The New Dungeon! Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object of the Game
• Basic Game
  • Getting Started
  • Movement
  • Doors and Secret Doors
  • Combat
  • Treasure
  • Special Cards
• Expert Game
  • The Heroes
  • Magic Spells
  • Wounds and Healing
  • Ambush
  • Cooperation
• Optional Rules
  • Optional Set-Up
  • Special Chambers
  • Magic Swords
  • Hidden Monsters

Object of the Game

Journey into the depths of an underground labyrinth, collect Treasure Cards, and be the first to return to the Main Staircase with at least 20,000 gold pieces worth of Treasure.

Basic Game

Getting Started

Open the board flat on a table. Sort out the cards by color and type. There should be six piles of Monster Cards, one for each level, six piles of Treasure Cards, one for each level, and a pile of Hero Cards. Set the Spell Cards aside, along with all the Hero cards not marked "Warrior"—they're not used in the Basic Game.

Each Monster Card has a picture of the Monster encountered, its name, and a series of six numbers that indicate how tough the Monster is to kill. (See Fig. 1.) In the Basic Game, all Heroes refer to the Red number on the Monster Card. (More on Combat later.)

Each Treasure Card has a picture of the Treasure, its name, and its value in gold pieces. (See Fig. 2.)

Fig. 1 — Monster Card: A monster card shows the picture of the monster, its level (e.g. "Level Three Monster"), six "To Hit" numbers arranged in two columns of three (for example 9, 8, 7 on the left and 7, 9, 9 on the right), and the name of the monster (e.g. "Werewolf").

Fig. 2 — Treasure Card: A treasure card shows its level (e.g. "Level Five Treasure"), the name of the treasure (e.g. "Huge Sapphire"), a picture of the treasure, and its value (e.g. "6,000 Gold Pieces").

Note that the back of each Monster and Treasure Card is color-coded to match the corresponding color of the level the card is used on. This is to make sorting and finding the right cards during play easier.

The Spell Cards are not used in the Basic Game. They will be explained later in this rulebook.

The Hero Cards have a picture of the Hero, his or her name, and important information about the Hero. The back of the Hero Card is identical to the front, except for the "Wounded" indicator. (See Fig. 3.) The "Wounded" side does not come into play in the Basic Game.

"Attacks With:" tells you what color number to refer to on a Monster Card when attacking. All Warriors use the Red number.

Fig. 3 — Hero Card: The front of a Hero Card shows the Hero's name (e.g. "Kador the Dwarf"), the Hero's picture, and Statistics such as "Attacks On: Blue," "Secret Doors: 1-3," "Move: 4," "Is Ambushed On: 8," and "Needs to Win: 10,000." The back of the card repeats the Hero's name and picture, plus a "Wounded" indicator (marked with a "W" in a circle, on one side only) that is used in the Expert Game.

"Secret Doors:" tells you what that Hero must roll on one die to find and open a secret door.

"Move:" indicates the number of spaces that Hero may move in one turn.

"Is Ambushed On:" tells you what another character needs to roll on two dice to Ambush your Hero. You can ignore this line in the Basic Game.

"Needs To Win:" tells you how many gold pieces (sometimes abbreviated to "gp") your Hero must bring back to the Main Staircase to be declared the winner. Warriors need 20,000 gp to win the DUNGEON! game.

The DUNGEON! board shows a top view of an underground labyrinth, a maze filled with Monsters and Treasures (see Fig. 4). All characters start on the Main Staircase just outside the Main Gallery Chamber. The colored areas are Rooms; each level has a different color, with each color matching those on the backs of the appropriate Monster and Treasure Cards. The 1st, 2nd, and 6th Levels are in the middle of the board, while the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Levels are each divided into two separate areas along the edge of the board. Running between the Rooms are Corridors; each flagstone is a single space. The large open areas that are the same color as the Corridors are Chambers; they contain Monsters, but no Treasure.

All Heroes are equal in the Basic Game—refer to the Warrior Character Card during play. Choose one of the figures to represent your Warrior. In the Basic Game, the type of figure is not really important. Put each figure in the Main Staircase Start area in the center of the board. Everyone then rolls two dice, with the highest roll going first. Play proceeds clockwise from there.

Fig. 4 — DUNGEON! Board Key: A Door is shown as a dark tile between corridor spaces; a Secret Door looks similar but is marked distinctly. Corridor Spaces are individual flagstones; a Stairway is a diagonal run of steps. Optional-rule symbols include a droplet for a Pool of Healing, a starburst for a Teleport Device, and a scroll for a Magical Tome.

Movement

The Warrior can move up to five spaces in a turn. Moves of less than five—even zero—are allowed.

Corridor spaces, Stair spaces, Rooms, and Chambers each count as one space when moving. Doors and Secret Doors do not count as spaces. Secret Doors must be "found" before they may be moved through (see Doors and Secret Doors, below).

Pieces may pass through each other freely, and may occupy the same space at the same time.

When entering a Room or Chamber, the Warrior may have to fight a Monster. This ends the Hero's movement for the turn. You cannot run past Monsters—you must stop and fight them. See Combat, below, for the details.

Doors and Secret Doors

Doors and Secret Doors do not count as spaces. A Warrior may move through a door if he has not moved five spaces yet in the turn.

Secret Doors are hidden, and their secret mechanism must be found in order for them to be opened and passed through. To find a Secret Door, the Hero must stop in a space adjacent to it. If the Hero finds the Secret Door, he may move through it up to the remaining amount of his allotted movement (five for Warriors). If the Hero fails to find the Secret Door, his turn ends—he may not move any further that turn.

On the Warrior's Character Card, it says "Secret Doors: 1-2." This means that a Warrior must roll a 1 or 2 on a single die to find the door and open it.

A Hero gets three chances to find a Secret Door. If he fails to locate it after three turns, then on the fourth turn the Secret Door is automatically found and the hero may move through. If there is confusion about how many times a Secret Door has been searched for, it is considered the second roll, so remember how many times you've rolled previously.

A Secret Door is considered "found" as long as the Hero is in a space adjacent to it. Once he moves away, he must "find" the Secret Door again (by rolling 1 or 2) to move through it.

If a Hero is adjacent to a Secret Door when another Hero walks through, the first Hero "finds" the Secret Door on his next try automatically (having seen how the other Hero got through).

A Hero can move through Secret Doors without rolling at all if he has a "Secret Door Card." These cards are available as Treasure Cards, and will be explained in greater detail under Special Cards, below.

Combat

Monsters will only be found in Rooms and Chambers. Monsters in Rooms have Treasure; those in Chambers do not. Only one Monster will appear in a Room or Chamber at a time. After a Monster is slain in a Room, no more Monsters will appear in that Room for the rest of the game. Once three Monsters are slain in a Chamber, no more Monsters will appear in that Chamber. There are no Monsters in the Main Gallery Chamber (all the activity of the Heroes has scared them away!).

When a Hero enters a Room or Chamber, the player draws a Monster Card from the pile that matches the level of the Room or Chamber. If the Monster is defeated, his card is placed face down in that Room or Chamber. If the Monster is not defeated, then the Monster is left face up in that Room, sitting on any Treasure it may have gained.

Each Monster card has six numbers on it, each in a different color. In the basic game, all Heroes are Warriors, and use the Red numbers. This is the number needed to defeat the Monster. Roll two dice. If the total of these dice is equal to or greater than the number in Red, then the Monster is defeated. If the number rolled is less than the number in Red, the Monster is not defeated and the Hero will be attacked by the Monster. The Monster gets to attack a Hero only if the Hero's attack fails; if the Hero succeeds in his attack, the Monster is slain with no chance to fight back.

If a "—" appears instead of a number on a Monster Card, that means a Hero using that color to attack cannot succeed. Only the most powerful Monsters have a "—" on their cards, and even then only for some colors. If a Hero's attack fails because of a "—" on the Monster Card, the Monster gets to attack back normally.

If the Hero defeats a Monster in a Room, he takes the Monster's Treasure (see Treasure, below).

When a Monster attacks a Hero, the player to the right of the Hero being attacked rolls two dice and consults the Monster Attack Table (Basic Game), below:

Monster Attack Table (Basic Game)

Die Roll	Result	Effect
2	HERO SLAIN!	Drop all Treasures. Pick another Warrior and start again.
3	SERIOUS WOUND!	Drop half your Treasures (round up). Return your Hero to the Main Staircase.
4-5-6	LIGHT WOUND!	Drop one Treasure. Move one space away from the Monster. Lose one turn.
7-8	STUNNED!	Drop one Treasure.
9+	MISSED!	No effect.

Treasures dropped in combat with a Monster are placed beneath that Monster. If the Monster was in a Room, then a Treasure Card is drawn for that room and placed beneath the Monster as well. When asked to drop half your Treasures, count individual cards, not total worth. For example, half of five cards is three, regardless of the value of those cards. You get to choose which cards you drop. The Monster Card is then left face-up in that Room for all to see, sitting on the face-down Treasures. There is no Treasure in Chambers (other than what may be dropped by defeated Heroes). After beating a Monster in a Chamber, do not draw a Treasure Card.

After combat has been resolved, that player's turn ends. The Hero cannot continue moving, even if he had not used up all his movement allowance before the battle.

There can be only one Monster in a Room or Chamber at a time. If another Hero enters the room, that Hero may fight the Monster in turn, without harming (or helping) the other player there. If the second Hero defeats the Monster, he may take all the Treasures the Monster has, including any dropped by the first Hero.

If there is a Monster Card facedown in a Room, that Room has been "emptied"—no further Monsters or Treasures will appear there. If there are three facedown Monster cards in a Chamber, then that Chamber has also been "emptied," and no further Monsters will appear there. An "emptied" Room or Chamber does not force a Hero to stop—he can move right through.

After fighting the first or second Monster in a Chamber (whether the Hero won or not), a Hero does not have to stick around unless he really wants to. On his next turn, the Hero may leave the Chamber through any exit he wishes and move to some other part of the board. By the same token, if a Hero does not defeat a Monster encountered in a Room, he can leave the next turn—he is not forced to remain and fight a too-powerful opponent!

Treasure

Each Monster in a Room has a Treasure Card appropriate for its level. If a Hero encounters a Monster for the first time (that is, draws a Monster Card from the deck) and defeats the Monster, then he takes the appropriate Treasure Card for that level and places it on the table (face up) in front of him. If he fails to defeat the Monster, then the Treasure Card is placed (facedown) beneath the Monster Card (face up) in that Room. Any Treasure Cards lost by the Hero in combat are also placed in the Room, facedown beneath the Monster Card.

Special Cards

Several Monster and Treasure Cards have special properties that require some explanation. They are:

CAGE!: Instead of leaping into a Room to fight a Monster, the Hero is trapped by a huge cage. Roll a die. On a 1-3, the Hero loses one turn; on a 4-5, he loses two turns; and on a 6, he loses three turns. The Hero may not be attacked during that time. At the end of the proper number of turns, the Hero gets a Treasure Card for that level.

SLIDE!: Instead of leaping into a Room to fight a Monster, the Hero falls into a pit, which deposits him in a Chamber of the player's choice, one level lower (Level 3 if the trap is on Level 2, Level 4 if the trap is on Level 3, and so on). The Hero gets a Treasure Card for the level he was on, but must fight a Monster on his new level if there is one available.

SECRET DOOR CARD: This Treasure item has no value in gold pieces. However, the player with this card may treat Secret Doors as ordinary Doors, and move through them freely. If this Treasure is lost, then the hero must go back to searching for Secret Doors.

MAGIC SWORD: There are a number of magical blades in the labyrinth that Heroes may use to defeat Monsters more easily. When rolling to hit a Monster, add one to the die roll (for example, a "7" becomes an "8"). One of the swords gives a Hero a +2 bonus instead of a +1. A Hero may use only one magic sword at a time.

ESP MEDALLION: The ESP Medallion is a magic item which may detect the thoughts of Monsters on the other side of the door. Before you enter a Room (not a Chamber), you may draw a Monster Card for that level and look at it. If you choose to enter the room, you fight that Monster. If you do not choose to enter that room, put the Monster Card back into the deck. You may use an ESP Medallion only once per turn.

CRYSTAL BALL: A clear orb of great power, it allows the player to see into any Room (but not a Chamber) anywhere on the board, and discover the Monster and Treasure within. Take a Monster and a Treasure card for the appropriate level. The player looks at both, then places the Monster Card face up in the room (for all to see) and the Treasure Card facedown. The Hero may only use this item once per turn, and may not do anything else.

Heroes who are in the same space (Room, Corridor space, Stair space, or Chamber) may freely exchange items if they so choose. They may not attack each other (that's reserved for the Expert Game, below).

Expert Game

After getting the hang of the basic mechanics of the game, let's move on to the Expert Game, using all the pieces and introducing magic.

Set up the game as for the Basic Game. Do not set the Magic Cards aside, or separate out the Warriors from the rest of the Hero Cards.

The Heroes

In the Expert Game, the players may choose from any of the six types of heroes available. Each type of hero has different advantages and disadvantages, as listed on their Hero card. There are three Hero Cards for each type of Hero, so there can be more than one of a certain type in a game. Each of the six figures provided with the game represents one of the Hero types; if more than one player wants to be the same type of Hero, that's OK, but somebody will have to use an inappropriate figure (not a big deal, admittedly, but important to some). The various Hero types are:

WARRIOR: As in the Basic Game, the Warrior fights very well, attacking on the Red numbers, finds secret doors fairly easily (1-2 on a 6-sided die), and requires 20,000 gp to win.

ELF: The thin, quick Elf is less powerful than the Warrior, and has more difficulty defeating powerful Monsters (attacking on the White numbers). On the other hand, Elves find secret doors much more easily (1-4 on one die), and require only 10,000 Gold Pieces to win the game.

DWARF: The doughty dwarf is more powerful than the elf in combat (attacking on the Blue numbers), and finds secret doors almost as easily (1-3 on a 6-sided die). His handicap is that he moves more slowly than any other character—only four spaces per turn. The Dwarf requires 10,000 Gold Pieces to win.

WIZARD: The wizard is an extremely powerful character. He is not a very effective fighter (attacking on the Green numbers), and may not use Magic Swords in combat (he may pick them up to trade with other Heroes, however). He finds secret doors as a warrior would (on a 1-2). A Wizard's true power is in his Magic Spells, which allow him to defeat stronger creatures more easily than any other character. The wizard needs 30,000 Gold Pieces to win.

PALADIN: The Paladin is as brave and powerful as any Warrior (attacking on the Red numbers), and finds secret doors equally well (on a roll of 1-2). In addition, the Paladin has the special ability of Healing (see Wounds and Healing, below). A Paladin needs 30,000 Gold Pieces to win.

THIEF: The Thief is a poor fighter (attacking on the Green numbers), little better than the elf. His stock and trade is in quick and deft movement, and while poor in solo combat against Monsters, he is very good at group attacks and ambushes. When in the same space as another Hero, he uses the Red numbers (as a Warrior) instead of the Green numbers when making a cooperative attack on a Monster (see Cooperation, below). The Thief also receives a +1 bonus when Ambushing another player (see Ambushing, below). The Thief finds secret doors normally (1-2 on one die), and needs 20,000 Gold Pieces to win.

Magic Spells

Each Wizard begins the game with six spells. He takes the deck of Spell Cards and chooses the six spells he wishes to use. When a particular spell is cast, the card is returned to the pile.

There are three types of Spell Cards:

*Fireball—Use the yellow numbers in combat.

*Lightning Bolt—Use the grey numbers in combat.

*Teleport—The Teleport spell is special, and is not used in combat. It allows the Wizard to teleport himself from one Chamber to another. The Chamber being teleported to may either be on the same level or one level higher or lower (if the Wizard is in a Chamber on the 3rd Level, for example, he may teleport to any Chamber on Levels 2, 3, or 4). The Wizard may move into a Chamber and cast the spell. He does not have to fight the Monster in the first Chamber, but he must fight the Monster (if any) in the Chamber he teleports to. If there is no Monster in the second Chamber, he may continue his normal move.

When using a Fireball or Lightning Bolt, the Wizard must state which spell (if any) he will use before determining what Monster is actually there. If the Monster has already been revealed (through previous encounters, the Crystal Ball, etc..), then he can use that information to select the spell which will be most effective against the creature.

A Wizard does not have to enter the Room or Chamber to attack the Monster found there. If the Wizard could move into the Room or Chamber that turn, he can stop in the space outside the doorway and cast his spell from there. If he does so and the Monster is defeated by the spell, he can then move in (and take the Treasure, if applicable). If he casts the spell and it does not defeat the Monster, then nothing happens to the Wizard other than losing that particular spell.

Wizards may cast spells if in the same area as a Monster, but they will be attacked by that Monster if the spell does not defeat it.

Fireballs and Lightning Bolts function as a normal attack. The player must roll the number indicated or higher to defeat the Monster.

A Wizard may gain more magic spells at the Main Staircase. If the Wizard ends his turn there, he may select Spell Cards of his choice up to his maximum of six immediately, and move on next turn.

Wounds and Healing

Combat works just like in the Basic Game, but now the Heroes may be "wounded" in combat as a result. The Hero Card has two sides—Unwounded and Wounded. The Hero starts the game with the Unwounded side up. When a Wound is called for on the Expert Game Monster Attack Table (either serious or light), the card is flipped over to its Wounded status. Being wounded does not slow down or otherwise harm the Hero, but if a Wounded Hero is Wounded again, then the Hero is slain, loses all his Treasure, and must begin again at the Main Staircase.

A wounded Hero may become unwounded (that is, be healed) in one of two ways. He may return to the Main Staircase, where, at the end of any turn, wounded Heroes are restored to unwounded status. The other method is to seek out a Paladin who has the Healing ability. Any character who ends their turn in the same space as a Paladin may be healed. The Paladin may not move in his turn, but instead must remain with the wounded Hero. The Paladin gets one Treasure Card from the Wounded Hero (of the Wounded Hero's choice) for this favor (as he himself loses a turn). The Paladin may not refuse to heal a Wounded Hero (Paladins are noble like that). If a Hero ambushes a Paladin and fails, the Paladin is freed from any responsibility to heal the Hero at that time, though he will still have to heal him if they meet at a later time. If a Wounded Hero has no Treasure Cards, the Paladin must heal him anyway, for free. The Paladin may always heal himself by taking no other actions that round.

Monster Attack Table (Expert Game)

Die Roll	Result	Effect
2	HERO SLAIN!	Drop all Treasure; Go back to Main Staircase. You may choose to play the same Hero or a different one.
3	SERIOUS WOUND!	Hero is Wounded, drops half his Treasure cards, and retreats one space. If the Hero is already Wounded, then the Hero is Slain!
4-5-6	LIGHT WOUND!	Hero is Wounded, drops one Treasure card, and retreats one space. If the Hero is already Wounded, then the Hero is Slain!
7-8	STUNNED!	Drop One Treasure Card.
9+	MISSED!	No Effect.

Ambush

Heroes in the same space may Ambush each other. This type of attack is non-fatal, and used against Heroes who are close to winning the game. A Hero who ends his or her turn in the same area as another Hero may Ambush that other Hero. Heroes may not block the movement of other Heroes through their spaces, however.

To Ambush, the Hero making the Ambush looks at the "Is Ambushed On:" number on the other ("Target") Hero's Character Card. If the Ambushing Hero makes a roll greater to or equal to the listed number on two dice, the Ambush is successful. Remember, the Thief gets a +1 bonus to this roll. Also, any bonuses for Magic Swords count when Ambushing, too. The Ambushing Hero may take one Treasure (chosen by the Ambushing Hero) from the Target Hero and immediately move up to six spaces away. The fleeing Ambusher cannot move through Monster-occupied areas, nor through secret doors, unless he has a Secret Door Card.

If the Ambushing Hero fails to roll the needed number, the Target Hero gets to take a Treasure Card from the Ambushing Hero (the card, like before, is chosen by the person taking it—in this case, the Target Hero). In addition, the unsuccessful Ambushing Hero loses one turn. This is to allow a harassed Ambush victim an opportunity to get away.

Cooperation

Two Heroes in the same Space, Room, or Corridor may team up to defeat a Monster or trade Treasure cards.

If there are two or more Heroes in the same room, and they agree to Cooperate, any attacks against Monsters are at +1 to hit for every extra Hero present who joins in. In this fashion, a group of weak Heroes may defeat a strong Monster. All Heroes still move separately, and a Hero does not have to Cooperate. Heroes desiring the Cooperation of other Heroes should be prepared to offer a portion of the spoils in return for the help. Splitting up the spoils from a successful Cooperative Attack is left up to the Hero that made the successful attack roll, with a warning that failing to reward your helpers sometimes results in getting Ambushed. Fireball & Lightning Bolt attacks may not be aided, but a Wizard in the same area with another Hero will help the die roll.

For example, a Warrior, a Thief, and a Wizard all happen to be in the same room confronting a Fire Giant. This Fire Giant has already defeated several Characters, and is sitting on an impressive stack of Treasure Cards. It's the Warrior's turn, and he offers the third-best Treasure Card (remember, the Treasure Cards are facedown, and the Warrior does not know exactly what's available) to any character who will Cooperate. The Thief speaks first, and is in on the deal. The Wizard is willing to help, too, and offers his cooperation for the fourth-best Treasure Card. The Warrior accepts, and gets ready to attack. The Red number on the Fire Giant card is a 10—that's what the Warrior must roll on two dice. Because of the Cooperation of the Thief and the Wizard, however, he gets to add 2 to the die roll. He rolls a 6, which even with the +2 bonus, isn't good enough. The Fire Giant gets to attack back now, but misses.

Next is the Thief's turn. He offers the same deal, and the Warrior and Wizard agree. The Thief would normally need a 12 to hit the Fire Giant (the Green number), but because it's a Cooperative Attack, he gets to use the Red number, a 10. And he still gets another +2 for the Cooperation of the other two Characters. The Thief rolls a 9, adds 2 to get 11—and the Fire Giant goes down! True to his word, the Thief shares the spoils with the Wizard and the Warrior—though he may just turn right around and Ambush them for their newfound wealth …

Players may trade Treasure Cards freely if their Heroes are in the same Room, Chamber, or Space. Wizards in the same space may give or exchange Spell Cards as well, though Wizards may not give Spell Cards to other, non-magic-using Heroes.

Optional Rules

The following may add enjoyment, if a bit more complexity, to the game. They are strictly optional: Take them or leave them, as you like.

Optional Set-Up

Instead of setting up all the Monster and Treasure Cards in piles alongside the gameboard, place all the cards on the board before the game starts. Put one Monster Card and one Treasure Card, both facedown, in each Room, and three facedown Monster Cards in each Chamber. As Monsters are defeated, take them off the board. Rooms and Chambers that have been "emptied" will now have no cards in them, instead of face up Monster Card(s). The advantage of this optional rule is that it makes the game play a little faster; the disadvantages are that setting the game up takes a little longer, and the board can get cluttered early in the game when there are still a lot of cards on it.

Special Chambers

In addition to their function as a meeting ground for Monsters too cheap to have Treasure, certain Chambers have special abilities. Only Chambers on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Level have special abilities.

The 3rd Level Chambers hold Pools of Healing. Any character who ends his turn in these Chambers (even if a Monster is present) is healed from Wounded to Unwounded status.

The 4th Level Chambers hold Teleport Devices. A character may move from one 4th Level Chamber to the other 4th Level Chamber instantly, regardless of Hero Type (Thieves, Dwarves, Elves, Warriors, and Paladins, as well as Wizards, may all teleport).

The 5th Level Chambers hold Magical Tomes. Any Wizard ending his turn in such a Chamber, after all the Monsters in the Chamber have been defeated, may regain spells as if at the Main Staircase.

Magic Swords

Instead of using the bonus listed on the Treasure Card for each Magic Sword (either +1 or +2, depending on the card), roll dice for the effects of the sword when it is discovered. Roll two dice, add the number of the Level the sword was found on, and subtract 12—that is the bonus. For example, if a Magic Sword is found on the 5th Level, and the Character finding it rolls an 11, the sword would have a +4 bonus! (11 + 5 − 12 = 4). If the result is zero or less, the sword still gets a +1 bonus. One drawback of this rule is that the players will have to remember (or write down somewhere) the bonuses for each sword as they are discovered, but it does add variety to the game.

Hidden Monsters

If a Hero is defeated by a Monster, turn the Monster Card back facedown in the Room or Chamber it was found in. This could pose a problem for forgetful players, but it is more realistic—just because a Monster defeated one Character doesn't mean everyone else on the board should know what it is immediately. Also, if a Character uses the ESP Medallion or Crystal Ball to find out what's in a room before entering, he doesn't have to tell anyone else what he's discovered, or turn the card face up. It's his secret, and should stay that way. Of course, when a Character fights a Monster, the Monster Card should be turned up for the duration of the battle.