Thunderstone Quest: Ancient Adversaries

Thunderstone Quest: Ancient Adversaries Rulebook

Table of Contents

Introduction

Ancient Adversaries is an expansion product for Thunderstone Quest. Rules for new components start on page 4. Those who are familiar with these components can skip directly to the Questbook on page 9.

Unpacking the Box

This box should include the following components. If it does not, please visit our website at alderac.com/customer-service for assistance. Please note that this is an expansion to Thunderstone Quest and is not a stand-alone game.

1 Quest 15 Ancient Adversaries; the full contents are featured in the Questbook (see pages 10-11)
1 Copy of each Monster, Hero, Ally, Item, Spell, and Weapon from Ancient Adversaries, to be used in Epic Mode
1 Ancient Adversaries Rulebook/Questbook

Prestige Class Boards

Prestige Class boards are dual-sided: One side for use in Barricades Mode (cooperative play) and one side which may be used (optionally) in competitive games. Rules for Barricades Mode are covered in the Barricades Mode expansion's Rulebook. When playing competitive games, a new 11b setup step for the Thunderstone Quest Rulebook is added to the end of step 11. Starting with the first Champion and proceeding in turn order, each Champion may choose 1 Prestige Class with which to play. Then Champions select their Side Quests and/or Guild Sponsorships as normal.

Prestige Classes are a new board that allows you to train in a specialized class, gaining new powers as you gain Ranks. The training section (top) of each Prestige Class board explains how to gain 1 Rank (Rank icon) in your Prestige Class (1) or potentially 2 Ranks (two Rank icons) at once (2). The Rank numbers (3) are to the right of the cost. These Ranks cost (Prestige cost icon) to gain, as listed on the left-hand side of the board within the Rank to which you are going (4). You must pay the cost of each Rank you gain. If the listed cost cannot be paid that turn for the 1 or 2 Ranks you earned, the new Rank(s) are not gained. You do not start with any Ranks in your Prestige Class, and Ranks must be gained in order; they cannot be skipped. When a Rank is gained, it will unlock new powers for your benefit (5).

Example board: Explorer (page 4). The training section at the top of the Explorer board gives two ways to gain Ranks: defeating 1 Monster with a Rogue and 7+ combined (1 Rank), or defeating 1 Monster with 3+ Rogue icons and 9+ combined (1 or 2 Ranks). Once per turn, after completing one of these, pay the listed cost for each new Rank gained, or nothing is gained. The rank track entries, read top to bottom, are:

Your Rogues have +1 (gold icon).
When you gain this Rank, gain the Legendary Item Orb of Light.
This Prestige Class is worth 6 (victory point icon) when the game ends.
Level up 1 Rogue, paying (cost icon).
When you gain this Rank, gain the Legendary Item The Angel's Skull.
All your Heroes have the Rogue keyword.
This Prestige Class is instead worth 3 (victory point icon) per Rank you have.
Your Rogues have +1 (attack icon).
If you gained a Totem or (icon) this turn, gain 1 (icon).

Transcriber note: the scan of the Explorer board is low resolution. The exact rank number each entry belongs to, and the precise icons and combined-value thresholds, could not all be read with certainty from the image; the board itself is the authority.

Heroes

Heroes are an optional addition for Thunderstone Quest, giving you the opportunity to train your Heroes even further, making them even more powerful than ever before.

Even though Heroes are Legendary cards, they function in exactly the same way as other experienced Heroes. When you choose the cards you are going to play with during setup, place the Heroes at the bottom of their respective Hero stacks, below the 2 Heroes. Only play with 1 copy of each Hero. While not in use, store the Heroes in the box with their respective level 1-3 Heroes.

You can level your Heroes into Heroes in exactly the same way as you level other Heroes. This will usually cost 5 XP (the current Hero's printed level +2).

Guardians

The Barricades Mode expansion introduced Guardians, giving the Champions a cooperative challenge to overcome in order to save the Village and claim victory. The Guardian for the Ancient Adversaries Quest is included for use when playing the Barricades Mode expansion.

Sigrios, the Mountain Thunder

Guardian card: Sigrios, the Mountain Thunder. Abilities: Fireball, Too Hot to Handle, Pay Tribute, Scorching. Threat Level VII.

The heat from the heart of the mountain has kept Eldolou a tropical paradise for an age. But the rumblings of the volcano have grown more and more violent. Legends tell that the peoples of the island together summoned a great protector to keep their island safe from outside threats, and they forged a great totem to represent their devotion. Little did they know that their greatest threat would come from within. Division between the tribes has shattered the totem built on their unity, and they now fight over the remnants. As they do, Sigrios himself, the lava elemental, who sleeps in the depths of the mountain, has begun to rumble.

Difficulty: two difficulty icons.

Totems

Totems are a new card type in Ancient Adversaries. Totems have the Static keyword and remain in play from turn to turn, not counting against your hand size. These cards become even more powerful when they stack on top of each other, forming a Totem stack. For the purpose of these rules and card abilities, a Totem stack is simply referred to as a "stack" to streamline text.

Totem Setup

The Totem deck is made up of 24 cards (with 5 different Totems). The deck gets shuffled face down at the beginning of the game and is made available to all Champions.

Gaining Totems

When a card or effect tells you to gain a Totem, draw the top card of the Totem deck and place it in front of you as a Static card. You may either start a new stack or add to a stack.

Start a New Stack

When you place a Totem by itself, it is considered a new stack with one card. You can only start a new stack with a Totem if you do not already have a stack with a copy of that Totem as the top card. If you gain a Totem and already have a stack with a copy of that Totem as the top card, you must add it to the bottom of any stack you already have.

Add to a Stack

When you add a Totem to a stack, you may place it on the top or bottom of the stack. Totems should overlap to show how many cards are in the stack.

You cannot add a Totem to the top of a stack if any of your stacks already have a copy of that Totem as the top card. If you gain a Totem and already have a stack with a copy of that Totem as the top card, you must add it to the bottom of any stack you already have.

A stack may have any number of Totems but the benefits of abilities max out at 3, as described on the card.

No Duplicate Stacks

You cannot have more than one stack that has the same Totem as the top card.

If an effect requires you to discard or destroy a Totem, you must choose one that does not result in having 2 stacks with the same Totem as the top card. In other words, you cannot discard or destroy a Totem that would reveal a duplicate on another stack. Otherwise you can discard or destroy any Totem in a stack (top, middle, or bottom cards).

Using Totems

You may only use the ability on the top Totem on a stack. Other Totems in the stack increase the benefits of the top card, but their abilities have no effect.

You may use each of your Totem stacks once during your turn in any order you wish. Using Totem abilities is always optional.

You may use Totems during the same turn that you gained them.

Totems have the Static keyword, so they are not discarded at the end of turn.

Discarding Totems

If an ability or effect requires you to discard a card, you can choose a Totem to place in your discard pile. When you draw the Totem from your deck and into your hand, it will enter play as a Static card again when you add it to a stack.

Running Out of Totems

If the Totem deck ever runs out of cards, shuffle the destroyed Totems to form a new deck. If no Totems remain in the deck and destroyed pile when you should gain a Totem, gain a Treasure instead.

Stacking Example 1

You gain the Totem of Wrath while you already have a copy on the top of a stack in play.

Allowed: You may add the new Totem of Wrath to the bottom of a stack that already has a Totem of Wrath on top.
Allowed: You may add the new Totem of Wrath to the bottom of any stack you already have.
Not allowed: You cannot start a new stack with the new Totem of Wrath because it would create a duplicate stack.
Not allowed: You cannot add it to the top of the Totem of Binding stack because it would create a duplicate stack.

Stacking Example 2

You gain a Totem of Fury and do not already have that Totem as the top card of a stack.

Allowed: You may start a new stack with the Totem of Fury.
Allowed: You may add the Totem of Fury to the top OR bottom of any stack you already have.

Lexicon

Stack

Totems enter play as Static cards and remain in play from turn to turn, forming Totem stacks. A Totem by itself is still considered a Totem stack. For the purpose of these rules and card abilities, a Totem stack is simply referred to as a "stack" to streamline text.

You can only add Totems to a stack or discard them. Once Totems have been added to a stack you cannot move them within the stack or move them to another stack.

Static

Cards with the Static keyword are not discarded when the turn ends. Static cards in play do not count against the number of cards you draw when the turn ends.

FAQ

Ixxoch Blade requires you to discard the top card on your deck. What happens if I don't have any cards remaining in my deck?

Shuffle your discard pile to form a new draw deck.

If a wielded Weapon is discarded from Joanna, does she get her Skill back or is it still considered used?

Joanna gets the Skill used to wield the discarded Weapon back. Weapons only use a Hero's Skill while they are equipped.

If Duridmaes Runeseeker has an ability at level 3 and 4 to gain another Treasure after the first time you gain a Treasure Cache. If you play multiple copies of Duridmaes Runeseeker during a turn and gain a Treasure Cache, do they each gain another Treasure?

Yes.

If you use Matai Ofuafi's Before Battle ability to level up a Hero, can you use that Hero during the battle?

No, the Hero is placed in your discard pile as normal.

Can the Parrot use an ability on another card if it has the restriction of "once per turn" and you already used that ability this turn?

Yes.

Questbook

Quest 15: Ancient Adversaries Quest Card List

Heroes

15x Adallind the Noble
15x Archibald
15x Duridmaes Runeseeker
15x Iolas
15x Joanna
15x Mongoo

Items/Allies

8x Fishing Rod
8x Parrot
8x Pendant of Gifts
8x Star-Shaped Herb

Spells

8x Po's Sight
8x Summon Qaitu
8x Tattoo
8x Teeth of the Earth

Weapons

8x Blowdart
8x Bonesword
8x Master's Crossbow
8x Spear

Monsters I

10x Halfling Mystics: 2x Kesang Sentinel, 2x Paljor Eye, 2x Palkyi, 2x Tenzin Pakshi, 2x Tsultrim Guard

Monsters II

10x Explorer Ghosts: 2x Formicid Fighter, 2x Millipedal Mage, 2x Muck Miscreant, 2x Spinner Soldier, 2x Vines Vigilante
10x Tribal Elves: 2x Ixxoch Blade, 2x Mezpil Arrow, 2x Mother Miztia, 2x Papa Chicahua, 2x Tezcametl
10x Jungle Threats: 2x Anaconda, 2x Monkeys, 2x Panther, 2x Piranha School, 2x Wormwort Corydalis

Monsters III

10x Celestial Half-Breeds: 2x Alaphrial, 2x Mihrunka, 2x Qahchintonka, 2x Semyaneah, 2x Toowansanvi
10x Lava Dwarves: 2x Manava Afi, 2x Manu Fe'ai, 2x Matai Ofuafi, 2x Tagata Fa'atau, 2x Ulu Tao

Guardian

Sigrios, the Mountain Thunder (four shield icons)

Legendaries

1x The Angel's Skull
1x Thunderstone Burst

Treasures

1x Bengo
1x The Emerald Death
1x William's Share

Side Quests

1x Gathering of Power
1x Romancing the Stone

Prestige Class

1x Explorer

Dungeon Rooms

River, Trading Post, Caves, Rope Bridge, Lava Den, Lost Temple (each carries a threat shield; see the board)

Totems

4x Totem of Binding
6x Totem of Brilliance
4x Totem of Fury
6x Totem of Wisdom
4x Totem of Wrath

Other

6x Guardian Guides
25x Paper Dividers
25x Plastic Dividers
24x Randomizers

Transcriber note: the card-list counts above are read from the printed list. The Dungeon Room threat shields are not all legible at this scan resolution and are not transcribed; the Questbook page is the authority for them.

Transcriber note: the Questbook's three adventures (pages 12 to 20) are each introduced by narrative fiction by Brett Satkowiak. The fiction is omitted; the adventure card lists that follow each story are transcribed below. The card images show the cards that make up each adventure; the small number on the Guardian card (9, 10 or 11 by adventure) and the room-tile threat shields are not transcribed, so the printed pages are the authority for them.

Adventure 1: A Land Forgotten (page 13)

Adventure card list.

Heroes: Adallind the Noble, Archibald, Duridmaes Runeseeker, Joanna
Items: Fishing Rod, Pendant of Gifts
Monsters: Jungle Threats, Explorer Ghosts, Tribal Elves
Weapons: Blowdart, Bonesword, Spear
Spells: Po's Sight, Tattoo, Teeth of the Earth
Guardian: Sigrios, the Mountain Thunder
Room tiles: River, Trading Post, Caves, Rope Bridge, Lava Den, Lost Temple
Sigrios, the Mountain Thunder's Lair: six lair tiles

Adventure 2: The Great Divide (page 15)

Adventure card list.

Heroes: Adallind the Noble, Iolas, Joanna, Mongoo
Allies: Parrot
Items: Fishing Rod, Pendant of Gifts, Star-Shaped Herb
Weapons: Master's Crossbow, Spear
Spells: Summon Qaitu, Tattoo
Monsters: Halfling Mystics, Explorer Ghosts, Celestial Half-Breeds
Guardian: Sigrios, the Mountain Thunder
Room tiles: River, Trading Post, Caves, Rope Bridge, Lava Den
Sigrios, the Mountain Thunder's Lair: six lair tiles

Adventure 3: Is It Getting Hot in Here? (page 18)

Adventure card list.

Heroes: Archibald, Duridmaes Runeseeker, Iolas, Mongoo
Weapons: Blowdart, Bonesword, Master's Crossbow
Items/Allies: Star-Shaped Herb, Parrot
Spells: Po's Sight, Summon Qaitu, Teeth of the Earth
Monsters: Halfling Mystics, Tribal Elves, Lava Dwarves
Guardian: Sigrios, the Mountain Thunder
Room tiles: River, Trading Post, Caves, Rope Bridge, Lava Den, Lost Temple
Sigrios, the Mountain Thunder's Lair: six lair tiles