Fourth Wing: Das Spiel – Die Wahl der Drachen Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Goal of the Game
• Components
• Setup
• Course of Play
  • How Is a Challenge Structured?
  • Before the Start of a New Challenge
• Your Turn
  • Rolling
• Using Abilities
  • Which Abilities Are There?
• Friends
  • Explanation of Symbols
• When Is a Challenge Over?
• At the End of a Completed Challenge
• Final Scoring
• End of the Game
• The Challenges in Detail
  • Explanation of the Dice Spaces
  • Particularities of the Challenges
  • 1: VIADUKT
  • 1B: PRÄSENTATION
  • 2: SPARRING
  • 2B: KAMPF
  • 3: GAUNTLET
  • 3B: DRESCHEN

Goal of the Game

Over 3 challenges, try to impress the bonding-capable dragons of the Empyrean by excelling with the abilities that matter most to the dragons. But which dragon looks for which qualities in its rider, you only find out over the course of the game. Try to impress the dragons with your abilities and receive points for it. Whoever has the most points at the end wins the game.

Components

• 24 dice (6 per colour)
• 4 character tiles
• 10 dragon tiles
• 4 playing pieces
• 1 Andarna tile
• 120 impression tiles
• 4 overview cards
• 4 character boards
• 20 ability tiles
• 1 game board
• 18 focus tiles
• 8 counter tiles
• 20 friend cards
• 3 challenge boards

Setup

1. Place the game board in the middle of the table.
2. Place challenge board 1: VIADUKT or 1B: PRÄSENTATION on the corresponding space on the game board. For your first game we recommend board 1: VIADUKT. Keep challenge boards 2 and 3 ready. You need them later in the game.
3. Shuffle the 10 dragons face down and, depending on the number of players, place dragons face up on the spaces provided:
   • 4 players: 6 dragons
   • 3 players: 5 dragons
   • 2 players: 4 dragons
4. Shuffle the 18 focus tiles face down and place 3 face down under each dragon on display.
5. Sort the abilities by type and place them on the corresponding spaces of the game board.
6. Each of you now chooses a character board. Each board is assigned a colour, 6 dice and a playing piece. Take these and place them next to the board. Also take an overview card.
7. Each of you chooses a character tile and places it in the space on your character board. Each character tile shows one person on the front and another on the back; choose one of them. Put the matching counter tile on space 0 of the score track on the rim of the bottom of the box. You only need it at the end of the game for the final scoring.
8. Shuffle the friend cards face down and place them as a stack on the corresponding space of the game board.
9. Place the impression tiles as a supply next to the game board.
10. Whoever of you most recently stood up for the weak takes the Andarna tile. It marks who begins the round.
11. Finally, each of you draws one friend card from the stack, starting with the person with the Andarna tile, and places it face up in front of you.

Course of Play

The game goes over 3 challenges, which are decided by different dice challenges. On the way to the goal, friends can help. You collect impression tiles, which you distribute to the dragons after each challenge in order to impress them.

After the 3 challenges there is an evaluation. The more impression you leave with the dragons, the more willing they will be to choose you and bond with you.

How Is a Challenge Structured?

Each challenge has a kind of path that you must master step by step with clever dice rolling. Each challenge has its own particularities. These are explained from page 12 of this rulebook.

Before the Start of a New Challenge

1. Reveal dragon focus. Turn the next focus tile (from left to right) of each dragon face up. For the 1st challenge, therefore, turn the 1st focus tile of each dragon. Each dragon shows you which ability it pays particular attention to. NOTE: Some dragons have no particular preference. The tile is then black.
2. Draw a new friend card. Starting with the person with the Andarna tile, each of you in turn draws a new friend card from the stack. Place it face up in front of you. He or she can help you in the current and all following challenges (see chapter "FRIENDS" on page 9). If you already have the drawn friend lying in front of you, you may draw again. But you may also keep the card; that way you can make use of his or her help several times.
3. Reactivate exhausted friends (not relevant at the start of the game). If you used the help of friends in the previous challenge, you may now turn all of them back to the front side; see also "FRIENDS" on page 9.
4. Set up pieces. Place your pieces on "Start" of the current challenge.
5. Choose abilities. The respective challenge states which of the 5 abilities you may choose from. Each of you chooses 2 different ones from the available abilities. Take the corresponding tiles and place them on the right side of your character board. EXAMPLE: In this challenge you choose 2 abilities from Strength, Intelligence and Balance. Emotional Strength and Speed cannot be chosen.
6. Now it can begin!

Your Turn

Rolling

When it is your turn, you roll all the dice that are on your character board. Normally that is 6 dice. There are situations, however, in which these can become more or fewer; more on that later.

Starting from your piece, you now place suitable dice one after another on the corresponding spaces on the path. Simple spaces on which a piece already stands are skipped. A description of the different types of spaces can be found on page 12. Place all dice that fit on the path.

Important: Dice that you have placed once may not be moved again during your turn.

If you have placed at least 1 die on the path, you may roll the remaining dice again or end your turn. But beware! If you roll again and then have no suitable die for the next space, your turn ends immediately. Take all dice back from the path onto your character board. You may not move your piece this turn.

ATTENTION: To place dice on a space with 2 dice, you must have rolled both dice in the same roll. You may not place one die and then roll again.

You may roll again as often as you like until

• You stop voluntarily: Move your piece to the space with your most recently placed die. Place all used dice showing Dragon or Heart-6 on the corresponding special space on the game board (explained shortly). Take back all remaining dice. They are available to you again in your next turn.
• You have rolled again but have not rolled a suitable die for the next space: Take all dice back to you. Your piece stays where it is in this case.

EXAMPLE 1: To advance here you need a 3, then a 2 or 5, then a 3 or 4. You have rolled a 3, a 2 and a 5. You place the 3 on the path. You could place your 2 or 5 and decide to place the 2 on the path. Since you have not rolled another 3, you cannot continue directly. You roll again. Great, you have rolled another 3 and place the die on the path. Now you end your turn and place your piece on the space with the 3.

EXAMPLE 2: For the next step you need a 5, then a 2. In the first roll you have a 5, which you place on the path. You roll again, but you do not roll a 2. Unfortunately you were unlucky, your turn is over and you must stay where you are. You may be able to ask friends for help or use abilities, more on that later.

Using Abilities

At the start of each challenge you choose 2 abilities. If you roll Dragon or Heart-6, you can use these abilities. You can use as many Dragon or Heart-6 per turn as you like.

Which Abilities Are There?

• SPEED: If you have rolled Dragon, you can use this die as a 2, 3, 4 or 5. You place the die with the dragon side up on the path!
• INTELLIGENCE: If you have rolled Heart-6, you can re-roll any number of your remaining dice. This applies only to dice that are in front of you and not on the game board or with other people. You may also re-roll if you could not place any die on the path in your last roll.
• BALANCE: If you have rolled Heart-6 and Dragon in one roll, you can use both to get to the next space on the path. In 3: GAUNTLET and 3B: DRESCHEN you may go up to just before the next obstacle, that is, to the next safe space on the path.
• EMOTIONAL STRENGTH: If you have rolled Heart-6, you may turn one of your friends back to the active side (front). He or she is available to you again from now on.
• STRENGTH: If you have rolled Dragon, you may get help from an active friend of another person. The friend card stays active and with that person.

Whenever you use an ability, you place the die showing Dragon or Heart-6 on the spaces of the game board provided for it, on the special ability pool. With the abilities Balance and Speed you first place the dice on the path to show for which space the respective die is used. At the end of your turn you then place these dice on the spaces of the game board as well. Remember that these dice may then not be available to you in the next rounds.

If you cannot use an ability, you may not place any dice on the special ability pool either.

IMPORTANT: As soon as a person places their 3rd die on one of the pools, a special ability is triggered for that person at the end of their turn. Afterwards all dice of this pool go back to the people they belong to. Only then are the dice regularly available again.

Each challenge has different special abilities. An overview can be found from page 13.

EXAMPLE: You have these two abilities (shown as icons). You roll 2, 2, 5, 5, Dragon, Heart-6. You place the die with the 2 on the path. You use Speed to use the Dragon die as a 3 and also place it on the path. For the next step you need 2 times a 4. You could use a Dragon as a 4, but then you would still lack a second 4. Since the risk of coming away empty-handed on another roll is too high for you, you end your turn. Move your piece to the last of your dice on the path. Place the Dragon die from the path on the game board and take all other dice back to you. In the coming round you have 5 dice available.

Friends

With friends you can change your dice result. This also helps if you could not place a die on the path without the friend.

Within your turn you can ask your friends for help. Each friend can help you once per challenge. After you have used his or her ability, he or she is exhausted. Then turn the card to the back side.

At the start of a new challenge, or through some abilities, friends can recover and help you again. Activate them by turning them to the front side.

Explanation of Symbols

IMPORTANT: For friends, a rolled Dragon always counts as a 1 and Heart-6 as a 6.

• +1: Turn 1 die so that it shows the next higher number. You may turn from Heart-6 to Dragon.
• -1: Turn 1 die so that it shows the next lower number. You may turn from Dragon to Heart-6.
• +2: Turn 1 die so that it shows the number two higher. You may turn from 5 to Dragon.
• -2: Turn 1 die so that it shows the number two lower. You may turn from 2 to Heart-6.
• Opposite side: Turn 1 of your dice to its opposite side.
• Re-roll: Roll 1-2 dice again.
• Set to Dragon / Heart-6: Turn 1 of your dice to Dragon or to Heart-6, respectively (one card for each).

When Is a Challenge Over?

You have made it and reached the goal of the challenge. Place your piece on the next free space on the winners' board on the game board and take the depicted number of impression tiles.

1. The first person at the goal takes 2 impression tiles each of the abilities they have chosen.
2. The second person takes 2 impression tiles of the one and 1 impression tile of the second ability.
3. The third may take 1 impression tile each of the two chosen abilities.
4. The fourth person must decide on 1 impression tile of one of their abilities.

You end the current challenge when all pieces except one have arrived at the goal. The last one is then placed on the next free space and takes the corresponding reward.

At the End of a Completed Challenge

Whoever won the challenge begins; afterwards play continues clockwise.

1. Look at a focus tile. Each of you may now secretly look at 1 face-down focus tile. We recommend choosing one that is in 3rd position under a dragon.
2. Impress dragons. The impression tiles you collected during a challenge represent the abilities with which you mastered the challenge. You now want to impress the dragons. To do so, place the impression tiles face down below the dragons on your respective colour spaces. Any number of impression tiles may be placed on each colour space. You may also distribute your impression tiles among any number of dragons. You may look at your own already placed impression tiles at any time. As a reminder: after the first challenge you know only the first focus tile of each dragon and a single one that you just looked at. Dragons are not so easy to read and sometimes you must speculate about what impresses this or that dragon. Only little by little do you find out what individual dragons are looking for. Whoever has the most matches with the dragons' wishes at the end of the game also has the best chances of being bonded by a dragon. Further down on this page under "FINAL SCORING" you learn how the scoring works.
3. Take pieces off the game board. Take your pieces from the game board and place them next to your character boards.
4. New challenge. Put the completed challenge board back in the box; you do not need it for this game any more. Then take a new challenge board and place it on the game board. After the first challenge you take board 2: SPARRING or 2B: KAMPF, after the second challenge board 3: GAUNTLET or 3B: DRESCHEN. NOTE: If you play the game for the first time, we recommend playing with boards 2: SPARRING and 3: GAUNTLET. Later you can mix the challenges.
5. Andarna tile. Whoever has the Andarna tile in front of them now passes it clockwise to the next person. That person begins the new challenge.
6. Before the start of a new challenge. Now start the next challenge as described under "BEFORE THE START OF A NEW CHALLENGE" on page 6.

Final Scoring

After you have played the 3rd challenge, a final scoring takes place. Now everything is at stake: who was able to convince the dragons? Score all dragons one after another. Start with the dragon at the left of the game board by revealing all impression tiles under it.

REMINDER: The focus tiles show which abilities the dragons appreciate, which is why they show the same symbols as your impression tiles.

Begin with one person. Add up the number of symbols of one person and multiply it by the number of identical symbols of the dragon. Then place your playing piece on the corresponding number on the dragon track of the game board. Then continue with the next symbol and move your piece forward that many spaces. Go through all people below the dragon one after another in this way. Whoever is now furthest ahead on the dragon track gets the top points of the dragon tile, second best gets the points of the second position, and so on.

NOTE: The person with the most impression does not always get the most points.

EXAMPLE (points on the dragon tile, top to bottom: 5, 11, 6, 2): Whoever left the most impression gets 5 points with this dragon, second gets 11 points, third gets 6 points, and whoever left the least impression still gets 2 points.

Whoever has placed no impression tile, or no matching one, with a dragon is simply ignored by that dragon and gets no points.

Mark the number of victory points you got from the dragon with your counter figure on the rim of the box bottom. To do so, move the figure forward one space for each point.

Whoever got the top points additionally gets the chance of a dragon bond. Take the dragon and place it in front of you.

Tie: If there is a tie, all those involved in the tie receive the points of the higher place. The dragon is taken by whoever has placed more impression tiles in total with the respective dragon. If there is still a tie, the dragon goes to the person who so far has fewer dragons in front of them. If there is still a tie, the dragon is not distributed.

EXAMPLE: Blue placed 2 Intelligence tiles; the dragon's focus tiles also show 2 Intelligence. Multiply the two numbers: 2x2=4. Blue therefore moves 4 spaces on the dragon track. Blue also placed 1 Speed; the focus tiles show 1 Speed, so 1x1=1. Blue moves 1 more space. Pink has 1 Strength, the dragon too (1x1=1), and 2 Balance, the dragon 1 Balance, so 2x1=2. Pink moves 3 spaces in total. Orange has 1 Intelligence: 1x2 Intelligence of the dragon=2. Orange moves 2 spaces on the dragon track. Orange has 1 Speed: 1x1=1 and moves 1 more space. Green has 1 Balance and thus (1x1=1). Green moves 1 space on the dragon track. Blue has reached space 5 on the dragon track. Orange has space 3 and Pink has also reached space 3. Blue gets 6 points, Orange and Pink share second place and each get 13 points. Green is at the back of the dragon track and still gets 3 points. Blue takes the dragon to themself, as it may want to bond with them.

(Translator's note: the two examples use two different dragon tiles; the second example's dragon tile lists 6, 13, 7, 3 points.)

Then you score the next dragon in the same way, until you have scored all dragons.

Each of you who has a dragon in front of you is now chosen and bonded by that dragon. As a reward you get the points shown in gold at the bottom right of the dragon. You may move your counter figure forward on the box rim that many spaces.

Is there more than one dragon in front of you? Of course the strongest dragon bonds with you, that is, the one with the highest number of points. Move your counter figure forward the corresponding number of spaces. All other dragons lying in front of you give you no further points. Welcome to the Riders Quadrant!

If you have no dragon in front of you, you were unfortunately not chosen. You cannot win the game, but you can compete again next year and try your luck.

End of the Game

Whoever has collected the most points at the end and was bonded by a dragon wins the game. If there is a tie, whoever was able to impress more dragons wins.

The Challenges in Detail

Explanation of the Dice Spaces

• Simple dice space: Here you must place a die with the depicted value. If a piece already stands there, you skip the space.
• Space with 2 dice: On this space you must place both dice simultaneously. You may therefore not place one die and then roll again (exception: ability Intelligence). If a piece already stands there, you skip the space.

Note: The last space is always the goal space. It cannot be skipped, as the piece is placed on the winners' board as soon as it reaches the space. The goal space is therefore always free.

• Large dice space (one or 2 dice): On these spaces you must place the die or dice with the depicted values. If two dice are needed, you must place the dice with the depicted values simultaneously. Several pieces can stand on these spaces at the same time. They are therefore not skipped.
• + Impression tile: If your piece moves over a space with an impression tile, you take the corresponding tile from the supply. If you do not move your piece, you get no tile.

Particularities of the Challenges

REMINDER: Each challenge has different special abilities that you can trigger if at the end of your turn three of your own dice lie on the respective special ability pool.

1: VIADUKT

SPECIAL ABILITY: If at the end of your turn you have 3 or more of your own dice on the special ability pool ...

• ... Dragon, then you may swap the place of your piece with the place of another piece on the path. (Board text: "Swap places with a piece of your choice on the board!")
• ... Heart-6, then you may reactivate all your friends. They are available to you again from now on. (Board text: "Turn all your friends back to active!")

1B: PRÄSENTATION

PARTICULARITY: If it is your turn and you are in first place on the path, even if you are not alone on the space, take one of your dice and roll it. If you roll a number, you carry out your turn normally. If you have rolled Dragon or Heart-6, you unfortunately have to skip this round. Running too fast incites the dragons to breathe fire. If several pieces stand on the foremost space, all pieces count as foremost and must roll.

SPECIAL ABILITY: If at the end of your turn you have 3 or more of your own dice on the special ability pool ...

• ... Dragon, then you roll all your dice that are not on the special ability pool. For each rolled Heart-6 you go 1 space further on the path. You may not use friends for this. (Board text: "Roll with all of your available dice! Walk 1 space per rolled Heart-6!")
• ... Heart-6, then you roll all your dice that are not on the special ability pool. For each rolled Dragon you go 1 space further on the path. You may not use friends for this. (Board text: "Roll with all of your available dice! Walk 1 space per rolled Dragon!")

2: SPARRING

PARTICULARITY: Now it's into training.

These spaces (marked with a dark square "≥" light square symbol) indicate that a sparring partner is waiting for you here. These spaces are large dice spaces and can therefore be entered by several pieces at the same time. If you stand directly in front of such a space and want to continue, you must fight:

• You always fight the person to your right. To do so, you each take one of your remaining dice and roll.
• You win if your die reaches a higher or equal number compared to the opposing die.
• If your value on the die is lower, you have lost. But you may attack again as long as you still have dice available. To attack anew, you take a new die plus your last attack die. Your opponent continues to fight with the same die. You both roll again. Only one of your two dice must be higher or equal to win.
• You may repeat this as often as until you have no dice left in front of you. In every round of combat you have one die more available than before. You must, however, always defeat the opposing die with only one of your own dice.
• If you have then won, you place all dice with the current values on the sparring space. If you still have dice left over, you may roll again and continue. If you then have no suitable dice, you end your turn; all used dice showing Dragon and Heart-6, including those from the sparring, you place on the special ability pool on the game board. You move your piece, as usual, to the space of your last die.
• If you lose, or cannot place a die in a roll, you move your piece to the last won sparring space. If you have won no fight this round, you stay where you are.

Your last sparring partner rolls with 2 dice, so you must also roll with 2 dice. You must defeat each opposing die with one of your own dice, that is, be equal or higher.

EXAMPLE: You have rolled 3 and 5, your opponent 3 and 4. You win, because your 3 is equal and your 5 is higher than 4.

IMPORTANT: In Sparring, a rolled Dragon counts as 1, a Heart-6 as 6.

In combat you are on your own. Therefore friends cannot help you here, and you also may not use abilities.

SPECIAL ABILITY: If at the end of your turn you have 3 or more of your own dice on the special ability pool ...

• ... Dragon, then you take one die each from the people to your right and left (in a 2-player game, you take 2 dice of your opponent). You use these in your next turn as if they were your own. After the turn you give them back. (Board text: "Take 1 die each from the people to your right and left. Use them in your next turn and give them back afterwards in any case.")
• ... Heart-6, you now turn one ability tile of each of the others. They may not use this ability for one turn and may only turn it back to the front side afterwards. (Board text: "Turn 1 ability tile of each of the others. They may use it again only in the next round!")

2B: KAMPF

PARTICULARITY: You now go into battle. The rules are the same as 2: SPARRING. But the training phase is over and now only who is stronger counts: a fight is therefore only won if your dice are higher than those of the opponent. An equal die value is no longer enough in combat.

SPECIAL ABILITY: If at the end of your turn you have 3 or more of your own dice on the special ability pool ...

• ... Dragon, you draw 1 new friend card from the stack and place it in front of you. He or she is available to you for the rest of the challenge. At the end of the challenge you must put back any one friend. (Board text: "Draw 1 new friend! Give back 1 friend of your choice after the challenge.")
• ... Heart-6, then you take 2 dice each from the people to your right and left (in a 2-player game, you take 4 dice of your opponent). You now use these 4 dice for an additional turn. Give these dice back afterwards, no matter how you used them. (Board text: "Take 2 dice each from the people to your right and left. Carry out an extra turn with these 4 dice and give them back afterwards in any case.")

3: GAUNTLET

PARTICULARITY:

Dice spaces with pink rays: these spaces represent obstacles. As usual you must place the depicted die or dice there.

Important: You may not end your turn on these spaces and must place further dice or roll again. If you do not manage to place at least one more suitable die, you may not move your piece in this turn.

SPECIAL ABILITY: If at the end of your turn you have 3 or more of your own dice on the special ability pool ...

• ... Dragon, then you activate all your friends. They are available to you again from now on. (Board text: "Turn all your friends back to active!")
• ... Heart-6, then you place your piece on the next white space. That is, if you stand in front of an obstacle, you may skip it and place your piece on the next safe space. (Board text: "Go immediately to the next white space.")

3B: DRESCHEN

PARTICULARITY: In this challenge the spaces with pink rays occur. See the particularity of 3: GAUNTLET in the section before.

SPECIAL ABILITY: If at the end of your turn you have 3 or more of your own dice on the special ability pool ...

• ... Dragon, you take one more ability tile for the rest of the challenge: Emotional Strength, Speed or Balance. You may not choose an ability that already lies in front of you. You may not choose this additional ability tile for impression tiles at the end of the challenge. (Board text: "Take one more ability tile! (has no influence at the end of the challenge)")
• ... Heart-6, then you place your piece on an obstacle of your choice. In this special case your piece may stay on the obstacle. (Board text: "Place your piece on an obstacle of your choice")