Lord of the Rings Trivia Game Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
• Course of Play
• Move Forward One Space
  • Handing in strength chips
  • Answering a trivia question / revealing location cards
• The Trivia Cards
  • Questions are asked
  • Easy questions
  • Medium questions
  • Hard questions
  • Reward
  • Continuing the turn
  • Safe locations
• Linger and Roll the Die
• Special Locations with Location Cards
  • a) Red location cards
    • Red location cards with the danger symbol
  • b) Green location cards
    • Green location cards with the danger symbol
    • Location cards with damage symbols
    • Location cards return to the stack
• End of the Game
• The Symbols
  • Danger in Delay
  • Companions
  • Haste
  • Healing
  • Damage
  • Protection
  • Strength

Components

• 1 game board
• 400 trivia cards with 1200 questions
• 1 card box
• 4 hobbit figures
• 48 location cards (8 per location: Weathertop, Rivendell, Moria, Lothlorien, Cirith Ungol, Mount Doom)
• 11 event tiles
• 25 Ring strength chips
• 44 Combat strength chips
• 44 Travel strength chips
• 1 Strength die

Setup

• Before the first game, carefully punch the cardboard pieces out of the frame.
• Spread the game board out on the table.
• Shuffle all 400 quiz cards well. Put a portion of these cards, text side down, into the card box until it is full. Place the card box next to the game board.
• The eight location cards bearing the same location name are shuffled and placed, as a stack, on the location of the same name on the game board.
• Each player chooses a hobbit figure and places it on the board on the start space, Bag End.
• Each player receives one Ring, one Combat and one Travel strength chip and places them visibly in front of himself. The remaining chips go next to the board as the supply.
• Place the die within reach.
• The hexagonal event tiles are shuffled and placed, symbols down, as a stack on the hexagonal space of the game board.
• A starting player (or team) is chosen and takes the first turn. Play proceeds clockwise.

Course of Play

When a player begins his turn, or when he has successfully entered a new location on the board, he can carry out one of the following two options:

A) Move forward one space. B) Linger and roll the die (twice).

Move Forward One Space

Handing in strength chips

To advance one space (i.e. one location) on the board, the player must hand in strength chips and return them to the supply on the table. Which strength chips the player must hand in is shown by the pictures between the two locations. (If a player does not have the required chips, he cannot advance to the next location, but must linger and roll the die, see below.)

Example: If a player moves his hobbit from Bree to Weathertop, he must hand in two Combat chips and one Travel chip.

Ring strength chips count as jokers, i.e. a Ring chip can be used for one Combat or one Travel chip. Several Ring chips can also be used. However, it is advisable to use the Ring chips sparingly, since several will be needed later in the game.

Every five Travel chips or five Combat chips can replace any other one strength chip.

Example: A player has collected five Travel chips. He can hand these in as a substitute for one Ring chip or one Combat chip.

Note: When entering a location, a player must always hand in the required strength chips, even if he enters this location repeatedly. Re-entering a location can happen, for example, after a player had to go back because of a wrong answer to a question (see below).

Answering a trivia question / revealing location cards

After a player has moved his hobbit figure forward one step, he must face the challenge of the new location by answering a trivia question or by drawing a location card. On the locations of the game board, differently coloured eyes are depicted: green and blue. The colours of the eyes give the difficulty of the question to be answered. Red eyes are also depicted on the location cards.

• If a player reaches a location with a green eye, he must answer an easy question (see "The Trivia Cards"). If he answers the question correctly, he has successfully mastered the challenge and may stay at this location, or decide to move on.
• If a player reaches a location with a blue eye, he must answer a medium-difficulty question (see "The Trivia Cards" below). If he answers the question correctly, he has successfully mastered the challenge and may stay at this location, or decide to move on.
• If a player moves onto one of the six special locations (Weathertop, Rivendell, Moria, Lothlorien, Cirith Ungol, Mount Doom) that have location cards, he must draw a location card from the face-down stack and face the challenge given on it (see "Special Locations" further below). If the player masters the challenge, he may stay at this location, or decide to move on.

The Trivia Cards

The players master the challenges at a location (shown on the locations of the board or on the location cards) by answering questions correctly.

For a correct answer the players receive valuable strength chips. Each trivia card contains three Lord of the Rings trivia questions, numbered 1-3. The back of each quiz card shows which reward (strength chips or the chance to roll the die) the player receives for a correct answer to the corresponding question.

The difference between easy and medium questions is how many multiple-choice answers are read out. Hard questions are chosen by the reader from the card. For each question, four multiple-choice answers are available. The correct answer is marked by a dot and bold print. The answer in brackets is in each case a wrong answer which is read out only for medium and hard questions.

Questions are asked

The reader - the player to the right of the player whose turn it is - takes a card from the card holder and shows the player whose turn it is (the active player) the back of the card. The active player chooses on the easy and medium-difficulty questions number 1, 2 or 3, depending on which reward he wants to receive for a correct answer to the corresponding question. (With hard questions the active player may not choose.) The reader then reads out the corresponding question and either three or four multiple-choice answers, depending on whether it is an easy or medium/hard question.

Easy questions

Easy questions are asked when the player reaches a location with a green eye, or draws a location card with a green eye. The active player chooses question 1, 2 or 3 using the back of the card. The reader reads out the question and three of the four possible answers - the answer in brackets is not read out. The active player chooses from the three answers read out the one that he thinks is correct.

Medium questions

Medium questions are asked when the player reaches a location with a blue eye, or draws a location card with a blue eye. The active player chooses question 1, 2 or 3 using the back of the card. The reader reads out the question and all four possible answers - including the answer in brackets. The active player chooses from the four answers read out the one that he thinks is correct.

Hard questions

Hard questions are asked when the player draws a location card with a red eye. On the game board itself there are no red eyes. The reader silently reads all three questions on the drawn card and chooses himself the one that seems hardest to him. He then reads out the chosen question and all four possible answers. The active player chooses from the four answers read out the one that he thinks is correct.

Reward

When the active player decides on the right answer (that is, the answer printed in bold with the dot in front of it), he immediately receives the corresponding reward according to the back of the card. (Example: The player answered question 2 correctly - he was given a hard question. The card shows a sword on the back at question 2. The player receives one Combat strength chip.)

If, as the reward for the correct answer to a question, the card shows the die symbol, the player may roll the Strength die once. He takes the corresponding reward according to the die result. His turn does not end by rolling (unlike with "Linger and roll the die"), but the player can then continue his turn.

Example: A player enters the location "Bruinenfurt". After handing in the required strength chips, he must face the challenge and answer an easy question. His right-hand neighbour draws a card and shows the active player the back. The active player chooses number one. The reader reads question number one and three of the four answers aloud (not the one in brackets). The active player answers correctly and receives three Travel strength chips. He is still on turn.

Continuing the turn

If a player has successfully been drawn to a location (his answer to the question asked was correct), he must decide again whether he wants to A) move one space or B) linger and roll the die.

If a player cannot successfully master a challenge, but answers incorrectly or does not have the required strength chips, his hobbit figure must go back to the location from which he started in this turn, or at least to the next safe location back. His turn then ends immediately.

Example: A player starts from the Anduin and goes to Amon Hen. He hands in one Ring chip and two Combat chips and must answer a medium question. Unfortunately he fails and must go back to the Anduin. In the next turn he goes to Amon Hen again and again hands in one Ring chip and two Combat chips. This time he answers correctly and so has successfully arrived at Amon Hen. Now the player must decide again whether he will A) move one space on to Emyn Muil or B) linger and roll the die. If he decides to go to Emyn Muil and answers wrongly, he must go all the way back to the Anduin, from which he started in this turn, and his turn ends. If he decides to stay at Amon Hen and roll, he collects the die result and his turn ends.

Safe locations

There are three safe locations on the board: Rivendell, Lothlorien and Ithilien. A player must never go back further than these locations. If a player fails at a safe location, he must go back to the space from which he started in this turn - because he did not master the challenge of the safe location.

Example: A player who began his turn at the Bruinenfurt fails in Moria. The player sets his hobbit back to Rivendell - a safe location. He does not have to go all the way back to the Bruinenfurt.

Safe locations are the green locations Rivendell, Lothlorien and Ithilien.

Linger and Roll the Die

When a player rolls the Strength die, he takes the corresponding strength chips - Ring, Travel or Combat - from the supply. He may do this twice when lingering. (Example: The player lingers and rolls twice: first a sword. He takes a Combat chip. The second roll brings him two Travel chips.)

If the player rolls the symbol "White Tree / 2 Rings", he must decide whether he takes two Ring chips or one hexagonal event tile from the stack and reveals it in front of himself. The event tiles are very helpful on the journey. (What the individual symbols on the event tiles mean and how they can be used is found at the end of these rules in an overview.) If all event tiles have already been drawn by the players, the player must take the two Ring chips. If a player finally uses an event tile, it is then removed from the game.

Special Locations with Location Cards

There are six special locations on the board: Weathertop, Rivendell, Moria, Lothlorien, Cirith Ungol and Mount Doom. At each of these locations lies a stack of eight location cards. Mastering the challenge of a special location proceeds differently from the other locations.

If a player enters a special location with his hobbit, he must hand in the required strength chips as usual. However, the player does not find a coloured eye on the game board here, but instead draws the top location card. This shows which challenge the player must face.

Example: When a player moves to Weathertop, he must hand in two Combat chips and one Travel chip and then draw a location card from the stack.

There are two kinds of location cards, distinguished by their border colour:

a) The red location cards (with a depicted green, blue and red eye) represent a challenge. b) The green location cards represent a help.

a) Red location cards

If a player draws a red location card, he must face the challenge of the location. If the location card shows an eye, the player must answer an easy, medium or hard question as described. If he answers correctly, the challenge is mastered and the player receives the reward according to the trivia card (unless the location card contains a danger symbol, see below).

Example: After a player has moved to Weathertop, he takes a location card. It shows the Pale King and a blue eye. The player must answer a medium question correctly. If he answers correctly, he has passed the challenge of the location. He receives the reward according to the trivia card. Now he must again decide whether he wants A) to move one space forward to Bruinenfurt or B) to linger and roll the die.

If the player answers wrongly, he must set his hobbit back to the location from which he started in this turn - or at least to the next safe location back. His turn ends immediately.

Red location cards with the danger symbol

Some red location cards show the "Danger in Delay" symbol. This means that danger still persists. If a challenge with this symbol has been successfully solved, the player must draw another location card from the stack and solve it. This continues until a player either fails at a challenge or successfully masters a location card without the symbol.

A location card with this symbol brings no reward for the correct answer to a trivia question.

Example: After moving to Weathertop, a player draws a location card. It is the "Shadow of Darkness" card with a green eye and a danger symbol. The player answers the easy question correctly, but receives no reward for it. Instead he draws another location card. If he answers wrongly, he must go back to the location from which he started.

b) Green location cards

The green-bordered location cards contain valuable aids for the further journey (how to use them is explained under "The Symbols"). If a player draws a green location card, he lays it open in front of himself. He has successfully reached this location. He is still on turn and can decide whether he wants to linger and roll the die or move on to the next location.

Example: After a player has moved to Rivendell, he takes the top location card. It is the green Legolas card with a symbol on it. The player lays the card open in front of himself and is still on turn. He now decides whether he wants to linger and roll the die or move on to Moria.

Each green location card contains a special symbol that helps on the further journey. If a player uses a green location card, it is afterwards removed from the game. Note: A green location card can, however, not be used on Mount Doom to answer the last question. The victory must be "hard" earned.

Example: The Legolas location card shows the symbol "Gandalf's Hat". If the player uses a location card with Gandalf's Hat, he has immediately successfully answered an easy (green) or medium (blue) question - without having to choose an answer. He may use the card after the question has been asked. He receives no reward for the correctly answered question. The green location card is removed from the game and the player decides whether he lingers and rolls the die or moves one space on.

Green location cards with the danger symbol

Some green location cards contain in addition a danger symbol. This means that the player may lay the green location card in front of himself, but must draw another location card. The player may keep the green location card until its use, even if he fails the next location card.

Location cards with damage symbols

Some green and red location cards show damage symbols (red-yellow stars). If a player draws such a location card, he must take the damage immediately and hand in the corresponding strength chips. If the card demands handing in several strength chips, the player must settle all damages. If he cannot settle the damage at all, or only a part of it, he must hand in this part of the strength chips - and go back to the location from which he started in this turn. The location card may not be kept by the player in this case. His turn ends.

A Ring strength chip counts here also as a joker for required Travel or Combat chips, likewise 5 Travel or 5 Combat chips for any one strength chip.

Location cards return to the stack

After a player has successfully mastered one or more location cards or failed, these location cards are shuffled back under the stack of this location. The stack is again available to the next player. Green location cards that the player has laid in front of himself he keeps, however, regardless of whether he masters the next challenge or not, until he uses them at a later time. After their use, green location cards are removed from the game.

Example: A player moves to Rivendell and takes the top location card from the stack. It is Boromir. He causes the player immediate damage of a Ring strength chip to hand in. Unfortunately he has no Ring strength chip and cannot replace it otherwise either. Therefore he has not mastered the challenge in Rivendell. The player sets his hobbit back to the location from which he started in this turn. The Boromir location card is shuffled back under the location card stack in Rivendell.

End of the Game

The player who first reaches Mount Doom and masters the challenges "Gollum's Fate" or "The Cracks of Doom" ends the game and is master of the Lord of the Rings trivia game. This last question the player must answer, and he may not hand in an event tile or a green location card instead.

The Symbols

Both the green location cards and the event tiles contain symbols that help the hobbits on their journey. These and further symbols of the game are explained in the following.

Danger in Delay

After a player has successfully mastered such a red or green location card, he must immediately draw a new location card and try to master it. The correct answer to a question brings no reward.

Companions

After a player has answered an easy (green) or medium (blue) question, he can play the location card or event tile with this symbol and has thereby answered the question correctly at once - without choosing an answer. He receives the reward.

Haste

The player can play the green location card or the event tile with this symbol to move on to the next location without having to hand in the required strength chips.

Healing

The player can play the green location card or the event tile with this symbol directly after a question has been answered wrongly. His fellow player immediately draws a new card and reads a question of the same difficulty level.

Damage

After a player has drawn a location card with this symbol, he must immediately hand in the required strength chips. If he cannot hand in the strength chips, or can hand in only a part of them, he must hand in this part and set his hobbit immediately back to the location from which he started in this turn (or to the next safe location back), and his turn ends.

Protection

If a player has a location card or event tile with this symbol, he can play the card or the tile in order to ignore the damage of a location card once.

Strength

After a player has drawn a location card with this symbol, or has received this symbol as a reward for a correct answer to a trivia question, the player may roll once and take the rolled strength chips (or an event tile).