Dark Venture
Dark Venture Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Setup
The object of Dark Venture is to send one's hero on a journey to complete perilous quests. These quests are fulfilled by traveling a map that is built while interacting with other characters. The player whose hero gathers the most quest points by completing quests over 12 game rounds, wins a game. (NOTE: Additional solo & co-op game rules can be found later in this guide, on pp. 19 and 20).
1. Hero Selection
Players draw all heroes from the character deck. Each player chooses 1 hero to carry out their quests then places their hero card onto a hero dashboard. Unused heroes are shuffled back into the character deck.
Character Number: The number in the upper left hexagon of the card is the character's number. After choosing a hero, players find their heroes' two-numbered character tokens and hold on to them.
Faction: The icon in the circle below the character's number is that character's faction. Some factions restrict specific items from use or grant characters special bonuses. All factions are shown on the inside cover of the location guide.
Scroll: On the scroll, below the portrait, each hero card lists the character's name, the distinction "HERO," and their base health (maximum health) score.
Character Items: There are 3 categories of item cards in the game: weapon, armor & object. Weapons can add to a character's attack bonus and attributes, and armor and shields can add to a character's armor bonus and attributes. Objects have various uses, as noted on their cards.
Each player draws their hero's listed worn and held items from the item deck, shuffling it after. Hero item cards have a star on them for easier retrieval. Weapons and armor may be equipped to a character by placing them on a blue space at the edge of the hero dashboard, or may be held in a character's inventory by piling them on the purple space at the edge of the hero dashboard.
Each character may have 1 item equipped to their head, 1 to the body, and 1 jewel may be equipped. All weapon-holding characters have two hands that can each hold a one-handed item, or both hands can be used to hold a two-handed item. If an item requires an attribute score to wield in one hand, the necessary score can include the stat bonus of that item.
All characters may hold a maximum of 8 items, equipped or in their inventory. To reduce inventory, a hero or follower may drop an item by placing a numbered item token onto the character's current location and a corresponding token onto the item card.
Special Abilities: Character abilities for each hero are listed with the character's held and worn items. Read them carefully so you will know how and when to use them. Usually, abilities can be used only once per battle or turn, and must be announced to be used, however, some heroes have special abilities that are always active.
Base Attributes: On the left side of each character card, a character's 4 base attributes (power, speed, mind and luck) and maximum health are displayed.
Power is a representation of the brute strength and physical might of a character. The power attribute is used during combat to modify the damage a character inflicts.
Speed is a measure of the ability to react quickly to a situation or a physical challenge. The speed attribute is used in battle to calculate turn order (first strike).
Mind is a measure of the intellectual ability and mental acuity of a character. When searching locations for items, the mind attribute is used as a modifier.
Luck measures the effects of unexplainable, universal odds that govern the actions of a character. Characters may be required to make a luck roll during events and when gaining a follower's loyalty.
Attributes on the Hero Record Dashboard: Add the hero's base attribute score to any item attribute bonuses and place a cube of each corresponding color onto the attribute tracks on the dashboard. Place a black cube onto the health track on the dashboard to represent the hero's maximum health and a red cube nearby to track the hero's current health if they lose health in a game.
If equipped items provide an attack or armor bonus, add the corresponding numbered attack and armor bonus tokens to the dashboard in the appropriate spots.
Place 3 orange action point cubes in their positions on the dashboard. As they are spent on a player's turn, remove them from the dashboard. They are returned to their positions at the beginning of the next round.
2. Play Area Setup
Choose to play with either Location Guide A and Actions A (Books 2 & 3) or the "B" versions of these books (Books 4 & 5) for the entire game (unless a book specifies otherwise). Place the chosen books in the play area, accessible to all players.
After players have set up their hero dashboards, the first player is determined; quest cards are drawn; the map starting location is placed; the card decks, day track, and quest point track are positioned; and player hands are drawn; then the game begins.
First Player: Players roll 4d6, rerolling in the event of a tie. The highest roller is the first player, the next highest roller is second and so on.
Quests: Heroes must earn as many quest points as they can by completing heroic and side quests in 12 game rounds. The hero with the most quest points at the end of 12 game rounds is the game winner.
To begin, the first player shuffles the heroic quest and side quest cards, draws 3 heroic quests, chooses and reveals 1, then shuffles the rest back. Next, the player draws 3 side quests and accepts them all; they may be revealed or kept secret. The next highest roller does the same until all players have 1 heroic quest and 3 side quests.
Completing a Quest: A heroic quest or side quest is complete when the conditions on the card are met. Then, on any player's turn, the player holding the quest card may discard it to instantly earn the quest points noted on the card.
Trade 3 Side Quests for a Heroic Quest: Once per game, on their turn, at a cost of 1 AP, a player may discard 3 side quests to draw 1 heroic quest.
Side Quest Renewal: When beginning their turn, a player may choose to discard 1 side quest to draw a new one, or they may draw 1 additional side quest to a maximum of 3. If the side quest deck runs out, shuffle the side quest discard pile and reuse those cards.
NOTE: A hero may have multiple heroic quests active at one time.
Deck Positions: Separate character, item, and location cards into 3 decks; shuffle each; and place them face down onto their designated spots on the deck mat beside the play area, with room for character and item discard piles (locations are never discarded). Shuffle the heroic quest and side quest decks and place them nearby.
Map Starting Location: Draw the crossroads location from the location deck, then shuffle. Place it in the center of a large, open play area as the starting location. The map will expand out from it. The players then place 1 of their hero's tokens onto this location.
Tracks: Place the quest track and day track on the edge of the play area. Each player then sets 1 of their hero's tokens on the the start area of the Quest Track. Next, place the sun token onto the "1" on the Day Track, at Sunrise.
Starting Hand: Each player draws 1 character card, 1 location card, and 2 item cards into their starting hand. These cards are hidden from the other players. A player's hand can have a maximum of 5 cards. At that limit, a player may still draw a card at the beginning of their turn, but only if the player discards 1 item into the item discard pile, or places an item into the inventory of one of their characters.
Turn Phases
3. Turn Phases
The first player may begin the first round of the game with their turn. There are 3 phases to each player's turn. Once all players have completed their turns, the game round ends.
Phase 1 - Card Draw: A player draws 1 card from either the item, character, or location pile at the beginning of their turn. A player may choose to discard 1 side quest to draw a new one at this time, or they may draw 1 additional side quest to a maximum of 3.
Phase 2 - Actions: Players have 3 action points each that they may use to do things on their turn. Phase 2 can end before all points are spent but, once a player spends all 3, phase 3 of the turn immediately begins.
Phase 3 - Check Quest Points: Check all heroic quest and side quest cards, making sure that all quest points have been scored on the point track for all completed quests, discarding all completed quest cards.
Once a player completes all 3 phases, their turn ends and the next player's turn begins.
Beginning a New Round: When all players have completed their turns, the sun token moves 1 hour to the right on the day track and the next round begins. At this time, players replenish all 3 AP and gain 2 health if they have sustained damage.
Actions
4. Actions
During their turns, players may spend 1 of their 3 action points on 1 of the 8 main actions, outlined as follows, or in other ways as noted in location rules, actions, and on character and item cards. A player may end their turn without spending all action points.
Play a Location — For 1 AP, location cards can be positioned adjacent to a location your character is in. They can be placed horizontally or vertically, but must be placed so that at least 1 of their entrances meets the entrance of another location. A map card cannot be placed if it closes off the last open map entrance or overlaps another location card. When a location is played, review the number in the blue circle and follow the rules for that location as described in the Locations Guide. Refer to that guide for more information on locations.
Move 1 Location — For 1 AP, a player may move their hero or follower 1 location. A hero or follower entering a location with a green, numbered hexagon for the first time will trigger an action described in the Action guide. Refer to that guide for more information on actions.
Play a Character — A player may play a character from their hand into a location adjacent to their hero's location for 1 AP. First, the character's card is placed in the play area. A character's health may be tracked using health tokens placed on the character's card. The attributes of the character may be referenced on their card as necessary. As an alternative, 2 character record cards may be used with attribute cubes and bonus tokens.
Next, players holding items that are noted as equipped or held on the played character's card must show these items to all players, returning them to their hands after.
Finally, the item pile is searched for the character's equipped or held items that are not currently in players' hands. Place the found items under the character's card and shuffle the item pile.
Characters who enter the game out of a player's hand or through location rules and actions have 2 AP that can be used to move them, unless it is noted otherwise on the character's card, or in a location rule or an action.
Trade/Give an Item — For 1 AP, the current player may have their hero or follower trade 1 item with any player's hero or a follower who is in the hero's location. In some cases, trades can be made with other characters who have been played or have appeared on the map.
Engage in Combat — For 1 AP, a player may have their hero or follower engage another character in combat who is in their location. It does not cost an action point if an AGGRESSIVE character automatically engages a hero or follower in combat.
Pick Up an Item — It costs nothing to drop an item onto the map but a player's hero or follower must spend 1 AP to pick up something that has been dropped.
Search a Location — Players may use either their heroes or their heroes' followers to search a played location. While a player's character is in an unsearched location, spend 1 AP to score 8 or more on a roll of 1d6 + mind to draw 1 item card. After a location has been searched, place a search token onto it; it cannot be searched again. NOTE: beast faction characters may not search locations.
Equip an Item — Only equipped items change a character's attributes. Weapon and armor cards that are in a player's hand can be played into their hero's or follower's inventories at no AP cost, but 1 AP must be spent to equip with either a weapon or armor. Objects in a player's hand can also be played into a player-controlled character's inventory at no AP cost, but 1 AP must be spent to use them.
Other Characters and Enemies
5. Other Characters and Enemies
Other characters may arrive on the map, placed according to location rules or location actions. See the section "Play a Character" on p. 10 for more information regarding the placement of new characters onto locations.
At the beginning of a round, heroic quests, location rules, or actions might require multiple players to place characters onto the map. Under these circumstances, characters are placed in player order and combat will be resolved, as necessary, when each character is placed.
Some placed characters will remain at the location where they are played; some will require players to move them. The player who places a character is usually in charge of moving them (if movements are required), unless a different course of action is specified elsewhere.
Characters who enter the game through a location rule or an action have 2 AP that can be used to move them, unless noted otherwise in a location rule, action, or on their cards.
NOTE: Enemies will target the player-controlled character with the highest attribute total if attacking first (roll 4d6 on a tie), or will target the last character to attack them.
Aggressive Characters
6. Aggressive Characters
Some characters are labeled as AGGRESSIVE on their character cards. If another character enters the map location of an aggressive character, or the aggressive character enters the location of another character, combat begins immediately. Aggressive characters of the same type will not attack one another. Also, characters that engage in combat with one another will remain AGGRESSIVE to one another for the rest of the game.
Followers
7. Followers
A follower roll can be made by the active player at any time during their turn while the player's hero is in the same location as an unclaimed follower. Each follower has specific follower roll requirements; these can be found on each character's card. Once a follower is allied with and following a hero, players are no longer required to make follower rolls for that follower (unless attempting to influence the follower; see p. 14).
Heroes may take only 1 follower at a time. If a player would like their hero to change followers, they may attempt the follower roll for a new follower and, if successful, may switch the old follower for the new one. A hero may switch or recruit old followers without a roll for 1 AP, except when influencing a follower that is currently allied with another hero (see p. 14).
Influencing a Follower: If a follower who is allied with a hero is in a location without their allied hero (if the hero has been defeated in combat or the follower has moved away from their hero), another hero may attempt to influence the follower to join them. The new hero must be in the same location as the follower, then the hero's controlling player may attempt a follower roll with a -2 penalty to the roll. NOTE: A follower will become AGGRESSIVE and will not follow any character if they have been damaged by that character in combat.
Followers begin with 2 AP, which they can use to take actions and move independently, controlled by the followed hero's player for normal AP costs, or they may move and engage in combat along with a player's hero they've joined at no AP cost. A follower's AP is replenished along with the hero's AP at the beginning of each round.
The Day Track
8. The Day Track
The sun token is moved along on the day track, 1 number for each round of play, to track the 12 game rounds in a game of Dark Venture.
Sunrise: On the first turn, place the sun token onto the "1" on the day track. Move it to the next space on the track each time all players have finished their turns and a game round has been completed.
Meridian: Every day, at the meridian hour, the sky darkens and an arcane energy engulfs the planet. At this point in the game, the beginning of the 6th round, each hero experiences a temporal event. Players alternate, drawing 2 heroic quest cards each. Each chooses 1 and the others are shuffled back into the deck.
Sunset: By the 12th round, the sun sets. The heroes finish their day and head for home.
Game End: When sunset has fallen and all players have finished their turns on the 12th game round, the hero with the most quest points is the victor!
If no hero has gathered any quest points after all players have completed the 12th round, the game ends with no winner. Broken and bewildered, the heroes leave this harsh land. On another day, they must return and attempt to complete their quests.
Quest Point Tie: In the event of a tie, create a victory score based on items held by a player's hero and followers: weapon = 3pts; armor = 3pts; object = 2pts. The player with the highest victory score wins. In the event of a victory score tie, roll 4d6. The highest roller wins (reroll on a tie).
Combat
9. Combat
Combat occurs if a player chooses to have their hero or follower attack another character, if in a location with an AGGRESSIVE character, or if directed by a location event.
One player controls their hero or a follower; another player must control the opposing combatant and do so to the best of their ability!
Combat involving 2 or more characters is resolved in 2 parts as follows, unless otherwise specified:
Part 1: First Strike (Determining Battle Turn Order)
At the beginning of combat, all involved characters roll to determine battle turn order as follows:
Speed + 2d6 + first strike bonuses
The highest scoring character has the first battle turn, the next highest scoring has the next battle turn, and so on. Reroll on a tie.
Part 2: Attack Damage (The Damage Dealt)
Next, the attacking character's damage is calculated:
Power + 2d6 + attack bonus
Subtract the armor bonus of the defending character, then reduce the current health of the defending character by this score.
After damage is dealt, the next character in the turn order may begin their battle turn.
Items and Fleeing in Combat
10. Items & Fleeing in Combat
In addition to doing damage on a combat turn, a character may flee or use and equip items.
Using or Equipping Items in Combat: To use or equip an item in combat, roll 2d6. If the roll is 2 - 3, equip or use the item, but reduce attack damage by 2d6. If the roll is 4 - 7, use or equip the item, but reduce attack damage by 1d6. If the roll is 8 - 12, equip or use the item and attack as normal.
Fleeing from Combat: On their battle turn, a character may attempt to flee from the conflict. All involved combatants will roll speed + 2d6, but a player controlling their fleeing hero or follower may choose to spend 1 AP to add 1 die to their roll to a maximum of 4 total dice. Reroll with the same number of dice on a tie.
If the fleeing character has a higher score, this character is successful and may move up to 2 adjacent locations and the current player's turn continues. If the roll fails, a player can spend 1 AP to roll again with the same number of dice, attempting to flee another time, or the battle turn ends.
NOTE: If it is not currently a player's turn, and they are attempting to flee from combat, the player can spend AP from a previous or upcoming turn to add dice and reroll the flee attempt.
Winning Combat and Defeat
11. Winning Combat & Defeat
Characters who are engaged in combat may alternate turns until the health of one combatant is reduced to zero, meaning that character has been defeated. Defeated heroes cannot die; they fall unconscious (see Consciousness Roll). Non-hero characters die when defeated.
If a dead character has items, the fallen character's token is flipped and remains at the location where they died (unless dragged), until all of their items have been taken from them. Then, the fallen character's token is removed from the map and their character card is laid to rest in the discard pile.
A player's character can move to the location of a dead or unconscious character to loot 1 item per turn from the fallen character for 1 AP. A dead or unconscious character may be dragged by a player-controlled hero at no cost.
Consciousness Roll
12. Consciousness Roll
The player controlling a defeated, unconscious character can roll a 15 or greater using 3d6 + mind on their next turn (once per turn) to allow the character to regain consciousness, restoring 12 HP.
If successful, the character loses 1 AP and can immediately move 1 location, ignoring any AGGRESSIVE enemies in their current location, and then continue their turn.
If this roll fails, the character remains unconscious. If the player is not controlling any other characters, their turn ends. If the player controls other characters, they can be played before ending the turn.
Golden Rule: Should one encounter rule inconsistencies or conflicts between the cards and the core rules, location guides, or actions books, what is written in the books always overrides what is written on the cards.
Solo Game Modes
13. Solo Games
The following cards should be removed when playing all solo game modes:
Heroic Quests 1 (Noble Pact), 3 (Rampaging Warlord), 7 (Find the Cure), 16 (Catastrophic Incident). Also, the Dimensional Jewel and the Hammer of the Burnlands items. NOTE: When playing as Haglor the Ghostly in a solo game, he wears the Crystal Helm instead of holding the Dimensional Jewel.
Mode 1: Solo Ranked Game
A player must gather as many quest points as possible, completing heroic quests and side quests, by sunset, in 12 game rounds. At sunset, the player is ranked based on the number of quest points they have earned in this day using the chart below.
| QP | Title | QP | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 1 | Hopeless Case | 13 | Cloaked Outlaw |
| 2 | Lost Soul | 14 | Highwayman |
| 3 | Survivor | 15 | Ranger |
| 4 | Wastelander | 16 | Revered Adventurer |
| 5 | Wild Wanderer | 17 | Cavalier Explorer |
| 6 | Bandit | 18 | Legionnaire |
| 7 | Tradesman | 19 | Lone Knight |
| 8 | Apprentice Squire | 20 - 22 | Lord Protector |
| 9 | Squire | 23 - 25 | Fabled Warrior |
| 10 | Studied Traveler | 26 - 28 | Mythic Champion |
| 11 | Guided Pathfinder | 29 | Banisher of the Unlucky |
| 12 | Heroic Huntsman | 30 | Legendary Hero |
Mode 2: Solo Questing Game
The win condition in the questing game is based on gathering a set number of quest points before a set time of day. All rules outlined in the core rules, with the exception of the revised rules below, apply in a solo game. At the beginning of the 6th round, in either short or long games, a solo player may still draw a new heroic quest.
In a short game, a player must gather 10 quest points by meridian, after completing 6 rounds, to win the game. In a long game, a player must gather 20 quest points by sunset, after completing 12 rounds, to win the game.
Cooperative Game Mode
14. Cooperative Game Mode
When playing cooperatively, each player must gather 20 quest points each before the end of the day (12 rounds) to win the game. All rules outlined in the core rules, with the exception of the revised rules below, apply in a cooperative game. Setup for a cooperative game is similar to the setup for a competitive game, except that each cooperative player is granted 1 heroic quest and only 1 side quest to start. At meridian, each player still receives 1 new heroic quest. Players' hands and side quests are revealed, available for all to see. Trading items between characters and cooperatively defeating enemies is strongly encouraged. In order to win, the heroes must help one another to complete their quests in any way possible!
Turn Phases and Rounds: Rounds in a cooperative game play similarly to a competitive game. Each player has 3 phases and is granted 3 action points for their turn. Players may use their actions outside of their turn if they wish. When all players have ended their turns, the round ends and the sun token is moved.
Shared Movement: All players' heroes and their followers may choose to move together as a party, spending 1 AP to move the whole group 1 location. Alternatively, players may choose to move their controlled heroes and followers as individuals, separately.
In combat, all involved characters roll first strike to determine attack order. The highest scoring character has the first battle turn, the next highest scoring has the next battle turn, and so on. Reroll on a tie. Players state their characters' targets each battle round. Enemies will target the player-controlled character with the highest attribute total if they attack first (roll 4d6 on a tie), or will target the last character to attack them.
No PvP Combat: In this mode, a player's heroes and followers may never engage in combat against one another unless specifically directed to in a game instruction or action.
Credits
Game design, graphics and illustrations by Robert Lemon
Edited by Erica Velis
Thanks to the many people whose feedback and support made this game possible.