Paperback Adventures Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Gameplay Summary
• Before You Start
  • First Journey
  • Experienced Adventurer
• Components
  • Core Box
  • Character Box
• Setup
  • Character Setup
  • Archive Setup
  • Enemy Setup
  • Shop Setup
• Winning, Losing, and HP
• Enemy Actions and Stages
• Phases of a Turn
  • Phase 1: Prep Phase
  • Phase 2: Clash Phase
  • Phase 3: Cleanup Phase
• Playing Words
  • Wild Cards and Letter of Your Choice Cards
  • Enemy Vowels
• Hexes and Boons
• Items and McGuffins
  • Items
  • McGuffins
  • Core Cards
• Example Turn
  • Alternate Core Cards
• Penalty Cards
• Character Development
  • Upgrading a Card
  • Using the Shop
• End of Game
• Plot Twists
• Alternate Game Modes
  • Two-headed Giant Mode
  • 2v2 Mode
• Errata / Unique Card Interactions

Gameplay Summary

The original Paperback game combined deckbuilding with word games, and Paperback Adventures adds another twist to the Paperback formula: increasing, randomized challenges to overcome throughout each game. You'll pick a character and attempt to complete a trilogy by dueling against 6 enemies in succession: a Lackey and a Boss in every Book. Beat the final Boss in Book 3 to win!

Defeat each enemy by spelling words with the cards in your hand and by using special rewards you acquire after defeating your foes. There are always more enemies to master and combinations to try out!

Before You Start

Paperback Adventures uses a modular system—every game will use the core box, and you will need at least one character box to play. If this is the first time you play, read the "First Journey" section below. Otherwise, you can skip that section and continue to the following section, "Experienced Adventurer".

First Journey

Because this game is modular, you might have more than one character box available. Although you only play with one character at a time, some content from each character box is included in the game no matter which character you're playing.

If you have multiple character boxes, include any cards that are not specific to that character as they're mentioned during setup. Cards marked with a character's icon are not used unless you play as that character.

We recommend starting the game in Training Mode. You'll make a few changes during setup in this mode that make it easier to play.

Experienced Adventurer

Look for boxes like these for Training Mode setup changes!

Once you have played the game a few times and would like more of a challenge, you can play Standard Mode: you'll start with 20 HP, a single Wild Card, and play with the Enemy Vowel cards on the side without icons. Just ignore the Training Mode changes in setup to play in Standard Mode.

If you master Standard Mode, you should use Plot Twists (see pg. 21) for additional challenges.

Components

Core Box

• 1 Rulebook
• 1 Enemy Tray
• 4 Status Counters
• 12 Enemy Cards
• 12 Reward Cards
• 7 Penalty Cards
• 5 Enemy Vowel Cards
• 2 Wild Cards
• 2 Letter of Your Choice Cards
• 5 Plot Twist Cards
• 23 Item Cards
• 22 McGuffin Cards
• 12 Boss McGuffin Cards (4 in Envelope)
• 1 Shop Card
• 1 Archive Card

Character Box

• 1 Character Tray
• 4 Status Counters
• 1 Character Card
• 6 Enemy Cards
• 6 Reward Cards
• 10 Character Starting Letter Cards
• 50 Character Library Letter Cards
• 4 Core Cards (2 in Envelope)
• 1 Starting Item Card
• 4 Bonus Item Cards
• 3 Bonus McGuffin Cards
• 1 Bonus Boss McGuffin Card

Setup

First time opening a box? You'll need to sleeve some of your cards with the sleeves included in that box.

Letter cards (character box) and Penalty cards (core box) should be placed in the included sleeves that have an opaque, patterned back. Each Letter card has 2 unique sides. The side that says "Upgraded" on the bottom of the card should not be visible at the start of the game.

Penalty cards are the same on each side, so it doesn't matter which side is visible.

All other cards can be placed in the included transparent sleeves.

Character Setup

• Choose your character.
• Find the Letter cards, character card and character tray from that character's box.
• Each character has 60 total Letter cards, which will have a large letter in the center of the card, and their icon in the bottom left corner.
• Your starting deck is composed of 10 Letter cards marked with a pointing arrow icon in the bottom center area of the card.
• Each character card has 2 sides. One side features only art, while the other side has rule explanations and reminders specific to that character. You can choose which side you want to have face up.
• Place the character tray near you, and place the character card in the center of it. Shuffle your starting deck and place it face down below the tray. Leave space next to your deck for a discard pile. (A)
• Find your character's 2 Core cards and starting item card in their character box (see pg. 17 to learn about selecting alternate Core cards). The starting item will be marked "Starter". Place all 3 cards face up and to the right of the character tray. (B)

Archive Setup

• Place the Archive card above your character tray. Surround the card with 5 distinct decks, in the locations indicated on the Archive card. (C)
• The remaining 50 Letter cards for your character that aren't in your starting deck make up the Library deck for your character. Shuffle these and place them face down as indicated by the Archive card. (D)
• Shuffle the 7 penalty cards and place them in a facedown deck next to the Archive card. (E)
• Shuffle all item cards from the core box and character box(es) and place them in a facedown deck next to the Archive card. (F)
• Shuffle all Boss McGuffin cards from the core box and character box(es) and place them in a facedown deck next to the Archive card. (G)
• Shuffle all normal McGuffin cards from the core box and character box(es) and place them next to the Archive card. Note that these cards are double-sided and can have either side facing up or down while in this deck—you will draw from the bottom of this deck. (H)

Enemy Setup

• Place the enemy tray to the right of your character tray.
• Find all the reward cards from the core box and character box(es) for your current Book. For your first battle you will be on Book 1, so look for all the cards marked "Book 1 Lackey" (gray-ish blue) and "Book 1 Boss" (light green). Randomly choose 1 Lackey and 1 Boss card and place them next to the enemy tray, either side face up. (I)
• Find the enemy card with the same name as the Book 1 Lackey reward card you just drew, and place that card in the center of the enemy tray, with the Stage 1 side face up. You can reference the opposite side of the enemy card at any time. (J)
• Place one (purple) hex counter and one (yellow) boon counter on the "Zero" slot of the enemy tray (unless the enemy's Special Rules say otherwise). Then place the enemy's (orange) health counter on the number of the enemy tray matching the Stage 1 HP listed on the enemy card. (K)
• Put the (blue) enemy action indicator in the topmost slot of the left side of the enemy tray. This counter indicates which action the enemy will take this turn. It should be next to the first action listed on the enemy card. (L)
• Find the enemy's weak spot, which is a vowel indicated in the enemy's name. (Rarely, an enemy might not have a weak spot, as indicated in their special rules.) Find the Enemy Vowel card matching the current enemy's weak spot and place it next to you, showing the side without icons on the side. (M)
• Leave the remaining Enemy Vowel cards in the core box.

In Training Mode, take the Inside Intel Plot Twist (double-sided purple card) and follow its instructions for enemy vowels instead.

Shop Setup

• Designate an area for the Shop, usually above the enemy tray. (The shop playmat can be used if you have one.)
• Find the Shop card and put it in the center of the area. (N)
• Draw 3 cards from the item deck next to the Archive. Place them face up and make a row along the top of the Shop. (O)
• Draw 2 cards from the bottom of the McGuffin deck next to the Archive. Place one on the left and the right of the Shop card. (P)
• Draw 3 cards from your character's Library deck. Place them face up and make a row along the bottom of the shop. (Q)

Finally, set up your first turn.

• Place one (purple) hex counter, one (yellow) boon counter, and one (blue) energy counter on the "Zero" slot of your character tray. Place your (orange) health counter on the "20" slot of your character tray—this is your max hit points (Max HP). (R)

In Training Mode, you start with 25 HP instead. Take the Lady's Favor McGuffin and follow its changes to your Max HP.

• Draw 4 cards from the top of your starting deck to form your hand. (S)
• Take 1 Wild card and keep it near your hand. This card can be used in any word but is not in your hand. (T)
• Leave space for a fatigue pile near your hand. (U)

In Training Mode, take the Animal Companion Plot Twist and the Strange Egg Boss McGuffin, and take an additional Wild card as Strange Egg describes. Then shuffle the Boss McGuffins.

Winning, Losing, and HP

You advance toward the final Boss by defeating enemies, and you defeat enemies by playing words that cause enemies to lose HP. But enemies attack back! As you take damage, you will move your health counter down the track on your character tray.

If your health counter ever reaches zero, you lose the game. Your HP starts at your Max HP value of 20 (unless altered by Training Mode or a Plot Twist) and you can never heal above your max HP. Enemies can never heal above their max HP either.

Occasionally, an enemy might have a unique win or loss condition in their special rules. Despite any other win or loss conditions, the player always loses the game if their HP reaches zero.

Enemy Actions and Stages

You will know what the enemy is going to do each turn, allowing you to plan around it. Sometimes enemies will attack you, sometimes they will block your attacks, and sometimes they might do both or neither. Time your attacks to take advantage of their actions!

When enemies take damage, move the health counter down the enemy tray.

When the enemy's health counter reaches zero in Stage 1, flip their card over to the Stage 2 side and reset their health to the listed HP for Stage 2.

When an enemy is flipped, it is stunned until the turn is over—meaning that it will take no action that turn. When damage or HP loss flips a Stage 1 enemy, any surplus damage or HP loss carries over to Stage 2 and the enemy's health counter is adjusted accordingly.

In Stage 2, enemies will usually have different actions and HP. When enemies are flipped, move the enemy action indicator to the first enemy action (it will take this action the turn after it is stunned). If the enemy's health counter reaches zero in Stage 2, you defeat the enemy.

Pay attention to any special rules in the yellow box at the bottom of the enemy card. Special rules can dramatically alter combat, and the rules might change between Stage 1 and Stage 2.

Phases of a Turn

Every battle is divided into turns in which both the player and the enemy take actions. Turns continue until either the player's HP is reduced to zero or the enemy is defeated in Stage 2. As soon as the enemy is defeated, the battle is over and you immediately start the steps listed in Character Development (see pg. 17).

Each turn of a battle consists of these three phases:

Phase 1: Prep Phase

1. Plan the word you will play this turn and arrange it in front of you, using the Letter cards in your hand. Choose if you will splay your word to the left or to the right (see pg. 10).
2. Use your items, spending energy as needed. This can be done at any time while planning your word in the Prep phase.

Phase 2: Clash Phase

3. Perform the text ability for the top card of your word.
4. Count up the total number of hits from your word and add any hits generated from items or McGuffins this turn. Deal that much damage to the enemy, subtracting the block value of the enemy's action this turn, if any. (Move the enemy's HP counter accordingly.)
5. Count up the total number of blocks and energy as well, and add any blocks or energy generated from items or McGuffins this turn. Adjust the energy on your character tray accordingly.
6. Perform the enemy's action for this turn, as shown by the enemy action indicator. The enemy takes no action if they are stunned. If they attack, subtract your block total from their damage. You lose HP equal to any excess damage (move your HP counter).

Phase 3: Cleanup Phase

7. Move the top card of the word you just played to the fatigue pile. Cards in this pile stay there, unusable, until the end of the battle.
8. Move the rest of the cards in your word and your hand to the discard pile.
9. Advance the enemy action indicator to the next action, moving from top to bottom. If there are no more actions, return the indicator to the top action.
10. Draw 4 cards from your deck for your hand next turn. If you ever need to draw a card when your deck is empty, shuffle your discard pile, flip it face down, and it becomes your new deck. The cards in your fatigue pile are not shuffled back into your deck.

Playing Words

During each turn of a battle, you will spell a word using the letters on the cards in your hand. Words cannot be proper nouns. If you have a doubt about the validity of a word, check the dictionary of your choice.

Every Letter card has icons on the left edge and right edge of the card. Those icons show how many blocks, hits, and energy you can make with your word.

But there's a catch! Every word you play must be splayed so that only one edge of each card is showing. Splaying left means that only the left edges of your cards will be showing under the top card, and splaying right means that only the right edges of your cards will be showing under the top card.

When you splay right:

• The top card of your word will be the first letter in your word.
• Only the symbols on the right edges of each card will make hits, blocks, and energy—including the top card.

When you splay left:

• The top card of your word will be the last letter in your word.
• Only the symbols on the left edges of each card will make hits, blocks, and energy—including the top card.

Blocks (green) you make during the turn will prevent you from taking damage from an enemy attack that turn. Blocks only last for the turn they are created.

Blocks only reduce damage from enemy attacks. If an enemy action tells you to "lose HP" your blocks will not prevent it. Similarly, enemies will sometimes have a block value listed in their action. If they do, they will only block damage from your hits in the Clash phase (see pg. 9) but not HP loss from your items or McGuffins during the Prep phase.

Hits (red) made during your turn will damage the enemy in the Clash phase. Hits only last for the turn they are created.

Energy (blue) allows you to activate most items (see pg. 13). Unlike blocks and hits, energy persists from turn to turn. Whenever you gain or lose energy, adjust the energy counter on your character tray accordingly.

The top card of your word has important properties. It will be the only card in your word that activates its ability (the text in the middle of the card). You might want to choose certain words or splay a certain direction to make sure a specific card ends up on top.

Additionally, the top card goes to the fatigue pile during the Cleanup phase (see pg. 9). Unlike cards in the discard pile, which will eventually get shuffled back into your deck, cards in the fatigue pile stay there until the end of the battle. This means that most card abilities will only be used once per battle.

Wild Cards and Letter of Your Choice Cards

Your Wild card is always available and can act as any letter to help you spell a word. However, whenever you make a word without the Wild card, you gain 1 energy at the end of the turn.

Some items will instruct you to "gain a letter of your choice." You may use a Letter of Your Choice card from the core box to help you plan your word in these cases. Like Wild cards, these letters help you spell a word, but they can't help you gain energy at the end of the turn. After you've used a Letter of Your Choice card to plan a word, return it to the core box.

Wild cards and Letter of Your Choice cards don't have any abilities, nor do they provide hits, blocks, or energy when used in your word. If either is the top card of your word, instead treat the card directly under that card as the top card, using the ability of the card underneath and fatiguing the card underneath as well. (If the card underneath is also wild, repeat until you find a valid top card.)

Wild cards and Letter of Your Choice cards never enter your deck or discard pile and do not count as a card in your hand.

Enemy Vowels

Almost every enemy has a weak spot, which will make a certain vowel card available for you to add to your word each turn. The enemy's weak spot is indicated by the yellow letter in the enemy's name.

Enemy Vowel cards are double-sided: one side is used with the "Inside Intel" plot twist for Training Mode. The Training Mode side has icons on both edges of the card, while the Standard Mode side has no icons.

All Enemy Vowel cards have the same ability as the top card, which moves the enemy action indicator to the enemy's next action—a potent tool! But it will fatigue the Enemy Vowel card, making it unavailable for the rest of the battle.

After the battle, return the Enemy Vowel card to the rest of the Enemy Vowels in the core box. You will get a new card in the next battle.

Enemy Vowel cards never enter your deck or discard pile and do not count as a card in your hand.

Hexes and Boons

Every character and every enemy play a little differently, and hexes and boons are a big reason why. The hex (purple) counters and the boon (yellow) counters on each tray keep track of how many boons or hexes are on your character and on the enemy.

Hexes negatively affect the character or enemy who possesses them. Some card abilities, items, and McGuffins will tell you to give hexes to the enemy. And some enemy actions or special rules will give hexes to you. Hexes stay on characters and enemies from turn to turn during a battle, but are removed after a battle is over.

Boons positively affect the character or enemy who possesses them. Some card abilities, items and McGuffins will tell you to gain boons. Occasionally, enemy actions or special rules will result in enemies gaining boons too. Boons stay on characters and enemies from turn to turn during a battle, and for characters, they also stay from battle to battle.

In addition to aiding you during a battle, boons are also used to buy improvements at the Shop (see pg. 19) during Character Development. So think about saving boons in a battle for some extra spending power at the Shop.

Items and McGuffins

While you start with a few items and/or McGuffins, you will find and purchase more during your adventure. These potent tools increase your overall power and the options available to you. You can have any number of items and McGuffins.

Items

Each item can only be used once per turn, and must be used in the Prep phase (see pg. 9). You can tilt a card slightly to one side to help you remember it's been used for the turn—just remember to tilt it back when you end the turn.

In order to use an item, you must first spend the energy cost indicated in the top-right corner of the item card (or none if the cost is 0). Move the energy counter down on your character tray when you spend energy.

You can not use energy from icons in your current word, but those icons will produce energy during the Clash phase for use in future turns.

Some items ask you to rotate them. If instructed to rotate the card, rotate it 180°. Rotated cards will have an ongoing effect after they're rotated that lasts until the end of that battle.

Other items will be labeled as "Single Use" underneath the card's name. These items can only be used once per battle. The card text will tell you to flip the card face down after you use it to remind you that it's no longer available. At the end of the battle, flip any face down item face up again, and rotate any cards back to their original orientation.

McGuffins

Unlike items, McGuffins do not require you to spend energy. Instead, a McGuffin's effect will often trigger when a specific condition is met or even as soon as you gain the McGuffin.

Standard McGuffins are double-sided cards. When you get one, you can choose which side you want face up. This choice is permanent—you can not flip a McGuffin to its other side later.

Boss McGuffins (purple bar on top) are powerful rewards, and you will only get a couple of them during any game. Boss McGuffins work just like normal McGuffins, but they are not double-sided.

Core Cards

Core cards define what your character can do with the boons they gain and the hexes they give to the enemy. You start the game with 2 Core cards. Core cards can be items or McGuffins and function the same way as their respective type.

Example Turn

Playing as Ex Machina, you are on the second turn of a battle against the Sludge Alien. You have 20 HP, 3 energy, and 2 hexes that the Sludge Alien gave you last turn.

The Sludge Alien currently has 9 HP. You see that its current action is to block 2 and do 1 damage for each hex on you (meaning 2 damage in this case).

Prep Phase

You have the letters L-E-W-T in hand. Looking at the cards, you choose to make sure your W is the top card, because that will activate its ability to give you 2 extra cards for your next hand at the cost of 1 HP.

To make W the top card, it needs to be the first letter if you splay right: an offensive play with more hits. Or W could be the last letter if you splay left: a defensive play with more blocks.

You have 3 energy generated from your previous turn. That's enough to use your Rocket Punch item! You decide to activate the well-rounded item, losing all 3 energy but giving you 2 hits and 2 blocks for the turn.

Since the Sludge Alien isn't attacking for a high amount, you decide to spell the word "WELT" and splay to the right.

Clash Phase

First, you activate the W card. It makes you lose 1 HP, putting you at 19. But you will draw 2 extra cards next turn, giving you a 6-card hand!

Then you add up the icons on the right sides of all the letter cards in your word—this adds up to 3 hits and 2 energy. You'll move your energy counter back up to 2.

As for the 3 hits, you add those to the 2 hits from your Rocket Punch in the Prep phase, for 5 total hits. Since the Sludge Alien blocked 2, you subtract 2 from 5 for a total of 3 damage. So the enemy loses 3 HP.

Next, the Sludge Alien takes its action, attacking for 2 because of your 2 hexes. Luckily, you have 2 blocks from the Rocket Punch item, which means you take no damage.

After that you proceed to the Cleanup phase and then the next turn.

Alternate Core Cards

As you defeat final Bosses with a character, you can unlock 2 alternate Core cards (see pg. 20) to change that character's playstyle. When you start a new game you can choose any combination of 2 Core cards for that character, following one important rule: one of the Core cards must use boons, and the other must use hexes.

Penalty Cards

Some enemies and Reward cards might add Penalty cards to your deck. When you're told to do so, draw a card from the top of the Penalty deck (by the Archive) and add it to your deck or discard pile as indicated.

In general, Penalty cards have a negative effect if you don't use them in your word. If a Penalty card remains in your hand at the end of the turn, then the negative effect triggers and that card is still moved to the discard pile like any other Letter card.

Most Penalty cards tell you to return that card to the penalty deck after you play the card. This happens during the Cleanup phase and happens regardless of whether the penalty card is the top card or not. When you return a Penalty card to the Penalty deck, place it on the bottom of the deck.

One Penalty card ("S") stays in your deck permanently.

Penalty cards do not provide hits, blocks, or energy. Similar to a Wild card, Penalty cards do not have an ability. If a Penalty card is the top card of your word, treat the card directly under the Penalty card as the top card, using the ability of the card underneath and fatiguing the card underneath as well.

Character Development

After you defeat an enemy, it's time for some Character Development! After defeating any Boss or Lackey, always do the following:

• Reset the hex counter and energy counter on your character tray back to zero.
• The health counter and boon counter on your character tray stay where they were upon defeating the enemy.
• Remove the enemy card from play and reset all counters on the enemy tray to zero.
• Return the Enemy Vowel card back to the core box with the other Enemy Vowels.
• If any "Single Use" items were flipped, flip them back over. Return any rotated items to their original state.
• If a penalty card was in your last word, return it to the penalty deck.
• Shuffle all your Letter cards (deck, hand, word, discard pile, fatigue pile, or on top of an enemy) back into a single deck.
• In the rare case a penalty card ends up in your fatigue pile, return it to your own deck with the other Letter cards in the fatigue pile.

Next, you'll need your reward. After defeating a Lackey in any Book:

• Look at the reward card for that Lackey, which you drew and set aside earlier.
• Each reward card shows a list of effects on each side.
• Choose one side and perform all of the effects listed on that side of the card, in order from top to bottom.
• Note that Lackeys will always have you replace cards in your deck instead of simply adding a card.
• Whenever you replace a card in your deck, return the replaced card to the character box—it is unavailable for the rest of the game.
• Look at the other reward card you pulled out for this Book: a Boss reward card. Then find the matching enemy card for that Boss and proceed with steps "J" through "M" in setup (see pg. 5).

If you just defeated a Boss instead, do the following:

• Look at the reward card for that Boss, which you drew and set aside earlier.
• If this was a Book 1 or Book 2 Boss, do the following:
  • Once again, choose one side of the reward card and perform all of the effects listed.
  • As opposed to Lackey rewards, Boss rewards will allow you to add cards to your deck instead of replacing them.
  • Boss rewards will give you access to powerful Boss McGuffin cards.
  • Return this Book's Lackey and Boss reward cards to the core box.
  • Draw a random Lackey and Boss reward card from the next Book, and then proceed with steps "J" through "M" of setup for the Lackey (see pg. 5).
• If this was a Book 3 Boss, you've won the game. Skip the bullet points above and proceed to the "End of Game" section (see pg. 20) instead.

Upgrading a Card

Sometimes you will be prompted to upgrade a Letter card. All Letter cards for your character are double-sided, with one side that is a bit stronger. You can see a preview of what the upgrade will be along the bottom of the card, but you are always allowed to check the upgraded side of a Letter card if you wish. To upgrade, pull a card out of its sleeve, flip it over, and put it back in the sleeve. Once upgraded, cards stay that way for the rest of that game.

Using the Shop

After you defeat an enemy and complete the steps on the reward card, you can also choose to use the Shop before you start your next battle.

The Shop card in the center of the Shop describes the cost of any card or action in the shop, which is always paid in boons. Adjust the boon counter in your character tray accordingly.

If you purchase a Letter card, it replaces another card in your deck (see pg. 18). Immediately refill the empty slot in the Shop with a card from the top of your Library deck.

If you purchase an item or McGuffin, place it to the right of your character tray with the rest of your items and McGuffins. Immediately refill the empty slot in the Shop with a card from the top (if an item) or bottom (if a McGuffin) of the respective deck in the Archive.

You can freely examine the opposite side of any McGuffin in the Shop before you make a purchase. Once purchased, you must pick the side that will be face up (you can't flip it later).

Once after any battle, while you are using the Shop, you can discard the Shop's offerings in any single row or column and replace them with new cards. Place the discarded cards at the bottom of their respective decks in the Archive—if it's a McGuffin, place it on top of the deck instead. Don't remove the Shop card.

Cards in the shop aren't available to use until they're bought during Character Development.

End of Game

If you defeat the Final Boss in Book 3, you win the game—congrats! If your HP reaches zero before that moment, or if you encounter a special alternate loss condition, you lose.

Win or lose, make sure that any upgraded cards are flipped back over so that their non-upgraded sides are visible, and split your character's Letter cards into separate starting and Library decks once again. Return your character's Core cards and starting item back to the character box. Any other items or McGuffins gained in the game go back to their respective decks in the core box.

It's quite the achievement to make it through all 3 Books of the game—don't be dismayed if it takes a while to pull it off. But there are additional goals and achievements to chase in Paperback Adventures too!

One goal to chase is to unlock the content inside the envelopes found in the core box and every character box.

Each character box comes with 2 alternate Core cards in an envelope—if you beat the Book 3 Boss from that character box, open that envelope and pull out both of those cards. Alternate Core cards (see pg. 17) give you more ways to play a character.

The core box comes with 4 Boss McGuffin cards in an envelope—if you beat any of the Book 3 Bosses from the core box, open that envelope and randomly pull out one of those cards.

Make sure you add any Boss McGuffins from this envelope to the Boss McGuffin deck in the core box, so that they can be added to your available options in future games.

Plot Twists

In the core box, there are 5 double-sided Plot Twist cards. These cards give you options to customize your game experience and make the game easier or more difficult. Each card has 4 Plot Twists in total (2 on each side) that have a brand new rule to modify your game.

Each individual Twist has its own difficulty score attached to it, which indicates how much it modifies the difficulty of your game. A positive number means the game will be more difficult, and a negative number means the game will be easier.

You can mix and match Plot Twists as you like to either find a playstyle that suits you, or if you want to take on more and more challenges as you play.

For example, Training Mode consists of using 2 Plot Twists: "Inside Intel" with a score of -2, and "Animal Companion" with a score of -1. Using both of those Plot Twists means your game has a difficulty score of -3. Standard Mode, with no Plot Twists, would be a difficulty score of zero.

If you want to keep increasing the difficulty, try to beat the game with higher difficulty scores!

Alternate Game Modes

Find updated info and FAQ on game modes online at fowers.games/adventures.

Two-headed Giant Mode

This cooperative mode has you share a deck with another player while you alternate taking turns. You'll only need 1 character box.

Setup: Follow all steps of a solo game, except: each player designates an area for their own items and McGuffins, and distribute the starting item and Core cards between the players as you wish.

Battles: Choose a first player, and players alternate taking turns until the enemy is defeated. Players draw at start of turn instead of end of turn. You each draw your hand from the same deck and share the same discard and fatigue pile. You also share the same energy, boons, hexes, and health.

However, you can only use the items and McGuffins in your designated area on your turn. McGuffins will trigger only when a condition is met and only on its owner's turn. If a McGuffin's condition is met on the other player's turn, it instead resolves at the start of its owner's turn.

Rewards/Shop: Whenever a reward card says to gain a McGuffin or item, both players complete that step separately, and those cards go to the designated area for that player. Other rewards work as normal. Items and McGuffins purchased in the Shop only go to one player.

2v2 Mode

Another cooperative mode that will pit you and another player against 2 enemies at the same time. You'll need 3 character boxes.

Setup: Follow all steps of a solo game, except for these changes:

• Each player chooses a different character and completes character setup.
• Add another Library deck for the second character in the Archive.
• Add another row of letters in the Shop underneath the first row—one row of letters for each character.
• Whenever you set up an enemy, set up 2 instead. Use the remaining unused character tray for the other enemy. Both enemies are the same Book and Type.

Battles: Each player chooses one enemy to battle, and only battles against that enemy. Players play simultaneously, but both players must finish the current phase before starting the next phase or turn.

Once per turn, a single player may "buy" a Letter card from the other player's hand by giving the other player a boon. They can use that letter in any way they would use a card in their hand. Whenever that card leaves their hand, or at the end of the turn if used in a word, return it to the owner's discard or fatigue pile, depending on how it was used.

Once a player defeats their enemy, they no longer take any actions on their turn except drawing their hand each turn. The player that is still battling can still buy a letter from the player that finished first. If any player dies, both players immediately lose.

Rewards/Shop: Both players choose their rewards separately from their enemy's Reward card, and both players can visit the Shop, which still refills after each purchase.

Errata / Unique Card Interactions

Below you'll find some unique and uncommon rules. Keep in mind that if any rule written on any type of card directly contradicts a rule in the rulebook, follow the rule on the card instead.

• Whenever a reward card tells you to choose (a number) to keep, whatever cards you don't keep are returned to the bottom of the deck they came from (or top if it was a McGuffin).
• If a card says to retain it or another card, the retained card stays in your hand till next round. You still draw the normal amount of cards.
• Sometimes an enemy's special rules might change when it flips to Stage 2: those rule changes take place immediately when the enemy is flipped, before you take or continue any other actions, like applying damage.
• While you generally only use the ability text of most cards during the Clash phase, specific cards might have an effect during the Prep phase. For example, the Damsel's cards with the Plot keyword.
• You can not choose a Penalty card as your replaced card.
• If any effect would have you fatigue a Wild card or Letter of Your Choice card, ignore that effect instead. If an effect has you choose a card to fatigue, you can not choose a Wild card or Letter of Your Choice card.
• If there are no more Penalty cards in the Penalty deck when an effects tells you to add a Penalty card, just ignore that effect.

Find updated errata at fowers.games/adventures.