Viceroy: Times of Darkness
Viceroy: Times of Darkness Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
Base game components
- 4 domain cards
- 4 revised law cards
- 2 auction cards for two-player games
- 4 double-sided magic/science tokens
- 6 double-sided attack/defense tokens
- 16 power point tokens of different values (4 tokens worth 6 and 7 points; 2 tokens worth 8, 10, 12 and 15 points)
- 8 double-sided bonus tokens
- 16 diamond tokens
Aristocrats module
- 12 character cards
- 3 law cards
Invasion module
- 22 monster cards (6 tier I cards, 10 tier II cards, 6 tier III cards)
- 3 law cards
- 4 combat cards
Underworld module
- 24 criminal cards
- 3 law cards
- 32 judgement tokens
- 15 bribe tokens
Base Game Changes
Revised Law Cards
Search the law deck for cards numbered 66, 67, 68 and 72. Replace them with cards from this expansion with the same numbers. You will not need the replaced cards any more.
Revised Two-Player and Solo Rules
In this variant, two new multicolored auction cards from this expansion are used in place of the usual four auction cards. Each new auction card features two colors instead of one. You may place the multicolored auction cards with any side up, but all four colors must be present.
The large deck consists of 24 character cards. During the setup, and after each auction, only two character cards are revealed instead of four.
During the auction, players choose between two auction cards (and not between four colors). When bidding, a player may select either of the two colors featured on the chosen auction card. If both players have chosen the same card (even if their gemstones are of different colors), they have to return the gemstones to the reserve without gaining cards, or agree who gets which card (if there are two cards next to the chosen auction card).
When playing solo, use the same setup. You don't need any virtual opponents, just discard the corresponding gemstones and gain the cards you wish. At the end of the game, gain 3 power points for each of your sword tokens and 2 power points for each your shield tokens. These bonus points are in addition to the usual points you gain at the end of the game.
Important: In this variant, the law number 69 adds two cards to the large deck instead of four.
Domain Cards
During the setup, after gaining the starting gemstones, each player takes one domain card (the only difference between these cards is an illustration). Each player places their domain card in front of them, in the first row of their pyramid. The players will gain domain cards instead of a free character card.
Then, each player chooses to receive one of the four rewards indicated on the domain card (any four gemstones, a science token, an attack token, or one character or law card).
If a player chooses a science token, it is placed on that player's domain card.
After that, each player draws three character cards, looks at them, and returns two character cards to the deck. [Note: If a player chose a character card as a reward from their domain card, the player may choose to return that card to the deck and keep two of the newly-drawn cards.]
Next, form the large deck and the small deck and continue the setup as described in the base rules.
All sections of the domain cards are multicolored. At any time, a player may choose the color of any section of their domain card or change their choice.
Note: Domain cards aren't counted as cards in the pyramid and cannot be targeted by effects that target a card in the pyramid.
Diamonds
Diamonds are tokens of any color that used in all three expansion modules. If you play with any expansion module, add 4 diamonds per player to the gemstone reserve during setup. You won't need diamonds if you play without expansion modules.
Diamonds are not gemstones. Diamonds cannot be taken when a player is instructed to take gemstones, and are not affected by rules and abilities that target gemstones. Diamonds cannot be used as infinite gemstones.
The players gain diamonds through the special 'diamond' reward. It stands out from the usual 'gemstones' reward with its white background and black number. When the player chooses this reward, they take the indicated number of diamonds from the reserve. If there are not enough diamonds in the reserve, the player takes one gemstone of their choice from the reserve for each diamond they were short. The player places the taken diamonds behind their screen.
A diamond token replaces a gemstone of any color in any game situation when a player needs to spend a gemstone. The player chooses the color of the replaced gemstone when they reveal the diamond, and may change the choice at any point before the diamond is put into reserve. Thus, if a player uses a diamond during the auction, they may choose the color it replaces after they see the tokens chosen by other players, and they may change their decision while negotiating with opponents.
At the end of the game, players may use diamonds to 'paint' their colored sections. Each diamond 'paints' one section in any one color the player chooses. The player cannot change this decision once scoring has started.
Bonus for Any Color Circle
Several cards in this expansion feature a new reward — a bonus for any color circle. At the end of the game, this reward gives you +1 power point for each of your single-color circles and infinite gemstones, no matter of what color.
Invasion Module
This module contains 22 monster cards of three tiers, 3 law cards, and 4 combat cards. All cards of this module are marked with a symbol.
During setup, give each player a combat card. These cards have different illustrations, but are similar in all other aspects. Each player places their combat card next to their pyramid. This card designates a special game zone that is separate from the player's pyramid and screen. Feel free to move your combat card to make room for growing pyramid. Note: Your combat card is not a card in the pyramid and cannot be targeted by effects that target a card in the pyramid.
Before dividing the character cards to large and small decks, separate the monster cards according to their tier (I, II, and III). Without looking at their front sides, take three random cards of tier I, six random cards of tier II and three random cards of tier III; return the remaining monster cards to the box.
Now build the large deck according to the following instructions. All cards should be facedown and players cannot look at their fronts.
First, place a tier III monster card. Next, place four character cards (or two character cards if you are playing with the multicolored auction cards). Next, place a tier II monster card and four/two character cards. Place another tier II monster card and four/two character cards. Finally, place a tier I monster card and four/two character cards. Then repeat the whole process two more times. When finished, you should have a large deck of 12 monster cards and 48/24 character cards, with a monster card being each fifth (or third) card.
From bottom to top, M# means a monster card of specific tier; 4C means four character cards, 2C means two character cards:
- MIII-4C-MII-4C-MII-4C-MI-4C-MIII-4C-MII-4C-MII-4C-MI-4C-MIII-4C-MII-4C-MII-4C-MI-4C (in usual game)
- MIII-2C-MII-2C-MII-2C-MI-2C-MIII-2C-MII-2C-MII-2C-MI-2C-MIII-2C-MII-2C-MII-2C-MI-2C (in a game with multicolor auction cards)
All remaining character cards form the small deck. Shuffle the new law cards to the law deck.
During the game, each time you place the character cards from the large deck next to auction cards, reveal the next monster card as well. Thus, at the start of the game there is one tier I monster revealed; after the first auction phase there are tier I and tier II monsters revealed, and so on. Place the monsters in a stack, so that their line with cost and reward is visible.
Each time during the auction phase a player has to return their gemstone (or diamond) to the reserve without getting a character card, this gemstone (or diamond) is placed on that player's combat card instead. The gemstones and diamonds on a combat card are used during the combat. Also, a player may take the gemstones and diamonds from their combat card instead of taking them from the reserve (for example, if there are no gemstones of a specific color in the reserve), including when they place an infinite gemstone.
After the development phase, if there are four monsters in a revealed monster stack, a combat occurs (at the end of the 3rd, 7th and 11th turns). The combat uses the same principle as playing character cards. Each card in a stack is a separate line composed of the cost needed to defeat the monster and the reward for defeating it. In order to gain a reward of a monster, the player should defeat the monster as well as all underlying monsters. Thus, to gain a reward of a tier III monster, a player should defeat it (pay 1 designated gemstone), both tier II monsters (2 gemstones each) and a tier I monster (3 gemstones), paying 8 gemstones in total. Note that you must pay the whole cost of a monster, there is no partial fulfillment.
All players decide at the same time how many monsters (starting from the bottom of the stack) they will defeat. They take the gemstones from behind their screens and simultaneously reveal them. After that, each player may add gemstones and diamonds from their combat card to the tokens taken from behind their screen. As usual, the diamonds may be used instead of gemstones of any color. Moreover, each science token a player has allows that player to change the color of one gemstone paid during the combat.
All gemstones and diamonds used during the combat return to the reserve. After that, each player gains a reward for the topmost monster defeated. As usual, gemstones, diamonds, and attack tokens are placed behind the screen, cards are added to the hand, and all other tokens are placed to the combat card. Power point, science, defense, magic and bonus tokens on a combat card are used in the same way as the tokens in your pyramid, though they are not considered to be on a card in your pyramid.
If the order in which the players gain their reward is important, start from the players who defeat the highest monster in a stack. The tie between them is resolved according to the numbers in their pyramid. If a player cannot take their reward because there are not enough gemstones in the reserve or cards in the deck, they may gain a reward of the next lower monster, if they wish.
All players who fail to defeat at least one monster during the combat take one of the revealed monster cards and place it face down next to their combat card. It is their combat penalty card that subtracts 4 victory points at the end of the game. All remaining revealed monster cards are discarded and a new monster stack will start to form.
At the end of the game, all gemstones and diamonds from the combat cards are discarded to the reserve. Thus, they can't be used to 'paint' sections.
Aristocrats Module
This module contains 12 aristocrat cards and 3 law cards. All cards of this module are marked with a symbol.
Before setting up the game, shuffle 12 aristocrat cards and 3 new law cards into character and law decks, respectively. Aristocrat cards are character cards and are affected by all rules and effects applying to character cards. Because of the new cards, your small deck and law deck will be a bit thicker than usual, but the large deck should contain the same number of cards (48 or 24, if you play with multicolor auction cards).
Aristocrat cards are character cards and can be gained during auctions or by drawing cards from the small deck, as usual. When you play an aristocrat card, its cost for the first level is two any gemstones, as indicated on the card. Aristocrat cards don't have any reward for the first level.
The lower sections on an aristocrat card have text or symbols instead of a color. Thus, you cannot form a single color circle with these sections and you cannot 'paint' the sections at the end of the game. Instead, you get an additional reward indicated in these sections. You receive it just for playing the aristocrat card, it doesn't matter on what level, and this reward is in addition to any usual reward the aristocrat gives.
The additional aristocrat reward is either text or token image(s). The text is resolved at the end of the game, and usually it improves your score. If the reward consists of token images only, you DO NOT put the respective tokens on the card. These images have the same abilities as the corresponding tokens, but are not tokens. Thus, if you have the image of a science token, you get an additional gemstone every time you pass, but you cannot use the image of attack token during the auction because it is not a token and you cannot take it in your hand. This image will damage your opponents' points at the end of the game, though.
Underworld Module
This module contains 24 criminal cards, 3 law cards, 32 judgement tokens, and 15 bribe tokens. All cards of this module are marked with a symbol.
During setup, shuffle the criminal cards and place their deck face down next to the auction cards. Deal each player one card from this deck right after dealing domain cards. Each player adds the criminal card to their hand. Place bribe tokens and judgement tokens facedown next to the criminals deck. Shuffle the new law cards to the law deck.
During the development phase, the player may choose to play a criminal card instead of a character or a law card. The criminal cards are placed under the first level of a pyramid, forming a '0' or 'underworld' level. There should be two cards of the first level above each criminal card in the 'underworld'. If you form a single color circle with a criminal card, you gain a gemstone of this color as usual.
Each criminal card features three lines with cost and reward. When you play a criminal card, you must choose one of these lines. You pay the cost by taking the corresponding number of judgement tokens from the reserve and then you gain the corresponding reward. You don't need to pay for other lines, no matter which line you choose.
- If you choose the top line, you take two judgement tokens from the reserve, then return one of these tokens to the reserve;
- If you choose the middle line, you take three judgement tokens from the reserve, then return one of these tokens to the reserve;
- If you choose the bottom line, you take four judgement tokens from the reserve, then return one of these tokens to the reserve.
Keep your judgement tokens on your domain card, face down. You may look at their front sides but other players can't. Shuffle the judgement tokens in the reserve after returning tokens.
At the end of the development phase, you may place one criminal card from your hand under the criminal deck. If you don't have criminal cards in your hand at the end of the turn, draw one criminal card. Thus, you'll always start the turn with at least one criminal card.
The played criminal cards are cards in your pyramid, but they are not character cards. You may take a criminal card as a 'card' reward. At the end of the game, you may 'paint' the sections of the criminal cards, as usual.
Rewards on Criminal Cards
Bribe Tokens
Take the indicated number of bribe tokens and place them behind your screen. Right after that, you may pay up to 5 bribe tokens from behind your screen to choose a character on the corresponding level of your pyramid and gain its reward for that level once more. For example, if you pay 3 bribe tokens, you may choose your character on the 3rd level and gain its reward for the 3rd level. If the reward contains tokens that should be placed on the character card, they are placed on the criminal card instead. The paid bribe tokens are returned to the reserve.
Discard Judgement Tokens
Return the indicated number of judgement tokens from your domain cards to the reserve. You may look at the front sides of the tokens, but other player can't. You may choose to return the tokens you've gained while paying the cost for this reward.
Relocate a Free Character Card
Choose one free character card in your pyramid and place it to any other eligible position in your pyramid. Don't discard tokens from this card. Gain the reward corresponding to the new level of the card (even if you place it at the same level). If the reward contains tokens that should be placed on the character card, they are placed on the criminal card instead. If you form a single color circle in the process, you gain a gemstone of this color, as usual.
Penalties on the Judgement Tokens
At the end of the game, each player reveals their judgement tokes and applies corresponding penalties to their score.
No Penalty
No effect. Try to get as many of these tokens as possible.
Negative Power Points
Subtract the indicated number of power points from your score.
Negative Bonus
Subtract the indicated number of power points from your score for each of your single colored circles and infinite gemstones / magic tokens / defense tokens / science tokens.
Discard Tokens
Before scoring, discard one of the indicated tokens from the cards in your pyramid, domain card, or combat card. You must discard a token if it is possible. If you don't have any of the shown tokens, you don't discard them. Remember that the images in the aristocrats' lower sections are not tokens and cannot be discarded. If you have several of these judgement tokens, you may choose the order they are resolved in.