Scales of Fate
Scales of Fate Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 game board
- 18 demigod cards
- 9 Age cards
- 2 guide cards
- 2 score pads
- 2 pencils
- 7 action tiles
- 12 quest tokens
- 1 Abyss marker
- 9 renown markers
- 3 god power tokens
- 9 demigod markers
- 4 Servant tokens
- 1 first player marker
- 1 rulebook
Setup
A. Place the board between both players.
B. Place the Abyss marker on the middle circular slot above the Abyss.
C. Sort the Age cards into 3 decks, according to their backs, and shuffle each deck separately. Draw an Age 1 card and place it on the board.
D. Randomize the quest tokens and put them into 2 face-down piles, according to their backs. Red quest backs signify special quests.
E. Place all renown markers on the "7" spot on the renown track.
F. Place all the demigod markers next to the board. Do the same with the Servant tokens and the 3 god power tokens.
G. Shuffle both demigod decks (one for each player). Deal 2 cards to each player from their deck. Keep these hidden from the other player.
H. Give each player a score pad and a pencil.
I. Choose a starting player randomly and give them the first player marker.
J. Place quest tokens on the board randomly, as shown on the current Age card (see below for card and token explanations), with 8 regular quests and 1 special quest. Once placed, flip them over to their face-up side.
K. Place action tiles on the board, as shown on the Age 1 card. Set the unused ones to the side.
Age Card Details
A. Age Card Criteria — At the end of an Age, players announce if any of their demigods fit this criteria with a "yes" or "no."
B. Special Quest Icon — Indicates where to place quests with red backs.
C. Action Tiles — Indicates where to place action tiles on the board.
D. Abyss Modifier — Determines 1 of 2 outcomes for demigods in the Abyss.
Quest Token Details
A. Quest Type Detail — Circles (regular quest) and triangles (special quest) that signify quest type.
B. Scorpion and Feather Symbols — Targets for each Servant (see Servants). Penance targets scorpion quests (dark). Vesper targets feather quests (light). Hadria's Servants target quests they directly touch.
C. Renown Icons — Signifies a renown loss (sickle) or gain (omega) for demigods targeted by Servants.
Age Overview
Scales of Fate unfolds over 3 Ages. During each Age, players will strategically place demigods onto available action tiles.
Placing demigods allows players to send other demigods to the Abyss, assign the Abyss's end-of-Age result, or gain valuable Servant tokens. Each placement also positions a demigod adjacent to 2 different quest tokens, creating opportunities for Servants to send them up or down the renown track.
The Age ends when all action tiles have been filled and all Servants have been placed.
Gameplay
On Your Turn
Take 1 of the following actions:
A. Place a Demigod — Select any demigod off the board, and place it on any open action tile. Immediately take that action.
B. Place a Servant — This action is only available if you have gained a Servant from a previous turn this Age. Place your Servant token on any open slot along the outer edge of the quests and immediately score the demigod(s) targeted by that Servant.
C. Use a God Power — Take any of the 3 available god power tokens and immediately perform its action.
D. Pass — If all action tiles are covered by demigods and you have no Servants to place, you may pass. If you pass, you may not take any other actions other than using a god power until the next Age. On the following turns for this Age, you may use remaining god powers or pass again until the end of the Age.
Actions
There are 5 different action types:
I. Smite — Take any demigod that hasn't yet been placed on the board and place them directly in the Abyss. If all demigods have been placed, you may not take this action.
II. Abyss Fate — Move the Abyss marker either left or right, deciding the fate of everyone in the Abyss at the end of the Age.
III. Penance Servant — Take the Penance token and place it front of you, to be used on a future turn this Age.
IV. Vesper Servant — Take the Vesper token and place it front of you, to be used on a future turn this Age.
V. Hadria's Servants — Take 1 of the Hadria's Servant tokens and place it front of you, to be used on a future turn this Age.
Servants
Placing Servants is the primary way to influence a demigod's renown. When performing the Servant action, you'll take a Servant token (that you have collected earlier in the Age) and place it on an available space along the outer edge of the quests. Once placed, you'll evaluate and score quest tokens affected by that Servant, as outlined below:
Penance — This Servant targets all scorpion (dark) quests in the row or column it is placed beside. Any demigods adjacent these quests will gain or lose renown based on the values displayed on the quests. A single demigod can be affected by multiple quests simultaneously.
Vesper — This Servant targets all feather (light) quests in the row or column it is placed beside. Any demigods adjacent to these quests will gain or lose renown based on the values displayed on the quests. A single demigod can be affected by multiple quests simultaneously.
Hadria's Servants — These Servants affect only the quest they directly touch, whether dark or light. Any demigods connected to that quest will gain or lose renown based on the value displayed on the quest.
Renown Limits — Demigods cannot have more than 14 renown or less than 0 renown. For example, if a demigod at 14 renown is set to gain 3 renown and lose 1, they would stay at 14.
God Powers
There are 3 god powers available at the start of the game:
Smite — Send any demigod to the Abyss. This works in a similar fashion to the Smite action outlined earlier, with one key exception. The Smite god power can send any demigod to the Abyss, including those already placed on an action tile. If a demigod is sent to the Abyss this way, flip their action tile over. While you may place a new demigod here on a future turn, you cannot use that action.
Switch — Switch the position of any 2 demigods. These can be from anywhere: off the board, on an action tile, or in the Abyss.
Steal — Take an unused Servant token from your opponent and place it in front of you. You can now use it on a future turn this Age.
God Power Penalty — When you use a god power, take the token and flip it face down in front of you. It is no longer available for the rest of the game. These are powerful tools but they do come at a cost. First, they take up a valuable turn. Second, each god power used will give a -1 score penalty at the end of the game to the player who used it.
Ending an Age
The end of an Age triggers when all action tiles have been filled and all Servants have been placed. It is possible that 1 person will perform multiple actions in a row. But the other player will have the opportunity to play a god power in between those actions, if any are available.
When the Age ends, perform the following steps, in order:
A. Score the demigods in the Abyss, according to the Abyss marker, by gaining or losing renown.
B. Both players announce if any of their assigned demigods fit the criteria on the top of the current Age card with a "yes" or "no." (For example, Demis at 4 to 6 renown.)
This will give you clues as to who your opponent's demigods might be. Getting this right at the end of the game will score you points. You'll want to keep track of this information on your score pad while playing.
Starting a New Age
To set up the next age, do the following:
A. Discard the current Age card and replace it with 1 from the next Age.
B. Reset the Abyss marker.
C. Remove all action tiles, Servant tokens, and demigods from the board.
D. Discard the current special quest token (red back). Draw a new special quest and place it on the space indicated on the new Age card. If doing so displaces a regular quest, place it on the open slot occupied by the previous special quest.
E. Place the new action tiles, as shown on the new Age card.
F. Pass the first player marker.
You are now ready to begin the next Age!
End of the Game
The end of the game triggers once you have completed Age 3, including the Abyss scoring and announcing if any of your demigods fit the criteria shown on the Age 3 card ("yes" or "no").
Final Guess and Reveal
Check 2 boxes at the bottom of your score pad to indicate the 2 demigods your opponent drew at the beginning of the game. Both players reveal their guesses, and then they reveal their demigod cards.
End Game Scoring
Score points based on the following:
I. Demigods
For example: two demigods worth 5 and 7 renown score 2 points (the difference between them); two demigods that both occupy 6 renown score 6 points (the renown of the shared space).
If they are on different spaces on the renown track: Score the difference in the renown of the spaces they occupy.
If they are on the same space on the renown track: Score the renown of the space they occupy.
II. Final Guess
Score a number of points based on how many demis guessed: 2 correct = 3 points, 1 correct = 0 points, 0 correct = -1 point.
III. God Power Penalty
Lose a point for every god power you have used.
Declaring the Winner
The player with the most points wins the game! If there is a tie, the winner is the player who guessed the most demigods correctly. If the tie remains, the player who used the fewest god powers is the winner. Finally, if there is still a tie, the winner is the player with the 1st player marker.
Credits
Production — Samuel Cowden, Kirk Dennison, Dane Baudoin
Game Design — Zac Dixon, Maxwell Anderson, Austin Harrison
Graphic Design — Dane Baudoin, Alright Studio, Mind Prizm
Editor — Dr. Liz Miller
IV Studio — Zac Dixon, Samuel Cowden, Austin Harrison, Maxwell Anderson, Lilly Quach, Dane Baudoin, Pauline Comar, Kirk Dennison
Art Direction — Zac Dixon
Illustration — Harry Conway
Lead Playtester — Zach Storme McCollough
Playtesters — Adam "Deusald" Orlinski, Adrian Parente, Albert "Drakonno" Mełges, Ben "Contra" Cyphers, Ben Cuff, Ben Guan-Kennedy, Bobby Essler, Brady Larsen, Brian K., Brian Schival, Charlie Boritzki, Cozco, Dan Roberts, Drew Tschetter, Elijah D. Lovan, Ilia Silantev, Isaac Kandel, James C., Jeff "Scuzzy19" Fuentes, JP Baker, Kriptiko, Mandar Asabe, Mason Hughes, Matt Weist, Matthew LeHew, McCall M., Megan Maverick, Moonbrin, Nicholas Klusener, Nicolas Perez-Lozana Alonso, Ricky Fairhurst (rikysongsu), Robert Perry, Sadie Kunze, Sean Hewison, Zane George, ZygiJables
Community Pack Designers Vol. 1 — Albert Ukrainskiy, Ben "Contra" Cyphers, Brewq, Brian Buffington, Brian Van Buskirk, James Bywater, Jesse Zhao, John Bosico, Mason Hughes, Mistah Tibbs, Natasha Eley, Nicholas Hale (Vurtiko), Nicolas Perez-Lozana Alonso, Niklas Kalmkvist, Robin Blair Smith, RM Rook, Ryan Hull, Ryan H, SuddenlySutton, and Victor Kalil