Runebound: Second Edition
Runebound: Second Edition Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Components
- Card Anatomy
- The Game Board
- Game Setup
- The Turn Sequence
- Symbols
- Other Rules
- Combat
- Example of a Challenge
- Combat Between Heroes
- Skill Tests
- Optional Rules
- Notes, Terms, and Definitions
- Credits
Introduction
In RUNEBOUND, you and your opponents take on the roles of Heroes questing across the land in search of adventure. Along the way, you will find magical artifacts and cunning allies (represented by Item and Ally cards) to help you in your quest. You will also encounter terrible villains and fiendish traps (represented by adventure cards) that you must overcome in order to complete your quest.
Adventures
The heart of RUNEBOUND is the adventure. The adventure determines the object of your quest, and what wonders and obstacles you will encounter along the way.
The adventure included in this set is "Rise of the Dragon Lords." In this adventure, the vile necromancer Vorakesh is trying to find the ancient Dragon Runes and use them to resurrect Margath, the long-dead High Lord of the evil dragons. As a Hero of the land, it is your duty to stop Vorakesh from carrying out his mad designs.
Object of the Game
The object of RUNEBOUND is determined by the adventure you are playing.
In "Rise of the Dragon Lords," the object of the game is to either kill High Lord Margath or collect three Dragon Runes. The first player to do either of these is the winner. Killing Margath and collecting Dragon Runes are discussed in detail later in these rules.
Components
- 12 Hero Cards
- 84 Adventure Cards (35 green, 25 yellow, 16 blue, 8 red)
- 84 Market Cards (29 Allies, 55 Items)
- 12 Plastic Heroes
- 60 Wound Counters
- 54 Exhaustion Counters
- 58 Adventure Counters (22 green, 16 yellow, 11 blue, 9 red)
- 60 Experience Counters
- 6 Undefeated Challenge Counters
- 50 Gold Counters (28 one-gold, 12 five-gold, 10 ten-gold)
- 8 Doom Counters
- 2 Ten-sided Dice
- 5 Movement Dice
- 1 Game Board
- 1 Rulebook
Before you play your first game, carefully punch the cardboard pieces out of their frames so that they do not tear.
Hero Cards
At the beginning of the game, each player receives a Hero card. This gives you the attributes and special abilities of the Hero you will play during the game. (See the "Card Anatomy" diagram below for details.)
Adventure Cards
Over the course of the game, you will draw adventure cards to find what adventures await you. Adventure cards are color-coded by difficulty: Green adventures are the easiest; yellow adventures are more challenging; blue adventures are difficult; and red adventures are the hardest in the game.
There are three types of adventure cards: Challenges, Events, and Encounters. Challenges are the most common and typically include an enemy to fight. Events can change the rules of the game, as they represent larger plots and ongoing changes in the world. Encounters may require skill tests, combat, or for your Hero to fulfill a secondary quest. (See the "Card Anatomy" diagram below for details.)
Drawing and resolving adventure cards is described later in the rules.
Ally Cards
Ally cards represent other characters who have joined you on your quest. Allies have attributes and special abilities just like Heroes, but they also have a cost, which is how much gold you must spend to hire them. (See the "Card Anatomy" diagram below for details.)
Item Cards
Item cards represent weapons, armor, and other equipment your Hero is carrying. Just like Allies, Items have a cost, which is how much gold you must spend to purchase them. Items give you special abilities, as listed on the card. Each card describes the Item's class (artifact, armor, etc.) and type (sword, shield, etc.), which may limit what Items your Hero can carry. Item limits are detailed later in the rules. (See the "Card Anatomy" diagram below for details.)
Plastic Heroes
Each Hero card has a corresponding plastic figure that represents your Hero on the board.
Wound & Exhaustion Counters
These counters are used to track how many wounds and exhaustion Heroes and Allies have taken. Taking wounds and exhaustion is detailed later in these rules.
Adventure Counters
Adventure counters are placed on the board to indicate where adventures are found. Like adventure cards, adventure counters are color-coded by difficulty: green are the easiest; yellow are more challenging; blue are difficult; and red are the hardest.
Adventure counters are double-sided. The front shows a jewel of the appropriate color; the back shows how many experience points the adventure is worth. Experience points are detailed later in the rules.
Experience Counters
Defeating Challenges gives you experience points, which you may spend on experience counters. Each experience counter gives your Hero the indicated permanent bonus.
Undefeated Challenge Counters
If you fail an adventure, you must place an undefeated challenge counter on the board where the adventure was encountered. These counters are numbered from one to six and correspond to the six positions on the undefeated challenge track on the edge of the board, as detailed later in these rules.
Gold Counters
Gold counters come in denominations of one, five, and ten gold (marked as I, V, and X). You usually gain gold by defeating adventures, and spend gold in town to hire Allies, buy Items, and heal your party.
Doom Counters
These eight counters are only used when you play with the Doom Track variant, described at the end of the rules.
Ten-sided Dice
You use these dice for any required roll other than movement. Roll the two dice and add the results together. Treat a result of 0 as a ten. Thus, if you roll two 0s, your total is twenty. Any card that mentions "dice" refers to these dice unless the card specifically states "movement dice."
Movement Dice
You roll these dice to determine into which spaces your Hero can move. The symbols on the movement dice correspond to the seven types of terrain on the board. Movement is detailed later in the rules.
Card Anatomy
Card values referenced by number below:
- Life: This value represents the health and toughness of adventurers and monsters. When Heroes, Allies, and Challenges take a number of wounds equal to their Life, they are defeated. Heroes are knocked out; Allies and Challenges are killed.
- Stamina: This value represents the vigor and endurance of adventurers. Heroes and Allies may take a number of exhaustion equal to their Stamina without penalty. However, any exhaustion they take in excess of their Stamina is taken as wounds.
- Card Text: This text describes the effects and special rules of the card. Italicized text is for flavor only; it has no game effect.
- Attributes: These icons represent the attributes of Heroes, Allies, and Challenges.
- Event Number: This number determines which Events take place and which are discarded.
- Icons: These icons serve multiple functions during the game. Those on Event cards remind you to replenish adventure jewels on the game board. Those on market cards remind you whether you need to discard or activate the card to use its bonus or whether it is always active.
- Cost: This is how much gold you must spend to purchase an Item or hire an Ally.
- Mind Value: On a Hero or Ally card, this number is a bonus to mental skill tests and ranged combat rolls. On a Challenge card, this number is the target number players must meet or exceed on ranged combat rolls.
- Ranged Damage: This is how many wounds the Hero, Ally, or Challenge inflicts in ranged combat.
- Body Value: On a Hero or Ally card, this number is a bonus to physical skill tests and melee combat rolls. On a Challenge card, this number is the target number players must meet or exceed on melee combat rolls.
- Melee Damage: This is how many wounds the Hero, Ally, or Challenge inflicts during melee combat.
- Spirit Value: On a Hero or Ally card, this number is a bonus to social or willpower-based skill tests and magic combat rolls. On a Challenge card, this number is the target number players must meet or exceed on magic combat rolls.
- Magic Damage: This is how many wounds the Hero, Ally, or Challenge inflicts during magic combat.
Cards that use these values: Hero Card, Ally Card, Event Card, Item Card, Challenge Card, and Encounter Card. Hero, Ally, and Challenge cards additionally show the Attributes row (Mind/Ranged Damage, Body/Melee Damage, Spirit/Magic Damage).
The Game Board
The major feature of the game board is the large map of the RUNEBOUND world, which is divided into hexagonal spaces. Each space is either a terrain type (plains, road, river, swamp, forest, hill, or mountain) or a town. Town spaces are "wild" and considered all terrains.
Many spaces on the map have adventure jewels in one of the four adventure colors (green, yellow, blue, or red) indicating which adventure counters should be placed on those spaces.
Other sections of the board include the undefeated challenge track, spaces for each town's market stack, four adventure decks, the market deck, and the Event stack.
Board Setup
Undefeated Challenge Track: Place the undefeated challenge counters (1-6) on their corresponding positions in this track.
Market Deck: Place the market deck here.
Adventure Decks: Place the red, blue, yellow, and green adventure decks on the spaces matching their colors.
Event Area: When Events are revealed, they are placed here. There are no Events here at the beginning of the game.
Market Stacks: Place one market card face up on each of these spaces except the space corresponding to Tamalir.
Tamalir Market Stack: A town is associated with its market stack by its common heraldry.
Adventure Counters: Place an adventure counter face up on each board space marked with a matching adventure jewel.
Game Setup
- Unfold the board and place it centrally on a large table.
- Place an adventure counter face up on each space of the board marked with an adventure jewel. Make sure that the color of the adventure counter matches the color of the adventure jewel. That is, place a green counter on each green adventure jewel, a yellow counter on each yellow adventure jewel, etc.
- Place all six undefeated challenge counters in their corresponding position on the undefeated challenge track. (That is, counter one in position one, etc.)
- Shuffle the Ally and Item cards into a single market deck. Place the market deck where indicated on the board. Draw one card for each town other than Tamalir and place the card face up on each town's market stack. Each town's market stack has the town's heraldic device printed on it.
- Separate the adventure cards by color into four adventure decks. Shuffle each deck and place it where indicated on the board.
- Give each player three gold and place the remaining gold counters into a central bank. Any gold you earn as a reward comes from the bank. Any gold you spend for healing, purchases in a town, etc., goes into the bank. You can "make change" from the bank at any time.
- Place all wound, exhaustion, and experience counters in a central pile where all the players can reach them.
- Each player randomly chooses a Hero card to represent the Hero he will play in the game. Alternately, players may agree amongst themselves which Heroes they will play.
- Each player takes the plastic figure that corresponds to his Hero. Unused Hero cards and figures are put back in the box as they will not be used this game.
- Randomly choose who will be the starting player.
Game setup is now complete and the game is ready to begin.
The Turn Sequence
RUNEBOUND is played over a series of turns. A player must complete his entire turn, after which the player to his left completes his entire turn, etc. In this way, play continues clockwise around the table until the game ends.
Each player turn is divided into these five steps:
- Step 1: Refresh
- Step 2: Movement
- Step 3: Adventure
- Step 4: Market
- Step 5: Experience
A player must follow these steps in order, although he may not be able to complete every step.
Step 1: Refresh
During this step, you turn over all your activated (face down) cards so they are now face up. These cards may now be activated again. See "Card Activation" below for further details on activating cards.
If you have no activated cards, you skip this step.
Step 2: Movement
During this step you may move your Hero figure on the board. Your figure represents your Hero and all his Allies.
Heroes begin the game in the town of Tamalir. On your very first turn, before moving, place your Hero figure on the Tamalir town space, located near the center of the board.
Movement Dice
Your Hero's movement is determined by the movement dice. You ordinarily roll five movement dice. If there are any wound or exhaustion counters on your Hero or any of his Allies, you may roll no more than four movement dice.
Terrain Symbols
Every side on a movement die has two or more terrain symbols. Each terrain symbol corresponds to one of the seven types of terrain found on the board:
- Plains
- Forest
- Swamp
- Road
- Hill
- Mountain
- River
- Town
Towns are considered "wild" spaces. You may use any terrain symbol to move into a town space.
For each terrain symbol showing after you roll the movement dice, your Hero may enter one space of that terrain type. However, while each side on the dice has multiple symbols, you may use only one of the symbols on each die to move. Thus, if a movement die shows the plains, hill, and road symbols, you may only use that die to move into a plain or a hill or a road.
Example: Three movement dice show river symbols. Your Hero may enter up to three river spaces, one for each die.
Town Heraldry
A town is associated with its market stack by its common heraldry.
Other Movement Rules
- You do not have to move your Hero the full movement that you rolled. However, any unused movement dice are lost.
- Adventure counters, undefeated challenge counters, and other Hero figures on the board do not affect your movement. You may move your Hero figure into, out of, or through a space containing any of these without any effect.
- Before rolling your movement dice you may choose to rest. To rest, simply roll fewer than four movement dice. For each die you choose not to roll you may immediately discard one exhaustion counter from either your Hero or an Ally. Thus, if you only roll two movement dice, you may discard two exhaustion counters. You may discard these from your Hero, an Ally, one each from your Hero and an Ally, or one each from two Allies. You may choose not to move at all and discard a total of four exhaustion counters.
- Instead of rolling movement dice you may move your Hero figure into an adjacent space. You may not do this if you chose to rest!
- If you end your movement in a space with no adventure counters or towns, you skip the adventure and market steps.
- Around the edges of the game board, some spaces are cut in half. These spaces are not considered in play, and you may not enter them.
Example of Movement
In this example, Brian rolled four movement dice for Varikas the Dead with the following results: Forest, Mountain, Road, Road.
While he may use these dice many different ways, three of the best options are detailed below:
- Plains, River, Forest, Hill: Varikas the Dead may move to the blue adventure.
- Road, Road: Varikas the Dead may move to Greyhaven. (Note that he could use any die to move into the town space, not just the Road.)
- Hill, Mountain: Varikas the Dead may move to the yellow adventure.
Step 3: Adventure
If you end your movement in a space with an adventure counter, you may choose whether or not to attempt the adventure. If you choose not to attempt the adventure, proceed immediately to the Experience step of the turn.
If you choose to attempt the adventure, draw the top card of the adventure deck matching the color of the adventure counter. Reveal the card to the other players and resolve the adventure. You may find it fun to read the flavor text aloud as well.
Adventure Cards
There are three types of adventure cards: Challenges, Events, and Encounters. Each is resolved differently:
Challenges: Most adventure cards are Challenges, and all Challenges involve combat. For complete rules on resolving combat, see the Combat section below.
Events: Events are adventure cards with global effects that remain in play after being revealed. After you draw and reveal an Event card, look at the Event area on the board. If there are no Events currently in play, place the card in the Event area. The card takes effect immediately, and remains in effect until replaced by a subsequent Event card.
If there is already a card in the Event area, compare its number (I, II, or III) to the number on the card you just drew. If the number on the new card is equal to or higher than the number on the Event card in play, the new Event card takes effect immediately and remains in effect until replaced. Discard the previous Event card face down to the bottom of the matching color adventure deck. If the number on the Event card just drawn is lower than the Event card in play, ignore the effects of the new card. Place the new card face down on the bottom of the matching adventure deck.
Notice that if an Event numbered "I" is in play and an Event card numbered "III" is drawn, the new card replaces the existing Event and no further Events numbered "I" or "II" will take effect for the duration of the game.
After you have drawn and resolved an Event card, you must draw a new card from the adventure deck. Thus, it is possible to draw and resolve multiple Event cards during your adventure step.
Replenishing Adventure Counters: On the bottom left-hand corner of every Event card, you will notice a sunburst icon. This icon reminds you to replenish adventure counters on the board. Only replenish adventure counters on eligible spaces in which there is currently no adventure counter. When replenishing adventure counters, follow these steps:
- The adventure counters are only placed on spaces that have an adventure jewel surrounded by a sunburst.
- Make sure the colors of the replenished adventure counters match the color of the adventure jewels on the board. That is, place green adventure counters on green adventure jewels, yellow adventure counters on yellow adventure jewels, etc.
- Only adventure counters in the central counter pile, as described under "Experience Points" later in the rules, can be put back into play. If there aren't enough adventure counters to be returned to play, the player who drew the Event card chooses where to place the available counters.
Encounters: Encounters are similar to Challenges. Encounters usually require skill tests (see "Skill Tests" below) and may even require combat, but they often have other requirements and may take many turns to resolve. Encounters also offer rewards. These may be gold but are just as often bonuses and special abilities.
When you draw an Encounter, follow the instructions printed on the card. However, discarded Encounters are removed from play, not discarded to the bottom of their adventure decks.
After you have drawn and resolved an Encounter card, you must draw a new card from the adventure deck. Thus, it is possible to draw and resolve multiple Encounter cards during your adventure step.
Undefeated Challenge Counters
If you end your movement in a space with an undefeated challenge counter, look at the corresponding space on the undefeated challenge track to see the Challenge in the space. If you choose to attempt the Challenge, do not draw an adventure card. Instead, resolve the card on the undefeated challenge track.
Interacting With Other Heroes
If you end your movement in a space occupied by another player's Hero, you must decide whether you want to interact with him. There are two ways to interact with another player's Hero:
- You can negotiate with the other player's Hero.
- You can attack the other player's Hero.
Negotiating With Other Heroes
When you choose to negotiate with a Hero you forfeit the ability to attack that Hero for the rest of your turn.
When you negotiate with another player's Hero, you may exchange gold, Items, or Allies. Any agreement the players reach is binding.
Attacking Other Heroes
Combat between Heroes is similar to combat against Challenges. For a complete explanation of combat between heroes, see "Combat Between Heroes" below. A detailed example of combat between heroes can be found at www.fantasyflightgames.com.
Step 4: Market
A player may only take the Market step if his Hero ends his movement in a town space—otherwise, the player must skip the Market step.
Market Actions
Each town has a market stack along the edge of the board. You can tell which stack corresponds to which town by their matching heraldry. A town's market stack tells you what Items and Allies are available in that town.
Before taking any actions during the Market step, draw a card from the market deck and place it, face up, on the market stack of the town you are visiting. Note that while Tamalir starts with no cards in its market stack, cards are added to its stack normally during play.
Once you have added a card to the town's market stack, you may take any number of the following actions in any order, as many times as you want and can afford:
- Buy an Item: If available, choose an Item card from the market stack and pay its cost to the bank. When you buy an Item, place it in front of you next to your Hero card.
- Hire an Ally: If available, choose an Ally card from the market stack and pay its cost to the bank. When you hire an Ally, place it in front of you next to your Hero card.
- Sell an Item: Add one of your Items to the town's market stack and take half its cost (rounded down) from the bank. Thus, if you sell a three-gold Item, you receive one gold from the bank. You cannot sell one-gold items as you would receive no gold from the bank. Note that you cannot sell Allies.
- Buy Healing: For one gold, you can discard one wound or all exhaustion counters from your Hero or an Ally.
You may discard an Item or Ally card at any time. You may only sell Items during your Market step (and only if you are in a town space). Discarded Items and Allies are placed face down at the bottom of the market deck.
Some adventure cards acquired during the game may count towards these limits as well. For example, the yellow Encounter card "A Question of Honor" can provide a player with an Ally. If such a player already has two Allies, he may not accept the new Ally offered by the Encounter card unless he first discards one of his existing Allies.
Ally and Item Cards
Two types of cards comprise the market deck. Allies look similar to Hero cards (see the "Card Anatomy" diagram earlier in the rules). Like Heroes, Allies have attributes and may also have special abilities.
Items are cards that represent equipment your Hero can use during the game. Items are identified by both class (for example, Weapon) and type (for example, Relic). In addition, there are three ways you can use an item:
- Activate-to-Use Items: These Items must be activated after you have used their special effects (see "Card Activation" below for more information on activating cards). This means you can use these Items only once per turn.
- Discard-to-Use Items: These Items must be discarded (placed face down on the bottom of the market deck), after you have used their special effects.
- Always-On Items: These items provide a permanent benefit as long as you have control of the card. If you lose the card for any reason, you lose these items' benefits.
The icon associated with each category of Item is printed on each Item card.
Ally and Item Limits
You may never have more than two Weapons and one Armor. Similarly, you may never have more than two Allies. If you want to own a new weapon, armor, or Ally and you already have the maximum allowed number, you must first sell or discard one of the appropriate card types.
Step 5: Experience
Throughout the game, as your Hero defeats Challenges, he gains adventure counters. During this step, you may exchange these for experience counters. These counters represent your Hero's growth in strength and prowess, with corresponding permanent bonuses.
Experience Points
Printed on the reverse side of each adventure counter is a number indicating how many experience points the counter is worth. Depending on the number of players, you must spend a certain number of experience points to purchase one experience counter.
| No. of Players | Exp. Points for 1 Exp. Counter |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | 5 |
| 3–4 | 4 |
| 5–6 | 3 |
Thus, in a four-player game you would have to spend four experience points for one experience counter.
Spent adventure counters are placed in the central counter pile where all players can reach them. If you need to "make change" when spending adventure counters, you may do so by exchanging adventure counters from this pile. In the unlikely event that there is no "change" in the pile, note your unspent experience points on a piece of paper.
Experience Counters
There is no limit to how many experience counters you may have, and you may purchase multiple experience counters at the same time—though there is no inherent benefit to saving adventure counters.
When you purchase an experience counter, choose a counter of one of the following types:
- Permanently gain +2 bonus to your Mind attribute
- Permanently gain +2 bonus to your Body attribute
- Permanently gain +2 bonus to your Spirit attribute
- Permanently gain +2 bonus to your Stamina
- Permanently gain +1 bonus to your Life (see below)
If you decide to increase your Hero's Life, you forfeit your right to draw the easiest Challenge cards still available to you. Thus, if you increase your Life by one, you are not allowed to draw green adventure cards. If you later increase your Life again, you are no longer allowed to draw green or yellow adventure cards, etc. You cannot increase your Life by more than three, as you would not be able to draw any adventure cards!
Experience Point Value
Your experience counters have an experience point value equal to how many experience points you spent to gain the counters. You don't need to keep track of this value, but some cards make reference to it.
End of Turn
Your turn is now over. The player to your left now takes his turn, beginning with the refresh step.
Note: If all six spaces on the undefeated challenge track are full, remove the card that has been on the track the longest (usually the card in position one), discard it face down to the bottom of its adventure deck, and replace it with the Challenge the player has just escaped. Move the corresponding undefeated challenge counter from its old location to the new.
Example: Varikas the Dead has successfully escaped a challenge. First, the player moves Varikas's figure back one space. Next, he removes all the wound counters from the Challenge card and places it in the next open position of the undefeated challenge track (space one in this case). Finally, he places the undefeated challenge counter on the space that Varikas just abandoned.
Symbols
Card text in RUNEBOUND uses symbols as shorthand for attributes and other game terms. Below is a guide to these symbols and their meanings:
- Mind
- Body
- Spirit
- Wounds
- Exhaustion
- Gold
Other Rules
Below you will find the additional rules you need to play RUNEBOUND.
Taking Wounds & Exhaustion
When you take or inflict wounds, place that number of wound counters on the Hero, Ally, or adventure card. When the number of wound counters equals or exceeds the card's Life value, the card is defeated: Heroes are knocked out, Allies and Challenges are killed, as detailed later in the rules.
Likewise, whenever you to take exhaustion, you must place that number of exhaustion counters on the Hero or Ally card. When the number of exhaustion counters exceeds the card's Stamina, the excess exhaustion is immediately converted to wounds. Some cards as well as some Heroes' special abilities allow you to take exhaustion in order to perform an action. You may not use such a special ability if it would cause you to take exhaustion in excess of your Stamina value.
When you discard wound and exhaustion counters, put them back into the central counter pile.
Using Card Effects
Many cards—including the Hero cards—have special effects that their owners may employ during the game. Most effects clearly describe when they may be used and at what cost, if any.
Any effects that are preceded by Before Combat, Ranged, Melee, or Magic can only be used during combat and only at the specific time indicated in bold type.
Example: After drawing a Challenge card, Varikas the Dead makes a "Before Combat" magic attack as his special ability. Although the attack is successful, Varikas cannot activate the Item "Soul Burn" as this card can only be activated during the Magic phase of combat.
Card Activation
Some Item cards become "activated" after you have used their abilities. When a card is activated, it is turned face down in your play area. You won't be able to use this card again until it is refreshed during the refresh step of your next turn.
There are limits to how many cards you may activate during your turn.
You may activate a single card during your movement step and a single card during your market step. During the adventure step, you may activate a single card "Before Combat" and a single card during each round of combat (see below).
Note that "Always-On" and "Discard" Item cards need not be activated and therefore do not count towards these activation limitations.
Combat
Many Challenges and Encounters can only be resolved through battle. Before every battle, participants may execute "Before Combat" actions, after which the battle proceeds to a series of combat rounds until it is resolved.
Battles in RUNEBOUND follow the rules described below.
Before Combat
Many Challenges, Heroes, Items, and Allies have "Before Combat" effects and abilities. These effects are resolved before the first round of combat begins. When you draw an adventure card with a "Before Combat" ability, you must resolve that ability first—even before using any of your own "Before Combat" special abilities.
Note that between your Hero, Allies, and Items, it is possible to have multiple "Before Combat" special abilities. After resolving the adventure card's "Before Combat" text, you may use each of your Hero's and Allies' "Before Combat" abilities once. You may also activate a single Item with a "Before Combat" effect. However, you may use these abilities and effects in any order you desire.
Example: Brian is playing Varikas the Dead. Varikas and one of his Allies both have "Before Combat" abilities. After drawing a Challenge card and resolving its "Before Combat" abilities, Varikas may use both his and his Ally's "Before Combat" abilities in any order he chooses. Varikas also has two Items with "Before Combat" effects that require activation. Varikas may only activate one of these Items.
Combat Values
During combat, participants will use their three attributes for the three types of combat (ranged, melee, and magic). When text or rules refer to a combat value, it refers to the following:
- Mind Value is also called the ranged combat value
- Body Value is also called the melee combat value
- Spirit Value is also called the magic combat value
The Combat Round
After all participants have resolved their "Before Combat" abilities, the battle proceeds to the first combat round. Each combat round is divided into four phases, which must be performed in order every round:
- Escape
- Ranged
- Melee
- Magic
Phase 1: Escape
Even the mightiest Heroes must sometimes attempt to flee from battle. In the first phase of each combat round, you may make an escape test.
To make an escape test, roll the dice and add your Mind value. If your total is less than the Mind value of your opponent, you fail: Take one wound and either try again or move on to the ranged phase.
If your total is equal to or greater than the Mind value of your opponent, you succeed. If you succeed at an escape test, do the following:
- Move your Hero figure back one space in the direction from which it came.
- If you were battling a Challenge, remove all wound counters from the card and place it adjacent to the board in the next open position on the undefeated challenge track.
- Take the corresponding undefeated challenge counter and place it on the board, marking the location of the battle you escaped. The adventure counter remains in the space with the undefeated challenge counter.
Your turn is now over.
Note: If all six spaces on the undefeated challenge track are full, remove the card that has been on the track the longest (usually the card in position one), discard it face down to the bottom of its adventure deck, and replace it with the Challenge the player has just escaped. Move the corresponding undefeated challenge counter from its old location to the new.
Phase 2: Ranged Combat
At the beginning of the ranged combat phase, you have two options: You may choose to attack or you may choose to defend.
If you attack: Roll the dice and add your ranged combat value. If the result is equal to or greater than your opponent's ranged value, you succeed. The opponent takes a number of wounds equal to your ranged damage value. If the result of your roll is less than your opponent's ranged value, you take a number of wounds equal to the opponent's ranged damage value.
If you defend: Roll the dice and add your ranged combat value. If the result is equal to or greater than your opponent's ranged value, you succeed. You successfully defend against your opponent's attack and nothing happens. If the result of your roll is less than your opponent's ranged value, you take a number of wounds equal to the opponent's ranged damage value.
The ranged phase is now over. If you have not defeated your opponent and your Hero has not been knocked out, you must now play through the melee phase.
Phase 3: Melee Combat
If you did not attack during the ranged phase, you have two options: You may choose to attack or you may choose to defend. If you did attack during the ranged phase, you may only defend during the melee phase.
If you attack: Roll the dice and add your melee combat value. If the result is equal to or greater than your opponent's melee value, you succeed. The opponent takes a number of wounds equal to your melee damage value. If the result of your roll is less than your opponent's melee value, you take a number of wounds equal to the opponent's melee damage value.
If you defend: Roll the dice and add your melee combat value. If the result is equal to or greater than your opponent's melee value, you succeed. You successfully defend against your opponent's attack and nothing happens. If the result of your roll is less than your opponent's melee value, you take a number of wounds equal to the opponent's melee damage value.
The melee phase is now over. If you have not defeated your opponent and your Hero has not been knocked out, you must now play through the magic phase.
Phase 4: Magic Combat
If you did not attack during the ranged phase or the melee phase, you have two options: You may choose to attack or you may choose to defend. If you did attack during either the ranged phase or the melee phase, you may only defend during the magic phase.
If you attack: Roll the dice and add your magic combat value. If the result is equal to or greater than your opponent's magic combat value, you succeed. The opponent takes a number of wounds equal to your magic damage value. If the result of your roll is less than your opponent's magic value, you take a number of wounds equal to the opponent's magic damage value.
If you defend: Roll the dice and add your magic combat value. If the result is equal to or greater than your opponent's magic combat value, you succeed. You successfully defend against your opponent's attack and nothing happens. If the result of your roll is less than your opponent's magic value, you take a number of wounds equal to the opponent's magic damage value.
The magic phase is now over. If you have not defeated your opponent and the your Hero has not been knocked out, the combat round is over. You begin a new round of combat, beginning with the escape phase. Note that "Before Combat" abilities and effects are only resolved before the first round of combat.
You will notice that you can only attack in one phase during each combat round. In each phase that you do not attack, you must defend.
The Combat Roll
When you roll the dice to attack or defend in the ranged, melee, and magic phases, this action is called a "combat roll." Many card abilities and effects can add to your combat roll in addition to the relevant attribute.
Defeating Challenges
If a Challenge takes a number of wounds equal to or greater than its Life value, it is immediately defeated. When you defeat a Challenge, you receive the reward listed on the card, if any. Sometimes you are instructed to take the Challenge card itself and it becomes an Item or Ally. These rewards are subject to all the rules and text that affect Items and Allies, with one important exception: These cards cannot be sold, dismissed, or lost, either randomly or as a result of being knocked out.
When you defeat a Challenge you also take the adventure counter from the space where you defeated the Challenge. Place the adventure counter in front of you, face down, so you can see its experience point value. You may spend adventure counters in step five of your turn to purchase experience counters, as detailed earlier in the rules.
After receiving your reward and adventure counter, discard the defeated Challenge face down to the bottom of the matching color adventure deck.
Knockouts
If your Hero takes a number of wounds equal to or greater than its Life value, your Hero is immediately knocked out. When this happens, do the following:
- Discard all your Hero's wound and exhaustion counters to the counter pile.
- Discard all of your Hero's gold to the bank.
- Discard your Hero's highest-cost Ally or Item face down to the bottom of the market deck. (If two or more are equally expensive, you can choose which one to discard.)
- Move your Hero figure to the nearest town space. (If two towns are equally close, you can choose the town to which your Hero figure is moved.)
- Just as if you had escaped the adventure, remove all wound counters from the Challenge card and place it on the undefeated challenge track. Place the corresponding undefeated challenge counter on the board. The adventure counter remains in the space with the undefeated challenge counter.
Your turn then ends.
Undefeated Challenges
Place the undefeated Challenge card in the first available position on the track. Place the corresponding undefeated challenge counter on the board.
Allies in Combat
Not only do many Allies provide your Hero with useful special abilities, they are also very valuable in combat.
When your Hero is fighting alone against an opponent, you will recall that he may only attack during one of the three phases of the combat round. You may choose to have an Ally attack during a phase in which your Hero is not. In this way, a player could attack in each phase of the combat round: in one phase with his Hero, in a second phase with an Ally, and in a third phase with his other Ally.
When an Ally is attacking rather than the Hero, you must use the Ally's relevant attribute value to determine success on your roll. In the same way, if the Ally's attack is successful, his relevant damage value (rather than your Hero's) is applied to the opponent. If the Ally's attack fails, the Ally suffers any wounds or other harmful effects of the Challenge.
When an Ally takes a number of wounds equal to his Life, the Ally is killed. Discard the Ally card face down to the bottom of the market deck.
Example of a Challenge
On his turn, Varikas moves onto a space with a yellow adventure counter. His player draws the top yellow adventure card, revealing the challenge card "Brood of the Bloodmother."
Before Combat: First the challenge card requires that Varikas the Dead make a Before Combat skill test that reads "Test Body Swim (14)". Varikas does not have the Swim skill so he must make the test without receiving any skill bonus. Varikas rolls the dice and receives a result of 6. Adding his Body score of 4 to the roll, his final result is a 10. Since this is lower than the required target number of 14, Varikas fails the test and takes 1 wound as described on the Challenge card.
Varikas decides to activate his item "Padded Leather Armor" to cancel the wound.
It is now Varikas's turn to take Before Combat actions. He decides to use his Item card "Dwarven Fire Bomb" against the Challenge. Varikas has already activated one Item card during the Before Combat step, but since the Dwarven Fire Bomb is discarded, not activated, he is allowed to use it.
Using the Item, Varikas makes a ranged combat roll against the Challenge. To succeed, Varikas must match or exceed the Mind attribute value of the Challenge, which is 15 (remember that the Mind attribute value is the relevant number during ranged combat). Varikas rolls the dice, receiving a result of 11. Adding his ranged combat attribute to the roll, his final result is 12. Since this is short of the target number of 15, Varikas misses, and discards his Dwarven Fire Bomb.
Not satisfied, Varikas decides to use his own ability as another Before Combat action. He places an exhaustion counter on his Hero card (which now has four exhaustion counters), to make a Magic attack against the Challenge. Varikas rolls the dice, receiving a result of 14. Adding his own Magic combat value, the result is 18. As this result beats the Magic combat value of the challenge (which is 14) Varikas succeeds and places a wound token on the Challenge.
Since Varikas has 4 exhaustion tokens on his Hero, he cannot use his special ability again this combat. As he has no other Before Combat actions, the game proceeds to the first combat round.
Escape Phase: The first phase of the combat round is the escape phase. Varikas could now seek to escape the Challenge, but he is confident of success and decides to decline this option and continue with the battle.
Ranged Phase: Varikas must now decide if he wishes to defend or attack the Challenge himself or with his Ally, the "Acolyte of Flame." Since Varikas is weak in the ranged combat attribute, he decides to defend (only the Hero can defend). However, since the Challenge has zero damage potential for ranged combat, it is not necessary for Varikas to roll the dice at all. Even if Varikas does not succeed at defending, the Challenge would not give him any wounds.
Melee Phase: In this phase, Varikas the Dead decides to attack. He rolls a 5, adding his melee combat value of 4, for a total of 9, which is less than the Brood of the Bloodmother's target number of 11. Varikas is unsuccessful, and must now take one wound (corresponding to the damage value of the challenge's Melee combat value).
Magic Phase: Varikas the Dead has already attacked this combat round, so he must either defend or attack with his Ally. Varikas decides to attack with his ally. He rolls a 15, and adds the magic combat value of the Ally to the roll, for a final result of 16. Since this result is higher than the Challenge's Magic combat value (which is 14) the Ally's attack is successful, and another wound token is placed on the challenge. Had the Ally rolled lower than 14, the Ally would have taken 2 wounds, killing the Ally.
New Round: The combat round is now over. Since Varikas has not been knocked out and the Challenge has not been defeated, another combat round begins with the escape phase (there are no more Before Combat actions allowed). Varikas and his Ally need only to give the Challenge one additional wound to kill it.
The Reward: During the new combat round, Varikas is successful in defeating the Challenge. He receives the reward described on the Challenge card, which gives him three gold and allows him to keep the card for a future effect.
Combat Between Heroes
Note that Allies may never defend in combat; only Heroes may defend. Thus, in each phase of a combat round, you may choose to have either your Hero or an Ally attack or to have your Hero defend.
Combat between Heroes is similar to combat against Challenges, with the following exceptions:
- The player whose Hero is being attacked (the defender) performs all his "Before Combat" abilities first, as described earlier in the rules.
- Once the defender has performed all his "Before Combat" abilities, the attacker may perform his "Before Combat" abilities.
- The defender may not try to escape during the escape phase. The attacker may attempt to escape.
- On each combat phase, the defender rolls the dice first and adds the result to his Hero's appropriate attribute. The defender can also add any and all appropriate modifiers to this dice roll, be it by activating or discarding cards. The total modified result is the attacker's target number for the combat phase. Both players are still bound to the activation limit of one card per round of combat.
At the end of each round of combat between Heroes, the attacker becomes the defender and vice versa.
When a Hero is defeated or the attacker escapes, the combat ends and the player's turn is over. If either Hero is defeated, the other Hero wins. The winner may take an Item, Ally, all of the defeated Hero's gold, or an adventure card of his choice from the loser. If the winner takes an Ally card, the Ally retains any and all wound and exhaustion counters it has. The loser then follows the steps described under "Knockouts," earlier in the rules. Neither Hero gains any experience from this combat.
Important: If you end your movement in a space with both an adventure counter and one or more Heroes, you must choose whether you will attempt the adventure or interact with one of the Heroes. You may not attack a Hero and attempt an adventure in the same turn. Also, you may not attack two different Heroes during the same turn.
For a complete and detailed example of Hero vs. Hero combat, see the FFG Web site at www.fantasyflightgames.com.
Skill Tests
Throughout the game, you will be required to make skill tests for your Hero, as instructed by various adventure cards. When an adventure card requires you to make a skill test, it will look like one of the following examples.
Example A: Test Spirit Diplomacy (15)
In this example, you are required to roll the dice, add them together, add your Spirit value, and add your Diplomacy skill bonus. If the total result is equal to or greater than 15, you succeed at the test. If the total result is less than 15, you fail.
Example B: Test Spirit (15)
In this example, there is no applicable skill for the test. You simply roll the dice, add them together, and add your Spirit value to the result. If the total result is equal to or greater than 15, you succeed at the test. If the total result is less than 15, you fail.
Also note that Allies do not have skills, and cannot make skill tests. Only Heroes can make skill tests.
Optional Rules
RUNEBOUND is a very flexible game, and almost every player has his favorite variant rules. Here are some of ours.
Variant: The Doom Track (Recommended)
The row of market stacks along the edge of the board serves a second purpose: It is also the doom track. Over the course of the game, adventure cards are placed next to the board along this track, representing how the world grows more dangerous over time. When a certain number of adventure cards have been placed on the doom track, a doom counter is placed on the track, as detailed below. When eight doom counters have been placed on the track, the normal game ends, and the Endgame begins.
Setting up the Doom Track
At the beginning of the game, take the top card from the green adventure deck. Without looking at or revealing it, place it face down next to the board adjacent to the Vynelvale market stack.
Adding Cards to the Doom Track
During play, whenever an adventure card is discarded (if a Challenge is defeated, for example) it is not removed from the game. Instead, it is placed face down on the doom track in the next available space. That is, since there is already a card in the Vynelvale space, the first discarded adventure card will go "above" that space in the Riverwatch space, the second in the Dawnsmoor space, and so on.
Remember, adventure cards are discarded not only when Challenges are defeated, but at other times as well: after encounters are resolved, for example, or when events are drawn that cannot be played, or when players use a card they have been holding.
Adding a Doom Counter
When a certain number of cards have been placed on the doom track, a doom counter is placed on the doom track. The number of cards is determined by the number of players, as detailed below:
| No. of Players | No. of Cards to Trigger a Doom Counter |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 4 |
| 3 | 6 |
| 4–6 | 8 |
To add a doom counter, follow these directions:
- Take the last adventure card to be placed on the doom track (that is, the fourth card in a two-player game, the sixth card in a three-player game, or the eighth card in a 4-6 player game) and place it in the first space on the doom track (next to Vynelvale).
- Remove all other adventure cards from the doom track and place them in their respective discard piles (green adventure in the green pile, yellow adventure in the yellow pile, etc.).
- Place a doom counter on the town heraldry of the first available market stack on the doom track. Thus, you will place the first doom counter of the game on the town heraldry for Vynelvale. Your second doom counter will go on Riverwatch, your third on Dawnsmoor, and so on.
When a doom counter is placed on the last space on the doom track, (that is, Frostgate) the normal game ends and the Endgame begins.
The Endgame
Margath and the Dragon Lords have risen, and are setting out to destroy all those who would oppose them—starting with the Heroes! The time for adventures is over. Now it comes down to this, the final confrontation between good and evil.
To prepare for the Endgame, take the red adventure deck and do the following:
- Remove all Event and Encounter cards from the red deck.
- If there are any red Challenges on the undefeated challenge track, remove them from the track and put them back into the red deck. Players keep any red Challenges they have defeated previously.
- Shuffle the red deck.
- Determine the level of each player's Hero. (A Hero's level is equal to one plus its total number of experience counters.)
The player with the highest level Hero is first to undertake the Endgame confrontation (detailed below), followed by the player with the second highest level Hero, and so on until a winner is established. If two or more players are tied for level the player with the most gold goes first. If there is still a tie, determine the order randomly.
Endgame Confrontation
When it is your turn to undertake the Endgame confrontation, you must draw the top Challenge card from the red deck. Reveal it, then resolve it as if it were a normal Challenge with one major exception: you cannot escape this Challenge!
Note that during your turn in the Endgame, there is no refresh or movement step. Any abilities that happen "before" or "after" moving cannot be used, because you are not moving.
What happens next is determined by whether your defeat or fail the Challenge:
- If you defeat the Challenge, and the Challenge is "High Lord Margath," you win the game.
- If you defeat the Challenge, and the Challenge is not "High Lord Margath," take the Challenge card as normal. If you now have three red Challenge cards in your inventory, you win the game. If not, then draw and resolve a new Challenge card from the red deck. You must continue resolving new Challenges until you either win or are eliminated from the Endgame.
- If you fail a Challenge you are eliminated from the Endgame, and the Challenge is shuffled back into the red deck. You do not lose your gold or experience counters for being knocked out.
When you are eliminated from the Endgame, play passes to the player with the next-highest level Hero. In this fashion, play passes from the most-powerful player to the least-powerful player until either someone wins the game or all players have been eliminated from the Endgame.
If all players are eliminated from the Endgame, the player who has the most red Challenge cards in his inventory wins the game. If two or more players are tied, the player with the highest-level Hero wins. If even this is tied, the player with the most gold wins.
This is an example of the first doom counter being added in a three-player game. Because it's the first doom counter of the game, it is placed on the first space (Vynelvale). Because there are three players, the counter is placed when the sixth card is added to the doom track.
Variant: Travel Hazards (Recommended)
These rules allow Heroes to come across monsters in the wild and other random dangers during their movement.
Rolling for Hazards
If you end your movement in a non-town space without an adventure counter, undefeated challenge counter, or another Hero, you must roll two movement dice to check for travel hazards.
If the dice show one or more terrain symbols that match the terrain of the space you are in, you do not encounter a travel hazard.
If the dice do not show any terrain symbols that match the terrain of the space you are in, you immediately encounter a travel hazard. You must now determine the hazard color (detailed below).
Example: John ends his movement in a forest space and rolls 2 movement dice. The dice show no forest symbols, so he encounters a travel hazard. If the dice had shown even a single forest symbol, he would not encounter a travel hazard.
Strategy Tip: Note that you are far more likely to encounter a travel hazard in a mountain, forest, or swamp space than you are in a plains, road, or river space.
Timing Note: Rolling for hazards is always the last thing you do after moving. If you have any cards to play or abilities to use "after moving," be sure to do so before rolling for hazards.
Determine Hazard Color
If you are using the Doom Track
If you encounter a travel hazard, you must roll the two movement dice again. This time, count the number of symbols showing. (It doesn't matter which symbols are showing; all that matters is the number of symbols.) This is your hazard number.
Now look at the doom track. Starting at the bottom of the track (the Vynelvale space), count upwards a number of spaces equal to your hazard number, and note the color of the adventure card in that position. If your hazard number is four, for example, you will look at the fourth space of the doom track, which is the Vynelvale space.
Example: John rolls the two movement dice again. They show six symbols, so John looks at the sixth card on the doom track (next to the Nerekhal space). He notes that it is a yellow adventure card.
If your hazard number is greater than the number of cards on the doom track, you must "loop around" in your counting, starting over at the first card. For example, if there are three cards on the track, and your hazard number is five, you must look at the card in the second space.
If you are not using the Doom Track
Roll the ten-sided dice and use the following table:
| Dice Roll | Challenge Color |
|---|---|
| 2–6 | Green |
| 7–15 | Yellow |
| 16–20 | Blue |
Resolve Hazard
After determining the color of your hazard, draw an adventure card of that color. Reveal this card to the other players, and resolve it as you would a normal adventure card, with the following exceptions:
- One Card Only: If you draw an Encounter or Event, resolve it normally, then end your turn. You do not draw another card.
- No Before Combat: You do not resolve any "Before Combat" text the adventure might have, and you may not use the "Before Combat" abilities of your Hero, Allies, Items, or other cards.
- No Escape: The escape phase is skipped during each round of combat.
- No Reward: If you defeat the adventure, you do not receive the reward listed on the card.
- Experience: You do, however, receive the usual experience points for defeating the adventure if it is a Challenge card. Instead of taking an adventure counter from the board, however, take it from the central counter pile, making change as necessary. If there is no counter of the appropriate color, take the appropriate value of counters (for example, three green adventure counters instead of one blue one). If there are still not enough adventure counters in the pile for you to take what you need, you do not get any experience points for defeating the Challenge.
- Failure: If the adventure is a Challenge and you fail it, the card is discarded or placed on the doom track, as appropriate. The card is not placed on the undefeated challenge track. If you were knocked out, follow the steps described under "Knockouts," earlier in the rules.
Notes, Terms, and Definitions
Attack Roll: The term "attack roll" refers to a combat roll made when attacking, not defending.
Cancel: Many cards "cancel" wounds. This happens immediately; the wound is not inflicted. You may not cancel a wound after it has been inflicted (such as later that turn, or during a later turn).
Combat Roll: The term "combat roll" refers to any combat roll made, whether attacking or defending.
Dice: Any text that mentions "dice" refers to the two 10-sided dice unless it specifically states "movement dice."
Success/Failure: If card text does not specify what happens if you succeed or fail at a given test, assume that nothing happens. Discard the card and continue playing as normal.
You: When a card refers to "you," it means your Hero. For example, if a card text says you must make a skill test, it means your Hero must do so. In rare occasions "you" may refer to the player, but this is clearly indicated when so.
Your Enemy: When a card refers to "your enemy," it means anyone you are currently in combat against. This is usually a Challenge, but it could just as easily be another Hero or an enemy created by an Encounter or Event.
Variant: Softer Knockouts
Follow the standard Knockout rules, but do not discard any Item or Ally cards.
Variant: Item Limits
Instead of being limited to two weapons and one armor, you are now limited to having only one item of each class and type.
Example: Varikas the Dead has the Lighting Mace. This item is a Weapon (class) Mace (type). He could buy the White Blade (Weapon: Sword), but not the Dragontooth Hammer, another mace-type weapon.
Variant: Ally Limits
Instead of being limited to only two Allies, you can have as many Allies as you want. However, at the beginning of your Market step, before you take any other actions, you must pay one gold to the bank per Ally. You must immediately discard any Ally that you do not pay for.
Variant: Shorter Runebound
If you feel your RUNEBOUND games are too long, use the following table when purchasing experience counters:
| No. of Players | Exp. Points for 1 Exp. Counter |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | 4 |
| 3–4 | 3 |
| 5–6 | 2 |
Variant: Longer Runebound
If you feel your RUNEBOUND games are too short, use the following table when buying experience counters:
| No. of Players | Exp. Points for 1 Exp. Counter |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | 6 |
| 3–4 | 5 |
| 5–6 | 4 |
Credits
Game Design: Martin Wallace and Darrell Hardy Development: Darrell Hardy and Kevin Wilson Advanced Runebound Development: Christian T. Petersen, John Goodenough, and Darrell Hardy Second Edition Development: Alfredo Lorente Editing: Kevin Wilson, Robert Vaughn, Greg Benage, Christian T. Petersen Graphic Design: Scott Nicely Cover Art: Jesper Ejsing Board Art: Kurt Miller Card Art: Hian Rodriguez, Andy Brase, Kieran Yanner, Lou Frank, John Goodenough, John Moriarty, Ben Prenevost, Kevin Senft, and Jesper Ejsing Executive Developer: Greg Benage Publisher: Christian T. Petersen Special Thanks: Eric Lang Playtesting, First Edition: Donna Brandt, John Goodenough, Brian Gaylord, Wade Trupke, Emily Vernon, and the FFG staff Playtesting, Second Edition: David Gutierrez, Maria Enderton, Patrick Leder, Dominic Ackerman, John Goodenough, Chris Maier, and the FFG staff
RUNEBOUND is a trademark of Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc. Copyright ©2004, 2005 Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this product may be reproduced without specific permission from the publisher.
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