Dark Rituals: Malleus Maleficarum – The Witches' Sabbath
Dark Rituals: Malleus Maleficarum – The Witches' Sabbath Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Playing the Expansion
The Witches' Sabbath is an expansion for Dark Rituals: Malleus Maleficarum. Dark Rituals is required to play The Witches' Sabbath.
The Witches' Sabbath has five new Encounters that are designed to be played as a short Campaign. They can be played as Standalone games too. These Encounters are designed for the powerful Witch and Demon included in this expansion and the new Champion versions of the four Heroes from the core game. If you have other Heroes with Champion cards, they can also be used with these Encounters.
Contents
- 4 Champion Heroes
- Madra
- Voskor
- 5 Vampyric Spirits
- 4 Pillars
- 4 Double-sided Map Tiles
- 4 Hero Dashboards
- 4 Champion Upgrade/Hero Weapon Cards
- 1 Witch ID Sheet
- 1 Grimoire
- 1 Creature ID Card
- 1 Demon ID Sheet
- 6 Demon Control Cards
- 4 Loot Cards
The Witches' Sabbath Setup
Follow the normal rules for Setup, with the following changes.
- Shuffle the new Loot Cards with the Core Loot Cards of the same Level.
- Add a Champion Upgrade Card to each Hero's Play Area, as described below.
Using The Witches' Sabbath Components in other Encounters
If you wish to use the Champion system in Encounters from other games, it will boost the capabilities of the Heroes. It would be best to also use the Witch and Demon from The Witches' Sabbath to keep your Encounters balanced.
New Rules
The Champion System
The new Champion System gives the Heroes another avenue for advancement during the game.
During Setup, each Hero takes a Champion Upgrade Card and tucks it under their Hero Attribute Board.
During the game, each Hero should add a Wound Token to the Champion Upgrade Card whenever they cause 1+ Wounds to an Enemy. It does not matter how they cause the Wounds, Attacking, Alchemy, etc. These are not Wounds that the Hero has taken, they are simply used to track the Hero's progress towards becoming a Champion.
As soon as a Hero collects the number of Wound Tokens shown on the Champion Upgrade Card, the Hero becomes a Champion immediately. This is not an Action and does not end their Turn.
When a Hero becomes a Champion, swap their Hero Dashboard and Weapon Card with the Champion Dashboard and Weapon Card. The Champion Weapon Card is on the reverse of the Champion Upgrade Card. Take care to keep the same amount of Reserved, Exhausted and Locked Stamina when swapping the Dashboards. Discard the Wound Tokens on the Champion Upgrade Card that you used to track your progress.
The Champion Cards have some differences. Notice that you will gain Stamina. The extra Stamina is clearly indicated as "+X" for each Stamina Source. Immediately take the extra Stamina Tokens and add them to your Stamina Reserve.
Review the changes to your Character. The Stamina cost for many Actions will change, normally for the better. The new Weapon will be more effective, but it may be heavier too. You may need to adjust your inventory as a result.
Finally, swap the miniature for your Hero to the new Champion.
Once the upgrade is complete, continue your Turn normally.
The Altar
Map Tile E1 has a large circular Area in its center called the Altar. The Altar is referred to in several Encounters and means this one Area of the Tile. The veil between Earth and Neemoss is especially weak here, and the Witches will often use this to their advantage, working powerful spells.
In each of the four Areas surrounding the Altar, there are smaller circles. These are not separate Areas and are not part of the Altar. They are just visual references for where you may place Pillars, if required by the Encounter.
Voskor's Demon Control Deck
The Witches' Sabbath includes six new Demon Control Cards for Voskor. To create the full Demon Control Deck of eight cards, add the two Cards from the Core Game that have the infinity symbol in the bottom left corner.
Special Character Types
Vampyric Spirits: Vampyric Spirits behave slightly differently for all Encounters in this expansion and for other Encounters where Pillars are in play. Vampyric Spirits are still Creatures and can be targeted by Alchemy Spells, or other game effects, that affect Creatures. However, they are not Summoned using the Witchcraft Spells, so remove the Summon Vampyric Spirit Witchcraft card from the Witchcraft deck. Further, the normal restriction that Creatures are unique does not apply to Vampyric Spirits. They are only limited by the number of miniatures that you have.
Pillars: Similarly, Pillars are a little different from other Minions. Pillars are normally story elements that come into play via the special rules in an Encounter. Witches cannot use the Summon Minion Action to bring them into the game. However, they are still Minions, and can be targeted by Alchemy Spells, or other game effects, that affect Minions, if they are not protected by some part of the story.
Encounter 16: A New Horror
Witch Master's Misery Board: Place three Plague Reward Tokens at 2, 5 and 7 Souls.
Special Rules
Chillin' on Neemoss: The Witch Master cannot use the Summon Witch Action to Summon Madra in this Encounter.
Summon Madra: The Witches are controlling the Possessed Serfs and using them to Attack the remaining Serfs in the Village. Perhaps this will attract Madra's attention and make her travel through the Conjunction to Earth.
Too Much Evil: If there are 6 Possessed Serfs in play, the Witches cannot use the Possess Serf Action.
Objectives
Heroes: The Heroes must prevent the horror! The Heroes win immediately if:
- There are no Possessed Serfs in play.
Witch Master: The Witch Master wins immediately if:
- Three Serfs have been defeated by Possessed Serfs.
Encounter 17: Wicked Witches
Witch Master's Misery Board: Place three Plague Reward Tokens at 3, 5 and 7 Souls.
Special Rules
Sacrifice Innocent Serfs: When the Dark Legion Defeats a Serf, immediately place a Wound Token on the Sacrifice Track, in addition to gaining the other Spoils of War.
Summon Voskor: When the Sacrifice Track is filled with four Wound Tokens, Voskor is summoned through the Conjunction. The Witch Master should place Voskor in any Area with a Summoning Circle.
Objectives
Heroes: Somehow, the Heroes must stop the Demon gaining a foothold on Earth. The Heroes win immediately by completing one of these two objectives:
- There are two Burning Witches in play at the same time, before the Demon is Summoned.
- Or Defeat the Demon, after it has been Summoned.
Witch Master: The Witches must placate the Demon with blood. The Witch Master wins immediately if:
- The Demon defeats a Serf.
Encounter 18: Trapped!
Witch Master's Misery Board: Place three Plague Reward Tokens at 3, 5 and 7 Souls.
Demon Deck: Shuffle eight Cards in Voskor's Demon Deck.
Special Rules
Token Setup: Take two double-sided Wound Tokens and four Wound Tokens with Rune Stones on their backs. Place them Wound side up and mix them thoroughly. Then place them on the map in the six locations shown, without letting anyone see which tokens are the four Rune Stone Tokens.
Madra's Ritual: Madra has set her Ritual in motion. When the Dark Legion Defeats a Serf immediately place a Wound Token on the Sacrifice Track, in addition to gaining the other Spoils of War. When the Sacrifice Track is full, the Ritual is complete, casting a powerful spell on the Altar that will bend Voskor to Madra's will.
Subjugate the Demon: Madra has already cast a protection spell on Voskor. The Demon cannot be harmed in any way until the Ritual is complete. It can Activate normally. When the Ritual is complete, Madra will drop the Protection Spell and Voskor can be targeted normally. The Demon will seek the sanctuary of the powerful magics on the Altar, without realizing that Madra has prepared a cunning trap.
Hold the Rune Stones: Madra's magics are resonating with the powerful Rune Stones in this area. The Heroes can feel their general presence but must still search for them. Heroes that are not holding a Rune Stone may use the Pick Up Action to flip a Wound Token in their Area. If it is a Rune Stone, they Hold it in their Play Area. If not, Discard the token. Due to their powerful magic, Heroes can only Hold one Rune Stone at a time, but they may Drop or Trade it. If a Hero Holding a Rune Stone is Defeated, they Drop the Rune Stone in their Area. The Dark Legion cannot interact with the Rune Stones at all.
Objectives
Heroes: The Rune Stones hold the secret to stopping Madra's Ritual. When all four Heroes are Holding a Rune Stone, the Stone drains the Alchemical Power from the Heroes and interrupts Madra's Ritual. The Heroes win immediately by completing one of these two objectives:
- Each Hero must Hold a Rune Stone before the Witches complete the Ritual.
- Or Defeat the Demon, after the Ritual is complete and Madra has dropped the protection spell.
Witch Master: Madra must spring her trap on the Demon. The Witch Master wins immediately if:
- The Demon reaches the Altar after the Ritual has been completed.
Encounter 19: Crystal Prison
Witch Master's Misery Board: Place three Plague Reward Tokens at 3, 5 and 7 Souls.
Special Rules
Token Setup: Take three double-sided Wound Tokens and three Wound Tokens with Shattered Crystals on their backs. Place them Wound side up and mix them thoroughly. Then place them on the map in the six locations shown, without letting anyone see which tokens are the three Crystal Tokens.
Dormant Pillar: Madra's spell shattered the Crystals inhibiting the Pillar, but it will still take a little time for the Pillar to draw enough energy from Neemoss for Madra to use it to summon Vampyric Spirits. In the End of Round Phase place a Wound Token on the Sacrifice Track to mark the passage of time. Before the Track is completely full the Pillar is Dormant. It cannot be Attacked in any way, nor can its Action be used to summon Vampyric Spirits.
Active Pillar: When the Sacrifice Track is full, the Pillar is no longer an inanimate rock. It can be Activated to use its Action to Summon Vampyric Spirits and it can be targeted and Defeated like any Minion.
Drain the Last Drop: The Vampyric Spirits can Drain Stamina from the Heroes and Madra is siphoning that power from them, so that she has enough energy to hold Voskor in line. When they Drain the Last Drop of remaining Stamina from a Hero, Madra finds the energy especially sweet (the Hero still recovers their stamina normally, in the next Start of Round Phase).
Collect the Crystals: The shattered remnants of the protective Crystals are strewn around the land. If the Heroes are lucky, they can find some larger pieces. Heroes that are not holding a Shattered Crystal may use the Pick Up Action to flip a Wound Token in their Area. If it is a Shattered Crystal, they move it to their Play Area. If not, Discard the token. Due to their powerful magic, Heroes can only carry one Shattered Crystal at a time, but they may Drop or Trade it. If a Hero carrying a Shattered Crystal is Defeated, they Drop the Crystal in their Area. The Dark Legion cannot interact with the Shattered Crystals at all.
Deactivate the Pillar: While the Pillar is Dormant, the Shattered Crystals still have enough power to Deactivate the Pillar. If the Heroes can drop three Shattered Crystals in the same Area as the Pillar, its link to the Energies of Neemoss is severed.
Encrust a Witch: Nothing is as it seems. The Crystals have a will of their own and if the Pillar Activates, then they will compel the Heroes to use them another way: they want to Encrust a Witch. If a Hero Drops a Crystal in the same Area as a Witch, the Witch cannot Move for the remainder of the Round. The Witch can take all other Actions. Place the Shattered Crystal on the Witch's ID Sheet as a reminder. In the End of Round Phase move the Token to the game board, in the same Area as the Witch, to indicate she has escaped its grasp.
Objectives
Heroes: Madra cannot be allowed to complete her plan. The Heroes win immediately by completing one of these two objectives:
- Replace all three Shattered Crystals and Deactivate the Pillar.
- Satisfy the Crystal's compulsion by Defeating a Witch while it is Encrusted.
Witch Master: Madra needs more power! The Witch Master wins immediately if:
- The Vampyric Spirits Drain the Last Drop of Stamina from two Heroes in the same Round.
Encounter 20: The Sabbath
Witch Master's Misery Board: Place three Plague Reward Tokens at 3, 5 and 7 Souls.
Demon Deck: Shuffle eight Cards in Voskor's Demon Deck.
Special Rules
Sequential Setup: In the Start of Round Phase, add one Wound Token to the Sacrifice Track, adding the fifth Token to the center of the Track. This will help you remember which Act you are in. As you progress through the Acts, you will need to perform some additional setup in the Start of Round Phase:
- Act 1: When Act 1 begins, set up the game board with the four Map Tiles highlighted in yellow, using the miniatures and Tokens shown with the yellow number.
- Act 2: Add the Map Tile highlighted in blue, using the miniatures and Tokens shown with the blue number.
- Act 3: Add the Map Tile highlighted in red, using the miniatures and Tokens shown with the red number.
- Act 4: No set up required.
- Act 5: Check each of the four Areas surrounding the Altar. If there are 1+ Witches in an Area, add 1 Pillar to the Area. Then, if you placed 1+ Pillars, add Voskor to the Altar.
Act 5 is the final Act and may last several rounds, until one side wins. There is no need to continue adding tokens to the Sacrifice Track.
Banish the Demon: Voskor ignores the Health Points on its ID Card and it cannot be harmed or healed by normal means. The only way to Banish the Demon is to destroy each of the Pillars that the Witches Summoned at the start of Act 5.
Objectives
Heroes: The Heroes must stop Madra dominating Voskor. If she gains the Demon's power, she will be unstoppable. The Heroes win immediately by completing one of these two objectives:
- Prevent the Witches summoning any Pillars at the start of Act 5.
- Banish the Demon.
Witch Master: Madra forces Voskor to complete a near impossible task to show who is the master! The Witch Master wins immediately if:
- Voskor Defeats two Heroes in the same Round.