Torchlit
Torchlit Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Overview
Torchlit is a trick-taking game where players explore a dungeon and defeat monsters to claim treasure. Winning tricks lets you delve deeper in the dungeon, but playing the lowest rank lets you influence what's behind each door.
At the end of each round, you earn gold for each monster behind the door you're on. Whoever has the most gold after 3 rounds wins!
Components
- A 56 Monster Cards (0-7 in 7 suits)
- B 5 Adventurer Mats
- C 5 Adventurer Meeples
- D 8 Door Tiles
- E 1 Torchbearer Token
- F 1 Scoreboard (double-sided)
- G 1 Dry Erase Marker
Credits
- Design: David Spalinski
- Illustration: Harry Conway
- Graphic Design: Matt Paquette & Co., Anca Gavril & Co.
- Rules Editing: Jeff Fraser
- 3D Artist: Filip Gavril
- Special Thanks: Danique Martin
Player Count
With 3 players, remove the cards and tile listed below. With 2 players, see the Duel Mode rules below.
| Players | Cards/Tiles Removed | Player Hands |
|---|---|---|
| 3 players | All Dragon cards, 7 of each suit, 7 door tile | 14 cards |
| 4 players | None | 14 cards |
| 5 players | None | 11 cards |
Setup
- Arrange the door tiles in ascending order. Each player takes an adventurer mat and places the matching meeple on door 0.
- Shuffle the monster cards and deal them out evenly between players. With 5 players, set aside the last card facedown.
- The last player to explore someplace dark takes the Torchbearer token.
Monster Cards
Each card has a rank (number) and suit (color and icon). The red Dragon suit is trump.
Game Rounds
Each round has 3 steps:
- Light Torches
- Play Tricks
- Enter Dungeon
1. Light Torches
Each player chooses 1 card from their hand to be their torch. Place your torch facedown in front of you. You may look at it any time during the round.
You score a bonus of 3 gold if you end the round on the door with the same rank as your torch (see Enter Dungeon).
2. Play Tricks
Players play tricks until they have no cards left. In each trick, each player plays 1 card. The Torchbearer plays first, and may lead any card they have. The suit they play is the lead suit.
Going clockwise, each other player must follow suit by playing a card of the lead suit. If a player doesn't have the lead suit, they instead play any card in their hand.
Leading Trump
Whenever the Torchbearer leads the trump suit, other players may play any suit. Trump may be led during any trick.
Wild Tricks
If every card in a trick is a different suit, the Torchbearer is not required to place 1 card of each suit in the dungeon. Instead, they choose any number of cards in the trick to place (even zero) and discard the rest.
Resolving a Trick
After each player plays a card, follow these steps to resolve the trick:
- Winner: The highest-ranked card of the lead suit wins the trick. If any card of the trump suit was played, then the highest-ranked trump card wins instead. Ties are broken in favor of the card played last.
- Explore Dungeon: The winning player AND each player who played a card of the same rank as the winner move their adventurers 1 door to the right. If you move off the last door, return to door 0.
- New Torchbearer: Whoever played the card of the LOWEST numerical rank, regardless of suit, takes the Torchbearer token.
- Place Monsters: The new Torchbearer chooses 1 card of each suit in the trick to place faceup below the dungeon. Each card must be placed below the door of the same rank, keeping any other cards there visible. Place any leftover cards in the trick in a faceup discard pile.
- Next Trick: The Torchbearer leads the next trick.
Winning with Lowest Rank
If the winning rank in a trick is also the lowest numerical rank, the new Torchbearer gets to move their adventurer and place cards in the dungeon (following all normal rules).
Trick Example
The Barbarian leads a Skeleton and the Rogue follows suit. The Cleric and Wizard have no Skeletons, so they may play anything. The Cleric plays the trump suit and wins the trick.
The Cleric and the Barbarian (who also played a 4) move 1 door to the right.
The Rogue becomes the new Torchbearer. They place 1 card of each of the 3 played suits in the dungeon, then discard the leftover Skeleton.
Example (Leading Trump): The Rogue leads a Dragon 1, so the Cleric may play whatever they like.
Example (Wild Tricks): Since every card is a different suit, the Rogue chooses to place both 5s and discard the other 2 cards.
Final Trick
During the final trick of the round (when each player has 1 card left), each player may either play their last card normally OR reveal and play their torch. Each player who plays their torch must replace it with the last card in their hand, placing it facedown.
Important: You may play your torch even if you could follow suit with your last card.
Example: During the final trick, the Cleric is on door 4. They decide to play their torch and replace it with the 4 in their hand. This lets them score their torch bonus.
3. Enter Dungeon
After the final trick, follow these steps to score the round:
A. Reveal Torches
Each player reveals their torch and checks if its rank matches the door they are on.
- If your torch matches your door: Earn a 3 gold bonus for the round.
- If not: Place your torch facedown below the door matching its rank.
B. Defeat Monsters
Each player adds up the gold value of the cards below their door:
- 2 gold per facedown torch
- 2 gold per faceup Dragon
- 1 gold per other faceup monster
If you are alone on your door, you earn its full gold value. If there are 2+ players on your door, split the gold evenly between you, rounding down. Record your total earnings this round on the scoreboard (adding your torch bonus).
Scoring Example
The Cleric adds up their gold for the round. Their torch matches their door, so they earn +3 gold.
Another player who isn't on door 4 drops their rank 4 torch there. This brings the door's total value to 6 gold.
The Cleric and Rogue split door 4 and each get 3 gold. The Cleric adds their torch bonus to get a total of 6 gold this round.
The Next Round
After scoring, return all adventurers to door 0, then shuffle all monster cards and deal a new round. The player with the Torchbearer token leads the first trick.
Game End
After 3 rounds, players total up their gold, and the player with the most wins! In a tie, victory is shared.
2-Player Variant: Duel Mode
Players share control of a 3rd adventurer who can win tricks and mess with scoring.
Setup
| Players | Cards/Tiles Removed | Player Hands |
|---|---|---|
| 2 players | All Dragon cards, 6-7 of each suit, 6-7 door tiles | 12 cards |
- When choosing adventurers, choose a 3rd meeple to act as the Vanguard and place them on door 0.
- After dealing each player 12 cards, deal the 12 leftover cards in 6 facedown Vanguard piles with 2 cards each. Place 3 Vanguard piles in front of each player and flip the top card on each pile faceup.
Duel Mode Rules
Playing Tricks
In each trick, the Torchbearer must lead a faceup card from one of their Vanguard piles. They then play 1 card from their hand, following suit if able. Their opponent plays 1 card normally.
When the Vanguard wins a trick or plays the winning rank, move their meeple 1 door to the right. The Vanguard can never be Torchbearer; ignore their card when determining lowest rank.
After resolving each trick, if there is a facedown card on top of any Vanguard pile, flip it faceup.
Empty Vanguard Piles
If the Torchbearer has no cards left in their Vanguard piles at the start of a trick, their opponent leads the trick instead (following all rules above).
End of Round
The Vanguard influences how much gold players earn, but does not earn any themselves.
- When revealing torches, reveal the Vanguard's last unplayed card. If it does not match the door the Vanguard is on, treat it as a dropped torch. If it does match, discard the card without effect.
- Any player on the same door as the Vanguard must split the gold value of the door, as they would with another player. The Vanguard doesn't score their share of the gold.
The Next Round
After scoring, the Torchbearer token passes to the player who did not have it at the start of the round. Play a total of 4 rounds instead of 3.