Mystic ScROLLS Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Card Anatomy
• Meet the Wizzards
• Setup
• Gameplay
• Round Sequence
  • 1. Running Phase
  • 2. Casting Phase
  • 3. End of Round
• End of the Game
• Tips
• Icon Glossary

Contents

4 character boards These boards serve as a reminder of your current Stamina, as well as your good looks.

44 magic dice You roll these dice to cast your spells and claim scrolls. Every die has one of the six magic elements on each of its sides: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Thunder and Spirit. Note: whenever the word "dice" is used in the rules, they refer to the magic dice.

1 die You roll this extremely non-magical die to determine the effects of certain risky spells.

12 Starting Spell cards (3 for each character) The spells you have learned from your studies so far.

30 Scroll cards These spells will expand your repertoire... if you can claim them.

4 Stamina counters Curiously enough, these counters keep track of your Stamina.

Card Anatomy

A card shows: Art, Scroll's name, Magic Power, Spell cost, Spell effect.

• Spell cost: you need to place dice showing this combination of elements on the spell box in order to cast it.

Scroll cards have an Unlock cost next to their Spell cost. This cost only applies when claiming a Scroll during the Running Phase (see Claim the Scroll card).

• Power: certain spells become more powerful depending on the total Power of the spells you have cast in that round.

• Spell effect: what the spell does during the Casting Phase.

• Attack: reduces your opponents' Stamina, hopefully taking them out of the game.

• Heal: increases your Stamina, helping to keep you in the game.

• Roll the die (the 1-6 die) and use the result according to the spell's effect.

Note: Some spells have a "or" dividing their effect text. In this case, you only choose one of the two effects to use. Note: Some Starting Spell cards have two spell boxes. Treat each spell box separately.

Meet the Wizzards

Albus: This cunning trickster enjoys making bets and taking risks! His spells are unpredictable and powerful like the sea...

Alonora: This passionate pyromancer likes to keep it simple. Her spells hit hard and heal deep, but they lack flexibility.

Paravel: Peace-loving and stoic, Paravel calls upon Mother Earth to protect him from harm. Unfortunately, his offensive skills leave something to be desired.

Celestine: Celestine can summon and control djinn, the fierce spirits of thunder. Her spells can do a little of anything, but is a jack of all trades master of none?

Setup

1. Each player chooses a character (or selects one at random) and takes that character's board and Starting Spell cards, as well as 5 dice and a life counter.

2. Place your Starting Spell cards face up on the table in front of you, your character board next to them and the life counter on the "35" space of the board (printed in red).

3. Form the Dice Pool at the middle of the table. The number of dice in the Dice Pool depends on the number of players:

Players	Dice Pool has...
2	14 dice
3	21 dice
4	24 dice

Return any surplus dice to the game box.

4. Shuffle the Scroll cards and place them in a pile to the side, leaving space next to them for a discard pile. Draw the top card of the pile and place it next to the Dice Pool, within easy reach of all players. You are now ready to play Mystic ScROLLS!

Gameplay

In Mystic ScROLLS, your aim is to take all other players out of the game by reducing their Stamina to 0, while avoiding this fate yourself. The game is played in rounds, each round consisting of two phases: the Running Phase and the Casting Phase. In the Running Phase everyone rolls their dice simultaneously, trying to cast as many of their spells as possible and, perhaps, claim the Scroll card at the middle of the table as a new spell. In the Casting Phase, each player uses the spells they cast. If, at the end of a round, only one player remains in the game, that player wins!

Round Sequence

1. Running Phase

In the Running Phase, the wizards run around the library, trying to grab at the flying scrolls and remember how to cast their spells in the chaos. All players play simultaneously, attempting to roll the correct elements with their dice in order to cast spells and, perhaps, claim the Scroll card.

All players take their 5 dice in their hand. The youngest player says "1, 2, 3, ROLL!" and everyone immediately starts rolling their dice.

Every time you roll your dice, you can do one of the following:

a) Re-roll: pick up any number of your dice and roll them again.

b) Cast a spell: place some of your dice on a card's spell box in order to cast that spell. You will be able to use its effects during the Casting Phase.

In order to cast a spell, you need to follow these rules:

• You can only cast a spell that is on a card in front of you.
• The elements on the dice you place on the spell box need to match the Spell cost exactly (Note: in the case of a Scroll, ignore the elements of the Unlock cost).
• All dice needed must be placed on the spell box at the same time.
• You can only cast each spell once per round (so if you have already placed dice on a spell box, you can't place dice on that spell box again during this round).

After you have successfully cast a spell, take from the Dice Pool as many dice as you placed on the spell box. Roll these new dice immediately.

Important: if you are unable to take enough dice from the Dice Pool, from this point on you may shout "STOP!" at any time. If you do, the Running Phase ends immediately and play proceeds to the Casting Phase.

c) Claim the Scroll card: place your dice on the spell box of the Scroll card at the middle of the table. You will be able to add it to your spells and cast it during the Casting Phase.

In order to claim a scroll, you need to follow these rules:

• The elements on the dice you place must match both the Spell and Unlock cost exactly.
• All dice needed must be placed on the spell box at the same time.
• When you claim the Scroll card, you must shout "STOP!". The Running Phase ends immediately and play proceeds to the Casting Phase. Place the Scroll card next to the other cards in front of you.

2. Casting Phase

In the Casting Phase, the apprentices are ready to duel! Players use the effects of the spells they cast during the Running Phase (including the Scroll card, if claimed). This phase consists of the Healing Step and the Attack Step. Each step may be performed by all players simultaneously. If playing for the first time or with very young players, we suggest you have each player take their own turn, starting from the player who ended the previous Running Phase by shouting "STOP!" and continuing clockwise around the table.

I) Healing Step

Each player adds the numbers next to all Heal icons on the spells he or she has cast, rolling the die if necessary, and then moves the Stamina counter forward on their board's Stamina track a number of spaces equal to the sum.

Note: If your Stamina total would exceed 40, it becomes 40 instead.

II) Attack Step

Each player adds the numbers next to all Attack icons on the spells he or she has cast, rolling the die if necessary, and the player on their right moves their Stamina counter backward on their board's Stamina track a number of spaces equal to the sum (the swirling scrolls create a magical hurricane around the room that makes all your spells hit the wizard on your right).

3. End of Round

1. All players whose stamina is 0 or lower are out of the game; they are exhausted and must leave the library empty-handed. Those players place all Scroll cards in front of them in the discard pile and return their dice to the game box. If at this point only one player remains, he or she is the winner!

2. Each player removes all dice from the spell boxes on their cards, keeps 5 of them and returns the rest to the Dice Pool.

3. If any players were eliminated during this round, adjust the number of dice in the Dice Pool so that it corresponds to the current number of players (see Setup). Return the removed dice to the game box.

4. If the Scroll card was not claimed this round, place it in the discard pile.

5. Draw a Scroll card from the Scroll pile and place it next to the Dice Pool, within easy reach of all players. (In the unlikely event that the Scroll pile is empty, shuffle the discard pile to create a new Scroll pile). You are now ready to begin a new round.

End of the Game

If, at the end of a round, only one player remains in the game, that player is the winner and only possessor of all the wondrous knowledge of the mystic scrolls!

If no players remain in the game at the end of a round (due to two or more players having their Stamina reduced to 0 or lower during the last Casting Phase), the player whose Stamina is closer to 0 is the winner. If there is still a tie, no-one wins, but all tied players lose; they are so exhausted they fall asleep in class the next day and the teacher sends them to detention! Better luck next time...

Tips

• Each character has an element that appears on all their Starting Spells and two elements that do not appear at all. In the beginning, consider not re-rolling dice that match your character's preferred element. That way you'll be more likely to cast a lot of spells!
• Try to keep an eye on what the other players are doing, especially if the player to your left is casting lots of attacks against you or someone looks like they're about to end the round.
• Every scroll you claim gives you more options. Scrolls that use elements your other cards don't are particularly useful. That way, no matter what you roll, you'll be likely to have something you can use!

Icon Glossary

• Damage
• Heal
• Magic power
• Damage/Magic power — 1 damage per 1 magic power
• Roll the die (the 1-6 die)
• Roll a magic die
• Die + Damage icon — Roll a die and do damage equal to the number the die rolled