Spire's End: Rangitaki
Spire's End: Rangitaki Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Let's Begin!
- Navigation
- Components
- Setup
- Talent Points
- Physical & Mental Challenges
- Satchel Items Card & Item Inventory
- Health Dice
- Action Points & Spending Them on Story Cards
- Healing
- Influence with Action Points
- Perfect Roll Bonus
- Natural One & Action Points
- Encounters
- Rounds, Turns, & Actions
- Attack Actions
- Augment Actions
- Skill & Movement Actions
- Upkeep, Traits, & Reset
- Traits & Effects
- Enemy Card Anatomy
- Terrain Card Anatomy
- Enemy Turns & Behavior
- Playfield Rules
- Scenario: Encounter, Round One
- Checkpoints
- Two-Player Option
- Sunken Pearl Instructions
- Drink Challenges
Let's Begin!
Your adventure starts on Card 1, Chapter 1. You move through the game like a book, but instead of pages, the narrative is told through a stack of cards. Flip them over, make exciting and often challenging choices, and let the story unfold.
The story cards are in numerical order.
Tip: Keeping the Chapter Decks separate and playing the game one chapter at a time is recommended. There are a lot of cards, and it's easier to manage.
Navigation
Before your journey begins, familiarize yourself with these important keywords.
Reveal: Advance to the following indicated card number.
Pull: Draw a card out of sequence without advancing from the current Story Card. Once you have finished with the pulled card, return to the previous Story Card and continue from the navigation prompts.
Discard: Remove a card from the game entirely. This card will not be used again.
Be Warned: Once you have begun, do not look at any cards you are not instructed to see. Exploring alternate timelines can contaminate the mind, causing you to slip into a numb, vacant state of consciousness in the eternal plains, from which you may never return.
Components
Story Cards x 301 • 6 Sided Dice x 6 • 20 Sided Dice x 3 • 12 Sided Die x 1 • Discs x 40 (Orange/Blue/Black/Gold) • Marker Cubes x 20 (Orange) • Gameboard x 1
Setup
For setup, gather the following items: Chapter 1 Story Deck, Gameboard, 3 Health Dice, 1 D12, 3 D20's, and 7 Action Point Discs (Gold).
Next, remove all the unnumbered cards at the bottom of the Chapter 1 Story Deck and keep them in separate stacks. For Chapter 1, this includes the Enemy Deck, Terrain Deck, and some Severed Head Cards. Remember to remove all unnumbered cards at the start of each Chapter.
Finally, place the 7 Action Point Discs and 3 Health Dice below the Gameboard.
You will be asked to Reveal Cards 83, 84, & 85, on the first Story Card. Cards 84 and 85 will keep track of various points, events, and items. Card 83 is the Rangitaki Character Card for use on the playfield.
The playfield area includes: Talents Card (Event Inventory), Satchel Items Card (Item Inventory), and the Rangitaki Playfield Character.
Talent Points
Rangitaki's ability to handle Mental, Physical, and Critical aspects of the game is measured by her Talent Points. These points are utilized to modify dice roll results during Challenges and Critical Hit Rolls.
When you are rewarded with a Talent Point, you will add an Action Point Disc to the appropriate spot (Physical, Mental, or Critical Hit) on the Talents Card.
Talents Card & Event Inventory
Physical Points Disc Space: To keep track of your Physical Points, stack ORANGE Discs here. Your Physical Points will increase your chance of success in Physical Challenges.
Mental Points Disc Space: To keep track of your Mental Points, stack BLUE Discs here. Your Mental Points will increase your chance of success in Mental Challenges.
Critical Hit Points Disc Space: To keep track of your Critical Hit Points, stack BLACK Discs here. Your Critical Hit Points will increase your chance of success on Critical Hits on your Attacks during encounters.
Please Note: You may hold up to 5 points in each category.
Event Inventory: Story Cards often trigger Events that may play a role later. You can identify Event Cards by the light blue tab at the bottom of a card, which bears the event name.
When instructed, place these Events under the Talents Card with the Event Tab showing underneath to keep organized.
Physical & Mental Challenges
Whenever you are faced with a Challenge, it will be indicated by a hexagon with a number inside of it. Challenges can appear anywhere in the game, such as on Story Cards, Enemy Cards, or Terrain Cards. The number inside the hexagon represents the Challenge Level. They are color-coded according to the Challenge type: Physical (Orange), Mental (Blue), Critical (Black). You have three 20-sided Dice: The Orange, Blue, and Black are to be used with the associated Challenge colors.
Roll 1D20. If the result is equal to or higher than the Challenge Level, you have succeeded in that Challenge.
Example: Physical Challenge 10 — Succeed: Reveal Card 100. Fail: Reveal Card 101.
The black 20-sided die will primarily be used for attacks during encounters, determining Crit/Miss rolls.
Influence with Talent Points
Influence: Anytime you modify a roll result with Talent Points or Action Points. If you have any Talent Points of the same type as the current challenge you face, they will Influence the result. Add these Talent Points to your roll to increase your chance of success.
Challenge Points can be used to Influence any rolls in the game with the associated Challenge Type.
For Example: If you roll a 9 for the Physical Challenge (see example above) and you have a Physical Point of 1, you would add 1 to your result of 9. Now you have the 10 needed to be successful on this challenge.
Since you succeeded in this Challenge, you would reveal Card 100. Had you failed, you would reveal Card 101.
Please Note: Your Talent Points are NOT spent or lost when you apply them to roll results. They are permanent once earned. Try and uncover ways to gain more Talent Points to better modify Challenge Rolls.
Also Note: Sometimes, a Challenge may only have a 'success' or 'fail' result specified. If the other result is not listed, it means that nothing happens for that particular result.
Satchel Items Card & Item Inventory
On the Satchel Items Card, you can acquire and track three common items: Breadfruit, Uku, and Abehjerne. These items can be consumed at any time during the game to heal. You may hold up to 5 Breadfruit, 4 Uku, and 3 Abehjerne.
Breadfruit: Heals 1 Wound. Uku: Gain 1 Action Point. Abehjerne: Heals 3 Wounds.
Breadfruit Disc Space: To keep track of Breadfruit, stack GOLD Discs here. Uku Disc Space: To keep track of Uku, stack GOLD Discs here. Abehjerne Disc Space: To keep track of Abehjerne, stack GOLD Discs here.
Item Inventory: Additional Items can be uncovered during the game. You can identify Item Cards by the dark blue tab at the bottom of a card, which bears the item name.
When instructed, place these Items under the Satchel Items Card with the Item Tab showing underneath.
Health Dice
Managing Rangitaki's health is crucial for your game's progression. At the start, Rangitaki can sustain up to 8 wounds. If you are wounded a 9th time, the game is over.
You have 3 Health Dice to keep track of wounds. Each Health Die counts 3 wounds before you move on to the next one.
Health Dice sides indicate how many wounds the Health Die can sustain: Full Health, 1 Wound, 2 Wounds, 3 Wounds.
Health Dice Setup
At the start of the game, all three Health Dice show 3, indicating full health.
Health Dice Examples
If Rangitaki is wounded, you will subtract the wounds on the Health Die furthest to the right until that Die is empty, then continue to the one on its left. Once all the Health Dice are at 0, the game is over.
For the first wound, turn the rightmost Health Die from its Full Health face down one face to its "1 Wound" face. For the second wound, turn it down again to its "2 Wounds" face. For the third wound, turn it to its "3 Wounds" (empty) face — at that point the die is spent and further wounds are tracked on the next Health Die to its left.
Action Points & Spending Them on Story Cards
You have four main ways to interact in the game:
- Navigational and Story Choices
- Challenges
- Inventory Items and Events
- Action Points
Action Points are the primary currency spent in the game, so managing them carefully is essential. Unlike Talent Points, you must spend Action Points to perform all your actions inside and outside of encounters. On Story Cards you can spend Action Points to Heal, Influence rolls, and perform Bonus Activities.
Here are the key points to remember about Action Points:
- You start the game with 7 Action Points.
- Action Points will reset to 7 after each round of an encounter and when each encounter ends.
- Action Points do not reset at the start of encounters. The amount you have at the beginning is what you will use for your first turn.
- As you progress through the game, your Action Point reset number will increase from 7.
- There is no limit to the number of Action Points you can acquire between encounters for use on your first turn in the next encounter.
Action Points & Disc Usage
Gold Discs: Use these to track your Action Points. When an Action Point is used, flip the Gold Disc to the side marked with an 'X' or move it to a designated spent area.
Black Discs: The Black Discs also have an 'X' side.
- Blank Side: Use this side to monitor Critical Hit Points on the Talents Card.
- 'X' Side: Place the 'X' side of a Black Disc onto the playfield to indicate blocked spaces when instructed.
Healing
Whenever your health is low outside of encounters, you can spend Action Points to heal immediately. Each Action Point spent heals 1 Wound.
Influence with Action Points
If you're at a disadvantage on a Challenge or Crit/Miss Roll due to a lack of Talent Points, you can improve your chances by spending Action Points. Each Action Point spent temporarily increases your roll result for any Physical Challenge, Mental Challenge, Crit/Miss Roll, or Roll Chart.
Unless specified, any roll made in the game can be influenced by Action Points if you so choose.
For Example: If the Challenge you are facing has a Physical Level of 20, and you currently have no Physical Challenge Points, you would need to roll a 20 for success. Those are not good odds.
Example: Physical Challenge 20 — Succeed: Reveal Card 200. Fail: Reveal Card 201.
For example, if you roll a 15 and the challenge level is 20, you can spend 5 Action Points to add +5 to your roll, bringing your total to 20. This adjustment only applies to the current Challenge or Critical Hit. The Action Points are expended, and your Talent Points remain unchanged.
Perfect Roll Bonus
Whenever you roll a 20, it is known as a 'Perfect Roll.' Pay attention to Challenges that offer rewards for achieving a Perfect Roll.
Note: Perfect Rolls CANNOT be achieved by influencing the roll!
Natural One & Action Points
Whenever you roll a 1, it's referred to as a 'Natural 1.' You CANNOT use Action Points or Talent Points to Influence this roll. Rolling a 1 is considered a miss or a fail during encounters and challenges.
Note: Natural 1 Rolls CANNOT be influenced!
Encounters
You will encounter a range of situations that will transition you from the Story Deck onto the Playfield.
The Story Cards will provide instructions on these encounters, including: Duration, Character Placement, Terrain Placement, and any Special Rules.
Encounter Philosophy: Your aim isn't necessarily to defeat all the enemies on the playfield. Instead, your goal is to minimize damage over a set number of rounds by strategically defeating or managing specific enemies and interacting with objects to gain advantages until the rounds are complete.
Playfield Setup
The Playfield consists of 5 columns and 3 rows. 15 spaces total.
The Playfield Placement Diagram uses: Black spaces to indicate a potential Enemy starting space; spaces marked X where Enemies and Terrain can't start; a Duration value for how many rounds the encounter will last; and a Black Disc (not shown on the diagram) to indicate an impassable space that cannot be traversed or occupied.
For example, on Card 11 in the Story Deck — the instructions for the first encounter — the Playfield Placement Diagram highlights Space 3 for placing the Rangitaki Character Card (indicated by the R in blue), and Space 8, in orange, for the primary adversary, Card 12. You are then instructed to Pull 2 Cards from the Enemy Deck and roll the D12 for placement.
Character Placement
Characters and Terrain can be placed on the playfield in three ways: on a specific numbered space, by rolling the D12 die, or by using the 50/50 Rule.
When instructed to roll the D12 for a starting location, roll the 12-sided die and place the Character or Terrain on the corresponding numbered space.
If that space is occupied, place the Character or Terrain on the nearest available space closest to Rangitaki. If there are multiple options, use the 50/50 Rule.
Funky D12: Numbers 2-4 are missing on this die! Normally, you will not place random enemies or terrain on these spaces. Space 3 is usually Rangitaki's starting space.
Enemy Placement Example: You roll the D12 and get a 6, so place Enemy 1 on space 6. You roll the D12 again for Enemy 2, and get another 6. Since space 6 is already occupied, place the Enemy on the nearest available space closest to Rangitaki. In this example, the available spaces are space 1 and space 7. Apply the 50/50 Rule to determine which space to use. Assign space 1 as 'odd' and space 7 as 'even.' Roll a D20. You roll a 14 (an even number). Place the Enemy in space 7, as it was assigned as 'even.'
Rounds, Turns, & Actions
Rounds
An encounter occurs in a set amount of Rounds which consist of: Turns, Actions, Upkeep, and Reset.
Round: A complete cycle of the player's & enemy's turns.
Turns
At the beginning of an encounter, you will always take your turn first, and it consists of a single phase in which you spend Action Points to do Actions.
Turn: Each time you spend Action Points to execute Actions, or each time an Enemy completes their Actions.
You can use as many Action Points as you want for various actions, as long as you have enough points for each Action. Your Turn ends either when you run out of points or choose to stop making actions. Here are the key points to remember on your Turn:
- Your Turn always comes first in the sequence of play.
- You can choose how many Action Points to spend during your Turn.
- Unused Action Points do not carry over to the next Turn.
- At the end of each round, Action Points reset to 7, or to your current Action Point Reset Number.
- After an encounter ends, Action Points also reset to 7, or to your current Action Point Reset Number.
- There is no limit to the number of Action Points you can acquire during your Turn.
- You can earn additional Action Points during your turn, allowing for a Turn Chain, which extends your Turn.
Turn Chains
Defeating Enemies and succeeding in challenges during encounters can earn you bonus Action Points. If these are awarded during your turn, they are immediately available to spend, and you can use them to gain even more bonus points, chaining your turn with more Actions.
Actions
There are 4 basic types of Actions: Attacks, Augments, Skills, and Movement.
Attack Actions
Rangitaki's primary weapon is a Blow Gun, which enables both close and ranged attacks. Shortly after the game begins, you will pull 1 of 2 Encounter Action Cards with your available Actions.
On either card, your standard attack is the Dart Shot. Below is a look at how the attack information is organized.
Attack: Dart Shot — Cost: 3, Damage: 1, Targets: 1, Crit/Miss: Y
Cost for Attack: The amount of Action Points the attack costs. Dart Shot costs 3 Action Points.
Damage from Attack: The number of wounds this attack will do. Dart Shot inflicts 1 wound.
Number of Targets from Attack: Indicates the number of Targets that can be wounded. Dart Shot hits 1 Target.
Crit/Miss Roll: Indicates if you need to execute a Critical/Miss roll for this Action. Dart Shot does.
Crit/Miss Roll - Critical Hits & Misses
When you decide to attack a Target, you must execute a Crit/Miss Roll to determine if the attack Hits, Critically Hits, or Misses. A Critical Hit inflicts one additional wound on the Target. Most characters have specific CRIT/MISS numbers associated with them, which determine the outcome of their attacks.
Example: Crit Number 20/5 Miss Number.
For every attack made by Rangitaki or the enemy (unless specified otherwise), roll the Black D20 for the Crit/Miss Roll. If the result is equal to or higher than the character's Crit number (20 in the example), the attack is considered a Critical Hit, causing one additional wound.
If the result falls between the Crit Number and the Miss Number, the attack hits and inflicts the standard number of wounds on the Target.
If the result is equal to or lower than the character's Miss number (5 in the example), the attack is considered a Miss, and no wounds are inflicted.
Note: Crit/Miss Rolls aren't exclusive to attacks; other actions may also require them, as indicated on the Action Bar.
Augment Actions
When used wisely, Augments are a great way to gain an advantage during encounters. Augments are added to Dart Attacks for additional effects. Depending on which Action Card you receive, your first Augment will be either Stun or Poison.
Stun Augment: Your chosen Target can't move for 1 Round (they can still attack).
Augment: Stun — Cost: 2, Damage: 0, Crit/Miss: N
Poison Augment: Adds 1 wound to a Target at the end of the current round.
Augment: Poison — Cost: 2, Damage: 1, Crit/Miss: N
Cost for Augment: The number of Action Points the augment costs to add it to a Dart Shot. Stun & Poison both cost 2 Action Points. Only 1 Augment can be used at a time.
Damage from Augment: The number of wounds this attack will do. Stun does not wound a Target. Poison adds 1 additional wound to a Target at the end of the current round.
Example: To add Poison to a Dart Shot, you would first need to spend 3 Action Points for a Dart Shot. Then, add an additional 2 Action Points for the Poison Augment, a total of 5. Your chosen Target would immediately take 1 wound from the Dart Shot, and then another wound at the end of the Round due to the Poison Augment. However, if you miss on a Dart Shot that is augmented, both the Dart Shot and the Augment have no effect on that Attack.
Crit/Miss Roll: If an augment requires an additional Crit/Miss Roll, it will be indicated here with a 'Y' for Yes, or 'N' for No. Neither Stun nor Poison require an additional Crit/Miss Roll. However, the Split augment does.
Augment: Split — Cost: 2, Damage: 1*, Targets: 2, Crit/Miss: Y
Since the Split augment can potentially attack 2 Targets, a Crit/Miss Roll must be executed to see if they both hit, instead of the single roll for a standard Dart Attack. This is signified by the 'Y' in the Crit/Miss section of the Action Bar. Unfortunately, Split attacks cannot Critically Hit, you are only rolling to see if it hits or misses.
Poison Augmentation Action Points Rule: Any Action Points earned from a poison-induced defeat are lost because it occurs at the end of a round. You can't spend them on the current round since it is now over, nor can you keep them for the next round. Action Points always reset.
New Actions can be discovered, similar to Events and Item Cards. When you come across new Actions, you can place them under the Encounter Action Card with the details bar and yellow tab positioned below the Action Inventory Tab.
Skill & Movement Actions
Skills
Lob Skill: Use the Lob Skill to shoot a Dart Shot over one Target to hit another Target.
Skill: Lob — Cost: 1, Effect: Dart Shot over line of sight, Crit/Miss: N
Dodge Skill: Use the Dodge Skill to reduce the wounds inflicted. Every 2 Action Points you spend can potentially negate 1 wound.
Dodge Crit/Miss Roll: Each Dodge requires a Crit/Miss Roll when attacked to determine if that wound is dodged. If the Crit/Miss Roll misses, the wound is not dodged.
Important: Dodge is a preemptive skill that can only be executed during your turn to anticipate wounds or an enemy attack. Suggestion: Place the 2 spent Action Point Discs on your Character Card as markers to indicate that you intend to Dodge on an Attack.
Skill: Dodge — Cost: 2, Effect: Dodges 1 Wound, Crit/Miss: Y
Heal Skill: Works the same way it does outside of an encounter. Each Action Point you spend heals 1 Wound.
Important: During encounters, you can only heal during your turn. Outside of encounters, you can heal at any time.
Skill: Heal — Cost: 1, Effect: Heal 1 Wound, Crit/Miss: N
Influence Skill: During an encounter, you can use Action Points to temporarily affect any Critical Hit rolls or Challenges. This is listed under Skills because it allows you to influence not only your own Critical Hits but also those of your enemies.
Skill: Influence — Cost: 1, Effect: Add/Subtract 1 on any roll
Important: The Influence Skill doesn't have to be used during your turn. It can be done anytime a roll is made. If an enemy rolls a Critical Hit, you can use your Action Points to subtract from their roll and prevent the Critical Hit. This means you can decide to use the Influence Skill after any roll has been made.
Fear: Use the Fear Skill to move an enemy. For every 2 Action Points you spend, you can move an enemy 1 space. Fear is not available at the start of the game. Unwavered enemies are not immune to Fear. Fear cannot be used on Terrain.
Fear Crit/Miss Roll: For each space you attempt to use Fear, it requires a Crit/Miss Roll to determine if it succeeds. If the Crit/Miss Roll misses, the intended character does not move.
Movement
Step Movement: Use this Action to move from one space to another.
For each Action Point spent, you can move 1 space. For more information on playfield movement, refer to the Playfield Rules section.
Upkeep, Traits, & Reset
Upkeep
Upkeep: Involves managing any applicable Trait Effects on characters at the end of a Round. To understand Upkeep, you will need to learn the basics of Traits.
Traits
Some Traits can be triggered at the end of a Round. Therefore, a Round isn't considered complete until any Upkeep related to Traits has been taken care of.
Traits: Are unique abilities that characters possess, which can significantly impact gameplay and other characters on the playfield. Some Traits can be beneficial, while others may act as hindrances. Certain Traits will be exclusive to enemies, while you may uncover others to use against them!
Trait Effects: Trait Effects refer to the unique effects that a Trait has on a character.
Note: There is no limit to the number of Effects from Traits a character can have.
Listed below are some of these Traits with their behaviors and functions. Keep in mind that other less common, more mysterious Traits may be discovered along the way!
Out-of-Turn Traits: Certain traits a character possesses can be activated outside of their turn (see Block). These traits will be clearly indicated on their respective cards. The crucial distinction lies in the fact that when an Out-Of-Turn Trait is activated, its effect is not guaranteed. A Crit/Miss Roll must be executed (using their Crit/Miss numbers) to determine if the Out-Of-Turn Trait is a success.
- Nothing additional is gained from a Critical Hit on an Out-Of-Turn Trait.
When a Round/Encounter Ends
- Reset your Action Points.
- DO NOT reset your Health (unless instructed on a Story Card).
Traits & Effects
There are many different Traits in the game. Here are a few that occur more than once or may need further explanation to be understood clearly.
Bird Bomb — Effect: 1 Wound to all adjacent characters.
Bolster — Effect: Attacks inflict an additional wound each round. Clarification: if an attack initially deals 1 wound, it will increase to 2 wounds in round 2, then 3 wounds in round 3, and so on, accumulating with each successive round.
Cowardly — Effect: Retreats after 1 round and is removed from the playfield.
Dash — Effect: If a character with Dash is wounded twice on the same turn, they will move an additional space towards Rangitaki.
Drain — Effect: Suffer 1 wound at the start of the next Round.
Electrocute or Disorientation — Effect: If Rangitaki gets Electrocuted or Disorientation, she loses 1 Action Point at the start of the next Round.
Fly — Effect: Characters with Fly can move over characters and terrain if they have the movement spaces to do so.
Immune — Effect: Characters with immunities will not be affected by certain Traits and Effects. Example: The enemy Ufku is immune to Stun.
Recruit — Effect: If a character with the Recruit Trait is wounded but not defeated, at the start of the next round, a new enemy will be randomly added to the playfield. Roll for placement. Recruit only takes effect if there is another round left to be played.
Poison — Effect: If attacked with Poison, the Target takes 1 additional wound at the end of the current round. Poison does not carry over to the next Round. You can only be Poisoned once per round.
Rage — Effect: If a character with Rage is wounded but not defeated, their next attack inflicts an additional 1 wound. This additional damage can increase by 1 each time they are wounded.
Squishy — Effect: If a character with Squishy is wounded by an adjacent character, they will suffer 1 additional wound.
Stun — Effect: If attacked with Stun, the Target cannot move on their following Turn, but they can still attack. Stun only lasts 1 turn.
Unwavered — Effect: Character with the Unwavered Trait will not move from their current space unless specified.
Out-of-Turn | Traits & Effects
Block — Effect: When a character with Block or an adjacent ally is attacked, they will attempt to block the attack. Execute a Crit/Miss Roll. If the roll does not result in a miss, the attack is blocked, and the target takes no damage. This ability can be used only once per round.
Enemy Card Anatomy
Enemy cards display the following iconography and information types:
Wound Limit: The number of wounds needed to defeat an enemy.
Attack Type/Wound Amount: This icon indicates the type of attack an enemy can do. The number below each icon is the amount of wounds that attack inflicts.
- Short-Range (Adjacent): Enemies can attack the 4 adjacent spaces.
- Short-Range (Surrounding): Enemies can attack the 8 surrounding spaces.
- Long-Range: Enemies can attack characters in their Line of Sight.
- Long-Range + Lob: Enemies can attack characters anywhere along the Line of Attack and will use Lob whenever necessary.
- Full-Range: Enemies can attack any characters anywhere on the playfield.
- Collision: This attack triggers when a character or object collides with another character or object. When this collision occurs, it will inflict the indicated damage on the object that initiated the collision as well as any other objects surrounding the point of impact.
Be Aware: Enemies are limited to one attack per turn, unless stated otherwise.
Movement Amount: The number of spaces an enemy can move.
Crit/Miss: The Critical Hit and Miss numbers for this character's attacks, as described in the Crit/Miss Roll section. If the result is equal to or higher than the character's Crit number (15 in the example), it's considered a Critical Hit, resulting in 1 additional wound. If the result is equal to or lower than the character's Miss number (2 in the example), the attack is considered a Miss, and there will be no wounds inflicted by Woopu.
Traits: If an enemy has a Trait, it will be listed here.
Instances: Situational rules, actions, or conditions that can occur under specific circumstances. Examples of these are: Rewards, Punishments, Challenges, and Special Movements.
Example: If Woopu retreats, you will lose 2 Action Points at the start of the next round.
Rewards: Rewards for defeating this enemy. Primarily, Action Points will be the main reward, but you will encounter other items as well.
Example: For defeating Woopu, you would get 1 Action Point. Remember: the amount of Action Points you receive for defeating an enemy is critical when deciding your Actions. The Action Point earned from defeating Woopu can immediately be used toward an additional Action.
Terrain Card Anatomy
Terrain Classifications:
- Impassable: This terrain cannot be passed over or occupied.
- No LOS: Terrain that includes "No LOS" (Line of Sight) cannot be attacked through.
- No Lob: Terrain with "No Lob" cannot be attacked over.
Special Rules: Terrain can introduce unique rules, traits, and challenges to gameplay. For example, a Mental Challenge terrain requires Rangitaki to be adjacent to it to activate. Players are allowed to attempt Terrain Challenges once per turn.
Enemy Turns & Behavior
After your turn, each Enemy takes its turn in sequence, based on the numbered space they occupy, from lowest to highest. You will act for each Enemy, with the actions Move and Attack occurring in either order. Actions, Traits, or Instances not affecting movement or attack occur after these steps.
Here are the fundamental rules for an Enemy's Turn:
- An enemy will not move from a spot they can attack from; if they cannot attack, they will move toward Rangitaki by the shortest path until they can attack.
- If an enemy cannot attack from its current space but has multiple shortest paths, it will prioritize a space it can attack from.
- If there is no unobstructed path, the enemy will continue moving toward Rangitaki until they are fully blocked.
- Each enemy acts independently, moving and attacking based solely on its own position and objectives, without regard to other enemies or board elements.
- An enemy can only move and attack once per turn. After moving and/or attacking, their turn ends.
- If there is ever a discrepancy on the playfield, use the 50/50 Rule.
Enemy Turn Examples
For this example, place Rangitaki on space 3, Nalu on space 8, and Bahooka on space 12 on the playfield.
Nalu
- Once your turn is over Nalu will take his turn first since his playfield space number is lower than Bahooka's.
- Since Nalu has a short-range attack and is adjacent to Rangitaki, he will attack. Execute his Crit/Miss Roll to see if he hits, critically hits, or misses.
- Nalu does not move from his current space because he is still in the Line of Attack. Nalu's turn is over.
Bahooka
- Next, it's Bahooka's turn. Since Bahooka has a long-range attack but cannot attack from his current space, he moves to space 7, as it is the shortest path to Rangitaki and allows him to attack.
- Now in space 7, he will attack and execute his Crit/Miss Roll to determine if he hits, critically hits, or misses. Bahooka's turn is then over.
50/50 Rule
Anytime there is a discrepancy on the playfield, you must use the 50/50 Rule to determine the course of action.
Example 1: If an enemy must move and there are two equally likely spaces, roll a 1D20. Assign one space to Odd results and the other to Even results, then move the enemy according to the roll.
Example 2: If an enemy has multiple possible Targets, use the 50/50 Rule to determine which Target is attacked.
Whenever possible, no character placement, enemy move, or attack should be dictated by your choice.
Playfield Rules
Rangitaki can move anytime during her turn. As mentioned previously, for each Action Point spent, she can move 1 space.
All characters follow these 3 basic rules of movement:
- They cannot move diagonally, only left, right, up, and down.
- They cannot move directly over another object (unless specified by unique traits).
- They cannot occupy the same space as any other object.
Rules of Attack
Long-Range Attacks: Ranged weapons offer significant versatility when choosing a Target. They can attack from short or long range.
With a ranged weapon, a character can shoot at any object or individual within their Line of Attack (LOA) - that is, any of the eight possible directions they have available for attacking a Target. However, this is only possible when the character has an unobstructed view, known as Line of Sight (LOS), of the Target.
Line of Attack (LOA): Any of the possible eight directions a character has available to attack a Target.
Line of Sight (LOS): A character's unobstructed vision of another object on their line of attack.
Lob on Long-Range Attacks: If there is no direct Line of Sight to the target, the character must have the ability to Lob in order to attack.
Short-Range Attacks: Certain enemies only possess short-range attacks. These attacks can only harm characters in close proximity, either adjacent or surrounding them.
Long-Range: Line of Attack / Line of Sight
Example A: All spaces that fall within the Line of Attack are potential Targets. Starting from the initial position, there are only four spaces that cannot be targeted.
Example B: When there are viable Targets situated in front of you, but your Line of Sight is obstructed, you can no longer Target spaces beyond the obstruction. To hit a Target in those particular spots, you would need to use the Lob action.
Short-Range: Adjacent / Surrounding
Example C illustrates the 4 spaces a character with a short-range: adjacent attack can hit.
Example D illustrates the 8 spaces a character with a short-range: surrounding attack can hit.
Scenario: Encounter, Round One
Let's walk through a simple scenario from the first round of an encounter. Arrange the following cards in these positions and follow along.
- Rangitaki: Space 3
- Nalu: Space 8
- Bahooka: Space 11
- Woopu: Space 15
Make sure you have your 7 Action Discs and Challenge Dice.
Note: Nalu is Story Card 12. Bahooka and Woopu are part of the Chapter 1 Enemy Deck, the Rangitaki Character Card is Story Card 83.
Your Turn
It's your turn since Rangitaki always goes first. In this scenario, let's assume you have all 7 Action Points. Be aware that this is not always guaranteed. You can spend, lose, or gain Action Points before you get to an encounter.
First, assess the positions of your enemies and determine whom you can attack. Nalu, Bahooka, and Woopu are all within your line of attack and line of sight, making them all possible Targets without having to move.
Since Bahooka can potentially be defeated with an attack with a Critical Hit, and his defeat awards you 3 Action Points, you decide to begin your turn by targeting Bahooka. So, you spend 3 Action Points to shoot a Dart Shot at him.
Next, execute a Crit/Miss Roll to see if you have Hit, Critically Hit, or Missed Bahooka. Roll 1D20 for this purpose. Your result is a 19, and since your Critical Hit number is 20, you didn't get a Critical Hit. However, you want a Critical Hit!
You decide to influence the roll by spending an additional Action Point to increase your roll result by 1, effectively making it 20. In that case, you achieve a Critical Hit and inflict an additional wound, dealing a total of 2 and defeating Bahooka.
By defeating Bahooka, you are rewarded 3 Action Points. You may notice that Bahooka has a Punishment and a Reward listed on his card: "Punishment - If Bahooka is defeated in round 1, Gain 2 Action Points instead of 3. Reward - If Bahooka is defeated on the final round, Gain 1 Breadfruit."
For this example, we'll assume Bahooka was defeated in round 2, avoiding this punishment and reward.
Action Point Review
- Starting Points: 7
- Spent Points: 4 (3 on a Dart Shot, 1 to Influence the Crit/Miss roll)
- Awarded Points: 3
- Remaining Points: 6
You're off to a great start. You are only down 1 Action Point! You continue your turn.
Next, you decide to attack Nalu with a Dart Shot. He's big, he's tough, and he's right in front of you. You spend 3 Action Points and execute a Crit/Miss Roll. Your result is a 10, which means no critical hit this time. You inflict 1 wound on Nalu and place 1 orange marker cube on his character card to indicate the wound.
You have 3 Action Points remaining.
Your Turn - Continued
You think the most important thing to do now is move to another space where you will be safer during the enemies' turn.
You decide to spend 1 Action Point to move 1 space to your left. While Nalu may still be able to attack you on his turn, Woopu will not.
With only 2 Action Points remaining, you decide the best course of action is to attempt to Dodge one of Nalu's forthcoming attacks.
You spend 2 Action Points and place them on the Rangitaki Character Card as a reminder that you have a Dodge action queued up for the first Attack.
After your turn is complete, the playfield should look like this:
- Bahooka has been defeated and returned to the Enemy Deck.
- Rangitaki has moved over into space 2.
- You have 1 Dodge action ready, indicated by the 2 Action Points spent on the Rangitaki Character Card.
- One Orange Cube should be on Nalu indicating 1 wound (not shown).
Remember: Action Points do not carry over between rounds or after an encounter ends. They reset. Health does NOT reset after an encounter ends, unless specifically stated on a Story Card.
Tip: In the final round of any encounter, consider healing any wounds Rangitaki has before the round concludes since it does not reset. This will prevent the need to use your fresh Action Points that are reset after the encounter is over. You will want to have these for whatever comes next!
Enemy Turn
The enemy on the lowest-numbered space on the playfield goes first. In this case, that would be Nalu. Since Nalu can attack you from his current position, he will remain there and attack.
You roll 1D20 to execute Nalu's Crit/Miss Roll. The result is 12. Oh no! You've been hit! Luckily, you were smart enough to line up a Dodge to mitigate the wounds.
You execute another Crit/Miss Roll to see if you successfully dodge a wound. Your result is an 8. You successfully dodge 1 wound, lowering Nalu's attack from 2 to 1.
Had it been a 5 or lower, as indicated on Rangitaki's Crit/Miss numbers located on her character card, the dodge would have failed.
You take 1 wound from Nalu. Adjust the Health Dice to reflect this and remove the Action Point Discs from the Rangitaki Character Card.
Nalu's turn is now over, and it's Woopu's turn.
Strategically, you have moved into a space where Woopu can't attack you even after he has moved, but that won't stop him from moving towards you. Since both of his options for movement are equidistant to you and neither allows him to attack, you need to apply the 50/50 Rule to determine where Woopu moves.
Assign even for left and odd for down (since those are his two options). You roll 1D20. The result is a 6. Since the result is even, Woopu moves 1 space to the left.
Woopu cannot attack, so his turn is now over, completing the current round. Reset your Action Points to 7 and continue on to round 2.
Assuming you were successful, once all three rounds are complete, clear the playfield, reset your Action Points, and follow the appropriate navigation prompts to the next card.
Checkpoints
Your escape from the atoll will be perilous, and your progress depends on the choices you make. How you decide to use your Action Points is crucial! If you are torn limb from limb and eaten by cannibals, don't lose hope! You have the luxury to try again. Right those wrongs!
Restarting the game at Card 1—Chapter 1 is encouraged. However, reaching the beginning of each subsequent chapter serves as a CHECKPOINT. Should you prefer to restart from chapters 2 or 3, make sure to adjust your character's assets accordingly. Remove any Items, Events, and Actions earned in the specific chapter you are restarting while retaining what you earned in previous chapters.
Two-Player Option
Although Rangitaki was designed as a single-player experience, we still encourage you to share your adventures with someone you trust to make sound and wise narrative decisions! In fact, it might be more fun to set sail with a foolhardy sort that laughs in the face of death. Either way, half the fun is deliberating with an excitable friend about what crazy choice you should make next!
Sunken Pearl Instructions
Do not read this section until you reach Story Card 97.
The Sunken Pearl is a unique and exciting part of your adventure where consuming strong drinks takes precedent over deadly attacks! But before we can deep dive into exotic libations with dodgy locals, let's set up the bar!
There are five Conversation Decks. One for each character. You will need to place them on the playfield as follows:
Vena, Space 11 • Amina, Space 12 • Cormac, Space 13 • Luko, Space 14 • Otis & Oswin, Space 15 • Rangitaki starts on Space 1.
Once everyone is in position, retrieve the Drinks Deck from the bottom of Chapter 2, shuffle them, and place them beside the gameboard.
You have THREE TURNS to navigate the bar, interact with locals, and enjoy drinks. Each conversation deck operates like the story deck—start at the top and follow the prompts. Now, you have five decks to move between freely, in any order you choose.
What Can I Do on My Turn?
Draw Drink Cards: Shuffle and draw three Drink Cards at the beginning of each turn.
Move: Use Action Points to move around the bar (playfield) during your turn.
Converse: Interact with the character you want to speak with by being adjacent to them and revealing the first card in their respective character deck.
Drink Challenges: Consume drinks in your hand or share them with adjacent characters to earn Persuasion Points, provided you have the required Action Points.
What Is the Point of My Turn?
To earn Persuasion Points to advance through the Conversation Decks.
How Does My Turn End?
- When you lack sufficient Action Points or Persuasion Points to continue.
At the Start of My Next Turn
- Keep your remaining Persuasion Points from the previous turn.
- Reset your Action Points.
- Return all Drink Cards to the Drink Deck, reshuffle, and draw another 3.
After Completing Three Turns
- Discard all the Conversation Decks, Persuasion Points, and Reset your Action Points.
- Reveal Card 98 in the main Story Deck unless instructed otherwise.
Tip: Each character should have a designated discard pile. Place the discard pile off the playfield, above each character. Keep the current conversation cards for each character face up in their respective discard pile.
Drink Challenges
Drink Challenges gain Persuasion Points through drinking or offering drinks to other characters. A success on the challenge level earns you a strong drink, awarding applicable Persuasion Points. Failure in the challenge level results in a weak drink and fewer Persuasion Points.
Drink Challenges are played and classified using the same colors as regular challenges: (Orange/Physical, Blue/Mental, Black/Critical) to not only indicate challenge types but also suggest suitable drinks for conversations.
Drink Types: Orange: Light Talk, Blue: Direct Talk, Black: Serious Talk.
Persuasion Points
These are the currencies for advancing through Conversation Cards. In many instances, you'll need to spend Persuasion Points to move on to the next card. Use Marker Cubes to keep track of your Persuasion Points.
Drink | Conversation Card Anatomy
Action Point Cost: Action Point Cost to either drink it OR give it to another character to drink. For Fly By Night, the cost is 2 Action Points in both scenarios.
Challenge Level & Drink Category Color: Each drink is categorized by color. Fly By Night is a Black Drink that appeals to those engaged in serious talk. To succeed in this challenge example, a roll of 12 or higher is required.
Persuasion Point Rewards: In this example, successfully completing a challenge results in being served a Strong Drink, earning you 5 Persuasion Points. Failing the challenge means you receive a Weak Drink, earning you 2 Persuasion Points.
Drink Traits: If a drink has any unique forms of gameplay, they will be listed here.
Drink Icon & Drink Challenge Modifiers: Indicates this character will accept a drink. Next to the Drink Icon are the modifiers for a Drink Challenge if another character drinks instead of yourself. In this example, you would add 2 to your roll, on a Black Drink.
Mood Icon: Informs you of the character's mood that you are currently speaking with. Moods are: Happy, Neutral, Serious.
Navigation & Conversation Costs: If there is a Persuasion Point Cost to continue the conversation, it will be listed here. You must pay it to continue on that particular path.
Drink Scenario
Depending on the character's mood, it may be beneficial for them to drink instead of you.
If there is a drink icon in the upper left corner on the conversation card, that character will accept and drink at this time. If they do, it could add a +2 to the roll if it's a black drink!
Remember, regardless of who drinks, you gain Persuasion Points—even if you roll a 1. Influence the roll as you see fit, no matter who is drinking!
Scenario Example:
- Action Points: You pay 2 Action Points for Vena to drink a Fly By Night, which you have in your hand. It has a Challenge Level of 12.
- Rolling the Die: You roll the Black D20 and get a 10. Normally, this wouldn't succeed, but with Vena's +2 for Black drinks, your roll is now a 12! It could be even higher if you have Critical Talent Points to add to the roll.
- Challenge Success: This drink challenge is a success. Vena has had a strong Fly By Night, awarding you 5 Persuasion Points! If she had received a weak drink, your reward would have been 2 Persuasion Points.
- Discarding the Card: Before you continue, place the Fly By Night Drink Card into a designated discard pile for Drink Cards. Then, spend 2 Persuasion Points to reveal the next card.
Tip: Consider who is most persuaded by which drink at any given time. Anticipate their moods on the next card. If you expect a serious response, hold onto a black drink; it may be worth offering it later.
Now it's time to taste your first Makana Mama; go forth, adventurer!