Winds of Numa Sera Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
  • Overview
  • 1. Choose Win Setting
    • Victory Conditions
  • 2. Assemble the Play Area
    • The Game Cards
    • The Communal Play Area: The Map Board
    • Skill Training Colleges
    • Independent Strongholds
    • The World Forge
    • The Exploration Deck
    • The Discard Pile
  • 3. Choose Your Kingdom & Set Your Line of Succession
    • Player Area
    • Line of Succession
  • How to Read a Hero Card
  • 4. Distribute Starting Assets
    • Capital
    • Starting Battle Cards
    • Distribute Class Cards
  • 5. Determining Who Goes First
• Sequence of Play
  • Turn Overview
  • Start of Turn Actions
• Phase 1: Exploring
  • Types of Exploration Cards
  • Reveal vs. Hand
  • How to Read a Card
  • Special Card Situations
  • Boon Cards
  • Hazard Cards
  • Maven Cards
  • Battle Cards
  • Item Cards
    • Equip
  • Pool of Essence Cards
• Other Actions
  • Buy
    • Skill Cards
  • Trade
  • Class Cards
  • Use
• Phase 2: Build or Attack
• Phase 2: Building
  • Residual Capital
  • The Build Tree
    • The Three Build Block Types
    • Taking the Build Action
• Phase 2: Attacking
  • Stronghold Cards
    • How to Read a Stronghold Card
  • Battling: Player vs Independent Stronghold
    • The Battlefield
    • Battling Mechanics
    • If You Win the Battle
    • If You Lose the Battle
    • If You Tie the Battle
  • Battling: Player vs Player's Hero
    • Tie-Breakers
  • Slain Heroes

Components

• 1 Map Board
• 4 Kingdom Mats
• 10 Stronghold Cards
• 1 Custom Battle Die
• 70 Capital Coins
• 12 Hero Cards
• 4 Dry Erase Markers
• 80 Exploration Cards
• 20 Class Cards
• 35 Skill Cards
• 25 World Forge Item Cards

Setup

Overview

1. Choose Win Setting
2. Assemble the Play Area
3. Choose your Kingdom and set your Line of Succession
4. Distribute your Starting Assets & Write in your Stats
5. Determine who goes first

1. Choose Win Setting

Players must decide at the start of the game what the Win Setting will be:

• THRONE (Short Game) — First to achieve any 1 of the 4 Victory Conditions. This is the standard Win Setting and lasts about 60 minutes.

OR

• EMPIRE (Long Game) — First to achieve any 2 of the 4 Victory Conditions. This option makes for a ~90 minute game, and allows Players to really upgrade their Kingdoms and Heroes.

Victory Conditions

There are four unique ways to win the game, referred to as Victory Conditions:

• CONQUEROR — Control 4 Strongholds at the same time.
• LEGEND — Unlock all 5 different Classes.
• MASTER — Reach Level 4 in one Skill Type.
• CHAMPION — Slay 3 enemy Heroes. These do not need to be all Heroes from one Player.

2. Assemble the Play Area

The Game Cards

There are six types of Game Cards, which are identified by their different back colors: Hero, Exploration, Stronghold, Item, Class, Skill.

• Separate the cards by their backside colors.

The Communal Play Area: The Map Board

The Map Board is the communal play area of the game, serving as:

• Where you place the Exploration Deck, World Forge Items Deck, Independent Strongholds, and Discard Pile.
• An actual map of Ethera and the continent of Numa Sera, to show you where cities and locations are in relation to one another.
• Where you will lay out the World Forge Items (purchasable Items) and Skill Training Colleges (purchasable Skills), so all Players can see them.

Skill Training Colleges

• Separate all Skill Cards (blue back) by Skill Type (Weapon, Defense, Forge, Agriculture, Lore). Each Skill deck will need cards equal to 3 plus the number of Players (for example, in a 3-player game you will need 6 of each Skill Card). Return all unused Skill Cards to the Game Box.
• Place these five decks face up in the Skill Training Colleges on the North side of the Map Board so that they are visible to all Players. They may also be kept face down to reduce visual complexity, but are meant to be read by Players before purchasing during gameplay.

Independent Strongholds

• To create the Independent Strongholds Deck, randomly select a number of Stronghold Cards (green back) based on player count. Select 6/8/10 cards for 2/3/4 players. Any unused cards are returned to the box.
• Shuffle all Stronghold Cards and place the Independent Strongholds Deck face down on the Map Board as indicated.
• Draw the top four cards of the Independent Strongholds Deck and place them face up on the Map Board as shown.

The World Forge

• Separate the Item Cards (hazel back), shuffle them and place them face down on the Map Board as shown. This will be known as the World Forge Deck.
• Draw the top four Item Cards from the World Forge Deck and place them face up in the designated area to the West Side of the Map Board as shown.

The Exploration Deck

• Separate the Exploration Cards (brown back) and place them face down on the Map board as shown. This will be known as the Exploration Deck.

The Discard Pile

The Discard Pile is where you place all discarded cards. The Discard Pile should be kept face up on the main Map Board as shown. When you start the game, this area will be empty.

• If you manage to go through the entire Exploration Deck during your game, then reshuffle the Discard Pile to create a new Exploration Deck.

3. Choose Your Kingdom & Set Your Line of Succession

There are four kingdoms that you can choose to play as, each represented by a Kingdom Mat that comes with its own distinct Build Tree, Starting Assets, and a unique triad of Heroes. While all of the Kingdoms have their unique strengths, some are better suited for certain playing styles (Victory Conditions) than others, so choose yours wisely. For example, while one Kingdom might have Heroes with stronger Attack Stats, another might have a more advanced Build Tree.

• Choose a Kingdom and take the matching Kingdom Mat.

• Numa Sera: Wealthy and insulated, the Ordained Bloodline of the Eastern Kingdom have an impressive infrastructure and know how to amass Capital quickly. Numa Sera is the strongest for achieving a Master victory.

• Meran: Keen and honorable, the Majestic Guardians of the Western Kingdom are fierce fighters who throughout history have fended off invaders seeking to conquer their small but valuable region. They are adept scavengers who can find value in what others discard. Meran is the strongest for achieving a Legend victory.

• Siaa De'e: Strong and aggressive, the Pillaging Hordes of the Southern Kingdom take what they want, when they want it. They are ferocious attackers with battle in their blood, but are poor at defending what little they have of their own. Siaa De'e is the strongest for achieving a Champion victory.

• Dena Vale: Tough and resilient, the Valiant Knights of the Northern Kingdom are well-trained, self-sufficient, and skilled at defending what they conquer. Dena Vale is the strongest for achieving a Conqueror victory.

Player Area

The Kingdom Mat is divided into multiple sections, each serving a specific purpose. As you acquire cards, some will be placed around your Kingdom Mat in specific areas, as seen in the Player Area layout.

The white areas of the Kingdom Mats are meant to be written on, but ONLY with a DRY ERASE Marker.

Line of Succession

There are three total Heroes per Kingdom. However, only one Hero can be active at a time. This means that choosing the order of your Heroes, referred to as your Line of Succession, is paramount, as you will play as the other two Heroes only if your Active Hero is Slain. A Slain Hero is a Hero whose Power (Health) is reduced to 0. We will explain this further in the Slain Heroes section.

• Find all Heroes (orange back) from the Hero Deck with matching Kingdom colors and sigils, and add them to your Kingdom.

How to Read a Hero Card

Each Hero has three Base Stats, as well as a Special Ability that gives them a unique set of strengths and weaknesses.

• On the UPPER LEFT of every Hero Card are two numbers, one marked with a sword and the other with a shield. The first number (sword icon) is the Hero's Base Attack Stat. The second number directly below it (shield icon) is the Hero's Base Defense Stat. In every Battle there is always an attacker and a defender.
• On the BOTTOM RIGHT of every Hero Card is the Hero's Maximum Power Stat. Power is the equivalent to Health or Life in this game.
• Written on the CENTER SCROLL of each Hero Card is that Hero's Special Ability. Their specific Special Ability is available to you only as long as that Hero is your Active Hero. If your Hero is Slain during the game (if their Power reaches 0), that Hero has perished, and thus your next Hero in your Line of Succession becomes your Active Hero.

(Example stats shown on the card: Attack 4, Defense 1, Maximum Power 10.)

• Choose your Line of Succession: Organize your Hero Cards in the order you wish to play them, with your starting Active Hero on top. Place all of your Hero Cards in a Spread Stack on your Kingdom Mat, face up, in the "Heroes" area as shown.
• Write your Active Hero's Stats (with a DRY ERASE marker) into the corresponding Hero Stats Boxes below your Active Hero.

Any unused Kingdom Mats and Hero Cards (orange back) should be stored in the Game Box, as they will not be used in this game.

4. Distribute Starting Assets

Each Kingdom begins the game with a certain amount of Capital and Battle Cards indicated on the middle panel of your Kingdom Mat, just below your Battlefield. You'll need to set yourself up with both. Each Kingdom also comes with a Pre-Ticked Build Block, which is the equivalent of an Ongoing Special Ability.

Capital

Capital is your currency, and it takes a numeric value. The game comes with Capital Coins of different amounts.

Capital Coins: Copper (worth 1 Capital), Silver (worth 5 Capital), and Gold (worth 20 Capital).

• Distribute the amount of Capital Coins to each Player as indicated on their Kingdom Mat's Starting Assets plaque.
• Players place their Capital Coins on their Kingdom Mats.
• All remaining Capital Coins should be placed on the table in the Communal Play Area (or inside the game box) where all Players can reach them. This will be known as the World Bank — where you pay Capital to, and where you Gain Capital from.

Starting Battle Cards

• Find any 15 random Battle Cards (red front) from the Exploration Deck and remove them.
• Shuffle the removed Battle Cards.
• Distribute the corresponding number of Battle Cards face down to the Players as indicated on their Kingdom Mats.
• Battle Cards stay in your Hand until you are ready to play them. Other players should not see the cards in your Hand.
• Return the remaining Battle Cards to the Exploration Deck (brown back). Reshuffle the deck and place the Exploration Deck face down on the communal Map Board as indicated.

Distribute Class Cards

• Distribute all five Class cards to each player, so that they have one of each Class type. These cards can be stored in Players' Hands or below their Kingdom Mats, face down, until they have been unlocked.

5. Determining Who Goes First

Whichever Player was the last person to be in a Castle goes first, and play continues clockwise from there. If no one has ever been to a Castle, then they definitely should plan to visit one! But for now, age before beauty — the eldest player goes first, and play continues clockwise from there. For each Player, the Players to their immediate left and right are their Neighbors.

Now you're ready to begin the game!

Sequence of Play

Turn Overview

In Winds of Numa Sera, Players continue taking Turns until one of them satisfies the required number of Win Conditions. At that point, the game ends immediately.

There are two primary Phases to each Turn — Phase 1: Explore, and Phase 2: Build or Attack. These two Phases occur in every Player's Turn, and must occur in that order. There are several Other Actions that you can take throughout your Turn, but the Build/Attack action must always be taken last, and you CANNOT do both in the same Turn, unless specifically instructed otherwise by a card.

• You must Declare all actions before taking them, so other Players know what you are doing.

"Start of Turn" Actions: Certain Cards (like some Heroes and Controlled Strongholds) have Special Abilities or benefits that specifically instruct you to take an action at the start of your Turn. Be sure to pay attention to these, if applicable, at the start of your Turn.

PHASE 1 — EXPLORE: The first Phase of your Turn begins with discovery. Draw an Exploration Card from the Exploration Deck to see what you find. Most of the encounters during exploration will be useful to you; however, there are some things out there that can hurt you. You can Explore only once per Turn, unless a card specifically states otherwise.

OTHER ACTIONS: Any of the below actions can take place at any point during your Turn, so long as they occur BEFORE your phase 2 action (Build or Attack). You may take these Other Actions multiple times during your Turn.

• BUY ~ You can spend Capital to learn Skills from the Skill Training Colleges and purchase Items from the World Forge.
• EQUIP ~ To make use of an Item, you must Equip it to your Hero. You gain the Item's benefits and can use their special abilities only when the Item is equipped to your Hero.
• TRADE ~ You can propose trades with other players, which can include paying them to attack one another, or not to attack you for a Turn.
• USE ~ During the game, you'll acquire certain Cards that you can activate (Use) during your Turn. Special Abilities can come in the form of Ongoing, Once Per Turn, and One-Time Use.

PHASE 2 - BUILD or ATTACK: For the final phase of your Turn, you must choose whether to keep your forces at home to help Build up your Kingdom and expand your unique Build Tree, or send your forces out to war and Attack another Hero or Stronghold. After completing this one action, your Turn ends and play proceeds with the Player on your left. A Round consists of a full Turn taken by each Player.

• BUILD: In Ethera, you will need Capital in order to use Battle Cards, learn Skills, and Trade. There are several ways to gain Capital, but the most common way is through Building. However, choosing to Build prohibits you from Attacking in the same Turn, and you can Build only once per Turn, unless a card specifically says otherwise.

OR

• ATTACK: In order to Slay Heroes and Conquer Strongholds, you will need to enter into Battle with them. Choose a Player's Hero, Controlled Stronghold, or an Independent Stronghold to do Battle with. While both sides can receive damage in Battle, Ties always go to the attacker, so there are advantages to striking first. If you took the Build action, you cannot Attack this Turn, unless a card specifically says otherwise, and a Player can Attack only once per Turn.

Start of Turn Actions

Start of Turn Actions are engine-builders that generate capital that typically can be spent only on specific cards or used only during specific instances. When the game begins, the only possible Start of Turn actions will be from your Active Hero (and not all Heroes have one). As the game progresses, you can acquire more Start of Turn actions.

• You always begin your Turn by checking for Start of Turn actions, and resolving them.
• Take the specified Capital coins from the World Bank and place them on the card as instructed. You will do this at the start of each of your turns, as long as you possess this card and it is in play.
• Any time a Start of Turn action tells you to place Capital on a card, you always take the Capital from the World Bank, unless specifically instructed to use your own Capital.

Phase 1: Exploring

As your Heroes journey across the lands of Ethera, their encounters will be represented by the cards you draw from the Exploration Deck. In this deck you will find powerful Items, influential Mavens, useful Battle techniques, and incredible Boons to help your Hero ... as well as terrible dangers.

Exploring is the first Phase of your Turn and must always come before the Build/Attack phase. However, you can take any of the Other Actions before Exploring if you like.

• Take the Explore action by drawing a card from the top of the Exploration Deck.

Types of Exploration Cards

There are six different types of Exploration Cards. Each type of Exploration Card has a unique color scheme and icon, which can be found on the upper left corner of the card. The name of the card's type is also displayed in text on the bottom right.

Reveal vs. Hand

There are certain Exploration Cards that must be Revealed and Resolved as soon as you draw them. These Reveal cards are identified by the open eye icon at the bottom center of the card.

The Effects of the card are written in gold text, and usually come with a choice that must be made to Resolve the Effect.

• A card is Resolved when a Player has taken all of the required actions as instructed on the card in order to "resolve" it.

Exploration Cards without the open eye icon go into your Hand to be played or activated later, and should be kept hidden from other Players. There is no limit to the number of cards in your Hand. However, you can play a Hand card as soon as you draw one. For example, if you wanted to Equip an Item, you can do so immediately after drawing it.

• If you draw a Reveal card, show it to the other Players and read its Effects out loud. Resolve the Effect as indicated. You cannot take other actions until the card is completely Resolved.
• If you draw a Hand card, hold onto it and don't show anyone until you are ready to use it.

How to Read a Card

While each of the six Exploration Card Types vary, there is a system to reading each card in the game:

• Card type icon
• Card name
• Card Cost to play or acquire:
  • For Battle Cards, this number is the Capital or Power cost to play the Card in Battle.
  • For Skill Cards, this is the Capital it costs to purchase and use the card. It's multiplied by the number of whichever Level you are acquiring. This is further explained in the Skill Cards section.
  • For World Forge Item Cards, this is the Capital it costs to purchase that card from the World Forge.
• Italicized text = Flavor
• Body text light blue = Choice/Condition that must occur in order to acquire
• Equipment Slot icon
• Body text gold = Effect/Special Ability
• Eye icon = Reveal card to all players and Resolve
• Card Type name

If you are eager to begin playing, you can skip over the section below for now and simply look up the respective card types as you draw them.

Special Card Situations

If two cards are played that affect the same thing, apply both cards' effects. It is possible for Players' cards to cancel each other out — for example, when one Player's card would turn any die roll positive and another Player's card would turn any roll negative.

Boon Cards

Boon Cards, as the name implies, are always good. They generally provide rewards in the form of additional Capital or allow you to Heal (recover lost Power).

• Boon Cards are Revealed, Resolved, and then Discarded.
• When you draw a Boon Card, reveal it to all players. If the Boon offers you a choice of benefits, you must Declare your selection, then adjust your Kingdom Mat (e.g., Power Stat and Capital Coins) accordingly to resolve the card.
• After doing so, place the Boon Card face up on the Discard Pile.

Hazard Cards

Hazard Cards are the exact opposite of Boon Cards. They generally have some sort of negative effect or risk.

• Hazard Cards are Revealed, Resolved, and then Discarded.
• If a Hazard Card offers a choice, you may choose either option. You cannot choose an option if it requires a resource you do not have.
• If a Hazard Card's effect reduces a Hero to 0 Power, the Slain Hero does not count towards a Champion victory.
• If you draw a Hazard Card, reveal it to all players. If the Hazard offers you a choice, Declare your selection and then adjust your Kingdom Mat (e.g., Power Stat and Capital Coins) accordingly to resolve the card.
• After doing so, place the Hazard Card face up on the Discard Pile.

Maven Cards

Maven Cards represent valuable experts and advisors who can provide your Hero with Special Abilities.

• Each Maven is a Reveal card that offers you a choice. You can accept the Maven and bring them on as a trusted advisor to serve in your Inner Circle, OR you can reject the Maven by discarding them in order to Gain Capital or Heal (as stated on the card).

There are three different types of Maven Special Abilities:

• Ongoing — an ongoing buff or ability that is always active or usable. If the Effect does not specifically state otherwise, it is an ongoing effect.
• Once Per Turn — a repeatable action that can be taken only once per turn and usually comes with a dice roll to trigger activation.
• One-Time Use — an action that requires the Maven to be Discarded upon successfully triggering the action. Some One-Time Use Abilities require the card to be Discarded, whether successful or not.

If you draw a Maven Card, Declare your choice:

• If you Reject the Maven, place their card in the Discard Pile and receive the designated benefit (Capital/Power). Note that you can Heal only up to your Hero's Max Power Stat.
• If you Accept the Maven, place their card below your Kingdom Mat near the Heroes Box, as indicated, to show that they are now part of your Inner Circle. The Maven's Special Ability can be used immediately or saved for later.
• If you wish to Use a Maven's Special Ability, Declare it, and then take the action as indicated.

Battle Cards

Battle Cards can greatly sway the outcome of a Battle, as they provide temporary bonuses or deductions to your stats and rolls. Battle Cards can be played only during Battle, and each Player may play only 1 Battle Card per Battle unless specifically instructed by a card.

• If you draw a Battle Card, place it in your Hand to be played later during Battle.
• Battle Cards cost either Capital or Power to be played. The Cost is displayed in the upper right corner of the card. The icon behind the number determines whether the Cost is in Capital or Power.
• All Battle Cards are discarded after they are played.

We will explain the Battle Cards in further detail in the Attacking / Battling section.

Item Cards

Item Cards can provide Stat Bonuses or unique abilities to your Hero once equipped.

There are two types of Item Cards in the game:

World Forge Items (hazel back) are Items that can be purchased at the World Forge and have the ability to be Upgraded using Forge Training Skill Cards (which we'll explain in further detail in the BUY Section).

Mythic Items (brown back) are rare artifacts that are found only in the Exploration Deck. Mythic Items are generally more powerful than World Forge Items, and therefore they are not Upgradable. They also come with a Skill Training Prerequisite in order to equip.

• Every Item has a designated Equipment Slot, and the Item must be Equipped to your Hero in order to gain its benefits.
• You can Equip Items only to your Active Hero.

Equip

As soon as you acquire an Item, you can Equip it. If you take an Item from another Player's Hero during Battle, you must wait until your next Turn to Equip it.

• There are five Equipment Slots in total: Head, Chest, Right Hand, Left Hand, Pack.
• You may Equip up to five items at once. Two-handed weapons take up two slots.
• You can take the Equip action only during your Turn, and the action must occur before Phase 2 (Build/Attack). For example, if you steal an Item from another Player's Hero during Battle, you must wait until your next Turn to Equip it.
• Whether you purchase an Item from the World Forge or find a Mythic Item while Exploring, you can choose to Equip it immediately, offer to Trade it, or place it in your Hand for later.
• If you choose to Equip the Item, place the card to the left of your Kingdom Mat as indicated, and adjust your Hero's Stat Boxes accordingly using a DRY ERASE marker.
• If you wish to Equip an Item in a slot your Hero already has filled, swap out the Item Card that is currently equipped to your Hero and replace it with the new Item you wish to Equip. The unequipped Item is returned to your Hand. Be sure to adjust your Stat Boxes accordingly.

Pool of Essence Cards

Pool of Essence Cards refer to the legendary bodies of concentrated life energy known as Essence. Created by the First Ones and left to the world before they retreated into their eternal slumber, the Pools are imbued with immense power and protected by a special creature called an Essential. Sworn to an ancient oath, the Essential's sole purpose is to determine which of the Pool's few finders are worthy to gain its Special Ability.

In order to be found worthy and be granted permission to drink from the Pool, the Essential offers you, its finder, a Test. Should you complete the Test, you will be able to gain the Special Ability of the Pool. Each Pool of Essence has a unique Test and Special Ability.

• Upon drawing a Pool of Essence card from the Exploration Deck, add it to your Hand. On your Turn, you may reveal this card to complete its Test.
• When you complete the Test, take the card and place it face up on your Battlefield over the Turn Overview to indicate that you have been Blessed and gained its Special Ability. If your Blessed Hero is Slain, return the Pool card to your Hand. You can repeat the Test to bestow the Special Ability on your newly active Hero.

Other Actions

Buy

You can spend your Capital to learn Skills from the Skill Training Colleges and purchase Items at the World Forge. Whenever you Buy something, Declare the action, then pay the required Capital to the World Bank and take the Card. Add the purchased card to your Kingdom Mat.

The cost of a World Forge Item is indicated on the upper right of the card. Each World Forge Item has a base effect and an upgraded effect that can be unlocked only by acquiring Forge Training Skill cards.

Skill Cards

Skill Cards help advance your Hero and Kingdom. They are also a part of the MASTER Victory Condition, in which a Player wins the game by reaching Level 4 in one Skill Type. At the Skill Training Colleges, you'll find "Experts" whom you can pay to teach you new Skills or sharpen ones you already have. The cost to purchase and learn the Skill is indicated on the upper right of the card (10 Capital x Level).

The five Types of Skills: Weapon Training, Defense Training, Forge Training, Agriculture Training, Lore Training.

• Players can be trained in the same Skill Type up to 4 times. The first Skill Card you buy is Level 1 in that Skill Type. The second Card of the same Type is Level 2, and so on. You cannot skip Levels.
• 10 Capital x Level: It costs 10 Capital to become Level 1 of any Skill Type. In order to advance to Level 2, you must already have one card of that Skill Type. It costs 20 Capital to buy your second card of the same Skill Type and advance you to Level 2, 30 Capital to advance you to Level 3 (must already have Level 2), and 40 Capital to advance you to Level 4 (must already have Level 3).
• For clarity, if one Player buys the first Weapon Training Skill Card, another Player would still have to pay only 10 Capital to Buy their first Weapon Training Skill Card, making them merely a Level 1 as well. There are a limited number of Skill Cards in each deck. When a Skill deck runs out, no one can Buy more Skill Cards of that type.
• Remember, each Skill deck has a limited number of cards (3 + the number of Players).
• As you advance Levels, you unlock additional bonuses. Not every Level offers you an additional bonus, as you will see indicated on certain Skill Cards. For example, in some cases there is no additional bonus when rising from Level 2 to 3.
• Skills are NOT stackable. You benefit only from the specific bonuses of your current Skill Level. For example, if you have a Level 2, you do not get the bonuses of Level 1 and Level 2, only that of Level 2.
• The Skill Training Colleges can be placed face up or down. If placed face down, Players should look at the front sides of Skill cards before purchasing. The back sides of the Skill Cards visually convey what they affect or improve.
• When Purchasing a Forge Training Skill Card, you must then designate which Equipment Slot you are Upgrading. You do this by Ticking the selected slot on the left side of your Kingdom Mat, using the DRY ERASE Marker. You may now use the Upgraded ability shown on the Item instead of the baseline ability. Note that to Upgrade a two-handed weapon, you must Upgrade two slots.
• If you acquire 4 Skill Cards of the same Type, you become a MASTER and have fulfilled 1 of the 4 Victory Conditions.
• Positioning your Skill Cards: If you Buy a Skill, pay the required Capital to the World Bank, then take the Skill Card and place it on the side of your Kingdom Mat as shown. As you acquire additional Skill Cards of the same Skill Type, place them behind the matching Skill Card in a Spread Stack so that other Players can see how many you have.

Trade

There are four Other Actions you can take during your Turn: Buy, Trade, Equip, and Use. These actions can take place anytime during your Turn, as long as they are before your Attack/Build Phase. You may take these other actions multiple times during your Turn. For clarity, this means you can take Other Actions before the Explore Phase if you like.

On your Turn you may offer to Trade Cards, Power, Capital, and actions with other Players. You set the terms of the Trade. The trade happens only if the Players who are participating in the trade agree to the terms.

All Card types can be traded except for Heroes and Classes.

Class Cards

Over the course of the game, you can earn Class Cards by achieving specific goals. Classes are distinctions of status and prestige that result from your actions, and they become part of your legacy. Each Class provides you with a specific ongoing benefit until the game has ended. Acquiring 5 Class Cards is also another way to win the game.

• The five Classes are: Heir, Paladin, Rogue, Sage, and Tyrant.
• You can acquire multiple Classes and gain the benefits of each of them simultaneously.
• The back sides of the Class Cards visually convey what you need to achieve in order to unlock that Class.
• When you meet a Class Card's criteria, take that Class Card from your Hand and place it face up above your Kingdom Mat as indicated to show other players you have unlocked it.
• As you unlock new Classes, add them above your Kingdom Mat.
• If you have unlocked all 5 different Class Types, you become a LEGEND and have fulfilled 1 of the 4 Victory Conditions.

Use

Some Cards and Build Blocks have special abilities you can activate on your Turn. You can decide when to Use them.

• To Use a Special Ability, Declare the action, then execute the Special Ability as indicated on the card.
• If the Card is a "One-Time Use," discard it after the action is taken by placing it face up on the Discard Pile.

Phase 2: Build or Attack

For the final Phase of your Turn, you must choose to either Build or Attack.

Phase 2: Building

In the world of Ethera, empires rise or fall on their access to wealth. To win, your Kingdom and Heroes will need to amass Capital in order to Buy Items, Learn Skills, and Use Battle Cards that will help you to secure victory. The most reliable way to gain Capital is by taking the Build action.

• Whenever you take the Build Action, you gain your Residual Capital, then choose a Build Block to unlock a unique benefit. You always gain the Residual Capital before choosing the Build Block.

Residual Capital

Residual Capital is the total amount of Capital you collect whenever you take the Build action. Every Kingdom starts the game with a unique amount of Base Residual Capital, shown at the top of your Build Tree printed inside the Residual Capital Box (outlined in green). This is the same number as your Kingdom's Starting Capital.

• Whenever you unlock additional Residual Capital, be sure to write in the new amount of Residual Capital in the corresponding Kingdom Box (outlined in green at the top of your Build Tree) using the provided DRY ERASE marker. Note that your Base Residual Capital amount is already printed in this Box, so be sure to not count it twice.
• Throughout the game you can raise your Residual Capital number by expanding your Build Tree, conquering new Strongholds or learning new Skills.
• When Building, you collect the Residual Capital before choosing the Build Block to unlock.

The Build Tree

Each Kingdom has a unique Build Tree full of Build Blocks that you can Tick to unlock new sources of Capital and other advantages. You can stack benefits by choosing to Build often and acquiring more Blocks.

• You Tick a Build Block by writing a check mark in the white hexagon directly above the selected Build Block you wish to acquire, using the provided Dry Erase marker.
• You can add only one Build Block per Turn, as part of your Build Phase.
• You must have Ticked the previous Build Block, linked by the white line, in order to Tick the next Block in the branch.

In the example shown, you can't Tick Bountiful Empire because you haven't yet Ticked Efficiency. But you can Tick Efficiency because you already have Tithe, the prerequisite Build Block, Ticked.

• Certain Build Blocks have additional Prerequisites, identified by the red text. You must have achieved the Prerequisite in order to unlock that Block.
• If a Build Block is connected by dotted lines, that means you need to have Ticked only one of the connecting Build Blocks in order to Tick that next Build Block.
• If a Build Block has the (victory) icon, you cannot Tick it if doing so would result in your immediate victory.

The Three Build Block Types

There are three different types of Build Blocks, each identified by a unique icon and color:

• Once — when you Tick this Block, you receive the benefits only this one time.
• Ongoing — when you Tick this Block, you activate the benefit in perpetuity. Note that you will receive some of these benefits on other Players' Turns.
• Repeatable — When you Build, you can choose this Block again to Gain its benefits multiple times. You physically Tick this Bubble only once even though you can choose it multiple times.

Taking the Build Action

• If you decide to Build, Declare to the other Players that you are Building, then collect your Residual Capital coins from the World Bank. Then Tick (draw a small check in) the Build Block that you wish to unlock, using the DRY ERASE marker. Take the action as indicated in the Ticked Block and adjust your Capital and Stat Boxes accordingly.
• Remember, if you choose to Build, you are NOT allowed to Attack in the same Turn.

Phase 2: Attacking

Attacking is the only way to conquer Strongholds and the most effective way to Slay other Players' Heroes. When you Attack, you can choose to target 1 of 3 things: an Independent Stronghold, another Player's Stronghold, or another Player's Active Hero.

We will go through Battling in further detail in the following sections as we walk you through each type of Battling scenario.

Stronghold Cards

Stronghold Cards represent a castle or garrison of a given territory. New Strongholds are drawn from the Stronghold Deck and are Independent until conquered and Controlled by a Player. If you are able to conquer a Stronghold in a single Battle, you Gain the Stronghold Card and the benefits that come with it. The benefits vary by Stronghold, but all of them get you one card closer to the CONQUEROR Victory Condition.

• If you Control 4 Strongholds at the same time, you become a CONQUEROR and have fulfilled 1 of the 4 Victory Conditions.

How to Read a Stronghold Card

• (Example: 4) = Stronghold's Defense Stat
• (Example: 5) = Initial Capital amount gained immediately from the World Bank when an Independent Stronghold is conquered.
• (Example: 3+) = The amount of Residual Capital you can add to your Build Tree upon conquering.
• Every Stronghold has a Start of Turn action, which is activated only once it is conquered. Most of these serve as Engine-Builders, earning you additional Capital that can be used only for certain spending.
• The light blue text tells you how many Capital Coins from the World Bank to place on the card at the start of each of your Turns (so long as the Stronghold is under your control).
• The gold text tells you the effects of the card, or how exactly you can spend the Capital that accrues on it.

Battling: Player vs Independent Stronghold

• If you are attacking an Independent Stronghold, you start the Battle by declaring which one you are attacking.

In order to win the Battle and conquer the Independent Stronghold, your Attack Total Score (ATS) must be equal to or greater than the Stronghold's Defense Stat.

The Battlefield

In the middle area of your Kingdom Mat is your Battlefield and its Tally Boxes. Here is where Players will determine their Total Scores.

Battling Mechanics

When you enter a Battle, there is always an Attacker and a Defender. Strongholds are always the Defender, as Strongholds cannot Attack Players.

ATS - DTS = OUTCOME

• Attacker's Total Score minus Defender's Total Score equals Outcome (and Damage dealt) and determines the winner of the Battle.
  • (Attacking Player's Hero Attack Stat) + (Attacker's Battle Roll) = Attacker's Total Score (ATS).
  • (Defending Player's Hero/Stronghold Defense Stat) + (Defender's Battle Roll) = Defender's Total Score (DTS).

Step 1: Battlefield. Since you are the Attacker, carry over your Active Hero's Attack Stat into the Battlefield Stat Box, making sure to account for all Stat increases that you have acquired. Use only a DRY ERASE marker.

Step 3: Battle Roll. The Battle Die is a modified six-sided die with numbers -3, -2, -1, +1, +2, +3.

• Roll the Battle Die to determine your Battle Roll. Write the result into your Battle Roll Box on your Battlefield.
• If the number is negative, subtract it from your Attack Stat. If it's positive, then add it. This now determines your Attack Total Score (ATS). Write that number into the Total Score Box on your Battlefield. (Example: Attack 4, Battle Roll +3, ATS 7.)

Step 4: Outcome.

• Since you are attacking an Independent Stronghold in this Battle and not another Player, the Defender's Total Score (DTS) is already determined — Independent Strongholds do not get a Battle Roll. Therefore the Stronghold's DTS is the same as its Defense Stat: 4, in the above example.
• If your Attack Total Score (ATS) is equal to or greater than the Stronghold's Defense Stat, then you win the Battle. In this example, your ATS is 7, and the Stronghold's Defense Stat (as shown on the upper left of the card) is 4. Therefore you win the Battle and Gain the Stronghold Card.

Step 2: Battle Cards. If you are going to use a Battle Card, you do so after declaring Battle but before rolling dice. For this example, we are NOT going to play a Battle Card. See the following Battling: Player vs Player section for a walkthrough that shows utilization of Battle Cards.

If You Win the Battle

• If you manage to conquer the Stronghold in a single Battle and claim it as your own, then you are awarded that Stronghold's benefits. Place the now conquered Stronghold Card above your Kingdom Mat as shown to indicate it is under your Control.
• Draw a new Independent Stronghold Card from the top of the Stronghold Deck and place it face up where the previous Stronghold was. This is now one of the four visible Strongholds that Players can choose to Attack.

If You Lose the Battle

• If your Attack Total Score (ATS) is less than the Independent Stronghold's Defense Stat, then you lose the Battle and incur Damage. Subtract your ATS from the Stronghold's Defense Stat, and your Hero receives that much Damage to their Power Stat. For example, if your Attack Total Score is 3 and the Stronghold's Defense Stat is 6, your Hero would take 3 points of Damage. This is subtracted from the Hero's current total Power Stat. Use only a DRY ERASE Marker to adjust this number.

If You Tie the Battle

• The Tie always goes to the Attacker. If ATS = DTS and both sides arrive at the same Score, the Attacker wins the Battle and takes the Stronghold. Battle Cards that read "If you win the Battle" take effect if you played them.
• Once you control a Stronghold, be mindful of the benefits as they all vary. All award you a one-time initial Capital amount upon conquering, unlock additional Residual Capital (to be added to your Build Tree), and come with Start of Turn actions.

Battling: Player vs Player's Hero

If you are attacking a Player's Hero, you start the Battle by declaring their Active Hero as your target.

In the walkthrough below, the Attacking Player has chosen to Attack the Defending Player's Hero.

Step 1: Battlefield.

• Players carry over their Hero Stats to their respective Battlefields, using a DRY ERASE marker. The Attacking Player always uses their Hero Attack Stat when attacking. The Defending Player, in this example, uses their Hero Defense Stat because their Hero is being attacked. (Example: Attacker Attack 4; Defender Defense 2.)

Step 2: Battle Cards.

• If Players wish to play Battle Cards, they place their selected card face down on their Battlefield in the designated area. Attacker places their card face down first.
• Both players then reveal their Battle Cards simultaneously and adjust their respective Capital Coins or Power Stat boxes according to the cost seen in the upper right corner of their Battle Cards. Any change in Power brought about by the Battle Card will be reflected in a Player's Hero Power Stat Box on the lower left hand side of their Kingdom Mat.

Step 3: Battle Roll.

• Both Players take their Battle Roll by rolling the Battle Die. Attacker goes first. Be sure to account for Battle Cards and other acquired benefits in case these affect Roll numbers. Both Players write their results into their corresponding Battle Roll Box with a DRY ERASE marker.
• Determine your Total Scores:
  • Attacker's Attack Stat + their Battle Roll = Attacker's Total Score (ATS). (Example: 4 + 2 = 6.)
  • Defender's Hero Defense Stat + their Battle Roll = Defender's Total Score (DTS). (Example: 2 + 1 = 3.)

Step 4: Outcome.

• Determine Outcome: ATS 6 - DTS 3 = OUTCOME 3 (damage).
• If the number is positive (the Attacker has the greater score), then the Attacker won the Battle. The difference in scores becomes the amount of Damage dealt to the Defender's Hero, which is subtracted from that Hero's Power Stat box.
• If the number is negative (the Defender has the greater score), then the Defender won the Battle. The difference in scores becomes the amount of damage dealt to the Attacker's Hero, which is subtracted from that Hero's Power Stat box.
• If the Battling Players have the same score, then the Tie goes to the Attacker.
• Adjust your Power Stat Boxes on your Kingdom Mats to reflect the Outcome of the Battle. If you have any post-Battle bonuses, remember to take them into account. Place used Battle Cards face up on the Discard Pile.
• Note that any fractions should always be rounded up.

Tie-Breakers

• Ties always go to the Attacker. So if ATS = DTS, the Attacker wins the Battle. If you are attacking the Defender's Hero, no damage is dealt because the outcome is 0. However, cards that read "If you win the Battle" take effect if you played them.

Slain Heroes

If a Hero's Power Stat reaches 0, that Hero is Slain.

• If your Hero is Slain by another Player, the Slaying Player takes your Slain Hero Card and places it above their Kingdom Mat face up as shown.
• If there was Capital on the Hero Card when that Hero was Slain, the Slaying Player collects that Capital and adds it to their Kingdom Mat.
• If you have Slain 3 Heroes belonging to other Players, you become a CHAMPION and have fulfilled 1 of the 4 Victory Conditions. The three Heroes do not have to come from one Player.
• If your Hero is Slain while Exploring or during Battle with an Independent Stronghold NOT controlled by another Player, place the (now Slain) Hero Card face down and tuck it behind the last Hero in your Line of Succession, so that the orange back is still partially visible to all Players.

Elimination

Players are eliminated from the game if all 3 of their Heroes are Slain.

Battling: Player vs. Player's Stronghold

So far, we've covered Attacking an Independent Stronghold and Attacking another Player's Hero. Now we'll show you how to Attack a Stronghold controlled by another Player. Attacking another Player's Stronghold can swing the momentum of a game if you are victorious: Not only are you gaining the benefits of that Stronghold, but you are also taking them away from that Player.

• When a Stronghold controlled by a Player is attacked, the Defending Player does NOT use their Hero's Defense Stat. Instead, they use the Stronghold's Defense Stat. Be sure to account for Stat bonuses that apply to Strongholds.
• The Attacking Player uses their Hero's Attack Stat and calculates their Attack Total Score (ATS) normally.
• If the Defending Player loses the Battle, their Hero does not incur any loss of Power. They simply lose their Stronghold.
• All other Battle Steps remain the same as in a Player vs. Player's Hero battle.

Step 1: Battlefield. Carry over Stats (Hero Attack Stat vs Stronghold Defense Stat). Be sure to account for all Stat bonuses you have acquired, and note that Equipped Items affect only Heroes.

Step 2: Battle Cards. Declare Battle Cards. Adjust Power Stats and Capital Coins for the cost of using Battle Cards.

Step 3: Battle Roll. Players roll the Battle Die. Determine Total Scores. Account for Battle Cards.

Step 4: Outcome. Determine Outcome. Adjust Power Stats and Capital Coins, and account for post-Battle bonuses. Discard the used Battle Cards.

• Attacker's Hero Attack Stat + Attacker's Battle Roll = Attacker's Total Score (ATS).
• Defender's Stronghold Defense Stat + Defender's Battle Roll = Defender's Total Score (DTS).
• ATS - DTS = OUTCOME

If Attacker Wins

• If the Outcome number is positive (the Attacker has the greater Score), then the Attacking Player has won the Battle and Gains the Stronghold Card by adding it above their Kingdom Mat. Attacker also gains all Capital on that card and adds it to their Kingdom Mat. Both Players adjust any Residual Capital that comes with the Stronghold, but the Attacker does not gain the initial Capital amount. The Defender's Hero does NOT lose any Power. The Defender simply loses their Stronghold, its benefits, and all capital on the card.
• If you have any post-Battle bonuses, remember to take them into account, then Discard used Battle Cards.

If Defender Wins

• If the Outcome number is negative (the Defender has the greater Score), then the Defending Player has won the Battle and keeps their Stronghold. The Attacking Hero takes the difference in Scores as an amount of Damage to their Hero's Power Stat. The Attacker adjusts their Power Stat accordingly using the DRY ERASE marker.
• If you have any post-Battle bonuses, remember to take them into account, then Discard used Battle Cards.

Ties Go to the Attacker

• In the event of a Tie (ATS = DTS), then the Attacker wins the Battle and takes the Stronghold.