Machina Arcana
Machina Arcana Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
Cards: 9 explorers, 26 monsters, 90 treasures, 20 explorer events, 20 horror events.
Tokens: 1 monster rating token, 1 horror rating token, 2 monster threat / monster level tokens, 22 health tokens, 6 essence tokens, 6 stamina tokens, 12 explorer markers.
Figures: 9 explorer figures, 26 monster figures, 6 entry-exit / edge tokens, 40 explored / light tokens, 20 doors, 10 barriers.
Other: 1 game manual, 41 figure stands, 4 player boards, 1 Howling Mountain tile, 5 double-sided map tiles.
Dice: 3 high attack dice, 3 low attack dice, 1 recharge die, 1 game die.
Scenario I & II & bonus cards: 35 chapter cards, 25 explorer events, 25 horror events, 3 endgame map tiles.
Card anatomy
Explorer card: explorer name; abilities; attributes.
Monster card: level and monster name; abilities; flavor text; attributes.
Item card: level and item name; abilities; item type; upgrade slot; augment slot; attribute bonus when equipped; upgrade slot.
Chapter card: title; scenario number; chapter story; monster rating; horror rating; chapter abilities.
Explorer event card / Horror event card: title; scenario number; event story; event abilities.
Howling Mountain tile: monster threat; monster level; locations; monster rating; horror rating.
Map tile: map tile edge with direction symbol; map tile edge.
Player board: explorer card slot; marker symbol; essence slider; health slider; stamina slider.
Setup diagram key
- Howling Mountain tile
- Chapter cards
- Monster rating
- Horror rating
- Monster threat
- Monster level
- Explorer event deck
- Horror event deck
- Destroyed events' cards
- Treasure deck
- Destroyed treasure cards
- Explorer card
- Explorer's essence token
- Explorer's health token
- Explorer's stamina token
- Equipped items
- Unequipped items
- Dropped items
- Explorer's markers
- Monster deck
- Destroyed monsters
- Monster queue
- Health tokens
- Monster figures
- Explored / light tokens
- Barrier tokens
- Door tokens
- Map tile
- Entry / exit token
- Explorer figure
- Monster figure
- Dice
- Player board
This manual will first show you how to play the game in the easy mode. Some of the concepts and mechanics will be simplified, and only when you feel ready enough, you might challenge yourself to explore the normal mode and face the game in the way it's intended to be played.
Game Setup
1. Set up Howling Mountain tile
- Take the monster threat and the monster level tokens and place them on the Howling Mountain tile, on their starting positions.
2. Choose a scenario
- Choose one of the available scenarios.
- If available, set aside its endgame map tile.
- Shuffle the scenario's horror and explorer event cards into the core event decks.
- Arrange the scenario's chapters in ascending order, and put the chapter deck on the appropriate location on the Howling Mountain tile.
- Draw the first chapter card and place it face up beside the chapter deck.
3. Choose explorer
- Each player chooses their explorer card and player board.
- Observe your explorer's attributes and your player board sliders. Set the explorer at full health and stamina, and essence to 0.
- Take the explorer's figure and place it on top of the explorer card.
4. Set up treasure deck
- Take and shuffle the treasure level 1 cards (set aside the other treasure cards).
5. Set up monster deck
- Take and shuffle the monster level 1 cards (set aside the other monster cards).
6. Set up map tile deck
- Take and shuffle (with random flipping) the non-scenario map tiles.
- If available, take the starting map tile and place it in the playing area; otherwise take the bottom map tile from the map tile deck and place it in the playing area.
7. Play first chapter
- Observe the first chapter card and resolve its effects.
Playing the Game
Every game round is divided into 4 different phases:
- Explorer phase
- Monsters spawn
- Horror phase
- Monster action
1. Explorer phase
Players (explorers) play in whatever order they choose. Each explorer must finish the turn before another explorer can take their turn. On their turn, explorers can move, attack, play abilities, and interact with map tile spaces.
At the start of your turn, reset stamina to its default value.
2. Monsters spawn
For each explorer being controlled, the player rolls the game die. If the roll is equal to or greater than the monster spawn value in the current chapter, spawn a monster at the nearest unexplored monster spawn on the same map tile as the explorer.
To determine the nearest monster spawn, count the spaces directly, ignoring walls, rubble, and obstacles (units, action spaces, and monster spawn spaces with the explored token on top count as an obstacle).
If there are no unexplored monster spawns on the explorer's map tile, that explorer ignores the monster spawn phase.
Unless the monster is "summoned", if there are already 4 monsters on the explorer's map tile, and a new monster should be spawned, do not spawn a new monster, but increase the monster threat by 1 instead.
When you roll the game die, treat a 0 roll as a 10.
Spawning a monster
- Draw a card from the monster deck. If there are no available cards in the deck, shuffle the destroyed monster cards to create a new one. If there are still no monster cards available, increase the monster threat by 1 and skip further steps.
- Place the monster card in the last position in the monster queue.
- Place the correct number of health tokens on the monster card.
- Place the monster figure on the nearest monster spawn. If the monster spawn is occupied, the explorer chooses the nearest unoccupied space from the monster spawn.
3. Horror phase
Only one player rolls the game die. If the roll is equal to or greater than the horror event value in the current chapter:
- Increase the monster threat by 1.
- Draw a card from the horror event deck.
- Resolve its rule text and place the card face up on top of the horror event destroyed deck.
- When you roll the game die, treat a 0 roll as a 10.
4. Monster action
Monster queue — Monsters play in a specific order, based on the monster queue that forms when new monsters are spawned. Monsters can move and play active abilities. Playing abilities has a higher priority than movement. Unless stated differently, monsters only target and move toward the nearest explorer.
If monsters cannot play active abilities and have remaining stamina, they move toward the nearest explorer (even on another map tile).
End a monster's turn if another unit is blocking the path and the monster cannot sidestep. After moving 1 space, the monster tries to play active abilities again before continuing its movement.
Monster Behavior
Weakest explorer
When a monster has to choose between several explorers, it will always be, in order, the one:
- with the lowest remaining health,
- who is easiest to hit (based on monster's first attack and explorer's blocking attribute),
- who is determined by players' choice.
Playing active abilities
A monster always tries to play its active abilities in the order they are specified on the unit card. Unless stated differently, it will only target explorers.
In the standard example, the monster will ignore the distant explorer, and choose the path with fewer units in the way; if there is more than one shortest path, choose the one with less units, otherwise it's determined by players' choice.
Movement
A monster always moves toward the nearest explorer. To determine the nearest explorer, count the steps to the targetable explorer, ignoring barriers, closed doors and units. Treat immobile units as rubble.
A monster prefers a space with fewer obstacles in the line of sight and if possible facing the explorer in a straight direction. With no obstacles in line of sight, the space facing the explorer in a straight direction has priority.
When blocked by other units, a monster will use its remaining stamina to move as close as possible to an explorer, even if this movement deviates from the shortest path.
Unless they are in range of active abilities, non-nearest explorers will be ignored by monsters.
Progressing Through the Game
Increasing monster threat
If the monster level is 5 (last position), instead of increasing the monster threat, each explorer must destroy 1 equipped item or be destroyed.
If the monster threat is 10 (last position), reset the monster threat and increase the monster level, otherwise increase the monster threat by 1.
When the monster level increases, shuffle the monster cards with the corresponding level into the monster deck together with the destroyed monster cards.
Chapter space
Progress is directly linked with the developing of the story and its chapters. With each new chapter, the explorers are one step closer to their fleeting salvation. They must progress through all the chapters and if the scenario demands, face an endgame.
Activating chapter space
If an adjacent chapter space is unlit (no token on top), an explorer can activate it for a cost of 3 stamina and 3 essence.
If the adjacent chapter space is lit (light token placed on top), an explorer can activate it for 3 stamina, without losing essence.
After activating a chapter space, place an explored token on top of it, or if the chapter was lit, flip the light token.
When a chapter space is activated, and the current chapter card's effects do not include quests, "place exit token" or "enter endgame", flip the current chapter, exposing the new chapter card, and resolve its effects.
Light chapter
Explorers can "light chapter" by:
- Sealing a monster spawn.
- Resolving a "light chapter" effect (through a few rare items and quests).
When "light chapter" is resolved:
- Determine the activating explorer and their map tile.
- If there is an unlit chapter space on that map tile, place a light token on top of it.
Contributing explorers
While an explorer is activating an unlit chapter space, other explorers can assist by contributing their essence. Contributing explorers must be adjacent to the chapter space, activating explorers, or other contributing explorers.
Chapter abilities
Whenever a new chapter is played, its chapter abilities are resolved. They can be of standard type — ones that can be found on items, events, and monsters. Most of the abilities are played when the next chapter card is flipped, but there are others that can be ongoing and even quest abilities.
Ongoing — Some chapter abilities are ongoing, which means they remain active as long as they are on the current chapter card. Ongoing chapter effects will affect units on all map tiles.
Quest — Some chapter abilities are creating a mandatory condition that must be carried out, in order to resolve its reward effect. Explorers can't progress to the next chapter by activating a chapter space.
Sometimes explorers will need to achieve a quest's condition multiple times. If that is the case with the current chapter, place a specific number of health tokens (face down) on top of the chapter card and flip them face up every time the quest's condition is met. When the last health token is flipped, the quest is completed.
- Collect health or essence — An explorer can at any time lose health or essence in order to meet a quest's condition with the "Collect" effect.
- Use a specific space — To achieve a quest's condition, the explorers must use an adjacent, specific space for 3 stamina. When a quest's condition is achieved, if it is a standard space, place an explored token on top of it (ignore if it is an endgame space).
Specific chapter abilities
Besides abilities that can be found on other types of cards as well, there are some reserved abilities for the chapter cards.
Place entry token
- Place a new map tile from the map tile deck in the playing area (ignore this if you are in "Game Setup").
- Place an entry token on the map tile's direction symbol, facing inwards (ignore this if the map tile is a scenario starting tile).
- Place the explorers on unoccupied spaces adjacent to or on top of the entry token.
Place exit token
When a new chapter is played with a "Place exit token" effect, the activating explorer decides on which edge of any map tile an exit token is placed (pointing outwards). An exit token cannot be placed on top of an existing entry token.
When the last surviving explorer exits the map tile, flip the current chapter and resolve the next chapter's effects.
EXIT MAP TILE — When standing on top of an exit token, an explorer can exit a map tile for 2 stamina. Place its figure on top of their unit card, skip their turn, and ignore effects on them (monster spawn roll is also ignored).
Enter base
When an "Enter base" chapter effect is resolved, all surviving explorers have escaped the horrors and returned to the base. When that happens:
- All monsters are banished from the game and the monster deck is shuffled together with the destroyed monster cards.
- All explorer figures are placed on top of their corresponding explorer cards.
- All map tiles are flipped and placed at the top of the map tile deck.
- While the explorers are back at the base, they can use their inventory, trade with one another, or use one of the three possible Howling Mountain locations before they are returning back into the horror.
Add treasure level
When a chapter effect adds a specified treasure level, take all treasure cards of that level and shuffle them into the remaining treasure deck (ignore the destroyed treasure deck).
Enter endgame
- Place the scenario endgame map tile.
- Place the explorers on unoccupied spaces adjacent to or on top of the illustrated entry token.
- Take the scenario endgame card and resolve its set up phase.
- Observe the victory and defeat conditions, along with any additional specifications.
Explorers share victory and defeat. The team achieves the victory condition even if some of the explorers are destroyed. If the defeat condition is reached, everything is lost and only Horror remains.
Units
The main area of play in Machina Arcana is inside the layout of the map tiles through which units move and interact with spaces and other units. A unit counts as an obstacle. There are two types of units in the game: explorers and monsters. Every unit has a card that contains all rule details and a figure which represents the unit inside a map tile.
Explorers & Monsters
Players are represented by explorers, and they control their character's decisions and actions throughout the game. Explorers have an inventory: a set of cards that can be used to supply the unit with additional abilities.
Monsters are hostile characters whose purpose is to hinder and destroy the explorers. They don't have inventories, and their movement and play is defined by a set of simple rules. Monster actions are deterministic and are played by any player. When it comes to moving, attacking, and playing abilities, monsters and explorers are governed by the same set of rules.
Attributes
Every unit has a set of attributes that define how good they are at blocking different types of attacks, how much damage they can take before dying, how well they can perform their abilities, and the size of the pool for playing special powers. Every attribute represents a value within a 0-9 range, with 0 representing the lowest and 9 the highest possible value.
Armor — Armor is the proficiency in deflecting physical attacks. The higher the value, the higher the chance for deflecting incoming physical attacks. Armor can be increased by equipping items that give an armor bonus or by specific abilities.
Will — Will is the proficiency in deflecting arcane attacks. The higher the value, the higher the chance for deflecting incoming arcane attacks. Will can be increased by equipping items that give a will bonus or by specific abilities.
Health — Health is the amount of damage a unit can sustain before dying. If the unit is hit, it takes 1 health loss. When the last health is lost, the unit is destroyed. Health can be restored only through specific abilities.
Stamina — Stamina is used during a unit's turn to move and perform abilities. Explorers have stamina tokens to help them organize their turns, while monsters need no stamina tokens due to their straightforward nature.
Essence — Essence is the amount of arcane energy an explorer can obtain. Every explorer starts the game without essence (0). Explorers can restore essence through activating events and treasure spaces, or by destroying monsters on their turn.
There are several ways to use essence:
- Losing 1 essence instead of losing 1 health.
- After your attack roll, or any other attack roll on your turn, you can lose essence to increase that roll (increase attack roll by 1 per 1 essence lost).
- Playing abilities activated with essence.
- Sealing a monster spawn.
- Activating an unlit chapter space.
Abilities
Everything that a unit does is an ability. Attacking, interacting with map tile spaces, and using equipped items are all considered abilities. Abilities can be found on items and unit cards. There are other types of innate abilities linked to interacting with a map tile and the inventory.
Monsters are limited to innate abilities used for destroying barriers and doors, and their corresponding card abilities. Unless stated differently, abilities can only affect targeted units and spaces, or units and spaces inside the map tile of the activating unit.
There are two types of abilities in the game: passive and active.
Passive abilities
If an item contains a passive ability, its effect is present only if the item is equipped.
Passive abilities on unit cards are always present.
Active abilities
Active abilities need some type of activation through losing stamina, essence, or by destruction of the card. If an ability needs stamina to be lost, it can be played only on its unit's turn.
Between each unit's action (movement or playing an ability), someone can play an active ability if it does not need stamina for activation. Active abilities can only be played one at a time, resolving all the effects from the played ability before another can be played.
- Active ability — activation through stamina.
- After resolving an ability, destroy the item if it has the destroy icon in its activation cost.
- After resolving an ability, drop the item on the target space if it has the drop icon in its activation cost.
Targeting
Most active abilities have a target component that specifies the unit or space where the ability effects will be resolved. For a few active abilities, you must specify two targets (the same target can be used both times).
Even interacting with map tile spaces is considered a special type of innate ability with its target component.
Adjacent — Anything that is next to, and in line of sight, is considered adjacent to the unit.
Targeting can be melee or ranged.
Melee targeting — For melee, the target must be adjacent.
Ranged targeting — There are two types of ranged targeting:
- Target must be a unit inside range x, with no obstacles in line of sight.
- Target must be a unit inside range x, ignoring obstacles in line of sight.
Range represents the steps you would need to reach the map tile's space, moving through the line of sight but ignoring units and obstacles.
Line of sight — For ranged targeting, the concept of line of sight is used to determine the validity of the target. The line of sight is an imaginary line through the centers of source and target space. If that line crosses through a wall, rubble, closed door, or barrier, the target is out of line of sight.
Direction — From the position of one map tile space, there are 8 possible directions. With 4 directions in a straight direction (facing frontally), and the other 4 diagonal directions.
Effects
The main component of an ability is its effect, which resolves when the ability is played. In most cases, the target is the unit on which an effect is resolved. Some of the effects include attacking, pushing, pulling, reducing a unit's armor, switching positions with the target, and becoming ethereal. An effect can be resolved in two different ways: instant and lasting.
Instant effects — Instant effects are resolved at the moment they are played.
Lasting effects — Lasting effects played by the activating unit continue to be present on the target unit, even after they are resolved. They last through the remainder of the round and into the next, until the activating unit's next turn. They have "this round" at the end of their ability text. Some lasting effects have a number that determines the maximum number of possible stacked effects.
Multi effect — An ability can have multiple resolving effects. If that is the case, resolve them in the order they are presented inside the ability text.
Conditional ability — If there is a condition in the ability, it needs to be satisfied in order for the effect to be resolved. If it is not, the ability is played but with no resolved effect.
Ability roll — Sometimes when an ability is played, a unit must roll the game die, and based on the ability roll, a different effect will be resolved. If the "otherwise" clause is present, then the other effect will be resolved if the ability roll is lower than the specified number.
- "x": Roll the game die, and if the ability roll is equal to or greater than x, resolve the ability.
Stacked abilities — There is the possibility that many effects can be resolved at the same time. If that is the case, the players specify the order in which the abilities are resolved.
Special effects
Ethereal — If a unit is ethereal, it cannot be targeted by other units unless they specifically have a present effect that enables them to target ethereal units.
Monsters ignore all explorers that are not targetable and do not move toward them. Moving, playing abilities, and even attacking do not remove the ethereal effect.
Ethereal units can be attacked indirectly using traps, exploding barrels, or other abilities that do not need to target the ethereal unit.
Switch positions — When you resolve this effect, switch positions (figures on the map tile) between the activating and the target unit.
Control monster — When it is that monster's turn to play, the activating explorer controls its movement, attacking (even other monsters) and playing the abilities of the controlled monster.
Teleport — When a unit teleports to a passable space within some distance, ignore all walls, obstacles, rubble and closed doors to reach the destination space. If the space is occupied, choose the nearest passable, unoccupied space from the destination space.
When a unit teleports to a specific map tile space, always use the nearest, unexplored map tile space of that type on the map tile of the unit in question. If the map tile space is occupied, the explorer chooses the nearest unoccupied space from the map tile space. To determine the nearest map tile space, count the spaces directly, ignoring walls, rubble, units, or obstacles.
Push — A unit can be pushed backward, away from the activating space. When there is no specified map tile space, the activating unit's position is considered the activating space for the push effect.
If the unit is frontally positioned toward the activating space, the target unit teleports straight backward, otherwise it teleports diagonally away from the activating space.
Activate a trap space when a unit would be pushed or pulled into a trap space.
When a unit would be pushed or pulled into an exploding barrel space, treat it as though the exploding barrel is hit.
If the destination space is out of line of sight from the target, occupied, or unpassable, the target does not teleport.
Immobile units cannot be pushed or pulled.
If the destination space is a pit and inside line of sight from the target, the unit is teleported to the pit space and destroyed.
If a teleported unit changes position, it is considered a movement.
Pull — The game mechanic of pull is the same as push, except that the target is pulled toward the activating space.
If the destination space is a pit and inside line of sight from the target, the unit is teleported to the pit space and destroyed.
Movement
Units can spend 1 stamina to move to an adjacent, unoccupied, and passable space. Units can move straight and diagonally. Units cannot move through obstacles, walls, barriers or closed doors.
Besides units, any map tile space which can be interacted with (except monster spawn) is an obstacle. Obstacles do not obstruct line of sight, but units are unable to use them for movement.
If a unit moves diagonally, at least one of the linked spaces must be unoccupied, passable, and without walls or barriers between. For diagonal movement, although just using 1 stamina, a unit assumes 2 straight movements when verifying a valid diagonal move.
Attacking
An attack is simply a type of instant effect. It enables the attacker to roll the attack dice and depending on the blocker's defense, it may score a hit. When a unit is hit, the blocker loses 1 health point, and if that loss reduces health to 0, the unit is destroyed.
Every attack specifies the number of low and high attack dice used in the attack roll (both are custom d6).
- Low attack dice have values: 0, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2.
- High attack dice have values: 0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3.
The attacker rolls a specified number of attack dice and adds their values. The attacker then immediately adds the specified number to their attack roll, based on the present effects that increase its outgoing attack roll.
If the attack roll is equal to or greater than the blocker's blocking attribute, the attacker scores a hit and the blocker is hit and loses 1 health point.
There are two types of attacks: normal and arcane attacks.
- For normal attacks, the blocking attribute is armor.
- For arcane attacks, the blocking attribute is will.
Note that if an effect increases arcane attack rolls, normal attacks are considered arcane.
If an attack would affect more than one unit (such as a trap or exploding barrel), only one attack roll is needed that is then applied to all blockers.
Attack example
To better demonstrate the attack mechanism in the game let's set up the arena. Our explorer will battle a horrific and deadly monster: Sarall.
Let's assume our hero has an item with an ability that adds 1 high attack die and 1 low attack die to their attack roll. Considering Sarall's armor of 3, the roll just barely hits it and it loses 1 health point. If this is the first time Sarall was damaged, it is still alive, but if it was already hit, Sarall is destroyed and attacks all adjacent units.
Death
If a monster's health points are reduced to 0, that monster is destroyed.
- Place its monster card on top of the destroyed monster deck.
- Set aside its monster figure.
- If the monster was destroyed during an explorer's turn, restore 1 essence to that explorer.
If an explorer's health points are reduced to 0, that explorer is destroyed.
- Remove its figure and card from the game.
- Destroy half of the explorer's items (rounding up).
- The player can now choose another explorer.
Banish monster
- Place its monster card on top of the destroyed monster deck.
- Set aside its monster figure.
Choose another explorer
- Choose one of the remaining undestroyed explorers.
- If there are no remaining explorer cards left, the player cannot continue the game.
- The player chooses the new explorer's card and figure, and can equip the remaining items.
- Set up the explorer's attribute tokens.
- On subsequent rounds, the player can place the new explorer figure on a passable and unoccupied space adjacent to, or on top of, an existing entry token.
Treasure
Explorers can obtain items in the game and equip, upgrade, or augment them. Additionally, items can be traded with adjacent explorers.
Treasure types
Apparel — Apparel represents items for torso, legs, or head. They must be equipped or present as an upgrade before use. All apparel items increase armor or will in some way when equipped. Items for torso have an augment symbol that can be used to additionally improve your explorer.
Weapon — Explorers can use weapons to attack units. They must be equipped or present as an upgrade before use. Some weapons increase armor or will when equipped.
Artifact — Artifacts represent items with special arcane powers that can give explorers an additional edge in the game. Artifact items generally increase will when equipped. They must be equipped before use.
Consumable — Consumables do not need to be equipped before use.
Augment — Augments are a special type of treasure that can be equipped on apparel or weapon items with a matching augment symbol. They must augment the existing equipped or upgraded item before use.
Use inventory
When an explorer obtains items, unless they are consumables, they must be equipped, or be present as an upgrade or augment, before their effects and abilities can be used. An explorer can spend 3 stamina in order to use their inventory for equipping/unequipping, upgrading or augmenting any number of items.
Equip item — An explorer can equip only one item per type of treasure, with the exception of weapons that enable explorers to equip 2 weapons (each of the weapon items must have a one-hand symbol).
Unequip item — If you choose while using your inventory, or an ability forces you, to unequip an item, place that item and its upgrade and augment items in your inventory, unequipped. Unequipped items are rotated to indicate unequipped status.
Upgrade item — Some items can be upgraded with items of the same type and with a matching upgrade symbol (top or bottom). Apparel items with augment symbols cannot be upgraded with another apparel item with an augment symbol. You can't upgrade an item that is already an upgrade.
Augment item — Augmentation enables additional merging of items (horizontal joining). Only items with the matching augment symbols can be augmented.
Drop item
When an item is dropped, it is destroyed. If that item was equipped, unequip it before dropping.
Gain treasure
When you gain treasure:
- If it was through activating a treasure space, restore 1 essence.
- Draw the 2 top treasure cards.
- Choose and take 1 card or give it to an adjacent explorer.
- You may destroy the other card or place it on top of the treasure deck.
Trade with explorer
For 2 stamina, you can initiate a trade with an adjacent explorer. You can give and receive any number of items (if equipped, the item is unequipped before changing control).
Events
Along with monsters and items, there is another type of card that can greatly influence the game. These cards are events, and they enable explorers, and the forces of Horror also, to invoke different representations of things that happen.
There are two types of events: explorer and horror. Explorer events are played by explorers by activating an event space, and horror events are played during the Horror phase.
Ongoing — Some events are ongoing, which means they remain active as long as they are the topmost destroyed event card. Ongoing events will affect units on all map tiles.
Explorer event
Only explorers can play explorer events, and they do this by activating an adjacent event space for 3 stamina. Non-ongoing explorer events, unless stated differently, can only affect units and spaces within the same map tile of the activating explorer.
When you activate an event space:
- Restore 1 essence.
- Place an explored token on top of the event space.
- Draw a card from the explorer event deck.
- Resolve its rule text.
- Destroy the event card.
Card variants: Default explorer event, Scenario explorer event, Ongoing explorer event, Quest explorer event.
Horror event
Every turn, one explorer rolls the game die during the Horror phase. If the roll is equal to or greater than the horror event value on the current chapter card, a horror event is played.
When a horror event is played:
- Increase the monster threat by 1.
- Draw a card from the horror event deck.
- Resolve its rule text and place the card face up on top of the horror event destroyed deck.
Card variants: Default horror event, Ongoing horror event.
Quests
Some events give the explorers a chance to complete the card's condition in order to resolve its reward effect. The explorer takes the quest card and places it next to their explorer card. When the explorer carries out the card's condition and resolves its reward effects, the event card is destroyed.
Sometimes explorers will need to achieve a quest's condition multiple times. If that is the case with the drawn event, place a specific number of health tokens (face down) on top of the event card and flip them face up every time the quest's condition is met. When the last health token is flipped, the quest is completed.
Collect health or essence — An explorer can at any time lose health or essence in order to meet a quest's condition with the "Collect" effect.
Use a specific space — To achieve a quest's condition, explorers must use an adjacent, specific space for 3 stamina. When a quest's condition is achieved, place an explored token on top of it.
Map Tile
Units are moving and activating their abilities within map tiles. Every map tile is a 10x10 grid with 4 possible edges on each side. On one of the edges there is a direction symbol that is used when a new map tile is explored and joined to the exploring tile edge. Map tiles contain a layout of different types of map tile spaces and walls.
Treat the unexplored edge of a map tile as a wall.
Exploring map tiles
When an explorer is on the edge of a map tile that does not contain an entry or exit token, it is possible to explore further for 2 stamina. In that case, draw the bottom map tile and join it with the exploring map tile edge in a position where its direction symbol is adjacent to the activating explorer.
While additional map tiles are explored, they can represent a playing area of maximum 2x2 map tiles. It is possible to explore even further with the concept of scrolling map tiles.
Scrolling map tiles
The playing area (2x2) can be scrolled by destroying some of the placed map tiles while a new map tile is explored. The only requirement is that there are no explorers on destroyed map tiles.
If there are monsters on the destroyed map tiles, they are banished.
When you destroy map tiles, flip and place them on the top of the map tile deck.
Map Tile Spaces
Passable space — A space through which units can move and drop items. Passable spaces do not obstruct the line of sight.
Action space — An action space is any space that can be interacted with, except monster spawn spaces. Every action space counts as an obstacle.
Wall — Space border is a special type of border between spaces. It can be a wall, barrier or door. Walls are used to separate spaces and obstruct the line of sight.
Rubble — Rubble space is an unpassable space that obstructs the line of sight.
Pit — A pit is a special type of passable space. A unit that moves, is pushed or pulled into a pit is destroyed. Monsters will never move by themselves into a pit.
Door — A door is a type of space border, and is a connection between two adjacent wall spaces. By default, units can normally pass through it and the line of sight is not obstructed.
If doors are open (door token is not placed), an adjacent explorer can use 2 stamina to place a closed door token.
If doors are closed (door token with closed symbol), they act as a wall and an adjacent explorer can use 2 stamina to remove the closed door token.
All units can destroy an adjacent, closed door for 4 stamina. When a unit destroys a closed door, flip the closed door token to show a destroyed door token. Explorers cannot activate a door with a destroyed door token on top of it.
Barrier — Barrier tokens can be placed between any two adjacent spaces. A barrier then acts as a wall (space border) and it can only be destroyed by an adjacent unit for 4 stamina. Barriers cannot be placed on top of a door space border.
A monster will try and destroy the barrier if the barrier is blocking the shortest path to nearest explorer.
Trapped space — A trapped space is a specific type of passable space. When a trap is triggered on a specific map tile, every unit on top of its trapped spaces will be attacked by the activating unit for 3 damage.
Trap — Explorers can activate an adjacent trap space to trigger traps for 2 stamina. When an explorer triggers traps:
- Attack each unit on top of trapped spaces inside the activating explorer's map tile for 3 damage.
- Place an explored token on top of the trap space.
If the traps are triggered through a Horror event, do not place an explored token on top of the trap spaces after resolving the attack.
Activate a trap space when a unit would be pushed or pulled into a trap space.
Exploding barrel — An exploding barrel is a specific type of space that can be attacked. The attack roll on an exploding barrel must be at least 1 to score a hit. When an exploding barrel is hit:
- Attack each unit adjacent to the exploding barrel space for 3 damage.
- Place an explored token on top of the exploding barrel space.
When a unit would be pushed or pulled into an exploding barrel space, or the exploding barrel space is attacked with abilities that affect units, treat it as though the exploding barrel is hit.
Recharge space — An explorer can activate an adjacent recharge space for 1 stamina. When an explorer resolves a recharge space:
- Roll the recharge die.
- Possible results of the roll: restore 1 health, restore stamina, or nothing happens.
- Place an explored token on top of the recharge space.
Workbench — Explorers can activate an adjacent workbench for 3 stamina. When an explorer activates a workbench:
- Draw the 4 top treasure cards.
- You can swap any of those cards with the ones from your inventory or equipped items.
- Choose and take 1 card or give it to an adjacent explorer.
- Destroy any number of those cards, then place the remaining ones on top of the treasure deck in any order.
- Use your inventory.
- Place an explored token on top of the workbench space.
Event space — From event spaces, explorers restore essence and have an opportunity to resolve one of many beneficial events, each with its own story and effects. Explorers can activate an adjacent event space for 3 stamina. When an explorer activates an event space:
- Restore 1 essence.
- Place an explored token on top of the event space.
- Draw, resolve, and destroy the top explorer event card. If the event is a quest, the activating explorer takes the quest card.
Treasure space — The main source for explorers to gain gear is through activating a treasure space. Besides gaining items through treasure spaces, explorers also restore essence. Explorers can activate an adjacent treasure space for 3 stamina. When an explorer activates a treasure space:
- Restore 1 essence.
- Draw the 2 top treasure cards.
- Choose and take 1 card or give it to an adjacent explorer.
- You may destroy the other card or put it on top of the treasure deck.
- Place an explored token on top of the treasure space.
Monster spawn — When you roll a success during a monster spawn phase, place the monster's figure on the nearest monster spawn.
An explorer can seal an adjacent monster spawn for 3 stamina and by losing 4 essence. When the explorer seals a monster spawn:
- Decrease the monster threat by 1 (to a minimum of 1).
- If there is a monster on top of the monster spawn, destroy it.
- Place an explored token on top of the monster spawn.
- Light chapter (place a light token on top of the unlit chapter space that is on the same map tile as the sealed monster spawn).
While an explorer is sealing a monster spawn, other adjacent explorers can assist by contributing their essence. Contributing explorers must be adjacent to the monster spawn, activating explorer, or other contributing explorers.
A monster spawn with an explored token on top of it counts as an obstacle.
Chapter space — Chapter spaces are used to progress through the scenario chapters. The most standard way is to lose stamina and essence by activating an adjacent chapter space to advance into the next chapter. Other possibilities are to seal a monster spawn or to complete quest events to "light chapter" which enables you to activate a chapter space without losing essence.
While an explorer is activating an unlit chapter space, other adjacent explorers can assist by contributing their essence. Contributing explorers must be adjacent to the chapter space, activating explorers, or other contributing explorers.
- Unlit chapter — No tokens are placed. From this state, the chapter space can go to lit or explored state. Any adjacent explorer can activate a chapter space for 3 stamina and by losing 3 essence. If a chapter space is activated, flip the current chapter and place an explored token on the chapter space.
- Lit chapter — There are a few mechanics in the game that enable chapter spaces to be lit (even if no unit is adjacent to them). If a chapter space is lit, place a light token on top of it (explored token face down). Any adjacent explorer can activate a lit chapter space for 3 stamina to progress to the next chapter and flip the light token to an explored token.
- Explored chapter — Represents a chapter space with an explored token on top of it. An explored chapter space cannot change its state to lit state.
Howling Mountain
The Howling Mountain area is separated into two parts: the locations that can be used while the explorers are back at the base, and the sliders which represent the current monster threat and monster level. Ignore the two sliders beside the current chapter when playing in easy mode.
While the explorers are back at the base there are no more game rounds and the explorers can:
- Use the Howling Mountain locations.
- Trade items with one another.
- Use their inventories.
- Players of destroyed explorers can choose another explorer.
When you decide to return into the fray, draw and place a new map tile together with an entry token, place the explorers, and begin with a new game round ("place entry token").
Locations
Infirmary — This location ensures that all explorers are healthy before venturing back into the horror.
Derelict camp — Through the derelict camp, explorers are able to reduce the monster threat if it isn't already on the starting position. It can be a useful tactic, especially if the monster threat is very high and bigger monsters are waiting just around the corner.
Armory — Only once as a group, each time the explorers are returned back to the base, they can use the camp's armory. You can treat the armory like resolving a workbench, but as the whole team is back at the base, everyone can use their inventories while the effect is played.
Normal Mode
So, weary explorer, you managed to grasp the game, and you learned how to play in a way that gives you at least a chance at victory?
If that is the case, then it's time to introduce the normal mode and to play as the game is intended to be played. This mode will use a few additional concepts and tokens, but the beneficial impact of luck through monster and horror rolls will be negated.
The normal mode will introduce markers, edge tokens, the monster rating token, and the horror rating token.
Explorer markers
Besides a card and figure, explorers have markers to represent locations of dropped items or active lasting effects (3 markers for each explorer).
When choosing your explorer, notice the symbol on your player board and take 3 explorer markers with the same symbol, and place them on top of your player board.
Pick up item — You may take 1 adjacent marker for 1 stamina (or if you are standing on one). Take the top item from the corresponding explorer's drop pile and place the ground marker on top of that explorer's player board.
Drop item — For 1 stamina, you can drop 1 item. If that item was equipped, unequip it before dropping.
When you drop an item: if you have no available markers or if you choose not to place a marker, destroy that item. Otherwise:
- Take a marker and place it adjacent or below your figure, on a passable space without markers, entry, exit or edge token.
- Place the item on top of your drop pile, face down.
Units can pass through spaces with markers.
At the start of your turn, place all markers which have been placed on cards on top of your player board (all your lasting effects are over).
You may take any number of your markers from the ground, and for each one, destroy the bottom item from your drop pile.
When you resolve a lasting effect
- If you have no available markers, the effect is not resolved.
- If you target yourself, place a marker on top of the activating treasure card.
- If you target a unit, place a marker on top of the unit card.
Edge tokens
When an explorer explores a new map tile, put an edge token on the edge of the activating explorer's map tile. If there is already an edge token on that map tile edge, the exploring effect cannot be resolved.
You can't put an exit token on top of an existing edge token.
Rating tokens
On the Howling Mountain tile, next to the current chapter, there are two sliders on each side: the monster and horror rating sliders. Whenever a new chapter is flipped, put the monster and horror rating tokens on the position indicated by the monster and horror values which are indicated on the chapter card.
In the monster spawn phase, use the monster's rating slider as a value against your roll. When you roll an equal or greater value, reset the monster's rating slider to the value that is indicated on the chapter card, otherwise, lower the monster's rating slider by 1.
In the horror phase, use the horror's rating slider as a value against your roll. When you roll an equal or greater value, reset the horror's rating slider to the value that is indicated on the chapter card, otherwise, lower the horror's rating slider by 1.
Tips & Tricks
Teleporting — When an ability enables you to teleport to an adjacent or another map tile space, ignore walls, barriers, doors, and other obstacles that are in the way.
Splitting the group — Splitting explorers into 2 groups is a viable and often-recommended strategy. The second group loses a round for movement, but explores and utilizes another map tile.
If the game is too hard — You can make the game easier with a simple ruling concerning the game die. When you roll the game die, treat a 0 roll as a 0. With this simple rule, the game is 10% easier.
If the game takes too long — Sometimes you want a faster game, either for trying different strategies or for learning purposes.
- Extra fast game (less than 1 hour) — Play Scenario I using only chapters 1, 2 and 4. When the last surviving explorer exits the 4th chapter, the game is won.
- Faster game (less than 2 hours) — Play Scenario I but remove chapters 2 and 7. The game is won when the endgame condition is fulfilled.
After your turn — At the end of your turn, flip your explorer card to indicate that you've played this round. At the start of a new round, all explorers unflip their cards at the same time.
Use inventory — It is advisable to first gain a few items before spending the 3 stamina to be able to equip more of them at the same time. A workbench does wonders for gaining the first good gear.
Map tiles — Some map tiles are better as starting positions. Don't hesitate exploring new map tiles if the situation demands it.
Variants
Puppeteer — You can play with an additional player - the game master - dedicated to destroying the explorers. He controls the monster queue, the monster movement, and activating the monster abilities. Still, monsters will not use traps and cannot attack exploding barrels.
When resolving a horror event, the Puppeteer draws two horror event cards - first destroys one and then resolves the other one (an event which shuffles the horror event deck has priority and must be the event that gets resolved).
Reinforcements — At the start of the game, when all explorers have been placed on the map tile, each of them will gain a bonus.
- Mystic: Resolve an explorer event.
- Crafter: Restore 1 essence to any explorer.
- Bruiser: Move up to 3 spaces.
- Gunman: Gain treasure.
Intricacy — Explorers may use abilities that require stamina even during other explorers' turns. That also includes movement and interacting with map tile spaces.
Reference Sheet
Cost overview
Explorers only
| Action | Cost |
|---|---|
| Use inventory | 3 stamina |
| Trade with explorer | 2 stamina |
| Drop 1 item | 1 stamina |
| Pick up item | 1 stamina |
| Activate recharge space | 1 stamina |
Monster spawn
| Action | Cost |
|---|---|
| Activate trap space | 2 stamina |
| Activate door (open/close) | 2 stamina |
| Activate workbench | 3 stamina |
| Activate event space | 3 stamina |
| Activate treasure space | 3 stamina |
Horror phase
| Action | Cost |
|---|---|
| Seal monster spawn | 3 stamina + 4 essence |
| Activate chapter space (unlit) | 3 stamina + 3 essence |
| Activate chapter space (lit) | 3 stamina |
Monster action / All units
| Action | Cost |
|---|---|
| Destroy closed door or barrier | 4 stamina |
General rulings
- Passive effects of unit cards and equipped items apply only to that unit.
- Active effects of abilities with target component are applied to the target.
- Equipped items' and unit cards' abilities without a target component can be applied only to units inside the map tile of the activating unit.
- When an effect involves a unit and a map tile space, always use the unexplored, nearest map tile space of that type on the map tile of the unit in question. If the map tile space is occupied, the explorer chooses the nearest unoccupied space from the map tile space. To determine the nearest map tile space, count the spaces directly, ignoring walls, rubble, units, and obstacles.
- Weapon augment abilities apply their effect only to their augmented items.
- "On kill" and "on hit" abilities of weapons are resolved only if the item in question was the one that triggered the ability.
- When you shuffle treasure cards, you don't include destroyed treasure cards, but when you shuffle events (explorer or horror), you must shuffle destroyed events as well.
- When the ability text includes "explorer count": use the number of explorers at the start of the game.
- If a map tile space is destroyed, place an explored token on top of it. If a map tile space is refreshed and there is an explored token on top of it, remove the token.