether the conditional effect before it triggered.

Running Out of Cards in a Deck

There are several different decks of cards used in Altar Quest, and eventually some of those decks will run out of cards during the game. When a player is instructed to draw a card from a deck, and they draw the last card from the deck, that player shuffles the discarded cards of that deck together and places them facedown to create a new deck. The exceptions to this rule are the villain, quest, and feature deck. These decks do not get reshuffled when the last card of those decks is drawn.

Campaign Rules

Players wishing to link their games of Altar Quest together may choose to embark on a campaign, following the rules in this section. Additionally, players who wish to play through an Altar Quest story—like the "Out of Luxen" story included in this box—will use most of the campaign rules outlined here, with only a few exceptions.

Campaign Card Collections

One of the most important aspects to a campaign is tracking the various cards that come into play (or may come into play) during each game of a campaign. There are two distinct collections of cards that make up a campaign, as described below. Between each game of a campaign, players should store their cards using the included dividers for these collections.

Campaign Pool: Any cards relative to the current campaign the players are undertaking are stored with the "Campaign Pool" divider. This includes any unearned upgrade cards, story decks, or other reference cards that apply to the active campaign.

The Journal: Any cards that both affect each game of the campaign and have been earned by the players are added to the journal; these cards are stored with the "Journal" divider. All cards in the journal are added to each game of the active campaign. This includes earned hero upgrade cards and earned enemy upgrade cards, Equipment cards that players have found or earned, allies that are part of the players' party, or rivals that are actively working against the players. Once a card is added to the journal, it remains there for the entirety of the story unless otherwise specified.

Cards that are earned by certain heroes enter each game under that hero's control, unless otherwise specified.

Campaign Setup

When beginning a new campaign, players follow these steps before normal game setup:

1. Choose Heroes: Each player chooses a hero to play as for the entirety of the campaign, gathering that hero's hero deck and miniature, just like normal game setup. Players also gather the upgrade cards corresponding to their chosen hero and add those to the campaign pool.
2. Gather Enemy Upgrade Cards: The players add the enemy upgrade cards to the campaign pool.
3. Additional Setup: If players are playing a story, they refer to the chosen story's Story Rules and the corresponding story guide for additional setup steps.

Campaign Games

Each quest of a campaign is played following the normal rules presented in this rulebook. After each quest of a campaign, heroes will earn new Equipment cards and hero upgrade cards that they can use during the next quest of the campaign. A campaign is played over the course of six quests. If the heroes win the sixth quest, they win the campaign. If the heroes lose the sixth quest, they lose the campaign.

Changing Heroes, Joining or Leaving a Campaign

Once players have started a campaign, they should not change heroes, remove heroes from the campaign, or add heroes to the campaign. This is mostly because it adds more challenges with tracking components.

If players wish to change heroes, remove heroes from the campaign, or add heroes to their campaign, they must make sure to adjust the card collections accordingly (upgrading new heroes retroactive, for example, and re-assigning hero-specific cards if needed). Players are free to house rule this process however they wish to best fit their group's preferences.

Campaign Upkeep

After playing each quest of a campaign, heroes can earn new Equipment cards and hero upgrade cards. In addition, a new enemy upgrade card is revealed to increase the difficulty of the next quest in the campaign. After each quest, players should follow these steps in order:

1. Clean Up Quest: Each hero heals all damage, discards all focus, discards all threat tokens, and discards each search card they control. Players should set aside each supply token remaining in their pool and note whether or not they won the quest.
2. Shop: If the heroes won the quest, each hero may reveal 1 card from the equipment deck. Then, regardless of winning or losing, they may choose to reveal more cards by discarding 3 supply for each additional card revealed. Finally, each hero may choose 1 revealed Equipment card to add to the journal. After each hero chooses 1 revealed card, the rest are shuffled back into the equipment deck.
3. Train: If the heroes won the quest, each hero may add 1 of their hero upgrade cards to the journal. Then, regardless of winning or losing, each hero may choose to discard 5 supply to add 1 of their hero upgrade cards to the journal.
4. Upgrade Enemy: The players shuffle the enemy upgrade cards, draw 1, and add it to the journal.

After completing these steps, the heroes discard any remaining supply they have and—if they are not currently playing another campaign game—return all cards to their campaign card collections.

Note: If playing a story, players follow the campaign upkeep procedure listed in the story guide following the section of the story (usually a "chapter") they have just completed.

Continuing a Campaign

The first quest of a campaign is set up following the setup rules presented earlier in this rulebook. After the first quest, players must perform some additional setup steps:

• During the Choose & Setup Heroes step of normal setup, players should choose which of their hero's Equipment cards they wish to use and place them their hero play area. Then, they add each earned hero upgrade card to their hero deck and remove a card with the same name before shuffling their hero deck.
• During the Choose & Setup Quest step of normal setup, players should choose a quest deck that they have not played yet during the campaign.
• After the Choose Villain Deck step of normal setup, players should take each enemy upgrade card from the journal and place them near the villain play area for reference.

After following these steps, along with the normal setup steps, players are ready to begin playing the next quest of the campaign.

Upgrade Cards

There are two different types of upgrade cards: hero upgrade cards and enemy upgrade cards. Each hero has their own set of upgrade cards. Enemy upgrade cards are universal and apply to all types of enemies as listed on the card. When a hero upgrade card is added to a hero deck, it must replace a card of the same name. The replaced card is returned to the game box. Enemy upgrade cards are placed near the villain play area during a quest, so that all players can easily reference them during the game.

Storing Hero Cards During Campaign

In addition to storing campaign-specific and story-specific cards in the provided campaign collection dividers, players may also wish to store their hero decks (or just their hero's character card) in the "Journal" to track which heroes are participating in the campaign. Players are free to choose the best option to track which hero they are playing.

Stories

While players can play relatively free-form campaigns, there are also narratively driven campaigns called stories. Each story is played following standard campaign rules, with additional rules that apply to that specific story. Typically, a story revolves around two key elements: the story deck and the story guide.

The "Out of Luxen" story included in the Altar Quest base game is a six chapter story that serves as a great introductory story for new players.

Story Guide: The story guide provides the narrative and framework for a story, while also introducing players to new story-specific rules. The story guide is broken up into sections (typically called chapters) that players will play through sequentially.

Story Deck: The story deck is a fixed deck of cards that drives a particular story. Players should not shuffle or look through the story deck, and should only reveal and interact with cards in the story deck when instructed to by the story guide. When the story guide references a specific story card, the card's title will be listed in bold following the number of that card. For example, when the Out of Luxen story guide calls for the "Valory's Message" card, it will be listed as 2 Valory's Message.

Turn Summary

1. Hero Turn: Each hero refreshes each exhausted card they control and flips their action tokens faceup. Then, each hero resolves an act phase, performing 3 actions.
2. Threat Turn: Each hero resolves a react phase, resolving the Activate effect on each card in their threat areas.
3. Villain Turn: The heroes must resolve the Activate effect on each card in the villain play area and draw 1 villain card.
4. Quest Turn: The heroes must resolve the Activate effect on each card in the quest area.

Act Phase

An act phase consists of 2 steps:

1. Action Step: During a hero's action step, the active hero may perform up to 3 actions.
2. Card Step: The active hero draws 1 card.

Hero Actions

• Move: The active hero may move up to 3 spaces. See the "Movement" section for more details. A hero may perform 2 or 3 move actions at once, moving up to 6 or 9 spaces respectively.
• Card Action: The active hero may resolve an Action listed on a card they control.
• Interact: The active hero may resolve an Interact listed on a card in play. If the Interact effect is followed by a number in parentheses, that number is the range. The active hero must be within range of the card's corresponding token or miniature on the board in order to resolve the card's Interact effect. For example, if a hero wants to resolve the Interact (1) effect on a feature in play, that hero's miniature must be within 1 space of the feature's miniature in order to do so.
• Play Action Card: The active hero may play an Action card from their hand.
• Draw 1 Card: The active hero may draw 1 card from their deck.
• Rest: The active hero may discard 1 supply to heal 2 damage.
• Channel: The active hero may gain 1 focus and change 1 altar die to a result of their choice.

Test Procedure

1. Gather Dice: The testing character gathers a number of dice equal to the character's attribute corresponding to the attribute specified by the test. This is the hero's dice pool.
2. Modify Dice: The testing character resolves any effects that add or remove dice from the dice pool, such as discarding supply (see "Supply" for more details).
3. Roll Dice: The testing character rolls the dice pool.
4. Resolve Critical Results: If the testing character rolls 1 or more critical results, the character rolls an additional hero die for each critical rolled. If any additional dice roll a critical result, those results are resolved as well. This continues until no critical results are rolled.
5. Use Focus: The testing hero may discard 1 or more focus tokens to convert an equal number of focus results into success results.
6. Cancel Successes: The testing character cancels any successes based on the type of test.
7. Apply Results: The testing character resolves any remaining successes based on the type of test.
8. Gain Focus: The testing hero may gain 1 focus token for each focus result remaining.

Credits

Game Design: Adam and Brady Sadler

Graphic Design: Justin Lucas

Art: Henning Ludvigsen and The Creation Studios

Sculpts: Jin Wei and Bhushan Arekar

Out of Luxen Story Guide Writing: Bryan C.P. Steele and Brady Sadler

Producer: Max Lei

Game Development: Mitch Schroeder

Playtesters: Tony Branstetter, Markus Busch, Mike DiLisio, Eric Fuerst, Matt Goldrick, Adam Keller, Ryan Lang, Kira Anne Peavley, Jeremy Salinas, Justin Lucas, Mitchell Lucas, Tom Shriver-McGrevy, Allyssa Perry, David Schneider, Shiro, Dan Spezzano