Dungeon Delver
Dungeon Delver Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
What You Will Need
- 54 Dungeon cards
- 6 markers (coins, wooden cubes, or similar)
- The following dice: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20
Setup
Choose one of the 6 heroes and place the hero card face up in front of you. Find the item card in the deck that is listed on your hero card as the starting weapon for that hero, and place it face up next to your hero card. Set the remaining heroes aside; they are not used in the game. Shuffle the remaining cards, form them into the Dungeon deck, and place it face down. A discard pile will be placed next to the Dungeon deck.
Hero Health
Your hero has a health level (HP), shown on the hero card as hearts. This is the amount of damage the hero can withstand before dying. Use the health markers to mark the damage the hero takes. If at least 1 health marker remains on the hero when the deck runs out, you have successfully completed your adventure and won the game.
Playing the Game
The game consists of repeatedly turning over the top card of the Dungeon deck and resolving it. There are several types of cards in the game:
Item
When you resolve an item card, you may have found something useful. If you want to take the item with you, place the card face up in front of you. Keep in mind, however, that you can carry only 3 items. If you already have 3 item cards and you resolve another item card, you have 2 options:
- discard the resolved card to the discard pile as unneeded;
- take it, discarding one of the 3 item cards you already have.
You may carry more than one weapon, but you may fight with only one of them, usually the more powerful one. A hero cannot fight with the named weapons of other heroes, but may carry them.
Non-combat items may be used at any time. Sometimes they are used immediately, and sometimes you must wait for a specific moment, as indicated on the cards.
Some items may be used only once. After use, they must be discarded to the discard pile. Other items may be used again and again, so try to keep them with you and use them when needed.
If a card reads "Used only with [hero]" and that is not the hero you are currently playing, you may take the card (for example, in order to discard it while escaping after an unsuccessful attack), but you will not be able to use it for its intended purpose.
Trap
When you resolve a trap card, you must carry out its effect. After that, the trap card goes to the discard pile. Some cards are able to ignore traps.
Monster
When you resolve a monster card, you must fight. If you have more than one weapon, it is advisable to choose the more powerful one. After choosing a weapon, roll the die indicated on the weapon card. If you have no weapon, you fight barehanded (the die is a six-sided die, d6). After the roll, compare the result with the number on the monster card. If your roll is higher, you have won the battle. If it is lower, you have lost. If it is a tie, roll the die again. If you lose the battle, the hero loses one health point; add an injury marker to your hero card.
Instead of taking a wound, you may escape. To do so, you must discard one item of your choice (thereby distracting the monster, and you will be able to escape without taking a wound). You cannot escape if you have nothing to discard.
After the battle, discard the monster card to the discard pile, even if you lost to it. You will not see it again.
Special Rules
Many cards, including all hero cards, have special rules that may help you, or may make it harder for you to complete the adventure. Special rules on cards take precedence over the general rules.