Talisman (Revised 4th Edition): The Woodland Expansion
Talisman (Revised 4th Edition): The Woodland Expansion Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
The object of the game remains the same as the Talisman Revised 4th Edition base game. Characters must reach the Crown of Command in the centre of the board and then, by casting Command Spells, force the other characters out of the game.
Components
- Woodland Board
- 103 Woodland Cards
- 10 Adventure Cards
- 20 Path Cards
- 14 Destiny Cards
- 5 Spell Cards
- 5 Character Figures
- 5 Character Cards
- 3 Alternative Ending Cards
- 5 Growth Tokens
- 6 Spider Tokens (Web and Crawler)
- 3 Portal Tokens
- 5 Hidden Path Tokens
- 3 Totem Spirit Tokens
Setup
When playing with The Woodland expansion, add the following steps to the base game's setup:
- Place Expansion Board: Take the new Woodland board and place it next to the main Talisman board as shown in the diagram below.
- Set Up Path Deck: Shuffle the Path deck and place it facedown next to the Woodland board. Draw three Path Cards and place them faceup next to the Path deck.
- Set Up Woodland Deck: Shuffle the Woodland deck and place it facedown next to the Woodland board.
- Set Up Destiny Deck: Shuffle the Destiny deck and place it facedown next to the Woodland board.
- Take Character Tokens: Any player using a character from the Woodland expansion takes the Character tokens described on his character card. Unused tokens are returned to the box.
- Set Up Alternative Endings (Optional): If players wish to use the optional Alternative Ending Cards, one player shuffles those cards, draws one at random, and places it on the Crown of Command (see "Alternative Ending Cards" on page 12).
The Woodland Icon
Some cards in The Woodland expansion are marked with an Expansion Symbol to differentiate them from the cards in the base game.
Some new Adventure Cards are used only if the Woodland board is being used. In addition to the expansion, these cards are marked with the Woodland Restriction Icon, which appears next to the card's title. If the Woodland board is being used, players encounter these cards as normal. If the Woodland board is not being used, then cards marked with the Woodland icon next to their title are discarded when drawn, and a replacement card is drawn from the top of the Adventure deck.
Using Only Portions of this Expansion
The Woodland expansion is intended to be used as a whole. Players are welcome to play Talisman using only some of the elements of the expansion. Unless specified on the card, the new Character and Alternative Ending Cards may be used without including the other new cards or the Woodland board.
Expansion Rules
When playing Talisman with The Woodland expansion, most of the basic rules of Talisman are unchanged, and the game is still won by reaching the Crown of Command and eliminating all other players. There are new rules included for entering and exploring the Woodland Region, as well as new rules for fate. These rules are found below.
The diagram in the rulebook illustrates the path characters follow through the Woodland to reach the Meeting with Destiny space. The red arrow highlights the path leading to the Meeting with Destiny.
Entering the Woodland
The Woodland is connected to the main Talisman board at the main board's Forest space. A character may enter the Woodland Region simply by moving directly from the Forest space on the main board to the Woodland Entrance space, if his movement die roll provides him with sufficient movement.
Entering the Woodland through the Forest space is optional. Characters may choose not to enter the Woodland, and may travel around the Outer Region instead.
Leaving the Woodland
Some Woodland encounters grant characters the opportunity to exit the Woodland and return to the main game board. Other than these encounters, the only ways to leave the Woodland are to reach the Meeting with Destiny (see "Meeting with Destiny" on page 11) or to exit to the Forest via the Woodland Entrance space. When exiting via the Woodland Entrance, a character with sufficient movement to continue past the Forest must choose between continuing his movement clockwise or counterclockwise in the Outer Region.
Movement in the Woodland Using Woodland Cards
To move in the Woodland, characters roll one die as normal and move the indicated number of spaces.
Woodland Cards are similar to Adventure Cards, but are encountered by characters exploring the Woodland Region.
Each space on the Woodland board is marked with an arrow. These arrows point in the direction characters need to move in order to reach the Meeting with Destiny. Characters may choose to move against the arrows if they wish. However, doing so takes them farther away from the ultimate prize of the Woodland, and closer to the Woodland Entrance.
Note that characters must move either directly with or directly against the arrows when in the Woodland. The Woodland map is a linear path, and characters may not move in other directions, such as across a Woodland space's text box. For example, a character could not move directly from the Swampland space to the Faerie Ring space.
Drawing Cards in the Woodland
When characters in the Woodland Region are instructed to draw cards, they always draw Woodland Cards rather than Adventure Cards. This requirement is true even when, for example, cards and special abilities specifically instruct the player to draw one or more "Adventure Cards".
When a card is encountered in the Woodland Region and has instructions or effects that refer to Adventure Cards, it affects Woodland Cards instead.
Example of Entering the Woodland
The Totem Warrior begins his turn on the Village and rolls a "5" for his move. He decides to move counterclockwise to the Forest and explore the Woodland by moving to the Woodland Entrance. The Totem Warrior then continues his move in the Woodland, finally landing on the Glade.
Example of Leaving the Woodland
The Totem Warrior begins his turn on the Glade and rolls a "4" for his move. He decides to leave the Woodland by moving against the direction of the arrows. The Totem Warrior exits the Woodland via the Forest and continues his move on the main game board.
The Totem Warrior can decide to continue his move either clockwise or counterclockwise in the Outer Region, finally landing on either the Plains or the Fields.
Example of Moving in the Woodland
The Totem Warrior begins his turn on the Glade and rolls a "4" for his move. He decides to follow the direction of the arrows and lands on the Witch Tree.
Light Fate and Dark Fate
The fae have emerged from their mysterious, forested homeland and altered the course of fate forever. The Woodland introduces new rules for fate which replace the normal rules for fate found in the main Talisman rulebook. These new rules must be used when playing with The Woodland expansion, but may also be used when playing any game of Talisman.
Each fate token has two sides: a gold side and a dark blue side. A fate token with its gold side faceup is a light fate. A fate token with its dark blue side faceup is a dark fate.
Once per die roll, a player may spend one fate token (returning it to the stockpile) to reroll one die that a character has just rolled under the following circumstances:
- A die rolled for a character's movement.
- A die rolled to determine a character's attack roll.
- A die rolled due to the instructions on a card or board space.
A player may only spend light fate to reroll a die that his own character just rolled.
A player may only spend dark fate to reroll a die that another character just rolled.
The player who just made a roll has the option to spend light fate to reroll his own die before another player can spend dark fate to force him to reroll his die.
If a player rerolls a die because a fate was spent, he must accept the new result. Another fate (light or dark) cannot be spent to reroll the same die again.
If a player rolls multiple dice (for example, the Dice with Death space in the Inner Region), fate (light or dark) can be spent to only reroll one of them.
Fate placed on a card is considered to be a token and counts as neither light nor dark fate while it is on a card. If fate on a card is either gained or spent, it may be gained or spent as either light or dark fate.
Each character starts the game with a number of fate tokens equal to the fate value listed on his character card. He chooses whether each of his starting fate is either dark fate or light fate.
A player may not spend fate tokens to reroll a die used to determine a creature's attack roll or any other roll made for a creature.
Replenishing and Gaining Fate
A character may only replenish fate up to his fate value. However, if a character gains fate, he may take fate tokens over and above his fate value. When a character gains or replenishes fate, he must choose to place that fate with either its light side or dark side faceup. If he gains or replenishes light fate, he must place the fate with its light side faceup. If he gains or replenishes dark fate, he must place the fate with its dark side faceup.
Fatebound
Some cards possess fatebound effects which affect characters differently depending on whether a character is lightbound, darkbound, unbound, or fateless. A fatebound effect is the text on a card placed after either the lightbound symbol or the darkbound symbol. A fatebound effect placed after the lightbound symbol is a lightbound effect. A fatebound effect placed after the darkbound symbol is a darkbound effect.
Transcription note: the printed symbols are a ring (lightbound) and a filled disc (darkbound); they are written here as words.
The rulebook's Fomorian sample card is labelled "1. Darkbound Effect" and "2. Lightbound Effect".
A character is lightbound if he has more light fate than dark fate. A lightbound character must resolve the lightbound effects on cards he encounters, and can only resolve the lightbound effect on his Objects, Followers, and Spells. He cannot resolve darkbound effects.
A character is darkbound if he has more dark fate than light fate. A darkbound character must resolve the darkbound effects on cards he encounters, and can only resolve the darkbound effects on his Objects, Followers, and Spells. He cannot resolve lightbound effects.
A character is unbound if he has an equal amount of light fate and dark fate. An unbound character ignores all fatebound effects and cannot resolve the fatebound effects on his Objects, Followers, or Spells.
A character is fateless if he has no fate. A fateless character must resolve the lower fatebound effect on cards he encounters and cannot resolve the fatebound effects on his Objects, Followers, or Spells.
Fatebound effects on Events, Enemies, Strangers, and Places are resolved when the card is encountered, unless otherwise stated. (The printed text reads "when the card in encountered"; read here as "is encountered".) Fatebound effects on Objects, Followers, and Spells are resolved as directed by the card.
Example of Fatebound
The Scout has moved deep into the Woodland and encounters a hideous Fomorian. The Fomorian has a fatebound effect which is resolved when he is defeated in battle, so the Scout first fights the Fomorian.
After a hard-fought battle, the Scout wins and then refers to the fatebound effect which resolves when the Fomorian is defeated. Since the Scout is lightbound, he resolves the lightbound effect. This means the Fomorian is discarded and cannot be taken as a trophy.
Twisting Paths
When a character enters the Woodland Region during his turn, through any means, he must take one of the three available faceup Paths when his movement ends. If a character enters the Woodland during another character's turn, he must immediately take one of the three faceup Paths. When a character takes one of the three faceup Paths, he draws a new Path Card and lays it faceup next to the Path deck to replace the Path he just took so that there are always three faceup Paths available to characters.
When a character with a Path leaves a Region he must discard his Path Card.
A character with a Path must always follow the Travel effect on his Path Card.
When a character with a Path Card reaches the Meeting with Destiny space, he resolves the Destiny effect at the bottom of his Path Card. After resolving the Destiny effect he discards his Path Card.
Path Cards
Each Path Card has the following parts:
- Name
- Flavour Text
- Travel Effect
- Destiny Effect
The sample Path Card shown in the rulebook, Path of the Seelie, reads:
You see the fleeting form of Queen Titania before you and feel her blessing upon the path you have chosen, for good fortune follows in her wake.
At the start of your turn, you may replenish 1 light fate.
When you reach the Meeting with Destiny space, fight King Oberon in battle. He has a Strength of 7 and adds 1 to his Strength for each light fate you have. If you defeat him, gain a Destiny.
Destiny Cards
During their travels through the Woodland, characters may find themselves bound to a new Destiny, granting them powerful abilities. When a character gains a Destiny, he places the card faceup in his play area.
Destinies are not considered Objects, Spells, or Followers. Therefore, they cannot be ditched, stolen, sold, or traded, unless an effect specifically refers to Destiny Cards. Characters may gain any number of Destinies during the game.
Destiny is a powerful force which transcends even death. When a character is killed and the dead character's player draws a new character, all Destinies owned by the dead character are passed to the new character and may be used normally by him.
The rulebook shows two sample Destiny Cards. The Light Destiny sample is The Blessed:
- Increase your life value by 1. Increase your fate value by 1.
- When a character prays, you may replenish 1 light fate.
- Once per round, when you lose a battle or psychic combat, you may spend 1 light fate to make it a stand-off instead.
- "Weapons will be unable to pierce your holy flesh and the torments of dark spirits will wash over you like water."
The Dark Destiny sample is The Cursed:
- Increase your Strength value by 1. Increase your fate value by 1.
- When another character spends dark fate to reroll a die a character just rolled, you may replenish 1 dark fate.
- When a character spends light fate to reroll a die, you may spend 1 dark fate to cancel the reroll. The light fate is discarded with no effect.
- "Misfortune will follow in your wake, afflicting all those who cross your path."
Meeting with Destiny
The Meeting with Destiny is the last space in the Woodland and it is where an adventurer must go to face his destiny. When a character reaches the Meeting with Destiny, he must end his move there, even if he has more movement available.
When a character ends his move at the Meeting with Destiny, he must resolve the Destiny effect of his Path Card. After he does so, if he is still at the Meeting with Destiny space, he must emerge from the Woodland and move to the Forest.
Example of Paths
The Spider Queen enters the Woodland through the Forest and, after ending her movement on the Glade, looks at the three faceup Path Cards and decides to take the Path of the Unseelie. At the start of the Spider Queen's next turn, she replenishes 1 dark fate, as directed by the Travel effect of her Path.
Example of Resolving the Meeting with Destiny
After making her way through the Woodland, the Spider Queen lands on the Meeting with Destiny space and encounters it.
First, she resolves the Destiny effect of her Path of the Unseelie. In this case, the Spider Queen fights Queen Titania in psychic combat. She rolls well and successfully bests Queen Titania. The Spider Queen then gains a Destiny and discards her Path.
Since she is still on the Meeting with Destiny space after resolving her Path, the Spider Queen moves to the Forest.
Alternative Ending Cards
The use of Alternative Ending Cards is optional, and players should agree whether or not to use them before starting the game. Alternative Ending Cards included in The Woodland expansion can be mixed with Alternative Ending Cards from other expansions.
Setup
Setup for Alternative Ending Cards is determined by which of the two game variants players decide to use. Players can start the game with the card either revealed or hidden.
Revealed Variant
The revealed variant has a greater impact on characters during the course of the game and offers players more strategy.
If players use the revealed variant, all Alternative Ending Cards with a hidden icon in their upper left corner must be removed from the game. Cards with a hidden icon can only be used when playing with the hidden variant.
Players must then shuffle the remaining Alternative Ending Cards at the start of the game, draw one card at random, and place it faceup on the Crown of Command at the centre of the game board.
Hidden Variant
The hidden variant adds more mystery to the game because players do not know what dangers await them at the Crown of Command until they reach the space.
If players use the hidden variant, all Alternative Ending Cards with a revealed icon in their upper left corner must be removed from the game. Cards with a revealed icon can only be used when playing with the revealed variant.
Players must then shuffle the remaining Alternative Ending Cards at the start of the game, draw one card at random, and place it facedown on the Crown of Command at the centre of the game board.
Encountering Alternative Endings
Alternative Ending Cards replace the base game's victory conditions, offering players new ways to win the game. When using the Alternative Ending Cards, characters on the Crown of Command must encounter the Alternative Ending Card and follow the rules printed on the card – they cannot cast the Command Spell or encounter other characters on the Crown of Command unless the Alternative Ending Card specifically states otherwise.
All other rules regarding the Inner Region still apply when playing with Alternative Ending Cards:
- None of the creatures in the Inner Region (nor any of the Alternative Ending Cards) can be affected by any Spell. They also cannot be evaded.
- Characters on the Crown of Command cannot move and must remain on that space unless the Alternative Ending Card specifically states otherwise.
- Once any character has reached the Crown of Command, any character who is killed automatically loses the game.
Alternative Ending Cards generally only affect characters on the Crown of Command. However, instructions that have a star icon at the start of their text affect all characters, no matter what Region they are in, including characters on the Crown of Command.
War of Seasons
In order to use this Alternative Ending, you must be playing with the Dungeon, the Highland, the City, and the Woodland expansions.
During set up, instead of setting up the Path deck as normal, shuffle the Path deck and place it next to this card. Whenever a character enters the Dungeon, the Highland, the City, or the Woodland, he draws a random Path Card from the top of the Path deck.
When a character with a Path resolves the Treasure Room, the Eyrie, the Town Square, or the Meeting with Destiny space for the first time, he places his current Path facedown in his play area.
If a character is killed, he keeps all of his facedown Path cards.
The first character to reach the Crown of Command with 3 or more facedown Paths in his play area wins the game!
Wanderlust
In order to use this Alternative Ending, you must be playing with the rest of the Woodland expansion.
When a character first reaches the Crown of Command he places 1 dark fate or 1 light fate on this card. Then each character loses all of his dark fate and all of his light fate, putting it on this card, and moves to the Forest. Instead of encountering the Forest, the character who reached the Crown of Command gains 1 fate and take another turn.
If there is any fate on this card when a character reaches the Meeting with Destiny, then instead of resolving the Destiny effect on his Path, he must either attack Oberon in battle or Titania in psychic combat. If he is defeated, he loses all of his fate, moves to the Forest and ends his turn.
Oberon has a Strength of 10 and adds 1 to his Strength for each dark fate on this card.
Titania has a Craft of 10 and adds 1 to her Craft for each light fate on this card.
The first character to defeat Oberon or Titania wins the game!
Judged by Fate
The last character alive wins the game!
When revealed, all characters in the Inner Region are teleported to the Portal of Power and your turn immediately ends. Characters cannot enter the Inner Region for the rest of the game.
At the start of each character's turn, he must roll 1 die to see what happens to him. He adds 1 to his die roll for each fate he has.
- 1-2) He is killed
- 3-4) He loses 1 life
- 5-6) He loses all of his fate
- 7+) He loses 1 fate
Other Rules
This section clarifies rules regarding new cards, special abilities, and space instructions for the Woodland Region.
Trinkets
Some Objects feature the "Trinket" keyword printed above the card's special ability. Trinkets are treated like normal Objects, except they do not count toward a character's carrying limit.
Trinkets may be ditched, discarded, stolen, or sold like normal Objects.
Moving Clockwise or Counterclockwise
If a character or card in the Woodland is instructed to move clockwise, it must move the indicated number of spaces into the Woodland, following the direction indicated by the arrows listed on each space.
If a character or card in the Woodland is instructed to move counterclockwise, it must move the indicated number of spaces out of the Woodland, moving against the direction indicated by the arrows listed on each space.
Animals with Craft
Some Enemy Animals in this expansion are the spiritual guardians of the Woodland and have the Craft attribute instead of Strength.
Any special ability or effect targeting Animals with Strength cannot be used on Animals with Craft. The Minstrel is unable to use his ability to charm Animals with Craft, since his ability specifically refers to the Animal's Strength. However, Animals will still not attack him.
Character Tokens
Characters in this expansion have special abilities which require the use of specific tokens. The use of these tokens is described on the respective character card. If a character who uses tokens is killed, remove all of his tokens from the game.
Alternative Rules
These are rules that players can include to add new experiences to the game. If players want to use any of the rules provided here, they should make sure that everyone agrees to the rules before the game begins. These rules can be used either independently, or together.
Titania and Oberon
After Queen Mab was driven mad by her own hubris, the fae were split into two factions. The dark fae, who were ruled over harshly by King Oberon, and the light fae, led by the beautiful Queen Titania.
The dark fae saw mortals as prey and Oberon would often lead his followers out of the Woodland on a Wyld Hunt, bent on tormenting and devouring anyone they encountered. The light fae aspired to use the mortal races in a gentler fashion and began to open hidden faerie markets where mortals could make strange bargains with mischievous fae.
It did not take long for conflict to arise between Titania and Oberon. Titania desired a mortal boy whom Oberon had captured during a Wyld Hunt, and Oberon refused to accept any bargain for him. War was declared and the Woodland became a battlefield where dark and light fae died, were reborn, and marched back to fight and die again.
After hundreds of years of conflict, the fae grew weak and weary while the mortals who were once their playthings became strong and unified. Together, the peoples of the realm raised banners and began a march on the Woodland to hew the ancient trees, burn the tangled brush, and banish the fae from the mortal world forever.
Titania and Oberon, seeing that their doom would be soon upon them, formed an alliance of marriage, promising that fae would no longer spill the blood of fae. Together, they wove a spell to hide the Woodland from mortal sight, keeping their realm safe for over a thousand years.
Titania and Oberon have now returned and, while they have ended open hostilities, they now seek mortal champions to bring their ancient nemesis low.
Choose Your Destiny
When a character gains a Destiny, instead of taking the top card of the Destiny deck as normal, he may search the Destiny deck for a Destiny of his choice and take it.
Destiny Bound
You may use this alternative rule if players wish to use the rest of The Woodland expansion without using the rules for light and dark fate, using instead the rules for fate found in the base Talisman rulebook.
At the start of the game, each character draws a Destiny Card from the Destiny deck. A character with more Light Destinies than Dark Destinies is lightbound. A character with more Dark Destinies than Light Destinies is darkbound. A character with an equal number of Light Destinies as Dark Destinies is unbound.
Use the normal rules for lightbound, darkbound and unbound (see Fatebound on page 9). Replace any reference to "dark fate" or "light fate" with "fate".
Fight or Flight
This rule imposes stricter movement rules while in the Woodland. While moving in the Woodland, characters must always move clockwise. Characters may only move counterclockwise under the following circumstances:
- The character is instructed to do so by the rules on a card or space.
- When a character is fleeing the Woodland (see "Fleeing the Woodland").
Fleeing the Woodland
After a character rolls to move, but before he moves, he may declare that he is fleeing the Woodland. When a character is fleeing, he must move counterclockwise until he leaves the Woodland. Once a character has declared that he is fleeing, he cannot change his mind and must continue moving out of the Woodland until he reaches the main board.
Character Lore
Scout
A fearless explorer and intrepid adventurer who prefers the freedom of the wilds to the stuffy indulgences of city folk.
Totem Warrior
A fierce warrior of the forest who seeks to emulate the power and strength of the totem spirits which guide and protect him.
Spider Queen
A sinister maiden who is as without compassion as her arachnid companions, delighting in the misfortune of anyone foolish enough to cross her.
Ancient Oak
A being both wise and strong, as ancient as the Woodland itself, he now seeks to spread his branches and explore the world outside his mystical home.
Leywalker
A sagely master of leylines, able to use these mystic rivers of magic to carry himself to far corners of the land in an instant.