Tower of the Wizard King Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Equipment
• Assembly and Setup
  • Build the Wizard's Realm
  • The Wizard King's Ramp
  • Set up the Game of the Wizard's Realm
  • The 4 Wizards and Their Pennants
  • Characters and Character Cards
  • The Wizard's Tower—To Experience Its Power
• Object
• How to Play — For 4 Players
  • Movement on the Board
  • Caves
  • Combat
    • Here's How to Do Battle
  • General Strategy
• Winning the Game
• Further Explanations
  • Tokens in Territories and on the Ramp
  • The Powers of the Spell Tokens on the Map
  • The Powers of the Spell Tokens on the Ramp
  • What to Do When You Land on Castle Tokens
  • Home Castles
• Variation — For 2 Players
  • Setup
  • Game Play
• Variation — For 3 Players
  • Setup
  • Game Play
• "Short Rules"
  • Assembly and Setup
  • Object
  • General Strategy
  • How to Play
  • Movement on the Board
  • Caves—Use of caves is optional
  • Combat—Here's How to Do Battle
  • Winning the Game (Short Rules)

Equipment

• 1 Game board map of the Wizard's Realm
• 1 Magic Tower
• 2 Tower walls (on sheet) and 2 stands
• 1 Label sheet with Tower windows and flags
• 5 Flagpoles and 4 flag holders
• 1 Wizard's Ramp in 4 pieces, with 3 stands and 3 bases
• 1 Wizard King pawn
• 8 Character movers: 4 packed in Tower, 4 loose in box
• 8 Character cards (on sheet)
• 4 Character mover bases, one in each Wizard color
• 4 Cardboard location markers, one in each Wizard color (on sheet)
• 4 Wizard cards (on sheet)
• 45 Tokens: 24 color-coded Castles, 15 plain backs with Spells, 6 purple "W" backs with Spells (on sheet)
• 8 Battle dice
• 24 Castles
• 100 Pennants (25 each in 4 colors)

Assembly and Setup

Read this section carefully and do what it says—exactly. This will familiarize you with the different parts of the game and give you some clues how all the parts and Characters interact. Refer to photos here and on the package to see the game fully set up.

Build the Wizard's Realm

1. Place the game board map in the middle of the playing area.
2. Peel off and affix the 2 Tower window labels.
3. Place the Tower on the board in the position shown. Fix it in place by inserting the buttons on the bottom into the holes in the board.
4. Punch out the Tower Walls from the printed sheet. Insert the two plastic stands from the underside of the board, then insert the two walls into the slits in the sides of the Tower while simultaneously slipping them down into the stands.
5. Affix flag labels to the top ends (with ball) of the 5 flagpoles. Place the purple flag directly in the top of the Tower; place the other 4 in the flag holders and secure atop Tower walls, as shown at right.
6. Build the Wizard's Ramp: Fit and twist together the top three ramp sections (with large steps); add the lowest section (small steps). Using the stands and bases, position the completed ramp as shown at right, with the top step resting on the Tower.
7. Place the Wizard King pawn at the base of his Ramp, as shown at right.

The Wizard King's Ramp

• This is the game's timer. The Wizard King pawn starts the game at the base of the Ramp and moves up one step every time the Tower is used to change a Character.
• Be sure to observe this sequence: 1) Transform; 2) move Wizard Pawn and take Token if there is one; 3) battle; then 4) turn over and act on the Token.
• The game ends when the Wizard moves from the last Ramp step onto the top of the Tower.

Set up the Game of the Wizard's Realm

1. Punch out the 45 round Tokens and place them on the board:
   • 24 "Castle Tokens" have a color-coded Castle on one side and either a symbol of one of the four Wizards or a Character's Home Castle on the other side. With the Castle side up, mix these up then place one each on any 6 of the matching color territories on the board: The green Tokens go in the tree-filled Forests, tan on the Plains, purple in the Mountains and deep blue-green in the grassy Swamps.
   • 15 "Spell" Tokens are blank on one side and have a "Spell" written on the other side. Mix, and place them in the 15 remaining territories, blank-side-up.
   • 6 "W" Ramp Tokens have purple backs. Mix them with the W side up, and place randomly on any 6 of the Wizard King's Ramp stones. (It's more fun if you space them out.)
2. Place a Castle on top of each Castle Token. Leave the Spell and Ramp Tokens empty.
3. Punch out the 4 Wizard Cards and, in a 4-player game, give one to each player. This establishes which Wizard you will be for the course of the game. Give each player the matching color Pennants, the matching color Character Mover Base and the matching color Location Marker. Example: If you're the blue Wizard, you collect blue Pennants, and take the blue Character Mover Base and Marker. (Setup and Game Play variations for 2 and 3 players appear on page 16.)
4. Punch out the 8 Character Cards and place them face up to the side of the board. All players will use these Cards—when the time comes!

The 4 Wizards and Their Pennants

There are 4 different Wizards, each with a picture and a description. Whichever Wizard Card you select, that's the Wizard you'll be for the entire game. Your Character Base color and Location Marker match your Wizard color, and you're collecting that Wizard's color Pennants. By their color, these Pennants represent both power (points) and ownership of a Castle. Only one color can be on one Castle at the same time.

Transcriber's note: the printed Wizard Card on page 6 is a small photograph in this scan. The one card shown is titled "Solanos — Wizard of Fire", but its description text and the descriptions of the other three Wizard Cards are not legible enough in the scan to transcribe faithfully, so they are omitted here.

Characters and Character Cards

There are 8 different battling Characters in the game, each with its own Character Mover and Character Card. Every time you change your Character in the Tower, exchange the card you had been using for the card that matches the new Character you have become.

Each Character Card shows the following:

• Character's name
• Number of spaces he moves per turn: Note, you may move UP TO that number
• Special powers—and fears
• Combat strength vs. other characters: How many Dice you roll in battle
• Type of terrain where this Character's Home Castle is located

Transcriber's note: the sample Character Card on page 7 (a Warrior card, "Moves up to 3 spaces each turn," with a Home Castle in the Plains, fearless against Dragons and afraid of Skeletons, and able to place 2 Pennants on a Castle when defeating a Skeleton) is printed as a photograph. Its "Combat Strength" value table is too small to read reliably in this scan, so the numbers are not transcribed; consult the physical Character Cards.

5. In a brand new package, 4 Character figures are packed inside the Tower. Place the remaining 4 Characters on the rocky space in front of the Tower. (If you've already played the game, there are probably 4 Characters still left in the Tower from your last game. If not, put any 4 inside: Slip in one Mover base and one Character, close the door, and pull the lever to rotate the mechanism. Open the door: If there's a Character in the slot, close the door and pull the lever until there's an empty slot at the door. Put in a second Character, close the door, and pull the lever; continue until all 4 are loaded and the empty chamber is at the door. Remove the Mover base.)
6. Separate the Character Cards into those that are inside the Tower, and those that are outside. Shuffle the "outside" Character Cards, and deal one face down to each player. Turn this Character Card face up: This is who you'll be when the game starts. (But we promise you'll change later!) Pick the Character Mover that matches your Character Card, and put it in your own color Character Mover Base. All players put their Movers and Bases on the space surrounding the Tower. (See page 7.)
7. Pick a player to go first. Play passes clockwise, to the left. Now you're ready to start to play... but first, read how the tower works so you'll know what to do later.

The Wizard's Tower—To Experience Its Power

1. To mark your spot, put your color Location Marker where you are on the map.
2. Open the Tower door and place your Character, in your Mover base, into the empty chamber.
3. Close the door and pull the lever down once or twice (you decide). Important: Do not pull the lever down unless there are a Character and base in the chamber and the door is completely closed.
4. Open the door: Pull out the gray tab below the doorway and remove your new Character. Place it where you put your Location Marker on the board. You've now transformed into a new Character, and your powers are now those of your new form.
5. Remember: Exchange your old Character Card for the card that matches your new self, and move the Wizard one step up the Ramp of Time.

Object

To have the most Pennants of your Wizard's color on the Castles you have conquered by the time the Wizard King arrives on the top of his Tower and ends the game.

How to Play — For 4 Players

(See page 16 for special rules for 2 and 3 players.)

On your turn, move the number of territories as stated on your Character Card. (Do NOT use the Dice to move. See Movement, below.) Do one or more of the following, depending on what space and Token you land on:

1. Token: If you land on a space with a Token, turn it over and act accordingly:
   • If it's another Wizard's Token, you MUST do battle with the player who is that Wizard. You may change your form before the battle (see The Wizard's Tower, page 8) and move the Wizard King (see The Wizard's Ramp, page 5). The victor takes ownership of that Castle and places 1 Pennant of his Wizard's color on one of its towers.
   • If it's your own Wizard's Token, remove the Token from the board, and add 1 Pennant to the Castle!
   • If it's a Spell, obey it if you can. (See pages 13-14.)
   • If it's your Home Castle, add the number of Pennants indicated. If it's not yours, leave the Token there; take another turn instead. (See page 15.)
2. Castle: If you land on a Castle that already has another player's Pennants, you MUST do battle with that Character to determine Castle ownership. (See Combat, page 10.)
   • If you wish, you may change your form before you battle (see page 8) and move the Wizard King (see page 5).
   • Place the winner's Pennants in the Castle.
3. Take another turn if so instructed, or end your turn.

Movement on the Board

• All Characters start the game on the large rocky space that surrounds the Tower and move off it onto any territory that touches it. You may not re-enter the rocky space after the start of the game.
• You may move up to the maximum number of spaces printed on your Character Card. Example: You are a Dwarf who "Moves up to 3 spaces each turn." This means you may move 1, 2 or 3 territories on this turn.
• All Characters move from one Territory (space) to another that touches it.
• You may re-enter the same space twice—or more—on the same turn!
• All Characters except the Dragon and Skeleton cross rivers only at a bridge.
• You may not land on a space occupied by another Character, but you may pass through a space with a Character on it.
• You may use the Caves to move quickly from one part of the board to another. (See Caves, next page.)

Caves

• If you land in a Territory with a cave, if you wish, enter the cave immediately and use the underground caverns to move to any other Territory on the board that has a cave in it. Count the cave-to-cave movement as one space; if you have more spaces to move on your turn, you may keep going when you exit the second cave.
• If you come out in a Territory with a Token or Castle, all regular game play rules apply.
• Ogres are allowed to move 2 extra spaces after exiting a Mountain cave.
• Minotaurs are allowed to move 2 extra spaces after exiting a Forest cave.

Combat

• Any player who lands on another Wizard's power symbol Token or a Castle that has one or more Pennants of another player MUST do battle with that player. The only exception is when it's another Character's Home Castle, since these are never attacked. (See Home Castles, page 15.)

Here's How to Do Battle

1. The player who lands on the space is the Attacker. The player who controls the Castle is the Defender.

2. Both players check their Character Cards under "Combat Strength" to see how many Dice they roll against that particular opponent. Note that certain characters are stronger—or weaker—when opposing certain other characters.

   You Roll	Opponent Rolls
   4	Minotaur 3
   5	Dwarf 3

3. Attacker's Special Transformation Power: If you are attacking a Castle and you don't like the difference in strength between you and the Defender, you have the option of changing your Character in the Tower before you battle. If you decide to change, remember to follow this...

   Battle Sequence:

   • Complete your transformation and take your new Character card.
   • Move the Wizard pawn one step up the Ramp. If he lands on a Token, take it and place it W-side-up in front of you. You will act on it after you...
   • Do battle with your opponent. Then...
   • Turn over your Ramp Token and follow its orders. See page 14 for Token details.

   Note: If the Attacker changes his Character but forgets to move the Wizard King before rolling the Dice, the Defender has the choice of either calling off the battle or allowing it to continue. The Attacker may never call off a battle.

General Strategy

• Explore uncovered Territories to find the special Tokens—such as Home Castles—that help you gain an advantage over the other players.
• Attack your opponents to increase your strength (represented by your total number of Pennants) and decrease your opponents' strength.
• Use your Power of Transformation wisely: It is important to change at the right time.
• The player who takes advantage of all the opportunities will be victorious, and will be the one who ascends the throne of the Wizard King.

Winning the Game

The game ends when the Wizard King makes the final step from the Ramp of Time onto the top of the Tower.

If game play calls for one final battle at this time (this will vary from game to game), then wage the final battle before you count up your Pennants. The Wizard player with the most Pennants on all his Castles is the victor, and ascends the throne. All Hail the New Wizard King!

Further Explanations

Tokens in Territories and on the Ramp

• Some of the Tokens instruct you to perform a special task.
• If you uncover a Token on the board you cannot use immediately, leave it face up where you found it. Any player who can use this Token may claim it by landing on it and using it immediately. All Ramp Tokens must be used immediately; if one can't be used, it is removed from the game.
• Once used, most Tokens are removed from the board or Ramp and never used again. The exceptions are the individual Characters' Home Castles and the Spell of Protection Tokens, which are left on the board.

The Powers of the Spell Tokens on the Map

Spell of Revelation

• Turn over any 2 additional Tokens and go again. You may use either token you revealed if you can reach it and if you can make use of it. If not, it stays revealed for another player to take advantage of.

Spell of Transformation

• Take another player's Character (put its Location Marker where it was) and change it in the Tower. Put the newly-changed Character back in the location you marked.
• The player with the newly-changed Character now moves the Wizard King one space up the Ramp. If he lands on a Ramp Token, the newly-changed character acts on its instructions.

Spell of Protection

• Place next to a Castle with one or more of your own Pennants. No other player may attack that Castle as long as this Token protects it. If you have no Pennants on the board, you may not use this Token; leave it face up on the space until another player lands on it.
• This Token MAY NOT be placed on the same space with a Home Castle or on any space that already has a Spell of Protection on it.
• Once a Spell of Protection Token is placed, it can only be moved by a Move a Spell of Protection Token.

Move a Spell of Protection

• Take any Spell of Protection Token and move it from one Castle to another.

Spell of Transport

• This Token allows you to take another turn by flying to any space of your choice. Depending on where you land, you may turn over and act on a Token's instructions, or you may do battle if you land on a Castle already controlled by another player.

Spell of Power

• Add 1 Pennant to one of your Castles that already has one or more of your Pennants. If you have no Pennants yet, this does you no good; leave the Token face up for another player.
• You may add a Pennant to a Castle protected by a Spell of Protection.

The Powers of the Spell Tokens on the Ramp

Reminder: Be sure to follow the proper Battle Sequence, as described on page 5 and again on page 10.

Conquer a Castle

• Replace all Pennants on another's Castle with your own. If no one else has any yet, you cannot use this Token. Remove it from the game.

Spell of Self-Transformation

• Go to the Tower and transform yourself. Move the Wizard King pawn again. Remove the Token.

Spell of Power

• Add 2 Pennants to a Castle that already has at least one. If you don't have any yet, you may not make use of this Token. Remove it.

Spell of Protection

• Place the Token next to a Castle of your choice to protect it from attack.

Spell of Transport—Swamp or Forest

• Move to a Swamp or Forest of your choice. All regular rules apply, including Combat. Remove the Token.

Spell of Transport—Mountain or Plain

• Move to a Mountain or Plain of your choice. All regular rules apply, including Combat. Remove the Token.

What to Do When You Land on Castle Tokens

Castle Token

• If you land on one of your own Wizard's symbols, reward yourself: Add 1 Pennant to your Castle.
• If you land on another Wizard's symbol, you must do battle with that player.
• If you land on a Character's Home Castle, see next page.

Home Castles

• 8 of the game board Tokens are individual Characters' "Home" Castles.

• If you turn over a Token and reveal that you've landed on the Home Castle of the Character you are at the moment, add the number of Pennants stated on that Token. (See list below.) Leave the Token face up. Example: A player who is an Ogre lands on the Ogre's Hideout, places 4 Pennants on that Castle, and ends his turn. Leave the Token there for the rest of the game—some other Ogre may land there!

  • Dragon's Lair ........ Add 4 Pennants or Go Again
  • Ogre's Hideout ........ Add 4 Pennants or Go Again
  • Minotaur's Den ........ Add 4 Pennants or Go Again
  • Elf Camp ........ Add 3 Pennants or Go Again
  • Dwarf's Dwelling ........ Add 3 Pennants or Go Again
  • Warrior's Keep ........ Add 3 Pennants or Go Again
  • Skeleton's Tomb ........ Add 2 Pennants or Go Again
  • Orc's Cavern ........ Add 2 Pennants or Go Again

• The first time the Token is turned over, if it's not your Home Castle, you may take another turn instead. Example: If the Elf lands on the Ogre's Hideout, the Elf cannot place any Pennants on the Castle, nor does he attack it: instead, he takes another turn.

• If you become that same Character again later in the game and land on that Home Castle again, you may NOT add more of your own Pennants; but if another player's color Pennants are on it, you may remove them and replace them with your own color, without doing combat. Example: The Red Wizard's Elf Mover lands on the Elf camp that has 4 of the Green Wizard's Pennants. The Red Wizard player gives back the 4 green Pennants and replaces them with 4 of his own red Pennants.

Remember:

• None of the 8 Home Castles may be attacked by other Characters.
• Home Castles may NOT have Spell of Protection Tokens placed on them—because they cannot be attacked!

Variation — For 2 Players

Setup

• Eliminate any 2 Characters completely from the game: Remove their Movers, their Character Cards, and their Home Castle Tokens.
• If there aren't 4 in the Tower already, put any 4 Characters inside. Each player takes one of the 2 remaining Characters and matching Character Card to start the game.
• Eliminate any 2 Wizards: Remove their Cards, their color Pennants, their color Mover Bases. Leave the Tokens that have the Wizards' power symbols on them.
• Each player selects one of the remaining Wizards, his Pennants and matching Mover Base.
• Remove 2 Castles so you're playing with 22.

Game Play

All rules apply. If you land on a missing Wizard's power Token:

1. You will battle the other player. As always...
2. If you think it will improve your chances, enter the Tower and change yourself into another Character. This is optional.
3. If you changed, upon leaving the Tower, move the Wizard King pawn, then do battle.

Variation — For 3 Players

Setup

• Eliminate any 1 Character completely from the game: Remove its Mover, its matching Character Card, and its Home Castle Token.
• If there aren't 4 in the Tower already, put any 4 Characters inside. Each player takes one of the 3 remaining Characters and matching Character Card to start the game.
• Eliminate one Wizard Card and that Wizard's color Pennants and Mover Base. Leave this Wizard's power Tokens in play, hidden on the board as usual.
• Each player selects one Wizard Card, matching Pennants and Mover Base.
• Remove 1 Castle so you're playing with 23.

Game Play

All rules apply except: If you land on one of the missing Wizard's power Tokens:

1. Declare which one of the other two Characters you will do combat with.
2. If you think it will improve your chances, enter the Tower and change yourself into another Character. This is optional.
3. If you changed, upon leaving the Tower, move the Wizard King pawn, then do battle with the Character you selected in Step #1.

"Short Rules"

BEWARE: You'll understand all the levels of game play only by reading the complete rules on the preceding pages!

Assembly and Setup

See page 4.

Object

To have the most Pennants on Castles you have conquered by the time the Wizard King travels all the way up his Ramp and ends the game by stepping onto his Tower.

General Strategy

• Explore new Territories to find the special Tokens—like your own Home Castle—that help you gain an advantage over the other players.
• Attack your opponents to increase your strength and decrease your opponents'.
• Use your Power of Transformation wisely: It is important to change at the right time!
• The player who takes advantage of all the opportunities will be victorious, and ascend the throne of the Wizard King.

How to Play

On your turn:

Move the number of territories as stated on your Character Card. (Do NOT use the Dice to move. See Movement, page 9.) Do one or more of the following, depending on what space and Token you land on:

1. If you land on a space with a Token, turn it over and act accordingly:
   • If it's another Wizard's Token, you MUST do battle with the player who is that Wizard. The victor takes ownership of that Castle and adds 1 Pennant to it.
   • If it's your own Wizard's Token, remove the Token from the board and add 1 Pennant to the Castle!
   • If it's a Spell, obey it if you can. (See pages 13-14.)
   • If it's your Home Castle, add the number of Pennants indicated. If it's not yours, take another turn instead. (See page 15.)
2. If you land on a Castle that already has another player's Pennants on it, you MUST do battle with that Character to determine ownership of the Castle. (See Combat, page 10.)
   • If you wish, you may change your form before you battle (see page 8) and move the Wizard King one step up the Ramp (see page 5).
   • Place the winner's Pennants in the Castle.
3. Take another turn if so instructed, or end your turn.

Movement on the Board

• You may not land on a space occupied by another Character, but you may pass through a space with a Character on it.
• All Characters except the Dragon and the Skeleton may cross a river only at a bridge.

Caves—Use of caves is optional

• Use to move to any other Territory that has a cave in it. Count this movement as one space; if you have more spaces to move on your turn, keep going when you exit the second cave!
• Ogres and Minotaurs may move 2 extra spaces after exiting certain caves. (See Caves, page 10.)

Combat—Here's How to Do Battle

1. Both players check their Character Cards under "Combat Strength" to see how many Dice they roll against that particular opponent.

2. Attacker's Special Transformation Power: If you are attacking and you don't like the difference in strength between you and the Defender, you have the option of changing your Character in the Tower before you battle. If you decide to change, be sure to read Battle Sequence on page 10.

3. ROLL THE DICE! The player with the single highest Die wins the battle. In the case of a tie, look at the second highest (or the third, etc.). See page 11, and #5 on the next page.)

4. Defender's Special Pennant Power: If you are defending a Castle with your color Pennants on it, you have the home advantage. If you think you can improve your combat roll, you have the option of re-rolling, depending on how many Pennants you have in your Castle:

   • 1 Pennant—No advantage: Roll number of Dice on card and roll only once
   • 2 Pennants—Re-roll 1 Die
   • 3 Pennants—Re-roll 1 Die up to 2 more times, or re-roll 2 Dice
   • 4 Pennants—Re-roll 1 Die up to 3 more times, or re-roll 3 Dice
   • 5 Pennants—Re-roll 1 Die up to 4 more times, or re-roll 4 Dice
   • After exercising your home advantage, you must live—or die—by the final roll!

Winning the Game (Short Rules)

The game ends when the Wizard King make the final step from the Ramp of Time onto the Tower.

If game play calls for one final battle at this time (this will vary from game to game), then wage the final battle before you count up your Pennants. The Wizard player with the most Pennants on all his Castles is the victor, and ascends the throne in the Tower of the Wizard King!