Dungeon Heroes
Dungeon Heroes Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 game board (250 × 221mm)
- 4 life dice: Warrior (red D10), Cleric (white D8), Rogue (black D6), Wizard (blue D4)
- 14 wooden meeples: 1 Warrior, 1 Wizard, 1 Cleric, 1 Rogue, 1 Ogre, 2 Orcs, 3 Skeletons, 4 Goblins
- 4 hero boards
- 47 dungeon tiles:
- Monster tiles: 1 Ogre, 2 Orcs, 3 Skeletons, 4 Goblins
- Treasure tiles: 1 large chest, 3 chests
- Trap tiles: 1 spike pit, 2 fireballs, 3 arrow launchers, 4 bear traps
- Movement tiles: 5 portals, 5 sliding tiles
- Artifact tiles: 2 swords, 2 holy icons, 2 disarm kits, 2 magic hats
- Deadly tiles: 1 Holy Grail, 4 poison clouds
- 1 rulebook
Overview
One player controls a party of four adventurers searching for treasure. The other player controls the dungeon the heroes are exploring. The Dungeon Master determines where the treasures are hidden and controls the monsters and traps that protect them. The heroes — a warrior, a cleric, a rogue and a wizard — must work together, combining their special abilities, to outwit the trials devised by the Dungeon Master.
Goal of the Game
The heroes win the game if they manage to acquire three of the four treasures in the dungeon. To acquire a treasure, the Hero player simply moves one of the heroes onto a treasure tile. The Dungeon Master player wins the game if they manage to eliminate all of the heroes. A hero is eliminated and removed from the game when their hit points are reduced to zero on their life die.
Setup
Players begin by choosing who will play the heroes and who will be the Dungeon Master. The Hero player takes the four life dice and the hero boards and places them in their play area. The life dice are placed on or next to their matching hero boards showing their highest value, representing the heroes at maximum hit points. When the heroes take damage, the values on their dice are adjusted to reflect it.
The Hero player then takes the four hero meeples and places them as they wish on the four starting squares, one per square. The Dungeon Master takes the ten monster meeples and sets them aside in their play area.
Then place the large chest tile on the empty square in the treasure room. This is the only treasure whose position is known. The Hero player can acquire this treasure by moving any hero onto any square of the treasure room. This tile counts as one of the three required for the heroes' victory condition. Only one treasure may be acquired in the treasure room.
Next, sort the 46 remaining dungeon tiles, separating out the 10 monster tiles, the 10 trap tiles and the 3 chest tiles. Set these 23 tiles aside face down in a separate pile — this will be the Dungeon Master's draw pile. The other 23 tiles (movement, artifact, deadly) are placed face down and shuffled. Draw 13 of them and add them to the draw pile. The remaining 10 tiles are returned to the game box without looking at them and will not be used during the game (it is important that neither player knows which tiles will be used and which were set aside). The Dungeon Master then shuffles the 26 tiles together to form the draw pile they will use to build their dungeon. The game can now begin.
Sequence of Play
Players alternate turns, starting with the Dungeon Master. On each of their turns, the active player — whether the Hero player or the Dungeon Master — must play four actions.
The Dungeon Master must place tiles until they have none left or can no longer place any. This is the passive phase. Once all of the dungeon tiles have been placed (or can no longer be placed), the Dungeon Master's available actions change. They may then use their actions to reveal dungeon tiles they previously placed and/or take actions with revealed monsters. This is called the aggressive phase. If the Dungeon Master was unable to place all of their dungeon tiles during the passive phase, they must place them on their next turn when they are able.
The Hero player may use a combination of actions depending on which heroes are in play. However, a hero becomes exhausted after taking two actions. Therefore, no more than two actions may be taken by any single hero during a turn.
The Dungeon Master
Turn Overview — The Passive Phase
During a turn, the Dungeon Master must draw the first 4 tiles from the draw pile. They look at them, then choose where to place them among the remaining open squares of the starting 36.
Tiles must be placed face down in the dungeon room and cannot be stacked or placed on a square already occupied by a hero.
Dungeon Tiles
Monster tiles
If a hero is moved onto a monster tile, their hit points are reduced by the number shown in the red heart: this is the damage inflicted. A hero does not take additional damage if they remain on the tile. A monster tile is removed from the game if it is defeated or when it is replaced by a monster meeple during the aggressive phase. (Icons on the tile show: improved movement, damage inflicted.)
Trap tiles
If a hero is moved onto a trap tile, their hit points are reduced by the number shown in the black heart: this is the damage inflicted. A trap tile is removed from the game once a hero has moved onto it. (Icon on the tile shows: damage inflicted.)
Sliding tile
If a hero is moved onto a sliding tile, they must immediately exit the square in the direction of one of the arrows, chosen by the Hero player. A sliding tile is removed from the game once a hero has moved onto it.
Portal tile
If a hero is moved onto a portal tile, they must immediately return to an unoccupied square in the starting area, chosen by the Hero player. A portal tile is removed from the game once a hero has moved onto it. (Icon on the tile shows: return to start.)
Poison cloud tile
If a hero is moved onto a poison cloud tile, their hit points are immediately reduced to zero and they are removed from the game. A poison cloud tile is removed from the game once a hero has moved onto it. (Icon on the tile shows: instant death.)
Artifact tile
If a hero is moved onto an artifact tile, they immediately equip it. Remove the artifact tile from the game board and place it on the board of the hero who picked it up. It is not mandatory to use an artifact immediately. A hero may carry multiple artifacts and keep them to use later. A hero may also give an artifact to another hero at the cost of one of the giving hero's actions. Heroes must be adjacent to make the exchange. If a hero dies while carrying artifacts, the artifact tiles are stacked on the game board on the square where the hero died.
Artifacts grant a one-time-use ability and are removed from the game immediately after use.
- Sword: a hero uses the sword by moving onto a monster tile or onto a square occupied by a monster meeple. That monster is killed and removed from the game without inflicting damage on the hero. Using a sword does not count as an extra action.
- Holy icon: a hero uses a holy icon to increase their health, or that of an orthogonally adjacent hero, by two. Using a holy icon does not count as an extra action.
- Disarm kit: a hero uses a disarm kit by moving onto a trap tile. That trap is removed from the game and the hero takes no damage. Using a disarm kit does not cost an extra action.
- Magic hat: a hero uses a magic hat to reveal a face-down dungeon tile on the game board that is not occupied by a monster. Using a magic hat counts as one of the using hero's actions.
- Holy Grail: a hero uses the Holy Grail to resurrect a hero who has died and been removed from the game. The resurrected hero is placed, at maximum hit points, on an empty square orthogonally adjacent to the hero who used the Holy Grail. Using the Holy Grail counts as two of the using hero's actions. Therefore, a hero can only use the Holy Grail if they have at least two actions remaining.
Game Symbols Overview
- Damage inflicted by a monster / Equippable artifact
- Damage inflicted by a trap / Kills monsters
- Instant death / Increases hit points by 2
- Return to starting area / Disarms traps
- Orthogonal movement / Reveals dungeon tiles
- Orthogonal and diagonal movement / Resurrects a dead hero
Turn Overview — The Aggressive Phase
At the start of this phase, all in-play, revealed monster tiles are replaced by their corresponding monster meeple. This does not cost an action.
On their turn, the Dungeon Master must take any combination of four actions from the following:
- Flip and reveal a dungeon tile that is not occupied by a monster meeple.
- Move / attack with a monster.
A monster cannot take more than one action per turn.
Monsters can only move one square, and only orthogonally, except for goblins, which can move orthogonally and diagonally. Monsters cannot move onto a square already occupied by another monster. Monsters can move onto a square occupied by a hero. Monsters can only attack heroes that are on the same square or orthogonally adjacent to them. If a hero is orthogonally adjacent to the square a monster has just moved to, or if the monster has just moved onto the hero's square, that monster may attack the hero for a free action. Monsters can move onto a face-down dungeon tile, which will neither reveal it nor trigger its effect. Monsters can move onto a revealed dungeon tile, which will not trigger its effect. Monsters can move onto one of the squares of the starting area or the treasure room.
The Hero
Turn Overview
On their turn, the Hero player may take any combination of four actions from the following:
- Move a hero one square.
- Use a hero's special ability.
A hero cannot take more than two actions per turn.
If only one hero remains in play, the Hero player may only take two actions. Heroes cannot move onto a square already occupied by another hero, nor pass through it. Heroes can move onto a square occupied by a monster tile or a monster meeple. Heroes can move onto a square where there is no dungeon tile. If a hero moves onto a square with a revealed dungeon tile, they must suffer that tile's effects. If a hero moves onto a face-down dungeon tile, that tile is revealed and the hero must suffer its effects. If a hero moves onto a dungeon tile occupied by a monster meeple, the monster's effects are resolved before the tile's. Heroes can move onto one of the squares of the starting area or the treasure room.
Heroes Overview
Warrior — 10 hit points maximum. Moves orthogonally. Eliminates monsters without taking damage by moving onto their square.
Cleric — 8 hit points maximum. Moves orthogonally. May use an action to restore 2 hit points to themselves or to an orthogonally adjacent hero.
Rogue — 6 hit points maximum. Moves orthogonally and diagonally. Disarms trap tiles without taking damage by moving onto the tile.
Wizard — 4 hit points maximum. Moves orthogonally and diagonally. May use an action to reveal a face-down dungeon tile on the game board.
The Warrior's and Rogue's special abilities do not cost an extra action.
End of Game
The Hero player wins the game if they manage to acquire three treasure tiles. The Dungeon Master wins the game if all heroes have been eliminated from the game.
Solo Play
Overview
Take on the role of four powerful heroes venturing into a perilous dungeon in search of treasure. Learn to master your wizard's magic, your warrior's sword, your rogue's reflexes and your cleric's support. Maneuver through a dungeon filled with traps, face down a tide of monsters, and revel in the treasures you obtain.
Goal of the Game
You win the game if you collect all four treasure tiles.
Setup
Take the four life dice, the four hero boards and the ten monster meeples, and place them in your play area. Then take the four hero meeples and place them as you wish on the four starting squares, one per square.
Place the large chest tile on one of the empty squares of the treasure room.
Then place the 46 remaining dungeon tiles face up in front of you and sort out the 10 monster tiles, the 10 trap tiles and the 3 chest tiles. Set these 23 tiles aside face down.
The other 23 dungeon tiles (movement, artifacts, deadly) are placed face down and shuffled. Draw 13 of them and add them to the first pile of 23. The remaining 10 dungeon tiles are returned to the game box and will not be used in this game. Do not look at which tiles were kept and which were set aside. Then shuffle the 36 dungeon tiles of your pile and place them all face down on the game board representing the dungeon room, filling its 36 squares.
Rules Variant
All the rules concerning monster and hero movement and attacks, as well as those concerning how the tiles work, are the same in the two-player game as in solo play. One solo rules variant is Last Survivor. This rule allows you to take 1 to 3 actions with your last hero in play. All other heroes must have been eliminated.
Playing
The turn order is: heroes, dungeon, heroes, dungeon, and so on.
When you control your heroes, you may take up to a total of eight actions during the turn, with a minimum of four. No more than two actions per hero may be taken during a turn, except for the last survivor.
When you control the dungeon, you will reveal dungeon tiles and take one action with each monster on the board.
All monsters revealed by the heroes or during the dungeon's turn are immediately replaced by their corresponding monster meeple and are considered aggressive. You cannot reveal a dungeon tile occupied by a monster meeple; that tile must be revealed on a later turn.
Dungeon turn 1: reveal the six tiles of the 6th row, the one closest to the treasure room. Then take one action with each monster on the game board. Dungeon turn 2: reveal the unoccupied tiles of the 5th row. Then take one action with each monster on the game board. Dungeon turn 3: reveal all previously occupied tiles, then reveal the unoccupied tiles of the 4th row. Then take one action with each monster on the game board. Dungeon turn 4: reveal all previously occupied tiles, then reveal the unoccupied tiles of the 3rd row. Then take one action with each monster on the game board. Dungeon turn 5: reveal all previously occupied tiles, then reveal the unoccupied tiles of the 2nd row. Then take one action with each monster on the game board. Dungeon turn 6: reveal all previously occupied tiles, then reveal the unoccupied tiles of the 1st row, the one directly in front of the starting area. Then take one action with each monster on the game board. Dungeon turn 7: reveal all previously occupied tiles. Then take one action with each monster on the game board.
Subsequent dungeon turns follow the same rules as turn 7.
Controlling the Monsters
Use the following rules to control the monsters.
Monsters MUST:
- Act in order of the damage they inflict, from highest to lowest.
- Take the shortest path to the nearest hero. If several heroes are at an equal distance, the monster must head toward the most central point between those heroes.
- Attack a hero if they are able to.
- Attack without moving if they are able to.
- Attack the hero with the fewest hit points if several heroes are within range. If all heroes within range have the same hit points, the priority order is warrior > cleric > rogue > wizard.
If a situation arises that is not covered by the rules above, use the following rule: The monsters' goal must be to corner the heroes or trap them together. If there is a choice between eliminating a hero or wounding a stronger hero, the monsters will always choose to eliminate the hero.
Expansion: The Dragon & the Damsel
A game by Michael Coe, illustrated by Bill Bricker.
This expansion offers the traditional and exciting tale of rescuing the damsel in distress from the clutches of an all-powerful dragon. If you rescue the damsel, she joins your party as a 5th hero and will help you in your quest for treasure. Be careful, though — while searching for her you might run into the most dangerous of monsters: the dragon!
Components
- 1 life die
- 1 dragon meeple
- 1 damsel meeple
- 1 draw bag
- 1 hero board
Damsel — 4 hit points maximum. Moves orthogonally. Once per turn, a hero within 2 squares of the damsel may take a free action. This does not count against that hero's fatigue limit, against the Hero player's quota of 4 actions, or as an action taken by the damsel.
- 4 dungeon tiles
These tiles are added directly to the Dungeon Master's draw pile before they draw their other tiles at random. This brings the size of this first pile to 27 tiles, leaving only 9 dungeon tiles to be drawn at random instead of 13. The Dungeon Master's draw pile should never exceed 36 tiles. A monster action taken during the passive phase with an aggressive monster prevents a dungeon tile from being placed that turn. This will delay the transition to the aggressive phase.
Dragon x1 — This tile is immediately replaced by the dragon meeple when it is revealed. The Dungeon Master always treats the dragon as an aggressive monster, even during the passive phase. The dragon follows all the standard monster rules, except that it can attack diagonally. Therefore, if a hero occupies a square diagonal to the square the dragon has just moved to, the dragon may attack them. The dragon occupies two squares and can attack from either of them.
Damsel x1 — This tile is immediately replaced by the damsel meeple when it is revealed. The Hero player may now take actions with this hero on their turn. The damsel follows all the standard hero rules.
Banner x1 (artifact) — A hero may use the banner as a free action to inspire another hero within 2 squares and grant them a free extra action. This free action does not count against that hero's fatigue limit or against the Hero player's quota of 4 actions. This power can only be used once, after which the banner is removed from the game.
Fairy x1 — Any hero moving onto this tile immediately restores to their maximum hit points. This effect only works once, after which the tile is removed from the game. This tile is not an artifact and cannot be kept for later use.
Expansion Symbols Overview
- Attacks orthogonally and diagonally
- Grants a free action
- Kills monsters up to two squares away
- Swaps positions
- No fatigue
- Restores maximum hit points
Expansion: Lords of the Undead
A game by Michael Coe, illustrated by Bill Bricker.
Beware the trapped souls that haunt the dungeon. This expansion offers the unsettling tale of a long-forgotten lady, and that of a necromancer sunk into dark magic. Amid this unnerving atmosphere, the heroes discover an underground market where they can find help.
Components
- 2 wooden meeples
- 2 dungeon tiles
These tiles are added directly to the Dungeon Master's draw pile before they draw their other tiles at random. This brings the size of this first pile to 25 tiles, leaving only 11 dungeon tiles to be drawn at random instead of 13. The Dungeon Master's draw pile should never exceed 36 tiles. These two tiles are immediately replaced by their corresponding meeples when revealed. These two monsters follow the standard monster rules but are treated as aggressive even during the passive phase. A monster action taken during the passive phase with an aggressive monster prevents a dungeon tile from being placed that turn. This will delay the transition to the aggressive phase.
Necromancer x1 — The necromancer may take up to two actions and can move diagonally. Their special ability, for two actions, allows them to bring a previously eliminated monster back onto the game board (applicable only to goblins, skeletons, orcs and the ogre). Regardless of where the monster was killed, its tile or meeple must be placed on an empty square within 2 squares of the necromancer and may act immediately.
White Lady x1 — The White Lady may take up to two actions and can move diagonally. Her special ability allows the White Lady to possess any hero except the Cleric by moving onto that hero's square. Remove the White Lady's meeple from the game and place it next to the possessed hero's board. This hero is now under the Dungeon Master's limited control. The Dungeon Master may only move a possessed hero; they cannot use any of that hero's special abilities. Actions used to move the possessed hero count as if they had been used for the White Lady. A possessed hero may move according to their normal movement rules onto any tile, revealed or not, and suffers the corresponding effects. All standard rules concerning movement, squares and dungeon tiles apply. A possessed hero cannot be used by the Hero player. The White Lady is immediately removed from the game and the possession ends if the hero takes damage, dies, or is healed by the Cleric or by a holy icon. The Hero player may use the Cleric's ability or the holy icon artifact as they would to help a hero, except that they instead target the White Lady. This removes the White Lady from the game.
- 4 market tiles
These tiles represent an interactive market used by the Hero player to acquire artifacts during the game. The Hero player must spend one action on their turn for each artifact acquired, and may acquire several in the same turn. These actions come from their quota of 4 actions but do not count against the heroes' fatigue. Once an artifact is purchased, it must be assigned to a hero. These artifacts are marked with a number representing the cost in experience points the hero must pay to acquire them. These experience points are equal to the damage inflicted shown on the trap and monster tiles that the hero has removed from the game and which are therefore kept on the hero's board. Once the trap/monster tile(s) have been used to buy an artifact, they are removed from the game. These artifacts follow all the standard rules for artifact tiles and may be used on the turn they were purchased. They can only be used once and are discarded after use.
- Demon skull: the hero may use an action to kill ANY monster within 2 squares.
- Magic mirror: the hero may use an action to swap places with any other hero anywhere in the dungeon.
- Energy elixir: the hero may use it for a free action to avoid suffering the fatigue limit that turn.
- Strange bread: the hero may spend an action to restore to their maximum hit points.