Dracula's Revenge
Dracula's Revenge Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Components
- Introduction
- Object of the Game
- Characters
- Seeing Things
- Setting Up a Game
- Sequence of Play
- Action Points
- Reaction Points
- Action Cards
- New Characters
- Moving
- Facing
- Opening and Closing Doors
- Mist
- Close Attacks
- Ranged Attacks
- Mesmerizing
- The Crucifix
- The Adventures
- Points Value
- Your Own Adventures
- Optional Rules
- More Revenge
Components
- 9 dice
- 20 board tiles
- 12 Mist Counters
- 12 doors
- 36 Character Cards
- 36 Action Cards
- 48 stands
- 2 reference cards
- 2 Die Screens
- 1 rulebook
Introduction
Welcome to Dracula's Revenge, the game of vampire hunting in Victorian England. This game is the first in the Gothica line of horror-themed games. These each share a core set of rules that allows them to be linked together.
If you've never played one of these games before, read the first part of this rulebook carefully. Even if you've played another Gothica game, you should browse through this section to see how it differs from others. Once you've done that, you're ready to tackle "The Adventures" section and start playing.
The first part of the book tells all about the types of characters that appear in this game and the rules that govern their actions. The second part features scenarios which simulate action-packed parts of Van Helsing's campaign to root the creatures of the night out of the heart of the British Empire. These can be played in any order you like, but each one is progressively more complex. Run consecutively, they form a narrative campaign.
Object of the Game
In Dracula's Revenge, you play one of the adventures outlined in "The Adventures" section, or an adventure of your own design. The object of the game varies from adventure to adventure, but often it's to destroy all the characters on the other side.
Although several players can play on a side, these rules assume there's only one player to each side: the vampire player or the hunter player. As a player, you control the actions of a number of characters with which you try to accomplish the goals set out in the adventure briefing to win the game.
Characters
There are two sides in Dracula's Revenge: vampires and hunters. Each Character Card and its Action Card features a set of statistics. These define how the character works in the game. They are:
- Type: Human (hunters or minions) or Vampire
- CA: Close Attack Bonus
- RA: Ranged Attack Bonus
- DF: Defense Bonus
- AP: Action Points
- Special: Any special abilities.
A Character Card or Action Card may also feature icons indicating special abilities. These are:
- Crossbow: Can use a crossbow.
- Crucifix: Can use a crucifix.
- Mesmerize: Can mesmerize.
Vampires
Vampires have several powers that serve them well in their struggle with the defenders of humanity. They are faster and stronger than the living. They can turn to mist to escape harm. Some of them can enslave the minds of hunters and turn them into their helpless minions, and others grow more powerful as they feed.
The weakest of the vampires are the she-wolves, novice bloodsuckers who joined Dracula recently. While they can turn to mist, they cannot yet mesmerize hunters.
Nosferatu are a step up from the she-wolves. They aspire to someday win Dracula's supreme affections and become vampiresses, the most powerful vampires of all, barring only Dracula himself.
Hunters
The biggest advantage hunters have against the creatures of the night are weapons, which the vampires are too arrogant to use. A stake through the heart is one of the few things that can actually harm a vampire. Hunters who specialize in using these are called "stakers."
Mina Harker came up with the brilliant idea of using a crossbow to shoot wooden bolts at the vampires. These affect vampires just like regular stakes and, best of all, can be shot from a safe distance. Hunters who use these are called "crossbows."
Certain priests have answered Van Helsing's call to action against the vampires too. They have God on their side, symbolized by the crucifix each carries, which they use to hold back their foul foes.
Van Helsing, the greatest of the hunters, carries a crucifix, a crossbow, and a stake. Most vampires tremble at the mention of his name.
Minions
Some vampires can enslave humans to their will. Minions are humans who have succumbed to the vampires' mesmerism. Minions use stakes, just like hunters, and a crucifix holds no fear for them.
Seeing Things
It's important to know what characters can see.
Field of View
A character's field of view encompasses every square to the character's front that it can see.
Line of Sight
To see something within its field of view, a character must be able to draw a clear line from the center of its square to the center of the target's square. Walls, doors and characters block a line of sight, but misted vampires do not. If a line of sight touches the corner of a square containing an obstacle, the line of sight is only blocked if both sides of the line touch such corners.
Arc of Effect
A character can only make a ranged attack against targets within its arc of effect. This includes any space to which it can draw a clear line of sight through the front face of its own square.
Range
When making a ranged attack, a target must be within a certain number of squares—normally 6—to be attacked. Otherwise, it is out of range. When figuring range, count the square the target is in, but not the square the shooter is in. Count diagonal spaces as 1.
You cannot make a ranged attack against a target only 1 space away. The target is too close.
(The printed diagram showing all the possible target squares for a ranged attack is not reproduced.)
- Example: Crossbow 2 has a clear line of sight to Vampiress A. She can also fire at Nosferatu A because the corner of the wall only blocks the left side of her line of sight. She can't fire at Vampiress B because her line of sight is blocked by the corner on one side and by Vampiress A on the other.
- Example: Crossbow 1 can't fire at Nosferatu B because of the corner in the way. Staker 1 is between her and Vampiress A. She can't fire at Vampiress B because she could attack that vampire in close combat. She can't fire at Nosferatu A because her line of sight isn't in her arc of effect.
Setting Up a Game
In Dracula's Revenge, the game board is made up of a number of tiles that represent rooms and hallways. Later in this rulebook, there are five premade adventures for you to play. Each features a map that shows how to arrange the tiles to make up the board and where to place doors and characters. Once you set up the board as shown, choose sides and start playing.
(The printed setup diagram of the play area, with its labelled Hunter Characters, Vampire Characters, Action Timeline, Die Screen, Action Cards and Game Board, is not reproduced.)
Character Table
| Character | Close Attack Bonus | Ranged Attack Bonus | Defense Bonus | Action Points | Special | Points Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| She-wolf | +2 | — | +1 | 9 | — | 4 |
| Nosferatu | +1 | +1 | +2 | 9 | Mesmerize | 6 |
| Vampiress | +2 | +2 | +2 | 9 | Mesmerize | 8 |
| Dracula | +3 | +3 |
Sequence of Play
Each turn in the game breaks down into three distinct phases. Each time you complete a turn, start over at the beginning.
- Roll Reaction Dice.
- Play Action Cards and activate characters in order.
- Show Reaction Dice.
Action Points
Action Table
| Action | Point Cost |
|---|---|
| Move and turn | 1 |
| Turn in place | 1 |
| Turn to mist or solid | 4 |
| Open or close a door | 1 |
| Close Attack | 1 |
| Ranged Attack | 2 |
Each action a character can perform costs a certain number of points as shown on the Action Table. Each human (hunter or minion) gets 6 Action Points a turn. Each vampire gets 9 Action Points a turn.
These actions can be performed in any order, but each action must be paid for in full. A character does not have to use all its Action Points, but it cannot save Action Points from turn to turn.
- Example: Van Helsing moves forward two squares (1 point each), turns 90° (for free, since it was after a move), moves forward one square (1 point) and fires his weapon (2 points). He then turns in place (1 point). This costs a total of 6 points.
(The printed diagrams showing Van Helsing's moves in this example are not reproduced.)
Active Characters
You can only activate one character at a time. Once you're done with a character, announce it aloud. You cannot go back and move that character later using leftover Action Points.
Reaction Points
Reaction Points are a special type of Action Points you can use to perform extra actions. At the beginning of each turn, both players roll one die (known as your Reaction Die) and add +6 to the result to determine how many Reaction Points they have that turn.
Roll your Reaction Die behind your Die Screen. Keep the results secret from your opponent until both players finish the turn. When you spend Reaction Points, place a spare pair of dice—known as Tally Dice—in front of your Die Screen and turn them so they show your current total of Reaction Points spent. Make sure you never spend more Reaction Points than you have.
You can spend as many Reaction Points as you need on a single action, as long as you have them left to spend.
After the turn is over, lift your Die Screen and reveal your Reaction Die. Any unused Reaction Points are lost. You cannot save them from turn to turn.
Adding to Your Move
When your character is active, you can add Reaction Points to its Action Points. You can use as many Reaction Points as you like, as long as you have them left to spend. You can even use them to complete an action for which you might not have enough Action Points to spend.
Moving Characters During an Opponent's Move
If a character enters or takes an action within an inactive character's field of view and line of sight—if the inactive character "sees" the action—the inactive character can react by taking a single action. The same is true if the inactive character is affected by an action or sees a character affected by an action, like an attack.
Moving Characters During Your Move
You can also use Reaction Points to take a single action at a time with one of your inactive characters during your active character's move. An inactive character can react if it sees your active character take an action or if the inactive character is affected by an action or sees a character affected by an action, like an attack.
Also, if your active character can see the an inactive character, the inactive character can react. The active character directs the inactive character's actions.
Trading Reactions
Whenever you act or react, you must give your opponent a chance to react. If your opponent declines, then you can take another action with your active character or react with any of your eligible inactive characters.
If your opponent does react, then your opponent must give you a chance to act or react before reacting again.
If both players wish to use Reaction Points at once, the player with the active figure must allow the opposing player to go first.
- Example: Halfway through its move, Vampiress A moves through a doorway, passing Nosferatu B. Nosferatu B uses a Reaction Point to shut the door out of turn. Vampiress A can now complete her move.
You cannot react twice in a row. Your opponent or the active character must take another action for you to be able to react again.
- Example: During the vampires' turn, Crossbow A uses a Reaction Point to shoot at She-Wolf B. Unfortunately, she misses. Now the hunter player must wait for one of the vampires to take another action before the hunters can spend any more Reaction Points.
Reaction Attacks
Any attack made with Reaction Points, in whole or in part, suffers a –1 penalty. This penalty only applies to attack rolls. When you roll to defend, you do not suffer a penalty for using an inactive character.
Action Cards
At the start of the game, each player takes the Action Cards for each of his or her characters in the game. The players use these to create the Action Timeline, which shows the order in which characters act.
The player with the most cards is the first player. That player either passes or plays a card first, face down, forming a line of cards along one side of the board. This line extends from the first card played to the last played. In case of a tie, the vampire player goes first.
After each card is played, the other player has a chance to either pass or play a card. If you play a card, you place it after the last card in the Action Timeline. Once both players pass, turn over the last card in the Action Timeline. The character's player activates that character.
- Example: The players each have two characters. The vampire player (Lugosi) goes first. He can play an Action Card or pass. He plays She-Wolf A (card #1), face down, to begin the Action Timeline. The hunter player (Cushing) plays the Action Card for Staker 1 (card #2). Lugosi passes. Cushing plays the Action Card for Crossbow 1 (card #3). Lugosi passes again. Cushing passes. Since both players passed in a row, the last card played in the line (card #3) is turned over. It shows Crossbow 1, so Cushing activates that character. Once that character's move is over, discard that Action Card. Then the process of playing cards into the Action Timeline or passing begins again, starting with the next player.
- Example: When Cushing is done with Crossbow 1, it's Lugosi's turn to play an Action Card or pass. He passes. Cushing has no cards left, so he automatically passes. Since both players passed, the last card in the Action Timeline is flipped over (card #1). It's She-Wolf A, which Lugosi activates. When Staker 1 is done, it's Lugosi's turn to play or pass again. He passes. Cushing has no cards left, so he automatically passes. Since both players passed, the last card in the Action Timeline is flipped over (card #2). It's Staker 1, which Cushing activates.
- Example: Once She-Wolf A is done, it's Cushing's turn to play or pass. He has no cards left, so he automatically passes. Lugosi passes too. If Cushing had any cards left, he'd be forced to play one now. Instead, Lugosi must play his last card, Nosferatu A. Cushing has to pass again, as does Lugosi, so Nosferatu A is turned over and activated.
If there are no cards in the Action Timeline and both players pass, the player who first passed must play a card if possible. Otherwise, the other player must play a card.
When all the cards have been played and activated, the turn is over.
- Example: After Nosferatu A is done, there are no Action Cards to be played and none in the Action Timeline. The turn is over.
You can look at the Action Cards you've played at any time, but you cannot look at your opponent's.
Action Card Sequence
- Starting with the first player, play one card or pass. Each player does this in turn until both players pass.
- If a player does not have a card left, that player automatically passes.
- If both players pass and there are no cards in the Action Timeline, the first player must play a card. If that player doesn't have a card, the next player must play a card.
- Once both players pass, the last card played is turned over, and its player activates that character.
- When the character's move is over, go back to Step 1, starting with next player (who is now the first player).
- When all the characters have moved, the turn is over.
Killed Characters
If a character is killed, remove its Action Card at the end of the turn. Until then, use the card normally. Play it from your hand if it's there. Leave it in the Action Timeline if it's there, and discard it when it appears.
Action Card Strategies
If you're not sure what to do, pass often, especially early in the game. Force your opponent to play cards and activate characters. Later in the turn, you can act freely without fear of any major interruptions.
New Characters
New characters can sometimes enter in the middle of the game. This happens when a hunter is mesmerized, a minion is saved, or a lesser vampire feeds.
If a character enters the game at any point but the start of a turn, you can use Reaction Points to move it, but it doesn't get any Action Points until the next turn. Add its Action Card to its player's hand on the next turn.
Moving
A character must always face a side of the square it occupies, never a corner. Normally, only one character can occupy a square at a time. A character can move forward, backward, sideways, and diagonally.
Moving in any direction costs 1 Action Point. After moving, the character can turn to face in any direction for free. A character can also turn in place without moving. This costs 1 Action Point as well.
A character cannot move into or through an occupied square. Even your own characters block your way. The only exception is a misted vampire, which does not obstruct anything.
You can cut around an obstacle diagonally, but you cannot move diagonally between two obstacles.
- Example: Van Helsing can cut around the corner to point A or Staker 1 to point B. The way back down the hallway is blocked by Staker 1 and Staker B, though, so Van Helsing cannot move to point C.
(The printed diagram for this example is not reproduced.)
Facing
Facing is important. At any point, your opponent may interrupt your active character's move to react, and which way you're facing can affect what happens. If you are interrupted, choose your active character's facing before allowing your opponent to react.
Think about facing carefully. If you leave your back unprotected, you may not be able to react to an opponent until it's too late.
Opening and Closing Doors
A character can open or close a door directly in front of it. When a door is opened, place it to one side. When the door is closed again, replace the door.
- Example: Vampiress A can open the door. The hunters on the other side of the door cannot. Staker 1 could use a point to turn to face the door, and Staker 2 could use 1 point to step sideways in front of the door. Then either one could open the door for 1 more point.
(The printed diagram for this example is not reproduced.)
Mist
Vampires can turn into an insubstantial mist. When a vampire turns to mist, remove its figure from the board and replace it with the corresponding Mist Counter.
Misted vampires cannot be attacked, nor can they attack. They cannot open or shut doors, although they can move through them like they're not there. Misted vampires cannot mesmerize vampire hunters. They are not affected by a crucifix in any way. They cannot affect anything while mist.
Misted vampires can see in all directions at once. They have a 360° field of vision.
Misted vampires can move through and occupy squares that contain other characters or other misted vampires. Similarly, other characters and misted vampires can move through or occupy squares in which a misted vampire sits.
A misted vampire cannot voluntarily become solid in a square occupied by a solid character. When a vampire turns solid, replace the Mist Counter with the regular Character Card. The solidified vampire starts facing in any direction the vampire player likes.
Close Attacks
A character can make a close attack against any target in the three squares directly in front of it.
- Example: Nosferatu A can attack only Staker 1, Staker 2, or Staker 3.
Resolving a Close Attack
Declare your target, then roll a die and add your Close Attack Bonus to it. The defender rolls a die and adds its Defense Bonus. If the attacker outflanks the defender—is not in the defender's arc of effect—the attacker adds +1 to the total.
If the attacker's total is higher than the defender's, the defender is killed and removed from the board. If the defender survives, the defender can turn to face the attacker for free. This does not cost any points and does not count as an action.
- Example: Stakers 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 outflank Nosferatu A. Staker 4 attacks, and the hunter player rolls a 3. He adds the Staker's Close Attack Bonus of +2 and the +1 bonus for outflanking his target. His total is 6. The vampire player rolls a 5. She adds Nosferatu A's +2 Defense Bonus for a total of 7. The vampiress survives and can turn to face Staker 4 for free.
(The printed diagram for this example is not reproduced.)
Feeding
After a vampire kills a hunter with a close attack, the vampire may feed. This costs no points and is not an action. When a vampire feeds, replace it with the next most powerful type of vampire. A she-wolf becomes a nosferatu, and a nosferatu becomes a vampiress. Dracula and vampiresses cannot become stronger.
The vampire must feed immediately. It cannot take another action and feed later. Once a vampire feeds, its move is over, even if it has Action Points left. It can still react, but it cannot use its original Action Card. Replace its Action Card at the start of the next turn.
There are a limited number of vampires in the game. If one of the right kind isn't available when needed, the vampire cannot feed. If one is available that was killed that turn, you can use it, but that new vampire cannot use the Action Card of the killed vampire until the next turn.
Ranged Attacks
A character can make a ranged attack at a target to which it has a line of sight, if the target is within the character's arc of effect and a range of 2 to 6 spaces.
To make a ranged attack, the character rolls a die and adds its Ranged Attack Bonus. The target rolls a die and adds its Defense Bonus. If the attacker outflanks the defender—is not in the defender's arc of effect—the attacker adds +1 to the total.
Crossbow Attack
If the attacker's total is higher than the defender's, the defender is killed and removed from the board. If the defender survives, the defender can turn to face the attacker for free. This does not cost any points and does not count as an action.
- Example: Crossbow 1 shoots at Nosferatu A. The hunter player rolls a 4. He adds Crossbow 1's Ranged Attack Bonus of +1 for a total of 5. The vampire player rolls a die and gets a 1. She adds the Nosferatu's Defense Bonus of +2 for a total of 3. The shot kills the vampire.
Mesmerizing
Certain vampires can gaze into a hunter's soul and twist it to the creature's foul ends. Mesmerizing a target is a ranged attack. For a target to be eligible to be mesmerized, both the vampire and the target must be in each other's arc of effect.
To mesmerize an eligible target, the vampire rolls a die and adds its Ranged Attack Bonus. The target rolls a die and adds its Defense Bonus. A character with a crucifix adds +1 to its roll to defend.
If the vampire's total is higher than the defender's, the defender is turned into a minion. The minion is now under the control of the vampire player. Slip a minion character into the stand behind the mesmerized character. The character now has the minion's statistics. The vampire player can use Reaction Points to move the minion, but it doesn't get any Action Points until the next turn. At the start of the next turn, add its minion Action Card to the vampire player's hand and remove its Action Card from the hunter player's hand.
There are a limited number of minions in the box. If you run out of minions, no more minions can be made until a minion is killed, freeing that character card to be used again. You cannot attack your own characters in any case.
The Crucifix
Certain hunters carry a crucifix to affect vampires with their faith in God. If a vampire and a hunter with a crucifix are in each other's arc of effect, the vampire cannot move within 3 squares of the hunter. This does not require an action and costs no points.
A vampire within the area affected by a crucifix cannot attack the holder nor move toward the holder while facing it. It can, however, move into squares that are farther away or equally far away. Smart vampire players may move their vampires toward a crucifix while facing away, but this can make them more vulnerable to attacks.
A character with a crucifix adds +1 to its defense rolls against mesmerizing attempts. It also gains a +1 bonus to close combat attack rolls against vampires, although not minions.
Misted vampires can move freely through the area affected by a crucifix, but they cannot become solid in that area.
Saving Minions
As humans, minions are not affected by a crucifix like vampires are. However, a character with a crucifix can save a minion with a successful close combat attack against the minion. If the minion was mesmerized during the game, remove the minion character from the mesmerized character's stand. If the character entered the game as a minion, replace the minion with a staker. The saved character is now under the hunter player's control. It can turn to face its savior for free.
The hunter player can use Reaction Points to move the saved minion. Add the saved minion's proper Action Card to the hunter player's hand on the next turn. If a minion is mesmerized and saved within the same turn, the hunter player can still use its Action Card, if it hasn't already been played.
There are a limited number of staker characters in the game. If you run out of staker characters for saved minions to turn into, no more staker-minions can be saved until a staker is killed, freeing that character card to be used again.
The Adventures
The narrative passages that open each adventure in the printed rulebook are flavour text and are not reproduced here. Setup, forces, win conditions and special rules are transcribed in full. The printed maps are not reproduced; their labelled areas are noted where they matter.
In Dracula's Revenge, the hunters strive to root out Dracula's coven of vampires entrenched in the catacombs beneath the streets of London. These five adventures represent some of the highlights of Van Helsing's campaign against the vampires.
Each adventure is progressively more complicated than the last. Start by playing the first mission. It's an introduction to how the game works. Play it until you feel comfortable with it. Then move on to the next. Continue until you reach the final, climactic adventure, "Destroy Dracula."
Placing Characters
The adventure briefings tell you where to place the characters to start. Sometimes you have characters that begin off the board. Moving on to the board costs 1 Action Point. You do not have to line up such characters in any kind of order before they move on to the board. They must enter the board on their first move unless the briefing says otherwise.
Other characters start the game on specific board tiles. These are tinted gray on the map. Place these characters anywhere on the indicated tiles and facing in any direction you like.
Dice
Each player gets four dice: one Combat Die, one Reaction Die, and two Tally Dice.
Leaving the Board
Characters cannot leave the board unless the briefing says otherwise. Moving off the board costs the normal amount. Assume that the spaces beyond the boards are open, similar to the full-room tiles.
Counting Turns
Some scenarios require you to keep track of the numbers of turns played. Use the spare die (the Tracking Die) for this.
Into the Breach
In this introductory adventure, four hunters enter the catacombs and confront the four vampires guarding this entrance.
This adventure is meant to introduce novice players to the basic concepts of Dracula's Revenge. Once you're comfortable with the rules, move on to the full-fledged adventures.
The hunters enter the catacombs in the middle of the day, knowing that the creatures of the night cannot turn to mist while the sun shines above them.
(The printed map for this adventure is not reproduced. Its labelled areas are the Vampire Starting Area and the Hunter Entrance.)
- Hunter Forces: Two Stakers and two Crossbows [12 points]. They start off-board and enter through the corridor marked as the hunter entrance. The hunters win by destroying all of the vampires within 4 turns.
- Vampire Forces: Three She-Wolves and one Nosferatu [18 points]. They start on the tinted tile. The vampires win by either destroying all of the hunters or escaping.
- Special Rules: Because it is during the day, the vampires cannot turn to mist. After 4 turns, the sun sets, and the vampires turn to mist and escape.
Defile the Coffins
(The printed map for this adventure is not reproduced. Its labelled areas are the Vampire Starting Areas and the Hunter Entrance.)
- Hunter Forces: Two Stakers, two Crossbows, and two Priests [24 points]. They start off-board and enter through the corridor marked as the hunter entrance. The hunters win if they defile the coffins in each of the rooms.
- Vampire Forces: Three She-Wolves and two Nosferatu [24 points]. Place one vampire on each of the tinted tiles. The vampires win if they stop the hunters from defiling their coffins. The best way to make sure of this is to kill all of the hunters.
- Special Rules: There are coffins in each of the areas represented by tinted tiles. A hunter can defile the coffins on a tile by spending 3 points anywhere on that tile. Use the Tracking Die to mark off how many areas the hunters defile.
Cross the Catacombs
(The printed map for this adventure is not reproduced. Its labelled areas are the Hunter Entrances and the Vampire Entrances.)
- Hunter Forces: Two Stakers, two Crossbows, two Priests, and Van Helsing [36 points]. They start off-board and enter through the corridors marked as the hunter entrances. The hunters win if they get two or more hunters off the board through the vampire entrances.
- Vampire Forces: Two She-Wolves, two Nosferatu, one Vampiress, and Dracula [40 points]. They start off-board and enter through the corridors marked as the vampire entrances. They win if they make it impossible for the hunters to win.
- Special Rules: At the start of Turn 5 and every turn thereafter, a new She-Wolf enters the board through the vampire entrance. If there are no She-Wolf characters available, none enter.
Rescue Van Helsing
(The printed map for this adventure is not reproduced. Its labelled areas are the Hunter Entrances and the Vampire Starting Areas.)
- Hunter Forces: Three Stakers, three Crossbows, and three Priests [36 points]. They start off-board and enter through the corridors marked as the hunter entrances. The hunters win if Van Helsing (see below) gets off the board.
- Vampire Forces: Five Minions, three She-Wolves, one Nosferatu, and one Vampiress [36 points]. The vampires start on the tinted tiles. They win if they keep Van Helsing from getting away and kill the other hunters.
- Special Rules:
- Van Helsing is unconscious in one of the tinted rooms. Before the game, the vampire player secretly records which. When a hunter enters either room, the vampire player places Van Helsing. The hunter player gets Van Helsing's Action Card at the start of the next turn.
- Van Helsing cannot be moved while unconscious. A hunter must stand next to Van Helsing (as if making a close attack) and spend 3 points to wake him up.
- The vampires can't kill Van Helsing, but a successful close attack renders him unconscious. If they mesmerize him (once he's awake) and kill or mesmerize all the priests, they effectively win.
Destroy Dracula
(The printed map for this adventure is not reproduced. Its labelled areas are the Hunter Entrances and the Vampire Starting Areas.)
- Hunter Forces: Five Stakers, five Crossbows, five Priests, and Van Helsing [72 points]. They start off-board and enter through the corridors marked as the hunter entrances. The hunters win if they destroy Dracula or all of the other vampires.
- Vampire Forces: Three She-Wolves, four Nosferatu, three Vampiresses, and Dracula [72 points]. The vampires start on the tinted tiles. They win if they destroy all of the hunters.
- Special Rules: At the end of Turn 3, the sun comes up. The vampires can no longer turn to mist, and any misted vampires turn solid. Because this happens between turns, no one can react to this. If a misted vampire shares a square with a solid character when the sun rises, the vampire player moves the misted vampire to one of the nearest open squares before it turns solid. Similarly, if more than one misted vampire is in the same square at this time, one vampire becomes solid in that spot, and the vampire player places the other misted vampires in the nearest available squares before they turn solid.
Points Value
Each character is worth a certain number of points. Once you've played through the included adventures, you can use these points to help create adventures of your own.
To do so, pick an adventure and see how many points are available to each side. Then, instead of playing with the listed characters, come up with your own sets of characters that has the same total points values as those listed. In this way, you can play the adventures over and over again in dozens of different ways.
Note that some of the scenarios are not balanced only by points values. The circumstances of the scenario may give one side or the other an advantage, which is leveled out by the imbalanced sides.
Your Own Adventures
If you like, you can design adventures of your own. To do this, one player uses the board tiles to design a board and sets a total points value for the characters on each side. The player who did not design the board chooses whether to play hunters or vampires.
The players then build their own forces so that they total equal to or less than that points value. The player who did not design the board places his characters on the board first.
Even in a custom-built adventure, though, the players should each have a clear goal. Otherwise, the game can bog down as the vampires turn to mist and wait for the absolutely perfect moment to attack. As a default, use the following goals.
To win, the vampires must kill or mesmerize all the hunters within 5 turns. Otherwise, the hunters win. No one can leave the board.
You can create goals of your own if you like. The only caveat is that both players must agree to any goals or special rules before the game begins.
Optional Rules
Here are some optional rules to add even more variety to your games. Experiment with them at will. Both players must agree to any optional rules before the game begins.
No Reaction Dice
If you like a bit less randomness to your games, try playing without Reaction Dice.
Timer
If you find that the players are overthinking their turns, you can place a time limit on each character's move of one minute. A stopwatch works best for this, as you can pause it whenever someone interrupts the active character's move.
No Feeding or Saving
To cut down on the available options, you can forbid the vampires to feed. To balance this out, forbid the hunters to save minions.
Multiplayer
You can play games with more than two players. Allow each player to purchase a certain points value worth of characters, either hunters or vampires. Each player fights alone, trying to defeat the others.
When playing Action Cards, start with the player with the most cards. Dice off in the case of ties between players with the same number of the same types of characters. Play then rotates clockwise around the table.
The same goes for reactions. If a player wants to react, the player to the active player's left has the first chance. The next player has the next chance, and so on.
More Revenge
Other games in the Gothica line share the same basic rules as Dracula's Revenge, so experienced players can jump right in. Of course, each game stands alone, so new players can begin with any game they like.