Batman: The Dark Knight Returns – The Game
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns – The Game Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 Rulebook
- 1 Game Board
- 1 Batman Figure
- 21 Figure Bases
- 1 Dry Erase Marker
- 31 Dice
- 6 Standard Batarang dice
- 5 Upgraded Batarang dice
- 3 Batman special dice
- 3 Robin dice
- 2 Green Arrow dice
- 6 cop dice
- 6 mutant dice
- 27 Standard Cards
- 26 action cards
- 1 cooldown card
- 126 Tokens
- 90 adversary tokens (30 press, 30 mutants, 30 cops)
- 11 riot tokens
- 25 Bat-Signal tokens
Only used in VS Mode:
- 33 enemy command cards (11 mutants, 11 press, 11 cops)
- 11 riot tokens
- 1 active player marker
- 8 enemy action tokens
- 2 bridge closure tokens
- 1 VS Mode round sequence card
Books 1-4 Components
Book 1
- 1 rules booklet
- 3 boss dice
- 4 figures
- 1 boss figure
- 2 vehicle figures
- 1 ally figure
- 37 cards
- 1 Batman card
- 26 action cards
- 3 goal cards
- 1 boss card
- 1 enemy tokens card
- 2 vehicle cards
- 1 ally card
- 1 story card
- 1 round sequence card
- 8 clue tokens
Note: Book 1 does not have a separate rules booklet, as the setup and rules for Book 1 are covered on pg. 23 of this rulebook.
Book 2
- 2 boss dice
- 4 figures
- 1 boss figure
- 2 vehicle figures
- 1 ally figure
- 37 cards
- 1 Batman card
- 26 action cards
- 3 goal cards
- 1 boss card
- 1 enemy tokens card
- 2 vehicle cards
- 1 ally card
- 1 story card
- 1 round sequence card
- 5 clue tokens
Book 3
- 1 rules booklet
- 4 boss dice
- 7 figures
- 5 boss figures
- 1 vehicle figure
- 1 Selina figure
- 38 cards
- 1 Batman card
- 26 action cards
- 3 goal cards
- 3 boss cards
- 1 enemy tokens card
- 2 vehicle cards
- 1 vehicle card
- 2 story cards
- 1 round sequence card
- 8 tokens
- 3 clue tokens
- 2 Selina tokens
- 3 Superman tokens
Book 4
- 1 rules booklet
- 6 boss dice
- 4 figures
- 1 Batman figure
- 1 boss figure
- 1 vehicle figure
- 1 ally figure
- 38 cards
- 1 Batman card
- 26 action cards
- 5 goal cards
- 1 boss card
- 1 enemy tokens card
- 1 vehicle card
- 1 ally card
- 1 story cards
- 1 round sequence card
- 5 tokens
- 3 clue tokens
- 1 EKG token
- 1 Gordon's Home token
- 1 Plane Crash token
Board Reference
- Doomsday Clock: The Doomsday Clock tells you how close the city is to being overrun. If it reaches 12, you lose.
- Figures: Standees (or minis) such as Batman, allies, and vehicles occupy action spaces at locations. Only 1 figure can occupy each action space at a time.
- Wayne Manor™: A separate region outside of Gotham. It has only 1 location and is only accessible to Batman.
- Damage Tracks: These keep track of Batman's grit, health, and sanity. If any track reaches 0, you lose.
- GCPD Track: This is your police scanner, which shows you where new adversaries will appear each turn. It also keeps track of the current turn and where you are in the round.
- Turn Tracker: Marks the current turn.
- Adversaries per Round: Total number of adversaries added each round.
- GCPD District/Region: District/region where adversaries are added this turn.
- Adversary Type: Type of adversary added this turn.
- Adversary Number: Where you write how many adversaries are added this turn.
- Enemy Tokens: The 3 different kinds of adversaries (mutants, cops, and press) cover action spaces and prevent you from using them. If a location is full of adversaries at the end of a round, they're replaced with a riot. (Adversaries and riots are collectively called enemy tokens.)
- Regions: The map is divided into 3 regions: Uptown, Midtown, and Downtown.
- Districts: Each region is divided into 2-3 colored districts. Each district has 4-6 location circles. (Note: The 2 light blue islands are part of the same district.)
- Locations: Each location circle has 3 action spaces where figures and tokens can be placed. The colored ring around a location shows which district it belongs to.
- Action Spaces: Moving to an action space lets you use the action printed on it (as long as it's not covered by an enemy token).
- Printed Paths: Batman and other characters use these to travel around the map. Locations connected by paths are considered adjacent.
- Deep Water: Dark blue region around the city. Paths may not be drawn here.
- The Boss: Batman must discover and defeat the boss to complete each Book. The boss sits at the center of a location and does not occupy an action space.
- Bridges: Paths that lead out of Gotham to Wayne Manor. Only Batman can use them.
New Playthrough Setup
Each playthrough begins with Book 1. To set up, you will need all Standard components and all Book 1 components listed above. You can identify the cards and tokens you need by looking for a 1 icon or the Standard icon on them. You can return all other components to the box for now.
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Prepare Game Area: a. Place the game board in the middle of the table. b. Place the Doomsday tracker at 2 on the Doomsday Clock. c. Place your grit, health, and sanity trackers at 8 on their respective damage tracks. d. Place the turn tracker next to turn 1 at the top of the GCPD track. e. Place all adversary tokens (mutants, cops, and press), riot tokens, and Bat-Signal tokens in separate piles near the GCPD track.
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Prepare Cards: a. Place the following cards in the matching slots along the left side of the board:
- Book 1 boss card (Two-Face)
- Book 1 enemy tokens card
- Book 1 ally card (Commissioner Gordon)
- Book 1 Batman card
- The cooldown card (with the Standard side faceup) b. Place the 3 goal cards with a Book 1 icon in the goal slots along the right side of the board with the "In Progress" side faceup. c. Place the 2 vehicle cards with a Book 1 icon in the vehicle slots along the top of the board. Place the matching vehicle figures on top of them. (Note: Don't place these in the "Available Vehicles" slot – you have to acquire them before you can use them!) d. Place the Book 1 round sequence card somewhere you can easily reference it. Place the Book 1 story card next to it with the Part 1 side faceup to reveal your objectives.
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Prepare Action Deck: Shuffle the Standard action cards (marked with the Standard icon) together with the Book 1 action cards. Place this deck facedown on the action deck area on the board.
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Prepare Dice: a. Place the 6 Standard Batarang dice (blue) in your utility belt slot. b. Place Two-Face's 2 boss dice on his boss card. c. Place all mutant dice and cop dice on the enemy tokens card.
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Prepare GCPD Track: a. With your marker, write "7" in the white box at the top of the GCPD track. b. Flip the 10 GCPD tokens marked for Uptown/Midtown/Downtown region facedown and place 1 random token on each of the first 8 spaces on the track. Return the remaining 2 tokens to the box. c. Do the same with the 10 district-marked GCPD tokens for the next 8 spaces of the track. d. Flip all region- and district-marked tokens on the track faceup.
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Map Setup: a. Place the following figures and tokens at the locations (circles) on the map listed below. When placing a figure or token at a location, you may choose which of the 3 action spaces (pie slices) to place them on. You must choose a different action space for each figure and token you place.
- Place Commissioner Gordon at Gordon's House.
- Place Batman at Wayne Tower.
- Place Two-Face and 1 mutant at Arkham Asylum. Place Two-Face in the center of the location circle, rather than on one of its action spaces.
- Place 3 mutants in each district (area of 1 color) in locations of your choice.
- Place 3 cops in each region (Uptown, Midtown, and Downtown) in locations of your choice.
- Place 3 press in each region (Uptown, Midtown, and Downtown) in locations of your choice that each have at least 1 mutant or cop.
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Place Clues: Flip the 8 clue tokens marked facedown and randomize them. Place 1 random clue on a mutant at Arkham Asylum. Then place each of the 7 other clues on a mutant of your choice in each other district. Mutants with clue tokens are referred to as guards in Book 1 (see "Book 1" for details).
How to Lose
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns – The Game is not about winning, it's about enduring. There are many ways to fail, but only one way to succeed: Persevere to the end of 4 grueling Books.
You lose immediately if any of the following occur:
- Any of your damage tracks (grit, health, or sanity) reaches 0
- The Doomsday Clock reaches 12
- A 12th riot would be placed on the map
- The boss is not defeated by the end of round 4
If you lose at any time during a playthrough, you must start over from the beginning of Book 1.
Tip: For a more forgiving experience, you can save your progress by taking photos of the game at the end of each Book, and use this to "rewind" when you lose (see "Saving Progress").
Book Objectives
While you're attempting to survive, you also need to discover and defeat the boss. The rules booklet and story card for each Book explain the detective work you'll need to do to accomplish this goal. Each time you manage to defeat a boss, you'll progress to the next Book. (See "Your Mission" for more detail.)
Round Sequence
Each Book is broken up into rounds, with each round made up of 4 turns. A Book can last no more than 4 rounds (16 turns total) – if you have not discovered and defeated the boss by the end of the 4th round, you lose!
Each round has the following phases and steps:
- Start of Round: 1.1 Choose Action Cards: Deal the round deck, then choose which cards you'll keep and which you'll add to the event deck. 1.2 Shuffle Decks: Shuffle the event deck and your fight deck. 1.3 Write Adversary Numbers: Decide how many adversaries will appear at the end of each turn this round.
- Batman Turns: Take 4 turns in a row, with the following steps. 2.1 Resolve Event: Draw and resolve an event card. 2.2 Move Batman: Move to a location. 2.3 Activate Ally: Command an ally to move and use one of their actions. 2.4 Fight or Sneak: Fight or sneak past enemies. 2.5 Use Action Space: Use the action printed on your space. 2.6 Add Adversaries: Place new adversaries on the map. 2.7 Advance Turn Tracker: Advance the turn tracker 1 space on the GCPD track.
- End of Round: 3.1 Place Riots: Check if any riots break out. 3.2 Draw Path: Draw a new path between any 2 locations. 3.3 Advance Doomsday: Advance the Doomsday tracker 1 space on the Doomsday Clock.
Phase 1: Start of Round
At the start of each round, you select action cards and prepare the event deck and GCPD track for the next 4 turns.
Step 1.1: Choose Action Cards
First, deal the top 12 cards from the action deck in a facedown stack on the round deck slot at the bottom of the board.
Next, flip the top 3 cards of the round deck and place them in the "faceup" slots next to it. Choose 2 of these cards to keep, and place the 3rd in a faceup pile on the event deck slot. When you choose to keep detective action cards, add them directly to your hand. When you choose to keep fight action cards, place them faceup near the fight deck area on the board.
Repeat the above, revealing 3 cards and picking 2, until you've sorted all 12 cards in the round deck. When you are done, you should have kept 8 cards, and added 4 cards in the event deck.
Important! There is no action card hand limit.
Step 1.2: Shuffle Decks
Once you've sorted the round deck, shuffle the 4 cards in the event deck slot and place them back facedown. This is now the event deck for the coming round.
Next, add all faceup fight cards you selected to your fight deck, shuffle it, and place it back facedown on the fight deck area. (Note: If your fight deck is empty, shuffle the cards you selected to create a new fight deck.)
Important! You will need to draw fight cards from your fight deck before you can play them.
Step 1.3: Write Adversary Numbers
The next step in setting up the round is to write an adversary number on the GCPD track for each of the 4 turns in the coming round. Each turn's adversary number determines how many adversary tokens will be added at the end of that turn.
Each Book gives you a fixed number of adversaries that must be added each round, written in the white box at the top of the track. You must distribute these adversaries among the next 4 turns by writing a number between 1-4 in each turn's flame symbol. The total of the 4 numbers you write must equal the number in the box at the top of the track.
Example: In Book 1, you must distribute 7 new adversaries each round. At the start of round 1, you decide to split them up like so: 1 mutant on turn 1; 3 press on turn 2; 1 cop on turn 3; and 2 mutants on turn 4. This says that 3 mutants will be added to Midtown West at the end of turn 1.
Important! Do not actually place any new adversaries in this step! Adversaries aren't placed until the end of each turn (see "Step 2.6: Add Adversaries").
Final Round: In round 4, there are only 3 flame symbols for you to write adversary numbers. This is because no adversaries can be added at the end of the last turn of the game. When writing adversary numbers for round 4, you must treat the final turn as a 0, and the other 3 turns must still add up to the number at the top of the track.
Phase 2: Batman™ Turns
Turns are covered in detail in the next section (see "Batman Turn Sequence").
Phase 3: End of Round
At the end of each round, you first check whether riots break out anywhere, then you draw a new path connecting 2 locations on the map.
Step 3.1: Place Riots
Check if there are any locations on the map where every undestroyed action space has an adversary (mutant, press, or cop) on it. You must place a riot on each of these locations, following the rules below.
If this location is still full at the end of the round, a riot will start there.
Rules for placing riots:
- When you place a riot (even if it is caused by a card or other effect), always remove all adversaries from the location and return them to the supply.
- Riots can never be placed in any location where there is a friendly figure (Batman, an ally, or a vehicle).
- Riots can be placed at the boss's location (but the boss doesn't occupy an action space, so they don't contribute to starting a riot; see "The Boss's Location").
- Destroyed action spaces can't be occupied by adversaries, so they do not need to be filled for a riot to start. This means if a location has a destroyed space, it needs 1 fewer adversary for a riot to start there. (See "Action Space Modifiers").
- When you place a riot at a location with a clue, place the clue on top of the riot (see "Investigating Crime").
- If you are ever forced to place a 12th riot on the board (at any time) you immediately lose. (There are only 11 riot tokens, so if you run out and have to place a new one, you'll know you've lost.)
Important! If a location fills up with adversaries during a round, you still have until the end of the round to prevent a riot there.
Dealing with Riots: Once placed, riots occupy all action spaces at a location and block you from using any of them (see "Entering a Location"). Riots also add 1 enemy die when you fight adversaries in adjacent locations (see "Fights"). In order to remove riots, you must fight and defeat them.
Tip: Place allies and vehicles strategically to prevent riots!
Step 3.2: Draw Path
At the end of each round, you may draw a new path connecting any 2 locations on the map, according to the rules below.
Rules for drawing new paths:
- Use your marker to draw a path between 2 locations on the map. The locations may be any distance from each other.
- Drawn paths can't cross over other drawn paths, printed paths, bridges, or locations.
- Drawn paths can't pass through deep water or connect to Wayne Manor.
- Drawn paths can't connect more than 2 locations or create "intersections" (unless a card effect allows this).
Tip: You can draw some very long paths, but that can also prevent you from drawing other paths you need later!
Using Drawn Paths: Once a path is drawn between two locations, it connects them the same way that printed paths do, and they are considered adjacent for all purposes. Batman, allies, and enemies can all use drawn paths to travel between locations (see "Step 2.2: Move Batman").
Destroying Drawn Paths: Certain card effects may destroy drawn paths. When a drawn path is destroyed, erase it from the map. You may then treat that area as empty, and draw other paths through it.
Important! You may not destroy a drawn path unless an effect specifically tells you to.
Step 3.3: Advance Doomsday
After you complete the other end of round steps, move the Doomsday tracker 1 space towards midnight on the Doomsday Clock. If the tracker reaches 12, you lose.
Tip: If you get too close to midnight, you can move the Doomsday Clock backwards by using "Avert Doomsday" action spaces on the map (see "Step 2.5: Use Action Space").
Batman™ Turn Sequence
You have 4 turns to act each round.
Each turn has the following steps:
- 2.1 Resolve Event: Draw and resolve an event card.
- 2.2 Move Batman: Move to a location.
- 2.3 Activate Ally: Command an ally to move and use one of their actions.
- 2.4 Fight or Sneak: Fight or sneak past enemies.
- 2.5 Use Action Space: Use the action printed on your space.
- 2.6 Add Adversaries: Place new adversaries on the map.
- 2.7 Advance Turn Tracker: Advance the turn tracker 1 space on the GCPD track.
Detective Cards
Each turn, you may play any number of detective cards from your hand to take special actions. If a card does not specify when it is played, it may be played at any time on your turn, except during a fight. After resolving a detective card, place it in the action card discard pile.
There is no limit to the number of action cards you can have in your hand, and any cards you don't use by the end of a round can be kept for the next one. (Some cards can even be kept for the next Book; see "Completing a Book".)
Step 2.1: Resolve Event
At the start of each turn, flip the top card of the event deck and place it in the "faceup" slot next to the deck. Discard any card that was previously there to the action card discard pile. Then resolve all text on the "Event" portion of the new card (ignore the "Detective" or "Fight" text on the top half of the card).
Potential event effects:
- Add or move adversaries: Add or move mutants, cops, or press to one or more locations (see "Step 2.6: Add Adversaries").
- Modify adversary number: Increase or decrease the adversary number for one or more turns on the GCPD track (see below).
- Advance Doomsday: Advance the tracker on the Doomsday Clock.
- "This turn": This event remains in effect throughout the current turn. Once it is discarded at the start of the next turn, its effect no longer applies.
Tip: When playing a normal game, ignore the shield icons and alert icons on event cards. These are used in VS Mode and Hard Mode, respectively.
Adversary Number Modifiers: Some card effects can increase or decrease the number of adversaries you must add at the end of specific turns. When you are told to modify an adversary number on the GCPD track, write the modifier with your marker.
Depending on the card, you may be instructed to write a temporary or permanent modifier:
- Modifiers written inside a flame symbol are erased at the end of the current Book.
- Modifiers written next to a flame symbol are permanent, and are only erased at the end of your playthrough. Each permanent modifier applies to the corresponding turn in every Book for the rest of your playthrough.
Step 2.2: Move Batman
After resolving an event, you may move your Batman figure to a new location in Gotham City by traveling along paths on the map.
You may move through any number of locations while you travel, but you must end your move whenever you enter a new district or Wayne Manor. (In other words, whenever you reach a location that is a different color than where you started, you must stop.)
You may alternatively choose to end your move at any location on your route, or use your movement to move to a different action space at your current location.
Types of Paths
- Printed Paths: Official routes between locations. You, your allies, and your enemies can travel on printed paths.
- Drawn Paths: New routes you've opened up between locations. You, your allies, and your enemies can travel on drawn paths the same as printed paths.
- Destroyed Paths: Once a path is crossed out or erased, no one may travel on it, and the locations it previously connected are not considered adjacent.
- Bridges: These are bridges that you can use to travel to Wayne Manor or to quickly travel between different regions in Gotham. Only you may travel on them; allies and enemies may never use bridges, and locations connected by bridges do not count as adjacent.
- One-Way Paths: If a path is marked with an arrow, you and your allies can only travel on it in one direction. Enemies can still travel on it in either direction, and the locations it connects still count as adjacent (in both directions).
Movement Example: Batman starts his turn at Wayne Tower. From here, he could move to any location in Downtown West. He could also (1) move to the Diamond District in Downtown East, or (2) move through Chinatown (3) to Gordon's House.
Entering a Location
Whenever you end your move at a location, you must place your Batman figure on one of the 3 action spaces there. If there are enemy tokens (adversaries or a riot) at your new location, they restrict which space you can land on:
- If there are adversaries at the location: They try to prevent you from using the location. You must place your Batman figure on top of an adversary of your choice.
- If there is a riot at the location: You can't use the location until you clear the riot. Place your Batman figure on top of the riot token (it doesn't matter what space you're on, since the riot covers all 3).
- If there are no enemy tokens at the location: You are unhindered and may land on any action space there.
Important! If you use your movement to move within a location, you must still land on an action space with an adversary or riot, if there are any.
One-Figure Rule: Only one figure (standee/mini) can occupy each action space at a time. That means that you can never land on an action space currently occupied by an ally or vehicle figure. (Boss figures don't occupy action spaces. Tokens such as adversaries, riots, and clues don't count as figures.)
Important! If all action spaces at a location are either occupied by figures or destroyed, you may not end your move there. You still may move through that location (as long as it's in the same district where you started your move).
Step 2.3: Activate Ally
Over the course of your playthrough, you will recruit allies to help you. Each ally has unique special abilities to help you fight enemies and complete objectives.
After you move, you may choose one of your allies to move and take an ally action. The ally you activate is called your active ally.
Ally Movement
When activating an ally, you may first move them to a new location on the map. Each ally's unique movement rules are described on their ally card. Unless otherwise specified, allies can travel on printed and drawn paths (but not bridges), and can move through occupied locations during their movement.
When an ally ends their move at a location, they may land on any action space there (that does not contain another figure). Unlike Batman, allies can always choose to land on either an enemy token or an empty space.
Example: Commissioner Gordon can travel up to 3 paths in one move.
Ally Action
After moving (or choosing not to move) your active ally, you may use one of the ally actions listed on their ally card.
Ally Movement and Action Example: Batman moves to a riot on Cathedral Square, then chooses Commissioner Gordon as his active ally and moves him to the same location. Batman then uses Gordon's "Quell Riot" ally action. Batman removes the riot and takes 1 grit damage, then moves Gordon directly to GCPD HQ. Gordon has now used both his ally movement and ally action for the turn, and Batman must wait until next turn to use another ally or activate Gordon again.
Ally Dice
Allies that have ally dice can use the Assist Batman ally action to add their dice to all fights for the rest of your turn (see "Fights").
Some allies have conditions for using the Assist Batman action, like being in or adjacent to your location. Allies store their available dice on their ally card between fights. If an ally doesn't have any ally dice, they can't assist you in fights.
Important! Both moving and taking an action with an ally are optional. You may decline to move an ally and use their ally action in their current location, or choose to move them but decline to take an action (or neither).
Step 2.4: Fight or Sneak
If you entered a location with adversaries or a riot during the Move Batman step of your turn, you must either fight the enemy token you landed on, or sneak past them.
Depending on the type of enemy token you landed on, you may be forced to do one or the other:
- Mutants/Cops: If you landed on a cop or mutant token, you may either fight OR sneak past them. If you fight, all adversaries of the same type in and adjacent to your location will join in, so make sure you're ready!
- Press: If you landed on a press token, you may ONLY sneak past. You can't fight the good citizens of Gotham City!
- Riots: If you landed on a riot, you may ONLY fight. There's nowhere useful to sneak until you clean things up.
Fighting
If you fight the enemy token you landed on, resolve a fight as detailed in the "Fights" section.
Sneaking
If you sneak past the enemy token you landed on, move your figure to an empty action space at your location, and then move on to the next step of your turn.
You can only sneak to action spaces that are empty (there are no enemy tokens or other figures there). If there are no empty spaces at your location, there's nowhere to sneak to, so you can't sneak.
If you sneak to a "Remove Cop" space, you can use the action there without fighting the cops.
Tip: Sneaking doesn't cost you anything, except that you can't start a fight in the same turn.
No Sneaking: Some event cards prohibit you from sneaking on your turn. If you enter a location with enemy tokens during a "no sneaking" turn, you must fight the enemy token you land on.
Tip: Since you can't fight press, if you land on press during a "no sneaking" turn, you won't be able to sneak or fight them.
Step 2.5: Use Action Space
After the Fight or Sneak step, if you occupy an action space with no enemy token on it, you can use the action printed there.
Enemy-Occupied Spaces: If there is an enemy token in your action space after the Fight or Sneak step, you may not use that action space. This generally happens because you attempted to fight the enemy token in your space but failed to defeat it.
Action space types:
| Action space | Effect |
|---|---|
| Grit Up | Gain 1 grit (to a max of 10). |
| Health Up | Gain 1 health (to a max of 10). |
| Sanity Up | Gain 1 sanity (to a max of 10). |
| Remove Cop | Remove 1 cop anywhere on the map. |
| Remove Mutant | Remove 1 mutant anywhere on the map. |
| Remove Press | Remove 1 press anywhere on the map. |
| Avert Doomsday | Move the Doomsday tracker 1 space away from 12 (to a minimum of 1). |
Step 2.6: Add Adversaries
After you complete your movement and actions for the turn, new adversaries appear in Gotham City. Refer to the current turn on the GCPD track and add the indicated number and type of adversary tokens, following the rules below.
Rules for adding or moving adversaries:
- Whenever an adversary is added or moved to a new location, they must be placed on an empty action space. They can't be placed on spaces occupied by figures or other enemy tokens.
- If you are instructed to add or move an adversary to a specific location, you may choose which empty action space there to place them on. If there are no empty spaces at that location, do not place that adversary (return them to the supply).
- If you are instructed to add or move an adversary to a district or region, you may choose which location AND empty action space to place them on. If there are no empty spaces anywhere in the indicated area, do not place that adversary (return them to the supply).
Tip: Adversaries can never be added or moved to action spaces that you, allies, or vehicles currently occupy. Use this to your advantage!
Step 2.7: Advance Turn Tracker
Once you've finished adding adversaries, advance the turn tracker 1 space on the GCPD track. If you advance past an end of round label, begin a new round. If you advance past the end of the GCPD track, and you have not defeated the boss, you lose.
Fights
Unless a special effect says otherwise, you may start one fight per turn, during the Fight or Sneak step of your turn. You may only start a fight with an enemy that is in the action space you occupy (or a boss at your location; see "Fighting the Boss").
At the start of each fight, you draw 1 fight card and determine how many enemy dice your opponents will roll. Then you resolve fight rounds until you either win, decide to end the fight, or die. At the end of the fight (if you didn't die), you remove all enemy tokens you defeated and return all dice that were used. These steps are covered in detail in the sections below.
Fight Cards
During a fight, you may play any number of fight cards from your hand to activate their special fight effects. Each fight card indicates when it may be played during a fight.
After resolving a fight card, place it in the action card discard pile. (Once you've used a fight card, you won't draw it again for the rest of the current Book, so it does not need to be kept separate from other discarded action cards.)
Important! You may not play detective cards during fights.
Preparing for a Fight
Draw 1 Fight Card
At the start of each fight, draw 1 fight card from your fight deck and add it to your hand. You only draw 1 card for the entire fight, no matter how long it lasts. If your fight deck has no fight cards remaining when you start a fight, you don't get to draw one.
Important! If you don't play the fight card you drew during this fight, it stays in your hand and you can use it in any future fight. Remember that there is no hand limit.
Enemy Dice Pool
Next, determine how many dice your enemies will roll in the fight. Take the appropriate dice from the enemy tokens card and place them in front of you.
| Enemy Type | Enemy dice pool |
|---|---|
| Mutant | 1 mutant die per mutant in your location, +1 mutant die per mutant or riot in adjacent locations, +1 mutant die if the boss is in your location |
| Cop | 1 cop die per cop in your location, +1 cop die per cop or riot in adjacent locations, +1 cop die if the boss is in your location |
| Press | (You can't fight press.) |
| Riot | 2 cop dice + 2 mutant dice (Do not add dice for adjacent adversaries, riots, or boss.) |
Important! When checking for adjacent enemy tokens, other locations are considered adjacent to yours if they are connected by a printed or drawn path (including one-way paths, regardless of the direction they point). They do not count as adjacent if they only are connected by a bridge (since enemies can't use bridges).
Enemy Dice Limit: Enemies can roll no more than 6 dice (total) in a fight. Even if the enemy dice pool adds up to more than 6, they still only roll 6 dice. (This also means you can't defeat more than 6 adversaries in a single fight; see "Fight Cleanup".)
Resolving Fight Rounds
Once you've prepared the fight, begin by resolving the first fight round as follows.
Fight round steps:
- Batman Roll: Choose up to 3 Batman dice from your utility belt and roll them. If your active ally used an Assist Batman action this turn, you may also roll all ally dice on their card (this does not count towards your limit of 3).
- Enemy Roll: Roll all dice in the enemy dice pool.
- Rerolls and Flips: Resolve each Reroll and Flip you rolled, one at a time, in the order of your choice.
- Reroll: Reroll 1 Batarang you rolled. You must use the new result.
- Flip: Flip 1 Batarang you rolled to its opposite face.
- Blocks: Resolve each of your Blocks first, then each enemy Block.
- Rolled by you: Change an enemy die of your choice to a Miss.
- Rolled by enemies: Change one of your Pows or Rams to a Miss. (Pows are always changed first).
- Pows and Rams: Resolve all Pows and Rams simultaneously.
- Rolled by you: Deal 1 damage (remove 1 enemy die from the pool).
- Rolled by enemies: Take 1 damage of your choice (grit/health/sanity).
- Rolled by you (Ram): Deal 1 damage (remove 1 enemy die from the pool) AND take 1 damage of your choice (grit/health/sanity).
- Cooldown: Place each Batman die or ally die you rolled that meets the cooldown condition onto the cooldown card. Dice on cooldown are not available for the rest of the fight.
- End or Continue Fight: If there are no enemy dice left in the pool, proceed to cleanup. If there are enemy dice left in the pool, you may decide to either end the fight and proceed to cleanup, or continue to fight another round.
Dealing Damage
For each point of damage you deal to enemies, remove 1 enemy die from the enemy dice pool and set it aside. Enemy dice that have been removed from the pool aren't rolled again for the rest of the fight.
When fighting riots, damage is always dealt to mutant dice first, and cop dice are only removed when there are no mutant dice left.
Tip: The enemy dice you remove are also used to track how many enemies you defeat at the end of the fight, so it's a good idea to keep them separate from any extra dice on the enemy tokens card (see "Remove Defeated Enemies").
Taking Damage
For each point of damage you take from enemies or special effects, move one of your damage markers down 1 space. Unless otherwise noted, you may choose which of your 3 damage tracks to apply the damage to (grit, health, or sanity). If you take more than 1 damage from a single source, you may split it between different damage tracks.
If you take damage of a specific type (e.g. "-1 grit"), you must apply the damage to the indicated track. If any of your damage markers reaches 0, you lose.
Important! Allies and vehicles can't take damage.
Unblockable Attacks
Some enemy attacks (such as special boss attacks) are unblockable. If a die face or other source of damage is unblockable, you can't use Blocks or other effects to change it to a Miss or otherwise negate its damage.
Cooldown
Placing your dice on the cooldown card represents running out of energy and weapons during a fight. Once a die is on cooldown, you don't get it back until the end of the fight (see "Return Dice"). You can only fight off enemies for so long before you have to make a strategic withdrawal!
Continuing a Fight
If there are still enemy dice remaining at the end of a fight round, you can choose to continue the fight and resolve another fight round.
In each fight round, you may choose a new set of up to 3 Batman dice, which may include any dice you rolled in the previous round that weren't placed on cooldown, as well as any dice remaining in your utility belt. If you have fewer than 3 dice left, you may only roll the number of dice you have. If an ally is assisting you, you may also continue to roll all of their ally dice that aren't on cooldown.
Enemies only roll the dice remaining in their pool each fight round. Any dice you removed in previous rounds remain set aside until the end of the fight.
Fight Cleanup
Remove Defeated Enemies
At the end of each fight, count how many enemy dice you removed to determine how many enemy tokens you defeated. The number of enemies you defeat at the end of a fight depends on the type of enemy you fought (see below). Whenever an enemy token is defeated, remove it from the map and return it to the supply.
Defeating Adversaries (Mutants or Cops)
After fighting adversaries, if you removed at least 1 die, defeat the adversary under your figure. Then, for each additional die you removed, choose and defeat another 1 adversary of the same type in your location or an adjacent location.
Important! Since enemies never roll more than 6 dice, you may never defeat more than 6 adversaries in a single fight.
After defeating 2 mutants in a fight, Batman removes the mutant in his space and 1 mutant in an adjacent location.
You can only defeat and remove adversaries of the type that's in your action space. For instance, when you fight mutants, you can only defeat mutants, even if bosses or adjacent riots add extra dice to the fight (bosses and riots can only be defeated if you attack them directly).
Example: Batman fights 2 mutants. There is a riot in an adjacent location, so the mutants roll 3 dice total. In order to defeat both mutants, Batman only needs to deal 2 damage (even though there are 3 enemy dice). If he does manage to remove all 3 dice, he'll still only defeat 2 mutants, because he can't stop the riot unless he fights it directly.
Defeating Riots
In order to defeat a riot, you must successfully remove all enemy dice during the fight. If you do, you may place your figure (and any ally figures in your location) on any empty action space(s) there.
Important! If there are any enemy dice left after you fight a riot, it remains on your location and will roll all of its dice again the next time you fight it.
Special Die Faces:
- Pow x2: Deal 2 damage (same as rolling 2 Pows). If a single Block is applied to a Pow x2, change it to a single Pow (rather than a Miss).
- Block x2: Change up to 2 opposing dice to Misses (same as rolling 2 Blocks).
- Flip x2: Flip up to 2 Batarangs you rolled to their opposite faces (same as rolling 2 Flips).
- Special icons on enemy dice: Refer to the enemy tokens card for this Book.
Combat Example: Although Batman dealt 3 damage to this riot, it wasn't enough to defeat it.
Return Dice
Once you've removed defeated enemies, return all dice you used to the appropriate areas, including dice placed on the cooldown card.
- Return all enemy dice to the enemy tokens card.
- Return all Batman dice to your utility belt.
- Return all ally dice to their respective ally cards.
Other dice rules:
- Flip and Reroll dice can't be used to flip or reroll themselves.
- Once a die has been resolved, it can't be flipped or rerolled. (For example, once you've used a Flip on a die, you may not reroll that Flip die.)
- Whenever a Batarang die lands in a position where the result is unclear, immediately reroll it.
Combat Examples
Example 1: Batman moves to a location with 1 mutant and 1 cop. He must land on a space with an enemy, so he moves on top of the mutant.
Batman could sneak to the empty space, but he decides it's time to clear out some scum. He draws 1 fight card, then counts up how many mutant dice he'll have to roll. There's 1 mutant in his space, and 3 in adjacent spaces, for a total of 4.
To start the first fight round, he chooses 3 Batarang dice from his utility belt and rolls them. Then he rolls 4 mutant dice.
Batman uses his Block to turn 1 Pow the mutants rolled into a Miss. Then both sides apply damage: Batman deals 2 Pows, removing 2 mutant dice, and the mutants deal 1 Pow (since, according to the Book 1 enemy tokens card, the special icon is a Miss). Batman decides to lose 1 health.
Batman places both Pows he rolled on cooldown. He could continue the fight, since there are still 2 mutant dice left, but he does not want to lose anymore health, so he decides he's done enough for now. He removes the mutant in his space, and another mutant from Mercy Hospital, then returns all dice.
Example 2: Batman moves to a location with a riot and starts a fight. Batman selects and rolls 3 Batarang dice from his utility belt. Robin is with him and used her "Assist Batman" action this turn, so Batman also rolls her 1 ally die. The riot rolls 2 cop dice and 2 mutant dice.
Not a great roll for Batman – but what's this? He uses Robin's Flip result to turn one of his Misses into a Pow! Better yet, Batman plays a "Kick" fight card to turn one of the riot's Blocks into a Miss!
Batman suffers 2 damage from the riot's Pows, plus 1 damage from his own Ram. He chooses to lose 2 grit and 1 sanity. He deals 2 damage to the riot and removes 2 of its mutant dice for the rest of the fight.
Batman places his 1 Pow on cooldown. The riot still has 2 dice, so Batman must decide whether to end the fight or roll again – knowing that if he ends the fight now, the action space he's on still has an enemy token, so he won't be able to use it.
Your Mission
Character and Reference Cards
The cards placed around the board during setup give you information and unique rules for the current Book. Make sure to read each new card carefully before starting a Book.
- Story card: Tells you the setting and situation that Batman faces, as well as special rules for this Book and the clues you need to investigate to discover the boss.
- Batman card: Tells you any additional challenges and advantages Batman has for this Book.
- Ally cards: Tell you which allies are available and what they can do.
- Enemy tokens card: Tells you what special icons on enemy dice do and any special rules that apply to different types of enemy tokens.
- Boss card: Tells you the boss's special abilities in and out of combat.
- Round sequence card: Reminds you of the steps of each round, and includes any special steps unique to this Book.
- Goal cards: Tell you secondary objectives you can complete to earn rewards and get stronger.
- Vehicle cards: Tell you which powerful vehicles you can acquire from Wayne Manor and use once per Book.
Investigating Crime
The boss may be on the map at the start of a mission, but you can't fight them until you do the detective work to discover their plans. The rules booklet and story card for each Book tell you how to find the clues you need to discover the boss and eventually defeat them.
The Boss's Location
The boss does not count as an enemy token and does not occupy an action space. This means that if you move to the boss's location and there are no adversaries or riot there, you may land on any action space there.
On the other hand, if there are adversaries or a riot at the boss's location, you must land on one of them. Whenever you fight mutants or cops at the boss's location, the boss adds +1 die to each fight, even if they have not yet been discovered.
Progressing the Story and Discovering the Boss
At various points throughout the story, you will be instructed to flip the story card to the next part. Once you've flipped to a new story card, only the rules and objectives on the new card apply.
When you successfully discover the boss, write the HP total shown on their boss card in the boss HP hex on the board. This indicates you can now start a fight with them.
Fighting the Boss
Once the boss has been discovered, you may start a fight with them during the Fight or Sneak step of your turn. You must be on an action space at their location that does not contain an enemy token. (If you are on an enemy token, you'll need to either fight or sneak past them before you can fight the boss, and you will not be able to fight the boss until the Fight or Sneak step of the following turn.)
Boss fights are resolved the same as fights with other enemies, with the following exceptions.
Special boss fight rules:
- Each boss has unique boss dice. The boss rolls all their dice in each fight round (unless their card says otherwise).
- Dealing damage to the boss does not reduce the number of dice they roll. Instead, reduce their HP by the amount of damage you dealt and write the new total in their HP hex. If their HP reaches 0, you've defeated them and completed the Book.
- Enemy tokens in or adjacent to the boss's location do not add dice to boss fights, and can't take damage during boss fights.
- Additional special rules for each boss are listed on their boss card.
Goals
Goal cards are secondary objectives you can complete to improve your gear and gain other advantages.
Whenever you meet the conditions to complete a goal, flip it over and place it in front of you. You immediately gain the reward on the back of the card. These rewards are permanent and can be used for the rest of your playthrough.
Each Book adds new goals you can complete, but any goals you didn't complete in the previous Book remain in play and can still be completed. (However, partial progress towards goals does not carry over. You must start each goal fresh when you start the next Book; see "Completing a Book")
Tip: Some goals require you to track your progress over multiple turns. Make sure to read all new goals carefully before starting a Book.
Action Space Modifiers
Some card effects upgrade or destroy action spaces on the map. These effects are always permanent, and are only erased at the end of your playthrough.
Unless a card effect says otherwise, you may only upgrade or destroy spaces that are empty (they do not contain a figure or token).
Upgrading an Action Space
When you upgrade an action space, draw a "x2" on it. Whenever you use this space, you may take its action twice.
A space that has already been upgraded can't be upgraded again. If you can choose a space to upgrade, you may not choose Wayne Manor (unless a card effect says otherwise).
Destroying an Action Space
When an action space is destroyed, cross out its icon. You and other figures may no longer move to or use this action space.
Adversaries may not be added or moved to destroyed spaces. When determining whether a riot starts at a location, only spaces that are not destroyed must be filled with adversaries for a riot to start (see "Step 3.1: Place Riots"). If a space is already destroyed, it may not be destroyed again.
Wayne Manor™
Wayne Manor is a special location on the map that only you can access. Moving to Wayne Manor gives you a chance to recover, and gives you access to new vehicles. Allies, adversaries, and bosses can't move to Wayne Manor, unless a special effect says otherwise.
Moving to Wayne Manor
You can move to Wayne Manor by any bridge printed on the map. When you move to Wayne Manor, you must immediately end your move (you may not use another bridge to leave Wayne Manor until your next turn). Likewise, when you leave Wayne Manor, you must immediately end your move at the first location you reach (since you are entering a different district).
Wayne Manor Actions
Unlike other locations, Wayne Manor has a single action space with 3 action icons. When you use this action space, you may take all 3 actions and regain 1 grit, 1 health, and 1 sanity.
Additionally, each time you enter Wayne Manor, you may acquire 1 vehicle from the slots above it. Place the acquired vehicle card in the available vehicles slot on the left side of the board, along with the vehicle figure on it (see next section).
Tip: Although there are only 3 vehicle slots at Wayne Manor, there can be any number of vehicles there. You may need to place the cards in several rows.
Vehicles
You can use vehicles to take powerful once-per-Book actions and prevent new adversaries or riots from being placed at important locations on the map.
Acquiring Vehicles
In order to use a vehicle, you must visit Wayne Manor to acquire it. Once you've acquired a vehicle, it is moved to your available vehicles slot on the left side of the board.
There is no limit to the number of vehicles you can have in your available vehicles slot. Vehicles you don't use during a Book stay in your available vehicles slot and can be used at any time during the next Book.
Using Vehicles
Each vehicle can be used once per Book. You may use available vehicles at any time on your turn, except during a fight. Resolve the vehicle's effect as described on the card.
Tip: Once a vehicle has been placed, it can't be moved for the rest of the Book. This means you can no longer move to the action space where you placed the vehicle in order to use it (see "One-Figure Rule"), but it also means a riot can never start at that location (see "Step 3.1: Place Riots").
Completing a Book
When you successfully defeat the boss and complete a Book, you need to do some cleaning up before you can begin the next Book. This can be a good time to save your progress so you can pick up your playthrough at another time (or "rewind" if you lose).
End of Book Cleanup
When you complete a Book, take the following steps:
- Return the following components to the game box: Boss card(s), Story card(s), Boss figure, Round sequence card, Enemy tokens card, Batman card.
- Discard all Standard action cards in your hand to the action card discard pile. (Do not discard any cards with a Book number icon. You may keep these in your hand to use in the next Book.)
- Clear any tokens that are on in progress goals and return them to the supply. Discard any action cards that are underneath in progress goals to the action card discard pile.
- Gather together all action cards in the action deck, action card discard pile, event deck, and fight deck. Go through these cards and sort the Standard cards from the cards with a Book number (1/2/3/4). Return all cards that have a Book number to the game box. Place all Standard cards back on the action deck space (don't bother shuffling them yet).
- Return all vehicle figures on the map to their vehicle cards, and return these cards to Wayne Manor. (Leave any vehicles you acquired but didn't use in your available vehicles area.)
- Erase the number in the white box at the top of the GCPD track, as well as all adversary numbers and modifiers inside the flames on the track. Do not erase any modifiers outside the flames (see "Adversary Number Modifiers").
- Erase the boss's HP.
- Return all clue tokens to the game box.
- You're now ready to start the next Book! Open the rules booklet for the next Book and follow its setup instructions.
Important! Do not clear, discard, or erase anything unless you are specifically told to do so! Many components and effects drawn on the map carry over to the next Book.
Saving Progress
If you do not want to play all 4 Books in a single sitting, you can temporarily save your progress and start again later. You can either do this by taking photos of the game board and your available cards and dice, or writing the information you need on the board as described below.
Steps for Saving Your Game (After Completing a Book):
- Mark the following info on the game board with your marker: a. Where Batman is located (write "Bat") b. Where each ally is located (write suitable initials) c. Where each mutant is located (write "M") d. Where each cop is located (write "C") e. Where each press is located (write "P") f. Where each riot is located (write "R") g. Batman's current grit, health, and sanity h. The current position of the Doomsday tracker
- Store the following in a container labeled "Acquired": a. All action cards in your hand b. All completed goal cards c. All unused vehicles in your available vehicles area d. All ally cards e. All dice in your utility belt and on ally cards
- Store the following in a container labeled "Unlocked": a. All in progress goal cards b. All unacquired vehicles at Wayne Manor (including vehicles you used in the last Book)
- Return all other components to general storage in the box.
To resume a saved game, unpack the components and lay them out as recorded above. Then follow the setup instructions for the next Book.
Note: You do not need to track which action cards are left in your action deck, as you will construct a new deck at the start of each Book.
Pausing Mid-Book
To pause your game in the middle of a Book, follow the above steps, with the following additions:
- Store clue tokens you've collected in your "Acquired" container.
- Store your fight deck in your "Unlocked" container.
- Store each completed goal with remaining Bat-Signal tokens in a separate container.
- Store each in progress goal and the tokens or cards on or under it in a separate container.
- Mark the following info on the game board: a. Where the boss is located (write the boss's name) b. Where each vehicle on the map is located (write suitable initials) c. Where each unrevealed clue token is located (write "clue") d. Which GCPD I/II token was on each space on the track (write the region/district initials on the token) e. Where the turn tracker is on the GCPD track
Book 1: The Dark Knight™ Returns
Setup
All setup instructions for Book 1 are covered in "New Playthrough Setup".
Story: The Search for Two-Face™
You're not the only one who has returned. After years of treatment and plastic surgery, Harvey Dent is released back into the world. But despite his normal appearance, his Two-Face persona quickly resurfaces. He threatens to blow up two of Gotham City's buildings. It's up to you to stop him before it's too late!
Your Investigation
Your goal is to find clues to Two-Face's whereabouts by interrogating members of the Mutant Gang.
In this Book, mutants with clue tokens represent guards with secret information. To reveal a clue, you must defeat its guard in a fight, and then use the action space where the clue is located. You may not remove guards by any means other than fighting them. (Note: You can defeat a guard if you start a fight with mutants at an adjacent location and deal more than 1 damage. Leave the clue facedown on the action space where you removed the guard until you're able to move there and use it.)
If a riot would be placed at a location with a guard, remove the guard as normal and place the clue on top of the riot. If you defeat the riot, you may reveal the clue. Like guards, riots with clues can only be removed by fighting them.
Batman™: Dead or Retired?
They thought you were gone for good. They were wrong.
Movement
Whenever you move through a location that has 2 or more adversaries or a riot, immediately take 1 damage of your choice. (Do not take damage if you start or end your movement at such a location.)
Fights
At the start of each fight with cops, lose 1 grit.
Commissioner Gordon™: An Old Ally
Commissioner Gordon can use his negotiation skills to disperse press and riots.
Ally Movement
Commissioner Gordon may travel up to 3 paths in one movement. If you place him on top of a press token at the location he moves to, immediately remove it. Commissioner Gordon may use his movement to move to a different action space at his current location.
Ally Action: Quell Riot
In order to use this action, both Gordon and Batman must be at the same location where there is a riot. You may spend 1 grit to remove the riot. Afterwards, move Gordon to any action space at GCPD Headquarters.
Vehicles
Batcopter™
You can acquire the Batcopter by visiting Wayne Manor. Once you've acquired it, you may use it once per Book, at any time except during a fight. When you use the Batcopter, immediately move to Wayne Manor, then place the Batcopter on any empty action space in the location you left. Once you've placed the Batcopter, adversaries can't be added or moved to the action space it occupies, and riots can't start at that location.
At the end of each Book, if the Batcopter is on the map, return its card and figure to Wayne Manor.
Remote Control Bat
You can acquire the Remote Control Bat by visiting Wayne Manor. Once you've acquired it, you may use it once per Book, at any time except during a fight.
When you use the Remote Control Bat, remove 1 mutant from each location adjacent to yours, then place the Remote Control Bat in an action space where you removed a mutant. Once you've placed the Remote Control Bat, adversaries can't be added or moved to the action space it occupies, and riots can't start at that location.
At the end of each Book, if the Remote Control Bat is on the map, return its card and figure to Wayne Manor.
Discovering Two-Face
Whenever you reveal a clue, if it is a Dead End, discard it to the game box. If it is a coin, place it at Wayne Manor.
When you reveal a 4th coin, move Two-Face from Arkham Island to the location where you found the coin. Then discard all unrevealed clues and flip the story card to Part 2.
Enemies
Cops
Special: At the start of each fight with cops, lose 1 grit.
Die faces: the special die-face icon counts as a Miss.
Mutants
Special: (none)
Die faces: the special die-face icon counts as a Miss.
Riots
Special: (none)
Die faces: the special die-face icons count as a Miss.
Two-Face™
No amount of surgery could save Two-Face from insanity.
- Both Sides Match: If Two-Face rolls the same non-Miss result on both his dice, immediately lose 1 sanity (unblockable).
- See a Reflection: Each -1 result Two-Face rolls deals 1 unblockable sanity damage.
Credits
Game Design by Daryl Andrews and Morgan Dontanville. Additional Development by Daryl Andrews, Morgan Dontanville, Jeff Fraser, and Jonathan Gilmour. Editing by Jeff Fraser. Graphic Design by Larry Renac, Sophia Shimamura, John Vineyard, Jason Lim, and Shane Smith. Crowdfunding Campaign by Eric Moss.
DOOMSDAY CLOCK™ 2021 Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. BATMAN and all related characters and elements © & ™ DC Comics. WB SHIELD: © & ™ WBEI. (s21) © 2021 Cryptozoic Entertainment.